Potbelly – C-VILLE Weekly

Spirits on Water Street: Craft distillery approved for downtown location

A newly formed company—so new that it hasn’t gone public with its name yet—is looking to get into the spirits business with a craft distillery in the former Clock Shop building at 201 W. Water St. The working title for the project is Vodka House, according to Clark Gathright, the civil engineer and site planner who ushered the building’s new design through the Board of Architectural Review approval process. The initial idea had been to create a distillery and tasting room similar to Vitae Spirits, on Henry Street, and even to offer outdoor seating.

“We started out with that in mind,” Gathright says. “But we got smacked down.” Evidently, the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau was not enamored of the tasting room idea.

Gathright says the distillery project is moving ahead, though he’s unsure what form it will ultimately take. Black Bear Properties LLC, which bought the building in 2016 and has ties to big-bucks developer Hunter Craig, had previously proposed to demolish it and build an eight-story luxury apartment building. The Charlottesville Planning Commission nixed that use of the site in November 2017.

In other news…

Potbelly Sandwich Shop, which has more than 500 locations in the United States and abroad, has opened at 853 W. Main St., in The Standard at Charlottesville apartment building…The Crozet Trolley Co. is up and running, ferrying tippling tourists to the area’s wineries, breweries, and distilleries in an old-timey looking bus. Tour prices start at $39 per person…Waynesboro-based Blue Ridge Bucha is touting its use of reusable bottles as evidence of its commitment to sustainability. “Since 2010, more than 933,750 bottles have been saved by customers choosing to refill their Bucha bottles on draft,” a recent company blog post stated…On March 31 at Junction, chef Laura Fonner of Duner’s joins Junction chef Melissa Close-Hart to create a four-course meal, benefiting the Sexual Assault Resource Agency. Cost is $40 per person; $55 with wine pairing. For more info, call 465-6131.

Gee Whiz! A Potbelly Sandwich Shop (home of the cheesesteak with Cheez Whiz sammie) is open for business on West Main Street. Supplied photo

New owner at Tavern & Grocery and more restaurant news

New owner at Tavern & Grocery

Tavern & Grocery has changed hands, with its recent acquisition by Ashley Sieg, whose family has had a hand in the local food and hospitality scene over the years, including the now-shuttered Water Street and its predecessor, Tempo.

Sieg, who trained at Le Cordon Bleu Paris, has been involved in all aspects of the food industry, from cooking to consulting to food writing.

“I’d wanted to find a place with history with both the restaurant and the building, and this checked all of those boxes and seemed a great opportunity,” she says. Discussions with former owner Andy McClure led to the seamless changeover in mid-May. “I bought it and was there for full service that night,” Sieg says. “It was a little bit of a whirlwind, but fun.”

She plans to maintain status quo for the most part, with some tweaks, such as incorporating linen napkins instead of paper, and replacing utensils with her collection of antique silver ones, as well as updating cocktails to make them more seasonal.

“We’re not going to do anything major right now because it’s a great restaurant, the chef is great and the food is great,” Sieg says, adding that she plans to eventually expand the wine list and create an event space upstairs, as well as update the outdoor patio.

Bottoms up

Two local wineries received top nods in the State Fair of Virginia Commercial Wine Competition. Horton Vineyards was awarded gold medals for both its Albarino 2017 and the Petit Manseng 2016, and a silver medal for the Nebbiolo 2014.

Barboursville Vineyards was a silver medalist with its Cabernet Franc Reserve 2016 as well as the Allegrante 2017, which was also chosen as the best rosé. The vintners were up against nearly 110 entries from 27 Virginia wineries and meaderies statewide.

Expanding Potbelly

Generally, no one wants to be told there is a potbelly in his or her future, except if it’s that Potbelly. The Potbelly Sandwich Shop will be coming to Charlottes-ville by way of the luxury The Standard apartment building, looming large at 853 West Main St. Potbelly franchisee David Duke hopes to open by December 1, and said he’s aiming to attract both students and downtown patrons to the location, and will likely participate in UVA meal plans as well. “We’re excited to serve UVA and Charlottesville,” he says. “And we’re confident the local patrons will crave our second-to-none sandwiches, homemade cookies, milkshakes and of course our live musician every day for lunch.”

Buncha bucha

Blue Ridge Bucha has settled into its new home on the east side of Waynesboro. The taproom, renovated by co-owner Ethan Zuckerman using upcycled materials, features growler fills and compostable cups of their certified organic kombucha flavors, including limited-release flavors only available on-site.

The taproom offers a kids’ play area, WiFi and both indoor and outdoor space. They will also offer a variety of food and drink from local purveyors, including Farmstead Ferments, Krauts, Trager Brothers Coffee, Gearharts Chocolates, Good Phyte Food Bars and Snowing in Space.—JG