Charlottesville Recommendations: Restaurants, Hotels, Hiking + More
I have lived in Charlottesville since moving here in 2010 and have so much to love about this city! Here are a list of Charlottesville recommendations including my favorite places to eat, stay, hike, sip and more.
Why Move To Charlottesville, Virginia?
When people ask us how I chose to move to Charlottesville, I quickly utter a list of about 20 reasons:
Mid-size
Local food movement
WINE COUNTRY
Outdoor activities
University
Hiking
Bike-able
East Coast / Mid Atlantic
Charm
Amazing restaurants
Great place to raise a family
Close to family
A huge exercise community
Liberal
4 gorgeous seasons
A really easy, nice airport
See for yourself how much I love it here!
Some Quick Charlottesville Restaurant Recommendations
These are some of my favorites! Scroll down for more posts, as well as places to stay.
Red Pump Kitchen, Commonwealth, Zocalo, Bang! or The Fitzroy for nice dinners downtown
Oak Hart Social, Maya, Public, Orzo, Tavola, Mas, The Local, Beer Run for restaurants around town
Three Notch’d, Kardinal Hall, Citizen Burger Bar, or Whiskey Jar for more casual eats
MarieBette (two locations), Bizou, The Nook, Blue Grass Grill, Beer Run, Bodos Bagels, or Commonwealth for breakfast/brunch
Feast, Tilman’s, Revolutionary Soup, Roots, Mezeh for casual lunches
Orzo, Pippin Hill Vineyards, Fitzroy for nicer lunches
Blue Mountain Brewery for amazing pizza and beer in the country
Pippin Hill, Blenheim, Veritas, Pollak and Jefferson Vineyards for wine
Champion, Three Notch’d, or Random Row for beer
Commonwealth, Bebedero, Red Pump, Fitzroy, or Alley Light for drinks
The Monticello Trail for a close-to-town outdoor trek, ACAC for an indoor workout or Elements Hot Yoga up 29
Downtown, Stonefield or Barracks Road for shopping
Great Harvest for bread, sweets, sandwiches
Juice Laundry (Preston Ave), The Juice Place or Integral Yoga for juice and smoothies
Neroli Spa for downtown treatments and bridal functions
Blog posts with more recommendations [click image for more]
Where To Stay in Charlottesville: Hotel Recommendations
The Omni + Residence Inn by Marriott + Home2 Suites by Hilton | These are the closest “standard” hotels to downtown, although they do book up fast. Both are in walkable locations to downtown and the university. (Hampton Inn is closer to downtown)
The Clifton + Keswick Hall | Super nice boutique hotels just outside of town (on the east side). The Clifton is smaller, B&B style (and where we had our wedding!) and Keswick Hall is big (and pricey) but super nice hotel with golf, a spa, a killer infinity pool, and a great restaurant.
Oakhurst Inn | Right next to UVA, this is the perfect place for anyone visiting the University. Lots of Euro-modern suites and a really great breakfast cafe next door.
Hiking Near Charlottesville
Carter’s Mountain | A spin-off trail from the Monticello Trail, this winds through the woods and ends up on top of Carter’s Mountain. Look for it to the right about 1/4 of the way up the Monticello Trail.
Humpback Rock | A STEEP but not-too-long hike with incredible views! A bit farther away. Pretty strenuous!
Ivy Creek | 6 miles of trails. Good for kids! Very easy to walk, well marked. 5 minutes outside of town town.
Ragged Mountain | Rugged and less organized, but scenic and fun.
Old Rag | Charlottesville classic – and possibly the best hike on the East Coast! 8.8 miles and very strenuous. Prepare to scramble across rocks and really climb at times. But simple gorgeous!
Fry’s Spring Station | Charming. Pizza in a restored gas station. Local beer list and fabulous hummus plate!
Miche Tavern | A 200-year-old, family-style colonial reenactment buffet. True Southern food! A bit expensive though.
Rapture | A bar, club and restaurant with an impressive and reasonably priced menu.
Cville Coffee | At McIntire Plaza (next to the future Great Harvest!), this coffee shop has it all: parking, space for seating, wifi, plenty of coffee to drink, fabulous creative sandwiches and good salads. I love their hummus!
Now & Zen Sushi | Casual sushi place, great for lunch. Asian modern feel.
Horse + Hound Gastropub | Great unique beers and pub food. Right on Main Street near downtown. Great French fries!
Fellini’s | Great vibe with live music often! The bar is super cozy and the Italian food is outstanding. Get the Opolo Zin!
9 1/2 Lounge | Located above Fellini’s (same owners!) is Cville’s speakeasy! Themed from head to toe of the 20s, have fun saying the password at the door and enjoy a Manhattan for me!
Cinema Taco | Downtown next to the Jefferson Theater and easy to miss. A local Qdoba with great tacos, quesadillas, taco salads and more for great prices and outdoor seating.
The Flat Takeaway Creperie | Located downtown on Water St., this is the perfect spot for a light meal or an evening snack. They have savory and sweet, vegetarian and local ingredients.
Sedona Taphouse | Tons of beers on tap and by the bottle. Pretty good menu with lots of choices.
Ace Biscuit + BBQ | A tiny restaurant with big flavor opened for breakfast and lunch. Great pastured BBQ and delicious sides.
Zinburger | Burger bar at Barrack’s Road Shopping Center
Fancier Restaurants
Commonwealth + Skybar + Here + Here + Here + Brunch + Brunch + Brunch | Downtown favorite for ambiance and drinks. A fabulous local-centered restaurant with a great menu and rooftop bar. Be prepared to wait for a table. Sip a bourbon while you do!
Fleurie | Very fancy French restaurant with great romantic ambiance and excellent service.
Zocalo and Here and Here and Here and Here and Here | Favorite downtown spot! This restaurant may have persuaded us to move to Cville 🙂 I still think about my vanilla-orange scallops and Karen’s Norwegian salmon, and the Relleno Pepper is the best entree in TOWN!
Parallel 38 | New wine + tapas place at Stonefield. Small-ish menu but delicious flavor. The wine list is short but impressive.
The Clifton Inn | A fancy farm-to-table restaurant just outside of the city limits. If you have the chance, sit at the chef’s table for a one-of-a-kind dining experience in the kitchen!
Red Pump Kitchen | A Tuscan/Mediterranean brick-oven restaurant downtown. The menu has both pizza and fancy dishes plus happy hour.
Sweely Estate Winery | Beautiful estate in Madison County, a nice combo with a hike in Shenandoah National Park! Really great Bordeaux blend wines and charming owners.
