First of all, love the fact that they have a cocktail area where you can drink and have light…read moresnacks while you wait for your table. Their drinks were one of the best cocktails I've had. Food was good but the portions were on the smaller side. We were shocked that their branzino was only a filet instead of a whole fish. For the prices charged, we expected leftovers and we did not have any

This was by far my favorite meal while in Charlottesville! I stopped past at 5:35 pm for a quick…read moremeal before having to board a 7 pm train. The hostess gratuitously took my luggage while directing me to the bar. I was greeted immediately by the bartender upon sitting down and she offered a water without me having to ask. I explained that I was pressed for time and she assured me that their kitchen moved fast. I started off w the fried artichokes at her suggestion and I was blown away. I followed that up with a seafood pasta dish consisting of shrimps, scallops, and mussels. The chili oil used in the sauce provided a nice subtle burst of heat. The seafood and pasta were cooked perfectly and my mocktail was delicious. By 6:25 I was heading to the station. I definitely plan to come again on my next visit to Charlottesville.

Husband and I went here for dinner during our first night in Charlottesville. The pizza had great…read moretextures- thin crust on the bottom but bready at the edge, and the right amount of cheese and spicy sausage topping. We each got a pizza and were able to finish both since we were starving. We loved the pizza scissors! Our server was prompt, and we felt lucky to be seated right away on a Wednesday night. Their connecting bar was having a concert outside, with what felt like hundreds of people in attendance. We also learned that we could park in the industrial warehouse lot next door since it was after 5 PM. We'll be back!

SERVICE We came in on a rainy evening and were told the…read morewait might be about 45 minutes...and no space to wait indoors so we sat outside in the covered patio and they came by to let us order drinks as we waited. Thankfully, got the drink and were called in early about 15 minutes into the wait. That little surprise made things start off on a good note. Once inside, we sat at the bar since there weren't tables available and we were HUNGRY and cold! Even with the weather and a busy crowd, everything felt smooth and relaxed. AMBIANCE The place was small and cozy with a warm vibe that instantly made us forget the rain outside! The cool shallot-shaped lamps over the bar gave off soft light, making the whole space feel super calm and inviting. Sitting at the bar felt right choice for us for our first time -- close enough to the energy of the restaurant and people watching and seeing the pizzas get made but still comfortable! There's a soft buzz but cozy enough to chat and just feel at home. FOOD We ordered the Abruzzo pizza with beef and pork meatballs, fiore di latte, San Marzano tomato, basil, and pecorino. It was hearty and rich but still balanced. We also wanted to try the Prosciutto pizza, which was not the favorite but still good. The San Marzano tomato sauce for the Abruzzo was the star of the show. We were sad we didn't order another pizza with the tomato sauce to switch it up but oh well, another time right?! Loved the floppiness, the tomato sauce flavor, and the crust! Have to love the scissor-plate idea -- very clever and so easy. And size of these personal small-sized pizzas perfect for 2 people so we could have room for dessert and not have leftovers! We finished with the Zeppole "donuts" which were fried ricotta donuts tossed in cinnamon sugar with a hint of lemon (which I LOVED the lemon here and cinnamon sugar worked perfectly!). They were light, warm, crispy and just what you want at the end of a meal. The food was delicious, though definitely on the pricier side ($16-$18 each for the small pizzas, $9 for dessert. Still, everything felt thoughtful and worth it for the quality!

Waitress was great and attentive I had spaghetti with meatballs and it was very good I ate on the…read moreviranda outside

The good: the food was delicious when it finally arrived…read more The not so good/bad: service!! When we arrived, we were shown to our table that had not been fully set up -- the utensils and menus were haphazardly placed as if someone was going to come back and set them up properly. We set them up ourselves and rearrange the tablecloth over the table. We had to ask for a drink list. And then for the list of specials. Our server said things like "oh, yeah, i think i have one of those here for you" each time as if surprised we were asking. Service was so, so slow! When the meals were finally delivered, only three showed up, leaving one of us without his meal. A couple of minutes went by, and we finally flagged our server, who came over to ask what was wrong, asking what dish was missing, and then went and checked with the kitchen. She said something to the effect of "there's some discombobulation in the kitchen." A minute later the fourth meal showed up. No water refills whatsoever over 2 hours -- I gave a friend some of my water. Our meal from sitting down to finally leaving was a little more than two hours. Just a very weird service experience. But the food was amazing -- great salad special and great entrees.

Delicious food, great service, beautiful ambiance. We arrived just before closing but still got…read moreseated and served without any rush which was wonderful.

AMBIANCE We came in with reservation for a dinner with…read morefriends one evening. The place is easy enough to get to and we found parking luckily on the street. We strolled in, gave our name for reservation, and were swiftly seated in the back of the restaurant behind the bar area. It was a comfortable setting for dinner with most of the dining room in a pleasantly quiet a bit dark in a warm way but good enough for conversation and relaxing atmosphere for chilling out. FOOD We started with the housemade rosemary focaccia bruschetta ($14), and were recommended to order two servings for our table of four... so we did. About 10 minutes later, the appetizer arrived and the focaccia was a nice way to begin the meal, and was surpised it wasn't pre-cut but it was fine to cut it at the table with the cheese and share...it tasted good but was not especially remarkable for what you'd expect (forgot to take a photo) For our entrées, we ordered the grilled branzino ($39)...a bit overly oily for me, the fish of the night ($39), coastal tagliatelle ($28), and spaghetti pomodoro ($23). The dishes were solid portion and generally enjoyable. I suppose I expected more of a WOW that I didn't get from the menu options or the service...probably didn't help we were seated next to a large and very loud group in the back. Overall, the food was fine and satisfying, though nothing stood out enough to make the meal especially memorable. We skipped dessert. SERVICE Service was acceptable and kept the meal moving, but it did not add much to the overall experience... Overall, this was an okay Italian spot with a comfortable ambiance and a solid selection of dishes, but it did not quite deliver the exceptional food or memorable experience expected from a well-raved restaurant that others had hyped up. I personally wouldn't visit this spot again in the area for Italian food, knowing that there are spots nearby with warmer service and more interesting menu options....so this rating is relative to those spots.

Amazing. Period. You come here and you found a jewel in this area. Amazing food..the Indian and…read moreItalian, seriously, so good it catches you off guard! The owner Vinny and chef Mike are amazing...they treat you like a family member. Can't wait to come back!!

Decent Mediterranean food. We visited Fiorano early on a Sunday evening, and it was mostly empty…read more We sat in a booth, and the light fixtures were glaring, but we were able to cover the lights with a menu to obscure the light. Other than that, the restaurant is nicely furnished with fresh flowers and bottles of wine and sparkling water on every table. I tried a glass of Pinot Noir, the bruschetta, and the gnocchi. After our wine was served, we were served a simple but tasty salad with a balsamic dressing. The bruschetta was served warm with melted cheese over top and was quite good. The gnocchi was okay. The sauce was not particularly interesting, and the bread was of average quality. Overall, I think Fiorano is a reasonable choice for Mediterranean food along 29.

Outstanding food, service and atmosphere. This reminded me of dinner at my grandmother's house. A…read morevery loving restaurant, if that makes sense. We will be dining here quite often.

This place is somewhere in the range of unimpressive to disappointing…read more We were seated then promptly ignored. No waters, no wine list. We just sat there. Even heard the staff person who seated us say to a co-worker "don't forget about the table in the window." Asked for the wine list and ordered a bottle which sat sweating in plain sight on the bar while we ate our salads. My chicken dish was cold when it got to me. I sent it back and got a do-over plate of the same order. The re-do was better, but my judgement was clouded by that point. My fellow diners felt their entrees were decent, but that the bread was really the best part of the meal. I left wondering how and why this place survives. The whole operation feels like it just wants to nod off to sleep. Maybe a Thursday night is slow? Maybe outside of the school year there's a lull at this place? Those are the benefit of the doubt questions I want to ask in their defense. But ultimately I feel like this place seems to keep going out of some sort of "but we're a restaurant" obligation. Won't return; don't recommend.

We recently had dinner at Sal's Caffe Italia and really enjoyed our experience. The interior is so…read morewarm and charming, with a cozy, old-school Italian feel. You can tell this place has been part of the community for a long time. I loved seeing the photos of the owners and family on the walls--it adds such a personal touch and makes the restaurant feel special. We started with the Caesar salad and bruschetta, and both were delicious. For our main course, we shared the spaghetti and meatballs. The portion was generous, perfect for sharing, and the flavors were exactly what you hope for from a family-run Italian restaurant. For dessert, we shared the cheesecake, which was a great way to end the meal. Our server was attentive, friendly, and made sure we had everything we needed throughout the evening. The outdoor seating area looked very charming as well, but it was a hot evening, so we opted to sit inside. Overall, a lovely dinner in a welcoming atmosphere. We'll definitely be back.

Sal's is an adorable Italian restaurant located on the Charlottesville pedestrian mall. They offer…read moredining inside and outside. The inside felt like an intimate New York restaurant. Portions are large enough to share, which is exactly what a couple seated next to us did for their appetizer and meal. Otherwise, you likely will be taking home what's left on your plate. Happy hour offers $3 off house cocktails, $8 glass of house wine, and $13 for a half carafe of house wine. Great deals! The staff are friendly and helpful.

We heard good things about this place so we decided to give a try. The pizza was not disappointing,…read morebut they totally forgot our sandwich, which happened to be spicy Italian beef... the sandwich is supposed to be dipped in the broth, so it would taste the best when serving fresh. And because it was forgotten, the bread got soggy and tastes unpleasant. They have some pizza sold by slice but you need to be there early or your option would be very limited. The dine in orders are also served in a way that can easily packed and to go. The place itself is friendly for solo dinners

This is an Italian market with a take out counter for sandwiches and pizza. Two small tables and…read morechairs to eat in. Pizza was very crisp but minimal flavor. Staff wasn't very friendly.

Fantastic! A New York pizzeria from the 1980s frozen in time. Took me back to my childhood. I love…read moreit!

Friday night order - a meat lovers (extra sauce) and a veggie (extra sauce). Not…read more ONE of the 5 of us ate more that one piece.. throw the remaining in the trash. One commented this is the "Taco Bell" of pizza. A few yeate back top shelf.... Out of business soon