After a day traveling to Monticello and a tasting at the Jefferson Vineyards we were referred to Charlottesville to The Local. The restaurant was in a quaint part of town. Walking in to the restaurant you will notice local artwork and on the tables were these elegant glass candles. Almost looked as though they were handmade. We enjoyed the crab soup. It was a tomato based soup filled with plenty of crab. The Brussels and Cauliflower lightly seasoned and crispy, laid over a sirachi mayo sauce. Highly recommend them as an appetizer! My crab cakes and asparagus were a great choice. Highly recommended and would order again. I could do without the coleslaw! I am planning on returning to enjoy another delightful item on the menu! read more

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The Local is a gem, not far from the downtown mall, but just far enough away that it gets soared a lot of the crowds. Reservations are always easy to get and this has quickly become a favorite to take guests to. Their focus on locally sourced ingredients really pays off. There are many options without the menu being overwhelming. The fried chicken and the mushroom pasta are my favorite and I am obsessed with the Lady Mondegreen cocktail. Service has always been swift and servers have always been kind and helpful. We have been seated upstairs, downstairs, and outside and have enjoyed each ambiance. read more

The Local - Lady mondegreen - New American Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

This place is only doing outside seating during COVID-19 so reservations are highly recommended. I started off with a cocktail, the farmer's tan and it was good. My husband and I decided to split a few things next, the crab soup, gnocchi bolognese and meatloaf. The portions were sizable. Our favorite thing was the meatloaf, it was amazing. It was wrapped in bacon, topped with a honey BBQ sauce and served with mashed potatoes and green beans. The Local is worth checking out for dinner. read more

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Bit of a mis-hit for the long standing long local favorite. Went back, after many times preCovid, and had the steak frites. The meat was, simply put, far from expected- a slightly tough and fatty cut, certainly not the flank or other expected cut that makes you order this very dish and a brasserie etc. Fries were good. Other diners, echoed same. Calamari appetizer: good Brussel sprouts and cauliflower opener: good. not special Might circle back to try another dish(es) , but begging off the steak (caput). read more

The food was amazing, service was attentive but not intrusive and the setting was wonderful. The chairs could be a bit more comfortable

Normalize #dessert before #dinner!‍ holler if your with us!!! Because hunnnyyyy, this #peanutbutterbrownies with ice cream on top had us feeling all the feels! While on the Charlottesville trip (Chanel went there & Alicia was in Philly, hence the back and forth posts) we visited a cute restaurant called @thelocalcville and it was TASTY, especially after a day of wine drinking! : Brownie Sundae - peanut butter chocolate brownies topped with house made vanilla bean ice cream and hot fudge Fresh #Burrata Local "Double H Farm" Berkshire Pork Chop † - Chili rubbed, grilled and served with mashed potatoes, shoestring sweet potatoes, and a chipotle adobo gravy Local "Buffalo Creek Beef" Short Ribs - braised with red wine and veal stock, served with mashed potatoes, glazed carrots, and pearl onions read more

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I came here May 2023 for graduation weekend for my friend at UVA. I was disappointed that the other restaurants we went to when I was in town that were cheaper were much better than what we had here. There was a pre fixe menu for graduation weekend, I chose the goat cheese salad, beef tenderloin, and cheesecake. The portions were incredibly small for the set price that doesn't even include drinks. The steak was extremely well done and unseasoned despite the sauce on top that was bitter. I prefer a medium rare but we were not asked how we wanted our steaks prepared. It was tough and difficult to chew. The mashed potatoes and string beans were sparse and unseasoned. The cheesecake on the outside looked sort of like plastic- indicating it had been sitting out for a while before being served. I left hungry and unsatisfied unfortunately. TLDR; I wanted to like this place since my friend had such high opinions about it but I was not pleased. Another friend at the table was not pleased with his food either and he received the same choices, it was not just my plates. read more

Overall this was a disappointing experience. First the good- it's a nice location, pretty inside and our server was very good. Unfortunately the food was only ok. Our meals came out very, very quickly which suggests that they were pre-cooked. Also, the food wasn't very hot and the flavors that seemed interesting on the menu never really materialized. We had the rockfish (heavily breaded and fried), the bison short rib (meat was good but the fried gnocchi that came with it was hard and flavorless) and a beef tenderloin special (meat a little tough and over cooked). We won't be back. read more

So, The Local is a C'ville mainstay. The food is good. Tonight I felt like we were really hurried. Our appetizers were first taken for only half of our party. They came out and were good - but our entrees came out about 5 minutes later. The waiter said he knew we had been drinking so he brought our food out fast. What does that mean? Food was good but not hot. Crab soup app was cold. Environment is really cute. If service had been slowed down a bit and the food had been hotter it would have been 5 stars. read more

If you are looking for a place to cater a group of 50-60 people, I'd definitely recommend. They served enough food and it was decent! The side dishes (Brussels sprouts, mashed potatoes, green beans, salad dishes, rice pilaf were excellent) the bread was bad/hard as a rock. The main dish (chicken or short ribs) did the job. The proteins both were a tad dry but overall, solid/good taste, like I said for the price and the service, not too shabby! Would recommend visiting with this type of party size as the outside venue was nicely decorated, neat and had extra details (flowers, glasses, silverware), which added an extra touch of charm and bliss to our dining experience. read more

On Friday night, I dined at the local for a dinner as part of a bachelorette party! Our original plan was to eat outside, but due to weather, we were unable to do so. Thankfully, we had a reserved room as a backup plan and the ambiance ended up being perfect for the evening. We were treated to a beautiful wine cellar room. I cannot say enough good things about our experience. First of all, there were 13 of us, and we had one server, who knocked it out of the park. She was amazing, patient, and accommodating! She made several recommendations, one of which I took for my meal. I ordered the gnocchi bolognese and it was one of the best pasta dishes I have ever had. The portions were large and the flavor was even bigger. I enjoyed it so much. Thanks to our dinner here, the weekend kicked off on a great note and I think we all agree we would be back! read more

The Local - New American Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

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The food was well below the quality as previous dinners we have had there, although we have experienced inconsistency. The fish was greasy, flavorless, and overdone. The NY strip was mostly gristle therefore inedible. Our server was also covering the bar solo including our table next to the bar therefore we chose not to complain. He was a super nice and did a great job considering his work load seemed unreasonable. It was extra disappointing as we were taking our daughter out for her birthday. Probably will not return at this point. read more

We had dinner there last night. We split the short ribs. It was memorable. We will be back!

We went to The Local on the recommendation of the proprietor of the B&B we were staying at. It's located at corner where there are three other interesting looking eateries. The Local is small and has a cozy feel to it. We had reservations and were seated right away. We had a big lunch and were looking for something on the lighter/small side. The menu gave us plenty of options. We started with the Local Cheese Board. It has Parmesan, Bleu, Brie, Swiss and Goat cheeses with apples and grapes. Perfect with our wine. With both did salads as entrees and I added the crab cake appetizer. My wife wasn't crazy about here salad as the dressing had molasses in it. I tried it and liked. I enjoyed my house salad, they include pickled onions and cucumbers in it. The crab cake was perfect. I can't comment about their entrees, but the food we ate was very good. On the downside, the service started off good, but got a little slower. The place was busy but not packed. Also, the chairs are very uncomfortable. I would go back because the food was good as was the atmosphere. read more

We went here the last night and because of covid they are seating outside only, but they have made the patio very cute. The food was all amazing, especially the Brussels sprouts and cauliflower appetizer. They have an extensive wine selection and we enjoyed both bottles we got. Our waitress was very kind and attentive. I would definitely recommend this little spot if in town read more

The Local - The Local "Double H Farm" Berkshire Pork Chop* - New American Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

Have frequented this establishment several times recently as it's a family favorite. Came here on Mother's Day-first I'd like to commend the front of house staff on managing a crowded front door right at 5 pm opening. Also would like to recognize Christian for outstanding service and thorough knowledge of the menu. I went with the local burger, and took a risk ordering it med rare. But lo and behold, they nailed it! Tender and juicy without being undercooked. Also would recommend the meatloaf-cooked to perfection, and that's coming from someone who's not the biggest meatloaf fan! Do make a reservation though, there is a sign saying they aren't able to take walk ins due to staffing. read more

Amazing food- we got the fried cauli & broccoli to start which was awesome, so good. I had the gnocchi which was delicious and such a generous portion too, and my partner had the salmon which they said was so good and well made. Great wine selection as well. Our server Stella was great- I'm a server as well and could tell she was clearly working so hard but still made an effort to take time with us and was very kind! Our only somewhat critical comment was that we initially got seated in the wine barn next to the main restaurant but it was very cold due to the doors keeping opening, and it was clearly mostly meant for groups - there were 2 parties of 8+ sitting inches from our table - that the ambiance was awful. Their loud laughing and cheers-ing did not make for a date night ambiance like we were hoping for, and made us feel like intruders to the parties. Luckily, we asked our initial server if we could move to another table elsewhere and he was very accommodating and quickly moved us to a great table in the main restaurant area next to the bar. So no complaints there about our experience, but definitely recommend that the restaurant reconsider seating couples out there at all! read more

Came here for dinner. Had scallops appetizer and cauliflower Brussels sprout appetizer. Main meals were meatloaf, angus burger, short rib and pork chop and everything was outstandingly delicious. Dessert was chocolate cake mixed berry cobbler and this place was beyond excellent. Highly recommend! read more

I've never had a dish here I didn't like. Honestly have had a number of their dishes including the meatloaf, their steak frites, salmon, fried cauliflower and brusselsprouts, cheese board, and more. I love everything. On this trip I had the short rib and it was great. The drinks are okay, I feel like they can improve a little on the drink flavors for their cocktails. The ambiance is great for a date or a group outing. read more

The Local - Local "Buffalo Creek Beef" Short Ribs - New American Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

I took the recommendations of the restaurant employees and ordered the shrimp appetizer with seaweed salad ($12) and the salmon ($23) as my entree. Being from Florida, I wasn't quite sure about ordering all seafood at an inland location, but the restaurant really delivered a delicious meal. The shrimp is fried in a light batter and the salmon has a wonderful crust. Overcooked seafood can be so disappointing, but the salmon was cooked perfectly. The fish flaked while still having moisture, a perfect medium rare salmon, just the way I like it. Salmon is such a wonderful fish, but over cooking it just a bit can transform its flavor from being delicate to very fishy and strong. So kudos to the chef, because not only was my piece cooked perfectly, so was the second order I took home . The restaurant is cozy and has a lot of outdoor seating, mostly shaded. Definitely going to be a regular spot for me in the coming years. A good place to go when family comes to visit! Follow MarleyRecs on Instagram for more! read more

The Local - New American Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

A classic Charlottesville choice for a nice night out when you don't wanna get too fancy. We brought my husband's parents here when they were in town visiting, and it was a good choice for a "impress the in-laws" sort of dining experience. The ambience of The Local is top-notch in my opinion: not too loud, but buzzy; not too dark but a warm dimness; staff friendly but not overbearing; and set in a rustic, cozy old building that has been updated not to feel too modern, but fresh. Our server was on point with his recommendations and keeping our waters filled (maybe a little too obsessively?). But we all enjoyed our entrees: three people getting steak (?!) and enjoying its flavor and how it was cooked, while I enjoyed the duck breast. Super tasty and a perfect portion size. Pretty much anytime I'm somewhere that serves duck that I believe to be credible enough to cook it correctly, I'll order it, and The Local did an excellent job. Some of us also started with the soup of the day which was some type of corn chowder I believe. It was enjoyed, but maybe not long remembered. The Local is definitely a good place to visit when you have guests who maybe are slightly picky and like fairly "traditional" American/European -style food, but you want them to try something new and from the area. read more

We came all the way from CT to visit our niece at UVA. She chose this place for dinner with family and grandparents. What a gem!! Farm to table and the freshest ingredients. Enjoyed everything from starters, to drinks to dinner!! Keep doing what you're doing! Service was Bar None! read more

The Local - Top level dining - New American Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

We have been here now on two occasions. The first time Was not so busy and we were able to get a table. Both of our meals were delicious and the berry cobbler was amazing! The second time was actually better than the first. They didn't have any tables but we sat at the bar which is probably why I enjoyed it so much. The bartender was absolutely amazing. He's very attentive even with having a bar full of customers. My boyfriend ended up not liking his drink, and he was super observant of this and offered him another drink So that my boyfriend had a drink that he enjoyed with his dinner. He made sure our glasses were always refilled, and brought our food to us promptly. We both ended up getting steak, mine was absolutely amazing and tender. Unfortunately we were too full for dessert on this occasion. The overall experience was absolutely wonderful and the food was amazing. Sorry no pictures, with food and service that good who has the time. read more

Wonderful atmosphere, very cute restaurant! Server was amazefest!!! The coconut mojito was the bomb! Beef tenderloin was divine and the shrimp and craB Pasta was soo yummy! Very good food and service. Definitely recommend read more

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Great atmosphere and a "local" favorite for our family. Good selection of food and the beer is cold!

The Local gives a taste of the best parts of Charlottesville. This Belmont spot is a great spot to take a first date, friends from out of town, or just anyone who likes a good meal. I have been twice and each time I've gotten with different people and we've all enjoyed the experience. The staff is friendly, attentive, and they make great recommendations. We were unsure on which wine to split and our waiter spoke openly about which was what we were looking for without clearly encouraging us to only go for the most expensive bottles. The top deck has great string lights which makes for a great atmosphere. Inside cleanliness and decor are top notch. They find a great mix of casual and formal. Wearing a dress or wearing jeans and a nice top both work for the atmosphere. The food. That alone earns the five stars. The lobster Mac and cheese came highly recommended and when I say they don't skimp they definitely don't. I split a dinner portion with my friend and we still couldn't finish it all. It comes topped with cheese and such large chunks of lobster we found ourselves cutting it into smaller portions so we could enjoy more noodles. Another friend ordered the steak frites and the portion size was amazing. The best part about all our selections despite the large size the flavor was there. Our cocktails were delightful strong but not overwhelming. We ordered a banana split with there house made ice cream. It was delicious and definitely a shareable dessert. One friend I've gone with is vegan and our waiter recommended the local roasted squash without cheese and we all ended up nibbling it because it was delicious! I would recommend this place with fighting colors. read more

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Great atmosphere, great food good wine. Sat in the front room and Justin the bartender served us. His recommendations were. Spot on. He was very attentive. My wife had the short ribs and I had the mushroom truffle. Both ver served quickly and tasted great. Definitely recommend. read more

3.5/5 stars. Solid dinner but some misses along the way. I will say that for the price, the food is excellent. The Local reminded us of many of the higher end places around town (Oakhardt, Duners, Orzo, etc), except the food was certainly a small step down from those place BUT the prices were also noticeably lower. Cheaper 'date night' prices, pretty solid food, super close and convenient.... overall Local is worth trying out. We followed the waiter's recommendations and got the crispy shrimp and flash-fried sprouts as apps. Shrimp were something you can find anywhere (i.e. bonefish) but the fried sprouts were pretty tasty. For dinner I had the fried local chicken and she had the salmon. Her fish was good, but the underlying rice was super goopy and tasted like it was cooked in a crockpot with canned cream'o mushroom soup. My chicken had some excellent flavor but the bulk of my meat portion was just fried chicken skin with minimal actual meat. We also had a side of Gus but with only 6 spears for $6... you'll want to skip those. Lastly, our server was friendly but kinda hard to understand b/c he worked&talked at the speed of light. Woah, slow down dude. read more

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Good, ambiance and drinks were all great. Their chicken was hands down the tastiest chicken I've ever had. And I order roasted or fried chicken 90% of the times at restaurants. Also, all their food is local. read more

Make reservations! Thankfully the bar was open so we sat there. Welcoming, cozy place. Food was amazing!! We ordered a bottle of wine but the amazing bartender gave us a sample of a different wine that paired much better!! So we ordered a glass of that too! On our visit we tried the cheese board, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts, squash, crab soup, short rib, pork belly, gnocchi. Everything was cooked and prepared very well! Shout out to our bartender for such a great experience! Thanks Campbell!! read more

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We were asked to leave after an hour and 15 minutes for dinner. Check was printed at 7:55, we were chatting after dinner, finishing our 1 drink each and rudely told at 8:05 that people were waiting, and we needed to go. There were empty tables around throughout the restaurant at the time, and on our way out, we saw no one waiting. The table next to us was asked to leave as well. Not sure how many others. What a horrible end to an otherwise nice dinner. read more

We had my son's rehearsal dinner there Friday night. I was disappointed on several levels. The tables looked nice with the flowers and white tablecloths. The drinks were great. However, for the later party they forgot to put the crackers out with the cheeses and forgot to put out the desserts I ordered. I didn't notice until late in the evening when I pointed out that failure to them. I was disappointed we weren't told that there were two other parties going on both sides of our room so the noise level and heat was high. Plus, I've never attended or had an event where the point person we had been working with wasn't even there. The beef was excellent but the trout was unappealing to look at and tasteless. Frankly I believe they were over extended with 3 parties upstairs and regular in-door and patio dining downstairs. read more

There aren't many vegie selections. The pasta dish wasn't great. Not a good choice for a vegan or vegetarian.

This place is always hit or miss, with the speed of service and quality of food. I've been here a few times and last night was really no different. The food was just OK, and didn't feel like anything special. However the food has always tasted fresh, just not always impressive enough for me to make my way to Belmont. The decor and feel of the restuarant is fantastic though. I love the rustic feel. It is a good place for conversation too, so if you just want a place to grab a drink and catch up with friends this is good place. read more

I've been here at least 2-3 times for special occasions (valentine's day, double dates, etc.) and it's been amazing every time! Each time I've gone, I've made a reservation on Open Table and was seated right away. I definitely recommend making a reservation if you're going from Friday to Sunday. Atmosphere - I love the ambiance. The downstairs is sort of a classic wooden rustic bar area, and the upstairs is more of an open concept fancier restaurant with twinkle lights. If you have any family or friends visiting from out of town, this is a perfect place to take them for a nice, but casual night out with dinner and drinks. Service - The service has always been super quick and the wait staff is extremely attentive, even when it's a busy Friday or weekend night. Parking - There's not much parking in front, but there is a neighborhood on the parallel street over with ample amounts of street parking. Most importantly, FOOD - I'm not a vegetarian, but I don't eat much meat. I LOVE their Truffled Mushroom Ragout. It's so creamy and rich without being too heavy. I usually get the double/larger portion so that I can take it home and have it for leftovers the next day for lunch! My friends have ordered the salmon, the burger, or the steak with rave reviews as well. *Must try appetizers: Fried Cauliflower & Brussels Sprouts Crispy Shrimp read more

The Local - Crispy Shrimp and Fried Cauliflower & Brussels Sprouts - New American Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

Loved the atmosphere, the service, and the ambiance. I had the short ribs which were delicious. My husband had the special which was steak. It melted in your mouth. My daughter had the one dish that wasn't quite 5 stars. She had the stuffed acorn squash. The bottom of the shell was good but the sides were not done enough. She did mention it to the waitress who would have taken care of it, but we were on a time constraint. We would definitely go back again! read more

We did not know that you were supposed to have reservations, but the manager on duty checked and found us seats. The server, Maria, came almost immediately to get our drink orders. She recommended the house red and it was good. She took our orders and we didn't wait long. My wife had the beef tip, which was good; I had the bison steak frite, which was good, but it was underseasoned. We would recommend this restaurant and would go again if we are visiting the area again. read more

How the mighty have fallen. For about six years, I considered this my favorite Charlottesville restaurant, but my last two visits have not been good. First of all, the place has become very noisy. I don't know if was a redesign, a more boisterous bar business, or a change of clientele, but the ambience has been ruined. Second, the food has become inconsistent, and service has slowed to the point that I've been served tepid food on several occasions. I am no longer recommending this place, which makes me sad. read more

The Local is truly a Charlottesville classic that is perfect for dinners out and hosting nice events, like my cousin's wedding rehearsal dinner and my sorority's semi formal. The service was professional and seemed well-equipped for catering and accommodating large groups. The atmosphere is rustic while refined, and offers a beautiful selection of wine bars and an outdoor semi-covered rooftop terrace under string lights. The menu ranges from cheese boards and shared platters to fancier entrees and desserts. It's on the more expensive side and can get busy, but is great for a date night or more formal meal. read more

The Local - lobster mac and cheese - New American Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

The local is from far one of my favorite restaurants in town. The food is unimaginably tasteful and cured. I always said that in my life good food it would come from home and nowhere else, however, this restaurant might be the exception. I can be precipitating myself by saying this, however, I do believe that the service at this restaurant definitely offers a different point of you when it comes to hospitality. It's inevitable to notice the kindness, warmness, and appreciation culture that comes from the beginning to the end of your experience. I must say that I was not impressed completely with the ambience, but everything else inside of my experience make up for it. And in addition to my statement, The Local, so far, has the best quality and selection of wines that I have tried in the city of Charlottesville. read more