As a four-time visitor, I've found that while the food here is consistently flavorful and…read moreinventive, the value proposition remains a mixed bag. This is particularly true for the wine program; for a venue with such a massive retail selection, the curated menu feels surprisingly stingy. I had high hopes for their Cheese Board, but unfortunately, it mirrored my general experience here: great flavors, questionable value. The Highlights: The presentation on the bamboo board is lovely. The bread was exceptionally fresh and flavorful, and the fruit accompaniments; Persimmon, guava, grapes, and strawberry, offered a bright, acidic contrast that paired well with the selections. The Letdowns: Zero Transparency: The cheeses weren't listed on the menu, and the server didn't offer any information on what was being served. Half the joy of a professional board is the "story" knowing the origins and profiles. We were left entirely in the dark. The "Bread-to-Cheese" Ratio: Most of the selections were hard cheeses, and the two soft cheeses provided were literally the size of a quarter. Every sample was sliced remarkably thin. While the bread portion was generous, there wasn't nearly enough cheese or fruit to sustain it. It felt less like a cheese service and more like a bread board with a cheese garnish. Bottom Line: The Crush Pad clearly has access to great ingredients, but the portions should be more than "tastes." I want to love this place, but the value for the price just isn't quite there.

There is elegance and comfort to be found in Crush Pad Wines, in the downtown mall in…read moreCharlottesville. They have an excellent wine selection with a knowledgeable staff to back up any questions you ask. I did not expect there to be a full kitchen, and was pleasantly surprised at the quality of food we ordered. The Mushroom Crostinis in particular played into the refined vibe the entire bar was giving off. A fun stop for a quick glass of wine, or a seated meal that will be accompanied by excellent taste.

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!

High end creative food with a not pretentious vibe. The miso maple salmon and the grilled pork chop…read morewith hominy and crimini shrooms are my fav mains. Multiple layers of flavor and all the right textures. Visually appealing on the plate as well. Solid cocktail list here. I'm a big fan that they go old school with a hot toddy. The applejack brandy added to that is a nice touch. Service is excellent here. Prices reasonable given the quality of the dishes. Will be back the next time I'm in town for sure. Take out orders here https://orders.cake.net/11301553 Reservations via Resy.

Went there for a late Sunday Brunch few others were open. Great food and service. The coffee was…read moregood as the breakfast. Will be back for dinner later.

This is a completely adorable hidden gem for both wine and small bites. I hung out at the bar and…read morewent with the "Bartenders Choice" and was served a really interesting trio of wines that normally I'd have never tried but am happy to sample. Good service - check. I also loved the grilled cheese with a side of beans. I can't remember what they were, but dang they were tasty. It all went down well with a glass of local sparkling wine. I'd happily return.

Such a cute tea house. I came here with a group of ladies and we had fun drinking tea and eating…read moresnacks in this comfortable spot. I enjoyed my hibiscus tea and beans. I hope to come back for wine some night.

A private dinner amidst endless bottles and endless knowledge of all wine. A wine store with…read morethousands. We tasted several reds and whites, all unique choices new to my palate. And double decanted reds, so ready to drink and fully open. The proprietor has a seemingly bottomless command of wines, vintages, palates, and the wine business. Our group had three options of entrees, duck, sirloin, and a wild-caught salmon. I saw nearly all plates cleaned. Certainly, the salmon was perfect, and a far (flavorful) cut above the typical farmed salmon we eat regularly. He was right to call it out as their pièce de resistance. And yes, a chocolate mousse that looked remarkably like... well, judge for yourself....

Came in here kindly and un-obnoxiously during posted business hours and couldn't even get the…read morecurmudgeon owner (Bill) to look up at me. He was not warm or friendly, just asked me what I wanted - wouldn't even give me the respect to look up from his computer screen. He didn't HAVE what I wanted but I would've been totally open to local suggestions. Was ready to spend money (as I always am on wine!) but totally reconsidered after the way I was treated. My mother had been a customer for decades so I never would have expected this. Well, he lost meand my loyal mother too.

Food is great, service is great, design is great. We went for Restaurant Week and the place was…read morepacked but still enough space for every table to feel independent. My favorite dish was the Red Pepper hummus and the Rosemary olive oil cake

Went over the summer, sat outside. Other than the occasional loud car going by, it was a great…read moreexperience. Food was good, waitress was helpful with all aspects of the meal.

Tonight we had a party of 4 and they squeezed us in. We started with the Caesar salad , onion soup…read moreand calamari. All were excellent. For supper we had the salmon chicken and squash risotto. The chicken Marsala was great the salmon was good. The risotto was meh. Then we had the fried banana bread and vanilla ice cream. Wow get this!! Crem brûlée and raspberry mouse all good banana bread was outstanding. For a place that was established in 1996 I have to hand it to them for doing so well.

Stopped by Bizou to grab some take out for dinner and wasn't disappointed…read more I went in on a Tuesday evening and it was pretty empty, a few people sitting inside but it was a nice night out so most people chose to sit outside. The inside is pretty small so if you have a larger group and you want to sit together, just know dining outside maybe your best option. Anyway! I ordered their garlic bread appetizer, short rib entree, which came with a side of mash potatoes, carrots, and Brussels sprouts; and pistachio cheesecake for dessert. The garlic bread appetizer is a must! It comes with enough pieces for about two people to share and is paired with a fresh bean paste as a dip - trust me it's delicious! The short rib was just as delicious! The Brussels sprouts did seem a bit undercooked, but it wasn't a deal breaker. Finally, the cheesecake was solid was well! Everything was a decent portion size and worth the price in my opinion. If you're in the area and looking for a nice place to dine, you should check them out.

What a lovely and charming restaurant! Dined this evening with my family during our stay in…read moreCharlottesville and everything was really great. We began with very well crafted cocktails and I had the most delightful mocktail, an Unlit Gimlet; so bright and fresh and the pink peppercorn garnish was the perfect counter to the sweet. Food from beginning to end was fabulous. Servings sizes were filling and just right and not overly huge. So enjoyed our pastas from the Bolognese, the Carbonara, the Raucci, and the Primaverili (a perfect bite of spring green). Of the four, our table's favorite was the capellini gamberi Raucci but I wouldn't hesitate to order any of our selections. Sides of roasted fennel with oranges (the best fennel I've had) and the cauliflower were beautifully done. Appetizers enjoyed were the Roman artichokes, bread and olive oil, and olives. We ended the evening with the chèvre cheesecake, affogato and espressos. Service was professional, yet friendly and very welcoming. Thank you for an unforgettable evening!

We went to tavola tonight for my partners birthday and overall we had a good time and would be…read moreback. Between us, we did 3 cocktails, 2 apps, 2 entrees and 2 desserts and the bill came to about $220 tax and tip included. The restaurant had their main door closed (maybe they always do?) so we entered through a narrow back alley entrance into their bar. Parking is kinda tough. We did arrive a few mins early to our reservation and watched a table of 2 and 4 get seated before us which was a bit frustrating (it seemed like the host knew them and maybe they were given preference). Additionally, despite the reservation saying it was for my partners birthday it was not mentioned while we were being sat or by our server during our meal. Other restaurants in town (particularly Orzo and C&O) are really good about noticing these reservation notes and ensuring they are acknowledged. Both restaurants have also provided complimentary dessert or champagne and so it was a bit of a bummer it seemed to not be noticed at all. The ambiance was also much louder than we expected. Unfortunately we got sat next to 4 very drunk rowdy women which can't be helped but we could hardly hear each other over how loud the room was. The vibe was more of a nice dinner out with friends than romantic intimate dinner we hoped for. The music was upbeat and funky. Not a bad thing just maybe a misfit for what we were hoping for this evening. I haven't been here before so it might have been nicer to be sat in a quieter corner since it was just the two of us (not sure if that would have been possible). Our server Ginger was nice. She did provide a list of special for the evening which we ordered a few of. Food wise, tavola, in my opinion, certainly beats mockingbird or the local which are its two neighboring restaurants I've been to. It's actually not even a close comparison the food is significantly better imo. For starters we had the fried artichoke in aioli. Delicious - 5/5. Only problem was there wasn't more of it! The bread was from alb baking co and was served with olive oil. It was fine. Not the best bread or oil I've had. For drinks we had the alpine air (gin, pear, lemon, rosemary I think) and some pear cocktail (pear simple, Tito's, maybe pear liqueur?). My partner had an espresso martini with dessert. All cocktails were 5/5. Very good. For entrees we had the duck rotini and the pork special with collard greens and potatos au gratin. The rotini duck was interesting. I liked the flavor profile of duck, cocoa (in the pasta), pickled chiles and mushroom. I did feel like the flavor combination was so rich I wish they would have been a little more bold with the cocoa flavor. To be honest, it got lost and was completely overpowered by the mushroom flavor in the sauce. The sauce itself felt more of like a butter and fell a bit flat. The duck was chopped into small pieces and I just felt like the execution of this dish didn't do the ingredients justice. I wish they had done a braised duck breast in maybe a cocoa-orange sauce as I thought the cocoa duck combination was quite smart. I felt like the pasta version of these flavors just fell a bit flat and ended up feeling a bit bland as the mushroom was the only prominent note. Overall, I'd give this a 3/5. Neither of us were wowed by it but I think the flavors are ambitious and interesting. The pork on the other hand was fabulous. The pork was cooked perfectly in what felt like a wine reduction and was incredibly tender, no knife needed. The potatoes au gratin were a tad on the underdone side and had a bit more bite than maybe I expected but the flavor with the caramelized onion on top was fabulous. The collard greens are some of the best I've ever had. I love collard greens and am quite picky and these were amazing. I wanted a whole plate of them. 5/5. We ordered Brussels and pancetta on the side and this was also a 5/5. Very good. For dessert we had the tiramisu and the cheese plate. The tiramisu, frankly, was a 2/5. The lady fingers were totally soaking and the dessert was actually just a wet blob. The texture was just not good. The cheese plate was fine, 3/5. It was served with grilled crostini, cherries and candied walnuts. The cheeses themselves were a soft maybe goat cheese, what felt like pepper jack, and then two hard cheeses similar to Parmesan. None of them were particularly flavorful or compelling. I wish the plate had been served with some sort of jelly or sweet spread to accompany the cheeses as I felt the bread nut cheese combo was a bit too dry. Overall, I would say the main foods we had were very good and I think next time we may try their more traditional italian pastas like the carbonara or the bucatini. Overall I think the food here is very good and we would be back.

Yes.... yes are you allowed to go into the Code Building. Once you walk through the doors you will…read morebe greeted by a great bar! The name is familiar because they are the sister spot of Milli Coffee Roasters. When I was there I had a GREAT belgian beer. They have a wide variety of things on tap and bottled beer as well. Is wine more your thing? They have that too. Coffee and espresso? Yup, you are in luck. They even have a great space to enjoy your drink in the lobby of the Code Building. Next time you are on the Downtown Mall, give it a shot.

This coffee shop is located in the gorgeous new CODE building at the end of the downtown mall. It…read morecan be found as soon as you enter the main entrance and has a sophisticated but approachable feeling to it. The baristas are behind a small counter to the right when you walk in and you can either get it to go out sit in the spacious community area. I ordered a hot coffee and sat on the couch to relax and enjoy! They have pastries and also wine/happy hour later in the day which I'll be back for!

The beautiful drive to the countryside location sets the scene while the warm and inviting sisters…read moreinside welcome you in for a glimpse into their lives. The cheese is an entire experience. It is creamy and just acidic enough. I was worried my family of 4 wouldn't be able to work through the wheel, but it turns out to be the most amazing grilled cheese-making cheese you could ever imagine and had my kids begging for more! We made a special trip to Crozet while in D.C. for this cheese (and maybe some wine!). Please visit if you are in the area!

This cheese is second to nun! So worth the beautiful, scenic drive to the foothills of the Blue…read moreRidge Mountains to Crozet, VA where the sisters of this cloistered monastery have been making Gouda Country Cheese for decades. The 2 lb. cheese wheel comes in a red wax coated protective seal that keeps this semi-soft cheese delicious and mild. We purchased two wheels of cheese at $32 each. They also ship for a slightly higher charge. But it's definitely worth taking a trip to see the monastery grounds and visit the sweet nuns. The cheese shop is open daily (except Sunday) between 2-4 pm, but hours may vary so check their website for times. The cheese here is made from grass-fed cow's milk which gives this cheese its incredible velvety texture. The cheese curds are shipped in from Wisconsin, the cheese capital of the states! The Dutch recipe is a well kept secret and makes this cheese unique and flavorful! It's so Gouda, you may develop a "habit" for it! It's truly heaven sent!