The Charlottesville Food Scene
Part I: The Corner
The Corner, located conveniently next to UVA’s grounds, is home to many restaurants and retail shops frequented by students and visitors! Many upperclassmen students live right behind The Corner, making it an easy place to stop for lunch or dinner with friends. There is even an off-grounds “Corner” meal plan called Elevate that many 2nd through 4th year students purchase for good deals on delicious meals!
Bodo’s Bagels
If you are in Charlottesville, you CANNOT miss out on the classic Bodo’s Bagels, which has three locations in Charlottesville. What makes its bagels special is that it offers fresh-baked products all day long. This means that their last bagels come out of the oven about a half hour before closing, so customers can enjoy bagels fresh from the oven at any time of day.
Due to its freshness, Bodo’s bagels are soft enough to stand in for sandwich bread. The main reason for its popularity to the college students is because it is quick and inexpensive.
The Juice Laundry
If you like smoothies, this place is for YOU. Juice laundry was founded with the purpose of fueling bodies with clean and healthy raw organic fruits and veggies. Inside the restaurant there is a whole wall of different cold-pressed juices, nut milks, and wellness shots with different health benefits. Behind the counter they make organic and vegan smoothies, smoothie bowls, chili, and chia pudding. I live off-grounds now (still only like a 10 minute walk to central grounds), and Juice Laundry was always on my way to class and I loved stopping there to grab some breakfast and start my morning off right. If you ever try it, you have to get the Bradley’s CB&J bowl!!!
Roots Natural Kitchen
Roots is the undisputed Queen of dining on the Corner. This unique restaurant was founded in 2015 by a group of UVA graduates from the McIntire School of Commerce with the mission to sell delicious, affordable, and, most importantly, healthy food. Customers can choose either a grain bowl or a salad, which they can then customize from a long list of ingredients. On the other hand, customers also have the option to choose from one of their “Signature” bowls, which are also totally customizable. I love stopping at Roots to grab their signature “El Jefe” bowl. You can take it to another level by adding their amazing broccoli to the bowl. This may make it more expensive, but it will make a great treat!
Corner Juice
Aptly located on The Corner, Corner Juice is a healthy, European-inspired cafe that serves a variety of juices, smoothies, toasts and sandwiches. Started by UVA alum Julie Nolet ‘17, the establishment is known for its popularity among students, both for it’s delicious, nutritious eats and sleek environment. On a typical day, you’ll see students studying at tables inside while enjoying avocado toast, or grabbing a smoothie to-go before class. My personal favorite lunch is the Parisian sandwich with a Corner Colada smoothie! It can be on the more expensive side, but it's a great treat that you can feel good about.
Pigeon Hole
Charlottesville is home to many amazing brunch places, but my favorite by far is Pigeon Hole. Located conveniently on the corner, Pigeon Hole is a UVA staple. The restaurant is a quaint little wooden house, making it a cute and charming hangout for friends. The food is amazing - try the french toast and thank me later - and the prices are hard to beat. Many lazy weekend mornings have been spent grabbing brunch at pigeon hole with my friends.
Take it Away
Located on Elliewood Avenue, Take it Away is a fantastic sandwich shop that serves up lunchtime eats and is a favorite spot for many UVA students. Customization is key at Take it Away: from simple deli meats to more artisanal products like sun-dried tomatoes, you’ll build your perfect sandwich in no time at all. Fresh french bread and their famous “house dressing” - which they sell by the jar - keep students and faculty coming back for more! They also sell “bread ends,” leftover pieces of day-old bread, which are perfect snacks to bring to an afternoon picnic on the Lawn with friends.
Part II: Downtown, JPA, and Beyond
Fun fact: Charlottesville has some of the most restaurants per capita in the entire United States. Basically, this means that there are hundreds of places with incredible food to try, ranging from Southern to Italian to Thai cuisines! By no means is this an exhaustive list - but here are some of our favorite restaurants “beyond the corner.”
Silk Thai
Silk Thai is a great Thai restaurant located on JPA, which is a street that basically runs right beside first year dorms. This means that Silk Thai is totally within walking distance for you as a first year (or a short trolley ride away any other time). They have a great range of delicious food options-- I definitely recommend trying their pad thai and their spring rolls! It’s a great way to sit down and enjoy a meal with friends, or to grab takeout and have a nice night in your dorm.
Twisted Branch Tea Bazaar
The Tea Bazaar is located in the Downtown Mall. They have a great selection of small Mediterranean-style plates, but the real star is the tea. You can order pots of many different types of tea to share and to taste. It’s a really fun and unique experience that I haven’t found at other place. You can gather with friends and share a pot of tea, which feels so much fancier than grabbing coffee. Overall, its a really unique and interesting place that you have to visit while in Charlottesville.
Lampo
The ultimate “my parents are in town” restaurant, Lampo is a neapolitan pizza joint located just past the downtown mall. Although it’s a bit pricey, Lampo has the best pizza in town. My favorite pizza of theirs has arugula, prosciutto, and sea salt. It should also be noted that Lampo is a pretty small establishment with only about 10 tables, and you can’t call ahead for a reservation. This means that you need to get there pretty early to not have a significant wait, but I promise you it’s worth it.
The Nook
The Nook is an old-school diner located on the downtown mall that specializes in mac n’ cheese. I first discovered this place when I was on the mall one weekend waiting for a concert to start at the Jefferson Theatre. The Nook is right across from the venue, which makes it the perfect place to grab a bite to eat before a show. I recommend “The Eastern Shore,” which is mac n’ cheese with tomatoes and crab -- I think it’s the best mac n’ cheese I’ve ever had!
Citizen Burger
After enjoying a concert at the Downtown Jefferson or Paramount Theaters, locals and college students alike are usually searching for some comfort food. Luckily, Citizen Burger is located right in the middle of the Mall, with plenty of booth seating inside and a comfortable outdoor patio. Citizen focuses on crafting speciality burgers, with meat from local farms, as well as craft beers from all along the famed “Brew Ridge Trail.” Not a fan of meat-based burgers? No problem - Citizen has a wide array of sides, like onion rings and truffle fries, as well as a selection of vegetarian and vegan options, including a burger with a patty made from beats. The atmosphere at Citizen is joyful and laid-back - the perfect spot for a night out with friends or to watch a UVA game on screen with your visiting parents!
We hope you get to check out some of these restaurants the next time you're in Charlottesville. Follow us on Instagram (@uva_summer) to learn more about the Charlottesville and UVA food scene all week!
