Last week, Nancy and I celebrated our 49th anniversary and decided to extend the celebration throughout the weekend. We went to the Aberdeen Barn the first night, and then decided (on Nancy’s recommendation) to try Carmello’s Restaurant & Wine Bar in the nearby Shopper’s World. Carmello’s has been in Charlottesville since 1992, and until recently was located near UVA on Emmett Street. I had never eaten there before, but I’ll say this. I’ll be back. The food was amazing.
Carmello’s specializes in Northern Italian cuisine. The differences in northern and southern Italian food are quite distinct. The Italian southerners in their warmer climate are heavily influenced by the proximity to the Mediterranean. They favor tangy tomato sauces, lots of olive oil and fresh, steamed seafood. Northern Italian recipes often include rich creams sauces, polenta, veal and sausages.
George Hedges, the Executive Chef at Carmello’s, is a graduate of Le Cordon Blue Culinary Institute and has mastered the northern Italian sauces.
Since I enjoy veal, I ordered the Scaloppine Saltimbocca Alla Romana – medallions of fresh veal sautéed in a veal stock demi-glace, topped with prosciutto, mozzarella cheese, fresh sage, and then baked. All I can say is, “Wow!”
Nancy ordered her go-to Italian entrée, Chicken Alfredo. I sampled a taste and it had the richest, creamiest Alfredo sauce I have ever put in my mouth
The atmosphere at Carmello’s is warm and inviting and the service was outstanding. I also appreciated that the portions were large and the prices most reasonable.
Try Carmello’s next time you are in the mood for (Northern) Italian cuisine. You won’t be disappointed. Their lunch hours are Tuesday-Friday from 11:30am – 2:00pm. Dinner is served from 5:00 – 9:30pm on Tuesday through Saturday and Sunday from 5 to 9 PM. A Sunday brunch is offered from
11:30am – 3:00pm.
Their address is 400 29th Place Court in Charlottesville. Call for reservations at
(434) 977-5200 or go on-line at
info@carmellosrestaurant.com to reserve a table.