(Ava Pippin at Lola’s Farmhouse Bistro)
By Sherman Shifflett
Generally, I ask my good friend, Ava Pippin, where she wants to eat on her birthday. For the last 12 or 14 years, she has requested Lowery’s Seafood Restaurant in Tappahannock. It’s nearly a two-hour drive from Louisa. From Lowery’s, she had to travel another hour to Fredericksburg for dessert at Carl’s Ice Cream and then back home – about 200 miles and four hours of driving. But that was okay. Her birthday was July 23.
Lowery’s Restaurant has closed, and this year, Ava selected a restaurant much closer: Lola’s Farmhouse Bistro, in nearby Goochland County, about 35 minutes away. Neither of us had eaten there, but friends had recommended it.
The Farmhouse was built at the end of the Civil War and operated as a general store for many years. A second story was added later, and in 1961 a fox hunter purchased the property and opened the Fox Head Inn. The current owners opened in 2016.
Our reservations had us seated on the patio, and I was not too excited about that because of the heat, but not to worry. They had tents and lots of trees. A gentle breeze kept us comfortable. Inside-dining is available too. A brick wall separated us from a grassy area, and a flock of chickens entertained us while we waited for our food.
Both of us ordered the same meal – a grilled steak, sliced and spread over a bed of mixed greens, with grilled onions, squash, green and red peppers. They served their house salad dressing. Everything was great – food and service. For dessert, we ordered Coconut Gelato. Friends, it was fantastic. The chef had applied caramel around the edge of the glass dish, then rolled it in toasted coconut. The same on the inside of the dish. Really good. I highly recommend it.
As we were leaving, we bumped into some former Louisa County High School students from the 1970’s. It was good to see them.
If you go: Lola’s Farmhouse, 1840 Manakin Road, Manakin, VA 23103 (804) 784-2000
You can find the menu online at lolasfarmhousebistro.com
Lola’s is fairly close to I-64, just off Rt 250. Probably an hour from Free Bridge in Charlottesville.
Check it out.