By Sherman Shifflet If you haven't stopped by Carl's Ice Cream in Fredericksburg, then by all means hop in your car, pick up a few friends and head in that direction. Anytime I'm in the Fredericksburg area, and even when I'm not so close, my car is programmed to take me to 2200 Princes Anne Street  for the best ice cream you've never eaten. Don't just take my word; ask anyone who has been … [Read more...]

We were on the road, needed a place to stop and eat and decided against fast food. One place beckoned. Cracker Barrel Old Country Store. Cracker Barrel is to travelers what honey is to Winnie the Pooh. They are known for good food, friendly service and reasonable prices. Cracker Barrel was founded in 1969 with a menu based on Southern Cuisine. Today, Cracker Barrel has over 600 stores in 42 … [Read more...]

My southern roots go deep. My daddy and his family were raised in Clemmons, just outside Winston Salem.  My mother’s people were from Raleigh. My second daddy was from the Wilson area. My closest aunt and uncle were from Charlotte. I grew up eating southern food and enjoying southern hospitality. So it was with great enthusiasm that Nancy and I went to dinner with my daughter Angelin and her … [Read more...]

  When my sister, Johanna, comes in town from her native Houston, one of the first things she does is make a bee-line to Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers. She’ll bring a big bag home and it doesn’t last long. I have to admit; Cane’s Chicken is awfully good. Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers was founded in Baton Rouge, LA  by Todd Graves  and Craig Silvey in 1996. Todd Graves had always … [Read more...]

  There was a time in Charlottesville where the only place you could order a sandwich or sub was at a diner. There were no sub shops or deli’s in in town. Now there is one on every corner and in every strip mall. Lots are good, some not so much. When Jersey’ Joe’s opened at Forest Lakes, Nancy and I tried it out. We had seen it on the food channel. We were deeply disappointed. The … [Read more...]

  Believe it or not, there is a restaurant at Smith Mountain Lake named Napoli Cowboy. Really! As weird as it sounds, it’s a great place to eat. Nancy and I were searching for a nice restaurant for our anniversary dinner and were disappointed that the Blackwater Cafe was closed on Sundays. We had never eaten there, but it came highly recommended. But we came across a place called Napoli … [Read more...]

  For 17 years, Rhett Craddock has been serving his Charlottesville patrons the finest in seafood, soups, steaks, raw oysters and sandwiches at his cozy restaurant at 2335 Seminole Trail in Riverside Center. Hopefully, he will continue to serve the same great foods with the same great service for the next 17 years and more, but it won’t be at the Riverside Center, which has morphed into a … [Read more...]

  Last week, Nancy and I were watching TV and a commercial came on depicting a big slice of pizza, oozing cheese and goodness. It brought back memories of Anna’s Pizza on Maury Avenue, not far from Scott Stadium. We had not eaten there in years and wondered if it was even still open. It is, and last Sunday night, we made a special trip across town to see if it was as good as we … [Read more...]

  My old fishing and hunting buddy, Ed Dent, was the first to tell me how good the chicken was at Payton’s Grocery in Stanardsville. Ed worked at Swift Air Delivery at the time, a mile or so from the small Citgo/Grocery/Deli and made near daily lunchtime trips to get his chicken fix. “I’m addicted,” Ed said. “It’s the best fried chicken you’ve ever tasted.” The next time I passed … [Read more...]

Lumpkin’s Family Restaurant. It’s where the folks in Scottsville gather. Downhome cooking, friendly service and the best breakfast this side of Tip Top in Charlottesville. If you’ve ever passed through the little river city of Scottsville, you’ve seen that huge rooster out in Lumpkin’s parking lot. Inside, the food is superb. Years ago, I fished in some bass tournaments and we often found … [Read more...]