We eat pizza from time to time. Who doesn’t? For us, it’s usually Voccelli’s, which is just a stone’s throw from our house, or on occasion, Anna’s Pizza, near UVA. But we have the fondest memories of Barnaby’s, a pizzeria once located on Greenbrier Drive at the current site of Guadalajara. Pizza was a relatively new concept in the south in the 1960s. New York and Chicago … [Read more...]

You eat well throughout the week, counting calories, nibbling on celery sticks and helpings of kale, and then you say – to hell with this – I want real food. That’s when Nancy and I get in the car and head for Riverside North. We order greasy cheeseburgers, onions rings and a basket full of French Fries. Next week, we’ll diet, but for now, we’re eating food as God intended. That happened to us … [Read more...]

  When I want a Sam’s Hot Dog fix, I have to go out of town. With ten million restaurants in Charlottesville, you’d think we’d have one Sam’s Hot Dog Stand, but we don’t. Crozet, Waynesboro, or Harrisonburg are our three closesst options. In my opinion, Sam’s is one of the best hot dog vendors anywhere, right up there with Cap’n Franks on the Outer Banks. Their hot dogs are simply … [Read more...]

I had not eaten at Burton’s Grill & Bar. Friends advised that it was good, but expensive. They were right. The food was delicious, but their prices were at the very top of Charlottesville’s food chain. We met friends there last Saturday night and the place was packed – a good sign. The service was a bit slow, but to be expected on a busy night. I ordered a Maker’s Mark and Ginger Ale, … [Read more...]

  Nancy said the other day that she didn’t think we had a Hardee’s anymore in Charlottesville. I knew they had closed the one on 29 N. when the $64 million tunnel effectively put it out of business, but don’t we have another one? Nope. They closed the one on Pantops, as well. The world, certainly, is going to hell when there are no more Hardees in town. I remember the first Hardees … [Read more...]

It was our 54th wedding anniversary and Nancy and I were off to Nags Head to celebrate. Being the offseason, we knew there would be limited activities, but we were looking forward to relaxing and eating some great seafood. On our way down, we were trying to decide where to eat for this special occasion. We decided on Miller’s for a romantic waterfront experience. But Miller’s was closed. So was … [Read more...]

We went out to eat recently with my daughter, Laura, and her friend Rene. They asked us to join them at a Korean restaurant on the Downtown Mall. I’m not crazy about going to the Downtown Mall, but I had heard that this restaurant, DOMA Korean Kitchen, was very good, so we gave it a try. It is very good. I enjoy good Chinese food. Korean is similar, but different in many regards. For … [Read more...]

With the holidays in the rear-view mirror, Nancy and I decided to go out for a bite. We thought we’d check out the new Red Crab Juicy Seafood place, but it felt strange when we went in – like an oriental restaurant with a seafood boil. We glanced at their menu, and they seemingly offered only boiled crabs, lobsters, and shrimp. They also sold stuff by the pound. It didn’t feel right. We wanted a … [Read more...]

  I avoid the Downtown Mall unless there is a good show playing at the Paramount. It so happened that there was a good show playing - “Christmas with Elvis”, featuring Matt Lewis as a terrific Elvis Impersonator along with Big Ray and the Kool Kats. So, we went to the Downtown Mall with friends and ate at the Citizen Burger Bar. Junior Samples of Hee Haw fame once said don’t order a … [Read more...]

  I understand there are over 200 restaurants in Charlottesville. It seems like there that many on the Downtown Mall, but regardless: All these restaurants can be divided into two groups. The Ivy Inn and the others. Not one compares to the consistent food, service and ambience offered by Charlottesville’s premiere eatery. We eat at the Ivy Inn mostly on special occasions. It was my … [Read more...]