Charlottesville Restaurants

A tiny diner that is an institution in Charlottesville. There is a sign outside that says "Serving Gyros, Subs, Salads" (a salad at The White Spot?) -- but I've never actually seen someone order any of these items. Every time that I visited while a student at the University of Virginia (always late at night), there was a standing-room only crowd seeking the house speciality -- THE GUSBURGER!

Favorite Dish: Try the Gusburger with cheese, an ultra-greasy cheeseburger with a fried egg on top. Also, for the complete artery-choking White Spot experience, you must get the fries!

Located in the Rio Hill shopping center, Kyoto offers some of the best Asian food in Charlottesville. I can't say enough about the service here. The staff seem to genuinely care about providing the best possible experience for each and every person that walks through the door. They don't serve sushi, but everything I've tried on their Japanese/Chinese menu has been outstanding (I'd go as far as to say that they do Chinese food better than any of the dedicated Chinese restaurants in town). If you're traveling north of the downtown c'ville area I'd highly recommend stopping by and checking things out.

Favorite Dish: Hawaiian Scallops would have to take the cake for me. Battered sea scallops tossed in a sweet and sour sauce with chunks of pineapple and mango. Their specialty teas (made to order) are also out of this world, the cold citrus honey tea is my personal favorite.

1 more image

Here is Indian food with a twist. With a touch of other Asian influences, this restaurant represents a bold step for a city the size of Charlottesville. The food is quite tasty, and service is good. It's only been open a short time; I hope it succeeds.

Favorite Dish: I had the chicken vindaloo. By the way, "vindaloo" is, as I understand it, the hottest style of curry. Fine for me, but for those with a more cautious palate, I recommend a milder dish.

The White Spot is a legendary diner located on University Avenue in the "Corner" commercial district next to the University of Virginia. If you want a fancy meal, this is not your place. Seating is on stools at a lunch counter, and the menu features a variety of sandwiches and burgers, as well as gyros and souvlakis. The White Spot's most famous menu item is the Gusburger, which is a hamburger with a fried egg on it. The Gusburger is best eaten after midnight and a few beers, when it will provide excellent ballast for your stomach. If the Gusburger is not big enough for you, then try the Motorburger, which is even bigger.

I've been eating at this resturant scince I was able to eat solids; and I still love it. They make their pizza in a brick oven , and it tase like no other pizza in Charlottesville. This resturant is totaly family run and you can tell as soon as you walk in that its totaly comunity based. If you were only in Charlottesville one night, go to Sal's and if it's warm sit outside and watch the world go by as you enjoy wonderfull food and soak up the ambience of charlottesville.

Favorite Dish: Pizza , no doubt. Scicilain pizza, made by true scicillians. Nothing like it.

We stopped at Blue Moon Diner on our way out of town. Though it looks like (and is!) a hole-in-the-wall greasy spoon, the food was excellent and filling, We had blueberry pancakes, omelets, and coffee for about $10.00. They have a few tables out on the street where you can enjoy the sunshine and watch the cars, people, and pets go by.

The Blue Moon Diner is also a popular spot for nightlife with a long-standing tradition of live music.

Zocalo is a unique restaurant, claiming to be Latin, but truly a unique blend of food and culture in downtown Charlottesville. I had a great steak dish with asparagus and potato sticks for about $26 and my travel companion enjoyed roasted chicken breast for about $18. The food was excellent and the outdoor setting spectacular.

Zocalo is in the heart of the downtown Charlottesville walking area.

4 more images

There are many restaurants along the Downtown Mall. As I didn't know which one to choose for a lunch , I decided to enter Bashir's Taverna as there were quite many locals inside, so I could expect good food at reasonable price. And I like Mediterranean cuisine (Greek, Italian, Spanish, Moroccan) the restaurant offered. Lantern-lit interior in mixed industrial-mediterranean style was a bit dark but we got a table by the large window to the mall.

Favorite Dish: We had grilled chicken breast with honey mustard and spicy lamb sausages with mint sauce. Well, it tasted very good, especially lamb sausages, although I am not a dedicated fan of lamb meat. One, large dish with assorted salads and bread (enough for two) cost only $9.00 including tax. If you don't mind plastic cutlery, dishes and glasses Bashir's Taverna is a very good choice.