C’ville on the map (again)
Charlottesville’s food scene is stacking up the accolades—again. This month, Condé Nast Traveler dropped a love letter to the Monticello Wine Trail, with stops at King Family Vineyards (Free polo matches May–October? Yes please!) and Pippin Hill, plus shoutouts to local gems like Bodo’s, Cou Cou Rachou, MarieBette, Oakhart Social, Tavola, and The Clifton. And over at Eater DC, Richmond food writer Stephanie Ganz attempted to define The 18 Best Restaurants in Charlottesville, doubling down on Cou Cou Rachou, MarieBette, Oakhart Social, and Tavola, and adding favorites like Riverside Lunch’s smashburger, “soul-settling pork posole rojo” at Conmole, Lampo’s pizza and “humdinger of a chopped salad,” Smyrna’s dumplings, brunch at Bizou, a whole lot of Dairy Market, and more.
Ale yeah
After a five-year hiatus, the Know Good Beer & Bourbon Fest is back with more than 40 Virginia and national craft breweries. On Saturday, June 14, IX Art Park will transform into a hops- and spirits-filled playground featuring Charlottesville Ale Trail faves like Random Row, Three Notch’d, South Street, and Rockfish, plus Virginia cideries including Blue Toad and Buskey. Bourbon more your speed? They’ve got it. Add live music by hometown band Cake Fight, food trucks, and vendors like The Pie Guy, Totally Nutz, Daddy G’s Craft Salsa, and The Spicy Rack, and say cheers!
Pressed to impress
Turns out, Virginia’s oldest operating cidery, Albemarle CiderWorks, is the apple of the world’s eye, securing first place at CiderWorld—the international competition held annually in Frankfurt that’s considered the industry’s top expo. Its sparkling champagne-style rosé winner, Brut d’Albemarle Orchard Blush, is a bottle-fermented blend of the Orchard Blush base with GoldRush and Arkansas Black cider. Two more ciders, Crab Medley and Brut d’Albemarle Harrison, earned gold medals too.
Fresh off the press
The Piedmont Environmental Council just released its 2025–2026 Buy Fresh Buy Local guide—a beautifully curated bi-annual directory of farms, food businesses, and markets across the region. This year’s Charlottesville Area edition (covering Albemarle, Fluvanna, Greene, Louisa, and Nelson counties) features in-depth stories on beloved local spots like Feast Market & Cafe and the FARMacy Café and food truck.
A reason to feast
Monticello’s new Feast of Reason series kicks off in June, bringing Thomas Jefferson-style dinner party energy to modern conversations. Inspired by TJ’s legendary gatherings, each event invites guests to connect over food, drink, and a curated card deck designed to spark thoughtful discussion. The series launches June 14 at Monticello, followed by stops in Richmond (June 22) and downtown Charlottesville (June 28 at South Street Brewery). There’s even a special Founding Friends, Founding Foes tour plus Feast package starting June 20, and running Friday and Saturday nights all summer. Hosting at home? A digital version and recipes are online to start your own feast.
Openings & closings
Less than a year after reopening, Littlejohns closed its doors permanently on May 21. The popular UVA Corner sandwich shop said in a statement that “due to circumstances beyond our control, continuing operations is no longer sustainable.” Say so long to the Nuclear Sub, the Kyle Guy, and the Chris Long, and hope that some Hoo gets a hankering to revive the legendary sammies in a future venture.
After sitting vacant since 2020, the former Fellini’s building is getting a new tenant. Afghan Kabob is moving from its Emmet Street address to open in the beloved two-story space later this year, following major renovations.
Lampo’s bar and private event space, Bar Baleno, has become a weekly go-to for live music. Accompanied by a rotating menu from the outdoor grill, the Bluegrass Destroyers are establishing a following on the patio every Wednesday night (weather and schedule permitting)…