By Julia Forneris
Charlottesville, Virginia, is a city located near the Blue Ridge Mountains. It is home to the University of Virginia and is known for its local music and art scene. As with many college towns, it also houses a good deal of local restaurants with a wide range of prices.
Miller's Downtown
Miller's Downtown is located in the heart of Charlottesville's Downtown Mall, an outdoor pedestrian strip composed of more than 120 stores and over 30 restaurants. It's perhaps best known as the bar and restaurant where musician Dave Matthews first got his start. The menu consists of American fare, burgers and sandwiches, though you can find a Southern feel with some sides, such as grits or jambalaya. Dine inside if you enjoy a close, darker feel and the sounds of live music, which is featured weekly. If the weather lends itself, try eating outside on the mall where you can people watch and enjoy the great outdoors.
Miller's Downtown
109 Main Street West
Charlottesville, VA 22902
(434) 971-8511
millersdowntown.org
Michie Tavern
Home to Thomas Jefferson, Charlottesville is rich in history. Michie Tavern is more than 200 years old, and restaurant employees truly embrace the historic vibe, serving tavern-style food in Colonial period costumes. Here, you're greeted as a "Stranger," though it is only a term for a traveler. After feasting on traditional fare such as barbecue, fried chicken and black-eyed peas and stewed tomatoes (all based upon 18th-century recipes), you can tour the original tavern. It is a stone's throw from Thomas Jefferson's home, Monticello.
Michie Tavern
683 Thomas Jefferson Parkway
Charlottesville, VA 22902-7145
(434) 977-1234
michietavern.com
The Old Mill Room
The Old Mill Room, now part of the Boars Head Inn, was built from the wood of an abandoned water-powered gristmill. This fine-dining restaurant requires reservations, but once inside patrons can enjoy the historic highlights of the antique furniture and wood beams. It has earned the distinction of being named a four-diamond restaurant that features five-course dining.
The Old Mill Room at The Boar's Head Inn
200 Ednam Dr.
Charlottesville, VA 22903
(434) 296-2181
boarsheadinn.com
Resources
About the Author:
Julia Forneris has been a writer and editor since 2002. Her work has appeared in economics magazines such as "Region Focus" and on various websites. The editor of Scratch That! Editorial, Forneris holds a Master of Arts in literature from Virginia Commonwealth University.
