It seems every year Charlottesville is awarded recognition of some kind for an aspect of the city that makes it a wonderful place to live. Whether it is the proximity of the Blue Ridge Mountains or the University of Virginia, or the iconic pedestrian mall (one of the only estimated 75 remaining in the U.S.), there are endless remarkable and noteworthy characteristics that define the area and earn the notice of others. Here is a list of all of Charlottesville’s 2016 honors (and one so far for 2017, too!).
A Sense of Place
The New York Post ranked Charlottesville #3 out of the 15 Best Places to Live in the U.S.
Livability named Charlottesville #21 of the Top 100 Best Places to Live.
Travel+Leisure’s annual America’s Favorite Places survey ranked Charlottesville #23 out of 30 of America’s Favorite Towns. According to their website, “The open-response survey asked respondents to submit their favorite place and rate it in over 65 categories, including affordability, notable restaurants, and public parks.” Charlottesville’s high scores gave a nod to the number and quality of area bookstores and wineries.
Trip.com listed Charlottesville as one of the 10 Hippest Mid-Sized Cities in America.
Food
The American Farmland Trust ranked Charlottesville’s City Market as the #3 farmers market in America in the nationwide People’s Choice category.
Travelocity named Charlottesville one of America’s Best Small Cities for Foodies, specifically highlighting The Clifton Inn, The Local, and The Boar’s Head.
OpenTable named local restaurant Fleurie as one of the 100 Best Restaurants in America.
Health
HealthLine ranked Charlottesville as one of the top 10 Healthiest Small Towns in the U.S.
Education
College Rank slotted Charlottesville in as #7 out of 50 of The Best College Towns in America.
Business
Livability.com ranked Charlottesville #4 out of 50 Best Cities for Entrepreneurs due to the success of the University of Virginia’s Innovation Laboratory, or “i.Lab,” as it’s known.
Books
About Great Books included Charlottesville on “The Ultimate 50-State Road Trip for Book Lovers” due to the annual Festival of the Book, multiple bookstores, and the historical presence of Edgar Allen Poe and William Faulkner, not to mention the library at Monticello.
Pets
Paw Culture ranked Charlottesville #7 on its list of “11 Pet-Friendly Holiday Towns and Cities,” citing the popularity of the downtown pedestrian mall.
Tourism
And one to grow on…
In January 2017, Expedia named Charlottesville one of the top 17 Places to Visit in 2017 for its mountain views, historic sites, local coffee, shops, and many vineyards.
Commonly abbreviated “IY,” this health food haven has been locally owned since 1975. You won’t find many (if any) animal products here, but the store carries more than its fair share of meat alternatives (think black bean burgers and Twin Oaks Tofu) but the place really shines when it comes to its produce, fresh and local. IY’s sourcing philosophy is both old-school and new age: they will buy produce from anyone in the area, whether it be a Charlottesville-area farm like Sharondale Farm in Keswick or a guy with a bunch of berries in his backyard. They are partnered with over 30 area farms and boast over 30 local Charlottesville chains, but you don’t have to be over 30 to go in. There is an extremely slim chance that you’ll be able to walk into IY and buy something that isn’t a local product, whether a cup of coffee or a bag of granola. Now that’s commitment to neighborhood partnership! Integral Yoga’s crown jewel may be its juice/smoothie bar, at which you can buy a 16 oz juice with your choice of local frozen fruit. A 16 oz serving of juice packs a walloping five pounds of fruit! And they will cater to any and all dietary restrictions or preferences.
Foods of All Nations is nothing short of a Cville staple at this point. Its warm, friendly, and inviting staff have been bridging the gap between central Virginia farms and the people they serve for over 50 years, during which they’ve developed both an extensive supply of local, domestic, and international foods. A lot of the produce is locally-sourced, and most of their meats and seafoods are direct from farms in the central Virginia area. What’s more, the folks at Foods of All Nations put as much work into cooking the ingredients as the Charlottesville farmers do growing them. The hot bar and deli have some of the best low-key food in the city, so before you buy a couple pounds of oysters, try, for example the oyster po’boy with okra and homemade remoulade. While you’re at it, get me some gazpacho. It goes without saying, but Foods of All Nations is partnered with a bunch of local businesses…Caromont Farm, Keswick Gourmet Foods, Polyface Farms, and Wade’s Mill just to name a few.
Norman Dill has been working in health food stores since 1976. He opened up Rebecca’s in 1987, naming it after his daughter and basing its core aesthetic on food principles set down at his mother’s table (no junk food!) The result is a health food store dedicated to selling only the most salubrious offerings, whether we’re talking produce, kombucha, or supplements. Rebecca’s is committed to selling only safe products with few or no side effects, and their wares are always local when possible and rarely (if ever) processed. There is an appreciation for ancestral eating: the practice of modifying our dietary inclinations to match those of ancient peoples (think the “paleo diet.”) And like Integral Yoga, they offer a plethora of local brands: Barefoot Bucha, Free Union Grass Farm (a local Charlottesville-area farm, meat and eggs), Mad Hatter Hot Sauce, etc. Check them out at the Barracks Road Shopping Center.
One of the few locales that offers brunch on both Saturdays and Sundays (7 am to 3 pm), La Taza is tucked away in the quaint area of Charlottesville’s downtown Belmont. La Taza, which is Spanish for “the cup,” roasts fresh Arabica coffee beans twice a week and describes its cuisine as “Latin-inspired.” This is apparent in brunch offerings such as the Guatemalan Breakfast and Huevos Rancheros, but they also offer traditional American fare such as eggs, potatoes, and bacon (“El Gringo”), as well as pancakes, eggs benedict, and biscuits and gravy. Indoors the tables are crafted from tree trunks and outdoors there is a lovely courtyard with seating and umbrellas along a mostly quiet street.
Located on the corner of the pedestrian mall and 5th Street SE, beside Bend Yoga, the Commonwealth Sky Bar offers Sunday brunch from 10 am to 3 pm. Their menu presents an eclectic array of brunch options, including the ostensibly Southern dish of fried green tomatoes, barbeque shrimp and grits, some southwestern flair with their stuffed poblanos, and the famous dish popularized in early 20th-century Harlem: chicken and waffles. While the second story open-air Sky Bar is closed on Sundays, there is an outdoor patio on one side and large windows that slide open in fair weather.
Occupying a narrow entrance on the pedestrian mall, but with ample indoor vintage seating and outdoor seating with umbrellas, Bizou serves up an elegant Sunday brunch (11:00 am to 2:00 pm) that includes eggs Florentine, hanger steak, salmon, and pomegranate mimosas. This 20-year-old Charlottesville establishment was started by two chefs who continue to have a hand (or two) in preparing the food. Much of the meat and produce are sourced locally, changing with the seasons, and all of the pastries are made in house.
Among the unique offerings of the Sunday brunch menu (11:00 am to 2:00 pm) at this favorite local Italian restaurant are a waffle sandwich (you read that right: bacon, cheese, and egg sandwiched between two waffles), challah French toast, and poached eggs on grilled focaccia. Located on the bustling corner of Market Street and 2nd Street NW, in fine weather Fellini’s throws the windows open.