Where to Stay, Eat, Shop and Play in Charlottesville, VA

Where to Stay, Shop, Eat, Relax and Play in Charlottesville, VA

Most of my life, Charlottesville has been a haven for me. I grew up in Louisa County, which is about an hour away. When I was a teenager, this was one of our favorite places to ask our parents to take us so we could go shopping, catch a movie, or go ice skating. The downtown mall always enchanted me. As I’ve grown older, I’ve explored the city’s wineries, restaurants, distilleries, boutiques, and spas. Close friends have settled into the area and others work there. Over the years, I’ve documented many favorite places and moments here on the blog and under a “Charlottesville” highlight on Instagram. Because this is a rolling guide, you’ll notice a change in hairstyles in some of these photos!

Here are my recommendations on where to eat, relax, drink, and play in Charlottesville, VA…

Where to Stay in Charlottesville

When I’m not staying with friends, I’m looking for something unique, welcoming, and full-service. The Graduate is my choice for a hotel vibe. It’s located right on Main Street in Charlottesville, amidst the action of the UVA campus and in walking distance of places to eat, drink, dance, and shop. It’s funky, yet refined, modern, yet classic. When you enter, take time to roam around the lobby and check out the breakfast menu at Sheepdog Cafe. When you enter your room, your eyes will be drawn to a number of well placed details and designs that make up the boutique hotel’s ambiance. After you unpack, head upstairs to the rooftop bar and restaurant Camp Ten Four for gourmet burgers and drinks with a view. For a more classic bed & breakfast experience, 200 South Street Inn is the ticket. The two houses that comprise this conveniently located historical resting place are elegant and cozy. The rooms are decorated with classic pieces. My suite had two fire places, plenty of room to stretch out, and a very comfortable bed. Every day, I took advantage of the Inn’s afternoon wine and cheese.

Where to Drink

From outdoor hikes to late-night music, there’s something to wet every palette in Charlottesville. The first way I recommend playing is to visit one of the area’s wineries. Many of them are listed on my Top Virginia Wineries list. If you don’t want to lead yourself, then you can enlist the help of Central Virginia Wine Tours. They’ll escort you to other wineries like Jefferson Vineyards, Blenheim Vineyards (Dave Matthews’ winery), Michael Shaps Wine Works, and Thatch Winery (on my favorites list).

For something other than wine, I insist you visit Ragged Branch Distillery. It’s owned by Alex Toomy, a long-time cattle farmer who created a sustainable operation to craft his favorite whiskey out of the grain he feeds to his cattle. The stunning tasting room is located on a knoll overlooking the distillery and barrel barn. It offers some of the best panoramic views of the rolling Ragged Mountains I’ve ever seen. Sample whiskey variations and let the staff whip up signature cocktails for you to enjoy outside with the view or inside by the fireplace. Do yourself a favor and bring home some of the beef they sell in the tasting room. It’s full of flavor and worth the splurge, especially when you know where it came from.

For late-night and live music options, I’ve stumbled upon a jazz trio at Miller’s. The food was delicious and the atmosphere felt rich and classic. It’s a local hot spot for a reason. The Commonwealth Sky Bar is a blast for a rooftop bar experience and Bizou is the ticket for a more trendy vibe. There are music festivals, winery concerts, and underground rock and roll around town every single day. I found this comprehensive list of events in Charlottesville for your planning pleasure.

Then there’s Cake Bloom! I couldn’t figure out which section of this Charlottsville travel guide to add this in, but the booze section seems right. I feel like it’s more of a place to relax and vibe than anything. Cakebloom is a bubbly and cake bar offers the most aesthetic and yummy pastries, champagne flights, and cute vibes. Many of the bubbly options are locally sourced from one of Charlottesville’s amazing wineries.

Where to Shop

There are so many great places to shop in Charlottesville, many of which are located in the Downtown Mall area. Most recently, I visited the new, expanded location of Darling, a well-curated consignment boutique. The shop is stocked with high-end and low-end items in addition to locally made crafts, beauty products, and decor. I have purchased dozens of items over the years and always leave wishing I had snagged a few more. Other shops to stop by include Bittersweet for vintage and boho new, Duo for both consignment and trendy items and Jean Theory for quality, designer denim.

Where to Brunch

For a casual breakfast option, head to Grit, one of Charlottesville’s well known breakfast joints. It has three locations depending on where your adventures take you. Bodo’s Bagels is also a local favorite for a hangover breakfast sandwich or even lunch option.

I recently enjoyed a leisurely brunch at Tavern & Grocery. It was Christmas time, the restaurant was decked out in classic decor and the manager took us on a tour of the extensive space, which includes a downstairs speakeasy bar open at night. The service was warm and friendly, the menu was creative, yet approachable. We enjoyed brunch cocktails, warm sunlight, and good conversation.

I also tucked myself and my man into a booth at Farm Bell Kitchen. The new-Southern cuisine menu blended traditional ingredients with modern farm-to-fork creations, including hot sauce made fresh from peppers grown on the roof. We were full and satisfied physically and emotionally.

Where to Lunch

Lampo is owned by a friend and has a very loyal local following. Typically there is a wait around mealtime, and now I know why. The Neapolitan pizzeria brings together a sweet blend of a rustic dining experience, high-quality ingredients, and the essence of casual Italian dining. I recommend ordering a few shareables with your table to try as much as you can. Always ask for the day’s special for something creative and packed with flavor you won’t find any other time or place.

Feast! was another casual lunch find. The cafe serves a full menu daily and is paired next to a market stocked with locally sourced produce, cheeses, and other goods. I ordered up a salad, packed with flavor. The tables and market were full of people. It was humming with community love.

If you’re a Commonhouse member, then you should make time for the original coworking space and social club. Enjoy a unique meal, coffee, and cocktails in one of the many artsy spaces here. The rooftop is especially chic for a leveled-up lunch.

alley light charlottesville

Where to Supper

A favorite of my local pals is Tavola. Come here for high-end, rustic, and intimate Italian dining. It’s located in the charming Belmont district of Charlottesville, which is a little off the beaten path. We started off at the bar in the back and enjoyed craft cocktails. When we were seated, we ordered up red wine and a little bit of everything off the menu: seafood, steak, pasta, and fresh bread and oil. To say we were full is an understatement. The owner shared the restaurant’s cookbook, which is also a colorful storybook worth a read. I gave it to my Sicilian stepmom for Christmas and she’s already recreated a few recipes she loves. I dined with famous author John Grisham at The Alley Light. Okay. He has no idea who I am, but the Alley Light is one of his favorite spots and he was, in fact, enjoying dinner at the same time I was. One of the most well-known restaurants in the city is hidden away in the side streets of Charlottesville’s Downtown Mall. The menu is lined with creative classic French shared plates and a regularly updated chalkboard of specials. We savored craft cocktails, sous vide filet, steak carpaccio, homemade hummus, scallops, and more. It was an exciting menu to journey through. I will be going back.

Where to Relax

I had two new wellness experiences last time I visited Charlottesville. They were both at Halo Salt Spa. I started off an afternoon with a session in the infrared sauna. I wrote about the benefits of infrared saunas in this blog post. Then, I stepped into another room for my first acupuncture experience. I filled out an extensive questionnaire about my lifestyle, my health, and my mental well-being. I started my session with a long talk with the acupuncturist. I learned a lot about myself, Chinese medicine, and then proceeded to the experience. It was painless, relaxing, and grounding. I left with recommendations for my daily life I’m already using. Once completed, I took me, myself, and my robe over to the salt spa for 20 or so minutes. I layered on some blankets, read, and enjoyed the cool and rejuvenating bursts of dry salt aerosol emitted by the Halogenerator. I read this article which is one of the most inclusive I’ve found about the benefits of halotherapy, aka salt therapy. I look forward to exploring this wellness practice more!