Best Hotel Restaurants in Charlottesville
Virginia hospitality meets the Charlottesville palate at the area’s hotel restaurants. Open to visitors and locals alike, these eateries give locals a staycation opportunity, and visitors the option to eat like a local, before stepping out their front doors.
The Pink Grouse at the Quirk Hotel
This hyperlocal restaurant is the signature of the Quirk Hotel on West Main. Though the selections are available a la carte, we highly suggest that diners enjoy the offerings of the Chef’s ten-course tasting menu, presented on handcrafted plateware from the exhibition kitchen. Some standouts include White Stone Oysters, Charred Octopus, Crab and Arugula Cavatappi, and Local Harvest Beef Strip, the only dry-aged beef in Charlottesville.
1799 Restaurant at the Clifton Inn
The 1799 at the newly renovated Clifton Inn is named for the original construction date of the inn. Built as home for Martha and Thomas Mann Randolph, Thomas Jefferson’s daughter and son-in-law, the estate now includes 20 guest rooms spanning five late 18th- and early 19th-century buildings, the 1799, a bar and lounge, and wine cellar. You’ll also find a private lake on the property, many walking trails, and sprawling gardens that include a Chef’s garden for the restaurant. The seasonal menu and inventive cocktail pairings keep both locals and visitors coming back to taste more.
The Mill Room at the Boar’s Head Resort
Located in one of Charlottesville’s most well-known destination resorts, this 4-diamond restaurant at the Boar’s Head serves dishes in keeping with the diverse Southern epicurean traditions of Charlottesville. Notable mainstays on their menu include “A Cup of Peanut,” a dish of Virginia peanut soup with roots back to 1700, and their Southern Ham & Jam Board, stocked with local pepper jelly, Kite’s country ham, and local cheeses.
Farm Bell Kitchen at the Dinsmore Inn
Look for the 19th-century farm bell outside local food and hospitality entrepreneur Ryan Hubbard’s charming restaurant, a crowd-favorite brunch spot. Their daily brunch offerings span classic benedicts, sumptuous crab beignets, and health-conscious green goddess bowls, aling with by-the-carafe mimosas, bellinis, and Bold Rock cidermosas. Farm Bell is colocated with the Dinsmore Inn in a historic building just across from the UVA Children’s Hospital Battle Building on West Main, and guests of the inn enjoy a complimentary brunch, of course. (Mimosas sadly not included.)
The Ridley at The Draftsman Hotel
Opened in Spring 2021, The Ridley is the brainchild of UVA/Darden School alumnus Warren Thompson. In style and substance, this street side eatery complements the sleek Draftsman Hotel on West Main. Named for UVA’s first Black graduate, The Ridley introduces a new Black-owned restaurant to Charlottesville. It is open for lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch with a compelling menu that includes specialties like soft shell crab, fried lobster tails, branzino, and cajun oysters.
“My vision is that people will be able to visit the MEL and then come to dine at The Ridley in the same way that they visit the National Museum of African-American History and Culture in Washington, D.C. and then commune to Sweet Home Cafe,” Warren Thompson proudly said of his new creation.
Click here for our complete Guide to dining in Charlottesville.
