Charlottesville question

[AMFM]

My brother and SIL are moving to cville from Atlanta in July with two small kids. I'd love to get them some gift certificates to good restaurants/places to go for a gift. I live in Richmond so am familiar with Charlottesville but could use suggestions. Maybe a place for a date but also a place they could bring the kids? They are REALLY spoiled by the great places around them now! Thanks!

[AMFM]

hey guys. they just moved last week and already had the chance to check out both restaurants i picked. wanted to thank you all for good recommendations.
heard they had a lovely date at tavola. no details yet but i was so glad they liked it!
also a group of us went to maya for sunday brunch this past week (they got to save their gift certificate). it was lovely. the veggie potato cakes with smoked salmon and chive sour cream was amazing and now is a new craving of mine. their old school southern biscuits were divine. heard the shrimp and grits was wonderful and my brother loved the steak and eggs with crawfish gravy and grits. hits all around. thanks so much - and if for some reason some of you haven't been there, check it out!

[ambw]

K = with kids
Maya (K)
Orzo Wine Bar
Mas
Horse and Hound (K)
Duners
Petis Pois
L Etoile
Vivace ( K)
Zinc

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Duner's
4372 Ivy Commons, Charlottesville, VA 22903

[AMFM]

thank you!!!! will check them out.

[AMFM]

anything asian?

[ulver]

These are all options just north of town on US29

Taste of China
Lime Leaf for Thai
Kyoto

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Lime Leaf
1958 Rio Hill Ctr, Charlottesville, VA 22901

[Seanchai]

That's a very good list. I would add Tavola, The Local and Beer Run (K, seriously)

[AMFM]

those three sound like places they'd love - along with mas, maya, and the horse and hound. feeling like i'm finally getting a good list for them. as soon as i get a handle on the asian food we'll be perfect - i think they fear they're heading to the middle of nowhere. :)

[Seanchai]

FYI, Mas, The Local, Tavola and Beer Run are all within a 1/2 mile of each other in the Belmont neighborhood. Plus H&H and Maya sit side by side on W. Main St. One more place I'd thrown in there for a date night for mom and dad on the pedestrian downtown mall is Zocalo, which is excellent Latin-inspired food.

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Zocalo
201 E Main St, Charlottesville, VA 22902

[ktmoomau]

Well they just missed Peter Chang- one of the best, or perhaps they best Chinese chef in America, but he is purportedly looking in the Richmond area.

Out in Crozet I really like Crozet Pizza for take out at Three Notch'd Grill. Not necessarily where I would get a gift certificate for, but wanted to add them to the list of possibilities.

Duners is really great and they do take out, which is sometimes a very nice feature with two small kids.

Funny enough Guadalajara actually has some very good Mexican on the menu if you are choosy. We are from DC where there is a lot of Salvodorian food, but little good Mexican food.

Don't know about the Asian.

Second many of the above recommendations such as Maya, The Local and Zocalo.

Also for their info- King Family Vineyards has a lot of events where there are lots of kids running around- such as 4th of July. It is nice because the adults can get wine and other food stuffs and sit out while the kids enjoy the outdoors.

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Crozet Pizza
5794 Three Notch D Rd, Crozet, VA 22932

Duner's
4372 Ivy Commons, Charlottesville, VA 22903

Three Notch'd Grill
5790 Three Notch D Rd, Crozet, VA 22932

Zocalo
201 E Main St, Charlottesville, VA 22902

[AMFM]

well - i hope he is looking in richmond. :)

thanks all! great list - and i love the local family friendly events at the wineries. we'll drive out for some, but it'd be more fun if we had less far to go home!

[mojoeater]

King Family also has polo tournaments every Sunday starting Memorial weekend. It's free and there's lots of room for the kids to run around. Take a picnic, bring some camp chairs and buy a bottle of wine. Great fun.

http://roselandpolo.com/

[AMFM]

fun. thanks!

[ulver]

It was somewhat funny that when this article in the New Yorker magazine printed he was out the door, but yes Peter Chang's Taste of China restaurant is something else even without him there. Frequently lines out the door. The New Yorker reference is here: http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2010/03/01/100301fa_fact_trillin

I've also made the pilgrimage down to nearby Arrington to Thai Siam and can agree with many others on the forum about the quality of food there. Not exactly something for gift certificates though, which is why I didn't mention it earlier. A recent thread on the place: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/658406
Lime Leaf is the Thai restaurant that the owner of Thai Siam enjoys in Charlottesville.

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Thai Siam
4137 Tye Brook Hwy, Coleen, VA 22922

Lime Leaf
1958 Rio Hill Ctr, Charlottesville, VA 22901

[Veggo]

Barboursville Vineyards has a nice lineup of winery dinners this summer, you might check their website.