Highest-rated restaurants in Charlottesville by diners
Highest-rated restaurants in Charlottesville by diners
Humans are creatures of habit. We tend to stick to our morning routines, rewatch movies we've seen time and time again, and hit up the same tried-and-true restaurants when going out for a meal. In fact, 35% of Americans say they rarely or never try a new restaurant they haven't been to before, according to a 2024 survey of more than 1,500 diners from TouchBistro.
But those numbers look quite different when you focus on younger generations—67% of Gen Zers and 40% of millennials in the U.S. say they visit new restaurants once a month or more. When it comes to deciding which new restaurant to try, younger generations are also more likely to rely on social media or online restaurant reviews, through sites like Yelp or Google. The TouchBistro survey found that 52% of Gen Zers have opted to try a new restaurant due to positive feedback on social media, and 67% of millennials have gone to a new dining spot solely because of favorable reviews online.
New restaurants in particular tend to garner a lot of online attention. About 50,000 new restaurants open each year in the U.S., and that number continues to rise. An analysis by Yelp published in June 2024 found that new restaurant openings were up 6% from May 2023 to April 2024. But some of the best restaurants in your neck of the woods might be those established eateries that customers have been visiting for decades.
To help you determine which spots—both new and long-standing—to try out, Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated restaurants in Charlottesville, according to Yelp reviews from diners as of January 2025. Only restaurants with at least 20 reviews and a 3.0 rating were considered. Read on to find some inspiration for the next time you dine out.
#30. Kanak Indian Kitchen
- Rating: 4.5/5 (199 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 385 Merchant Walk Square Ste 400 Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: Indian
- Read more on Yelp
#29. Brown's
- Rating: 4.5/5 (41 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1218 Avon St. Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: Convenience Stores, Soul Food, Gas Stations
- Read more on Yelp
#28. Public Fish & Oyster
- Rating: 4.5/5 (586 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 513 West Main St. Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#27. Mona Lisa Pasta
- Rating: 4.5/5 (57 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 921 Preston Ave. Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: Italian, Pizza, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#26. Mi Casita
- Rating: 4.6/5 (49 reviews)
- Address: 312 Pantops Center Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: Latin American
- Read more on Yelp
#25. The Ivy Inn
- Rating: 4.6/5 (335 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 2244 Old Ivy Road Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: New American, Desserts
- Read more on Yelp
#24. Thyme & Co
- Rating: 4.6/5 (72 reviews)
- Address: 104 14th St. Northwest Ste 2 Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: Mediterranean, Lebanese, Salad
- Read more on Yelp
#23. Mudhouse Coffee Roasters
- Rating: 4.6/5 (47 reviews)
- Address: 116 10th St. Northwest Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Coffee Roasteries, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
#22. Popitos
- Rating: 4.6/5 (26 reviews)
- Address: 1966 Rio Hill Center Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#21. Fleurie Restaurant
- Rating: 4.6/5 (243 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 108 3rd St. Northeast Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: French
- Read more on Yelp
#20. Conmole
- Rating: 4.6/5 (86 reviews)
- Address: 816 Hinton Ave. Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#19. Mochiko Hawaiian BBQ and Deli
- Rating: 4.6/5 (159 reviews)
- Address: 365 Merchant Walk Square Ste 300 Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: Hawaiian, Japanese Curry, Poke
- Read more on Yelp
#18. Soul Food Joint
- Rating: 4.6/5 (69 reviews)
- Address: 722 Rio Road West Ste 2 Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: Soul Food
- Read more on Yelp
#17. Nguyen's Kitchen
- Rating: 4.6/5 (56 reviews)
- Address: 900 Gardens Blvd. Ste 500 Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: Asian Fusion, Japanese, Vietnamese
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Sombrero's Mexican Cuisine & Cafe
- Rating: 4.6/5 (64 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 112 West Main St. Ste 6 Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#15. Broadcloth
- Rating: 4.6/5 (28 reviews)
- Address: 1837 Broadway St. Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: New American
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Little Manila
- Rating: 4.7/5 (31 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 814 Cherry Ave. Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: Filipino, Food Trucks
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Otto Turkish Street Food
- Rating: 4.7/5 (174 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 111 West Water St. Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: Turkish, Mediterranean, Halal
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Vu Noodles
- Rating: 4.7/5 (82 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 111 East Water St. Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: Noodles
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Bulpan Korean Bbq
- Rating: 4.7/5 (61 reviews)
- Address: 2075 Bond St. Ste 180 Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: Barbecue, Korean
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Pearl Island Foods
- Rating: 4.7/5 (50 reviews)
- Address: 233 4th St. Northwest Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: Caterers, Cafes, Desserts
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Blue Ridge Pizza Co
- Rating: 4.8/5 (20 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1110 East Market St. Ste 8M Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: Food Trucks, Caterers, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#8. Guajiros Miami Eatery
- Rating: 4.8/5 (336 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 114 10th St. Northwest Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Simeon Market
- Rating: 4.8/5 (33 reviews)
- Address: 1330 Thomas Jefferson Pkwy Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Gluten-Free, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#6. El Tako Nako
- Rating: 4.8/5 (72 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2405 Hydraulic Road Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: Mexican, Food Trucks
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Multiverse Kitchens
- Rating: 4.8/5 (21 reviews)
- Address: 1747 Allied St. Unit F Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: Food Court
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Smyrna
- Rating: 4.9/5 (80 reviews)
- Address: 707 West Main St. Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: Mediterranean, Turkish
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Pi-Napo Pizzeria
- Rating: 4.9/5 (31 reviews)
- Address: 2115 Jefferson Park Ave. Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Botanical Fare
- Rating: 4.9/5 (67 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 421 East Main St. Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: Vegan, Sandwiches, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Farmacy
- Rating: 5.0/5 (28 reviews)
- Address: 222 West Main St. Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: Food Trucks, Mexican, Organic Stores
- Read more on Yelp
This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Jaimie Etkin, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 318 metros.
