Highest-rated restaurants in Charlottesville by diners

Written by:
January 18, 2024
Photo Illustration by Stacker // Canva

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 said they rarely, if ever, try a new restaurant they haven't been to before, and 5% say they never do, according to a survey of more than 2,600 diners from TouchBistro.

But those numbers look quite different when you focus on younger generations—56% of Gen Zers and 47% 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 online reviews, through sites like Yelp or Google or from social media. The TouchBistro survey found that 71% of Gen Zers and 72% of millennials have opted to try a new restaurant solely because of favorable reviews online.

Some of the best restaurants in your neck of the woods might be those established spots that customers have been visiting for decades, but some may be brand new. More than 10,000 new restaurants opened in 2023, up 5.7% from 2022, according to a report from BentoBox. The states that saw the most new restaurants open up in 2023 were Florida, Texas, California, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania, but new locales are popping up all over the U.S.

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 2024. Only restaurants with at least 20 reviews were considered. Read on to find some inspiration for the next time you dine out.

Note: The photos in this article are stock images and do not necessarily reflect each restaurant listed.

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#30. The Ivy Inn

- Rating: 4.5/5 (310 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 2244 Old Ivy Road Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: New American, Desserts
- Read more on Yelp

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#29. South And Central

- Rating: 4.5/5 (75 reviews)
- Address: 946 Grady Ave. Ste 104 Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: Latin American, Steakhouses, Bars
- Read more on Yelp

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#28. Public Fish & Oyster

- Rating: 4.5/5 (518 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 513 West Main St. Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: Seafood
- Read more on Yelp

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#27. Moose's by the Creek

- Rating: 4.5/5 (338 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1710 Monticello Road Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Burgers
- Read more on Yelp

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#26. Enigma Jalisco

- Rating: 4.5/5 (24 reviews)
- Address: 325 Four Leaf Lane Ste 8 Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: Mexican, Sports Bars
- Read more on Yelp

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#25. Mel's Cafe

- Rating: 4.5/5 (373 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 719 West Main St. Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: Diners, Soul Food
- Read more on Yelp

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#24. Petite MarieBette

- Rating: 4.5/5 (61 reviews)
- Address: 105 Water St. East Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: Bakeries, Breakfast & Brunch, Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp

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#23. Kanak Indian Kitchen

- Rating: 4.5/5 (168 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 385 Merchant Walk Square Ste 400 Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: Indian
- Read more on Yelp

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#22. Conmole

- Rating: 4.5/5 (73 reviews)
- Address: 816 Hinton Ave. Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

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#21. Fleurie Restaurant

- Rating: 4.5/5 (223 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 108 3rd St. Northeast Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: French
- Read more on Yelp

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#20. Soul Food Joint

- Rating: 4.5/5 (62 reviews)
- Address: 300 East Market St. Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: Soul Food
- Read more on Yelp

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#19. Bulpan Korean Bbq

- Rating: 4.5/5 (31 reviews)
- Address: 2075 Bond St. Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: Barbeque, Korean
- Read more on Yelp

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#18. Sombrero's Mexican Cuisine & Cafe

- Rating: 4.5/5 (62 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 112 West Main St. Ste 6 Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

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#17. Mudhouse Coffee Roasters

- Rating: 4.5/5 (40 reviews)
- Address: 116 10th St. Northwest Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Coffee Roasteries, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp

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#16. Al Carbon Chicken

- Rating: 4.5/5 (603 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1875 Seminole Trl Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: Mexican, Peruvian, Latin American
- Read more on Yelp

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#15. Mochiko Hawaiian BBQ and Deli

- Rating: 4.5/5 (142 reviews)
- Address: 365 Merchant Walk Square Ste 300 Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: Hawaiian, Japanese Curry, Poke
- Read more on Yelp

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#14. Little Manila

- Rating: 4.5/5 (29 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1348-1378 Long St. Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: Filipino, Food Trucks
- Read more on Yelp

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#13. Vu Noodles

- Rating: 4.5/5 (71 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 111 East Water St. Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: Noodles
- Read more on Yelp

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#12. Nguyen's Kitchen

- Rating: 4.5/5 (37 reviews)
- Address: 900 Gardens Blvd. Ste 500 Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: Asian Fusion, Japanese, Vietnamese
- Read more on Yelp

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#11. Otto Turkish Street Food

- Rating: 4.5/5 (145 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 111 West Water St. Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: Turkish, Mediterranean, Halal
- Read more on Yelp

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#10. Pearl Island Foods

- Rating: 4.5/5 (45 reviews)
- Address: 233 4th St. Northwest Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: Caterers, Cafes, Desserts
- Read more on Yelp

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#9. Croby's Urban Viddles

- Rating: 5.0/5 (557 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 32 Mill Creek Drive Ste 102 Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: Southern, American, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

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#8. El Tako Nako

- Rating: 5.0/5 (64 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2405 Hydraulic Road Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: Mexican, Food Trucks
- Read more on Yelp

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#7. Guajiros Miami Eatery

- Rating: 5.0/5 (283 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 114 10th St. Northwest Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

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#6. Black Cow Chophouse

- Rating: 5.0/5 (49 reviews)
- Address: 420 West Main St. Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: Steakhouses
- Read more on Yelp

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#5. Simeon Market

- Rating: 5.0/5 (26 reviews)
- Address: 1330 Thomas Jefferson Pkwy Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Gluten-Free, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp

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#4. Maple Pine Breakfast & Thai Kitchen

- Rating: 5.0/5 (20 reviews)
- Address: 630 Riverside Shops Way Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Thai, Noodles
- Read more on Yelp

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#3. Smyrna

- Rating: 5.0/5 (55 reviews)
- Address: 707 West Main St. Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: Mediterranean, Turkish
- Read more on Yelp

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#2. Botanical Fare

- Rating: 5.0/5 (51 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 421 East Main St. Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: Vegan, Sandwiches, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp

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#1. Farmacy

- Rating: 5.0/5 (21 reviews)
- Address: 222 West Main St. Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: Food Trucks, Mexican, Organic Stores
- Read more on Yelp

This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Jaimie Etkin, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 331 metros.

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