Date Night In Charlottesville
As schedules can be so busy, it can sometimes be hard to remember how important it is to make time for those most important to you. One way my husband and I decided to work on this was to implement a weekly date night: once a week, we have dinner out.
The great thing about Charlottesville, Virginia is it has so many great restaurants to choose from, from super fancy to ultra casual. Either way, we’re happy as our major rule is just that it has to be good…and we can’t be on our phones! Here are a few of our favorite date night options.
The Out of Town Date
This is one of my favorite date ideas. Whether you are visiting from outside of Cville or just want to be in staycation mode, Quirk is the spot. The Rooftop Bar is a fun location to grab pre dinner drinks and take in a view of the city. If you can manage to make it in time for sunset you’ll have a fantastic photo op!
After soaking in the views and the playful cocktails, you can then venture on down to The Pink Grouse for some delicious small plates. When the weather is nice, there is also a lovely courtyard where you can enjoy your meal. And it’s dog-friendly!
The Double Date Option
If you have friends who also love food, then Oakhart Social is a great spot to pick for sharing options. They have delicious small plates to please everyone and it’s meant to be a shared experience. It also happens to be one of my absolute favorite places in Cville. They always have a delicious and seasonal crudo option on the menu (I’m a huge fan of crudo). Also, their pizza is the most underrated in Cville. The Mushroom Pizza is a personal favorite of mine.
With fun desserts and a great drink menu you really can’t go wrong. It’s a fantastic spot to meet up and enjoy good conversation and good food. It’s also walking distance to the Downtown Mall (and Quirk) if you want to opt for an after-dinner drink as well.
Broadcloth Charlottesville Experience For Foodies
Broadcloth is this food lover’s dream. The food and drink menus are so carefully thought out. You can even opt in to do a wine, beer & spirits pairing to match your order. It truly offers a curated experience.
Their menu is set up a little differently than other restaurants, as you select from either a four course tasting, six course tasting or a chef’s tasting menu. I definitely want to try the Chef’s tasting one day but the four course option is plenty to fill you up with amazing food. If you don’t opt in on the wine, beer & spirit pairing you can order any drink of your liking so you aren’t locked into anything when it comes to beverages.</p>
The other cool thing about Broadcloth is the menu changes each week, as Chef Tucker Yoder values showcasing the freshest seasonal items from local farmers and purveyors. It’s definitely a food experience, and an intimate one at that. Space is limited, so reservations are highly recommended. Also, party sizes are currently limited to a max of four.
There are so many great date night options in Cville so this list is in no means extensive but these are a few of the wonderful spots in town with amazing food.
Of course, you don’t even have to stick with just the good food! In addition to going out to eat, there are wineries and breweries to consider as date ideas. If you are hoping to be more active, I always recommend a hike at Saunders-Monticello followed by apple cider (or hard cider) at Carter Mountain Orchard.
Start planning your next date night (or day) now! If you aren’t a local, start planning your trip – Cville would love to have you!
Cheers and happy eating!
