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 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 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, compiled a list of the highest-rated restaurants in Charlottesville, according to 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: $$
- Address: 385 Merchant Walk Square Ste 400 Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: Indian
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#29. Brown's
- Rating: 4.5/5 (41 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1218 Avon St. Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: Convenience Stores, Soul Food, Gas Stations
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#28. Public Fish & Oyster
- Rating: 4.5/5 (586 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 513 West Main St. Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: Seafood
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#27. Mona Lisa Pasta
- Rating: 4.5/5 (57 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 921 Preston Ave. Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: Italian, Pizza, Sandwiches
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#26. Mi Casita
- Rating: 4.6/5 (49 reviews)
- Address: 312 Pantops Center Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: Latin American
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#25. The Ivy Inn
- Rating: 4.6/5 (335 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 2244 Old Ivy Road Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: New American, Desserts
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#24. Thyme & Co
- Rating: 4.6/5 (72 reviews)
- Address: 104 14th St. Northwest Ste 2 Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: Mediterranean, Lebanese, Salad
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#23. Mudhouse Coffee Roasters
- Rating: 4.6/5 (47 reviews)
- Address: 116 10th St. Northwest Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Coffee Roasteries, Cafes
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#22. Popitos
- Rating: 4.6/5 (26 reviews)
- Address: 1966 Rio Hill Center Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: Pizza
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#21. Fleurie Restaurant
- Rating: 4.6/5 (243 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 108 3rd St. Northeast Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: French
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#20. Conmole
- Rating: 4.6/5 (86 reviews)
- Address: 816 Hinton Ave. Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: Mexican
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#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
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#18. Soul Food Joint
- Rating: 4.6/5 (69 reviews)
- Address: 722 Rio Road West Ste 2 Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: Soul Food
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#17. Nguyen's Kitchen
- Rating: 4.6/5 (56 reviews)
- Address: 900 Gardens Blvd. Ste 500 Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: Asian Fusion, Japanese, Vietnamese
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#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
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#15. Broadcloth
- Rating: 4.6/5 (28 reviews)
- Address: 1837 Broadway St. Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: New American
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#14. Little Manila
- Rating: 4.7/5 (31 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 814 Cherry Ave. Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: Filipino, Food Trucks
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#13. Otto Turkish Street Food
- Rating: 4.7/5 (174 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 111 West Water St. Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: Turkish, Mediterranean, Halal
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#12. Vu Noodles
- Rating: 4.7/5 (82 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 111 East Water St. Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: Noodles
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#11. Bulpan Korean Bbq
- Rating: 4.7/5 (61 reviews)
- Address: 2075 Bond St. Ste 180 Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: Barbecue, Korean
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#10. Pearl Island Foods
- Rating: 4.7/5 (50 reviews)
- Address: 233 4th St. Northwest Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: Caterers, Cafes, Desserts
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#9. Blue Ridge Pizza Co
- Rating: 4.8/5 (20 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1110 East Market St. Ste 8M Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: Food Trucks, Caterers, Pizza
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#8. Guajiros Miami Eatery
- Rating: 4.8/5 (336 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 114 10th St. Northwest Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch, Sandwiches
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#7. Simeon Market
- Rating: 4.8/5 (33 reviews)
- Address: 1330 Thomas Jefferson Pkwy Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Gluten-Free, Breakfast & Brunch
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#6. El Tako Nako
- Rating: 4.8/5 (72 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2405 Hydraulic Road Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: Mexican, Food Trucks
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#5. Multiverse Kitchens
- Rating: 4.8/5 (21 reviews)
- Address: 1747 Allied St. Unit F Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: Food Court
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#4. Smyrna
- Rating: 4.9/5 (80 reviews)
- Address: 707 West Main St. Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: Mediterranean, Turkish
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#3. Pi-Napo Pizzeria
- Rating: 4.9/5 (31 reviews)
- Address: 2115 Jefferson Park Ave. Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: Pizza
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#2. Botanical Fare
- Rating: 4.9/5 (67 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 421 East Main St. Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: Vegan, Sandwiches, Cafes
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#1. Farmacy
- Rating: 5.0/5 (28 reviews)
- Address: 222 West Main St. Charlottesville, Virginia
- Categories: Food Trucks, Mexican, Organic Stores
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This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Jaimie Etkin, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 318 metros.
