Charlottesville - Beer Run

My love for a particular type of alcoholic beverage – be it wine, beer or spirit – tends to go in phases. Most recently I have been in a beer phase thanks to the proximity of a great microbrew in Louisville, countless amazing restaurants centered around beer, and the lack of local vineyards. Even though I am now in Charlottesville and my love for wine for will certainly return with a vengeance, the need to find a good watering hole was high on the list. Enter Beer Run…

Located on the edge of Belmont, Beer Run is a beer store, bar, and restaurant all in one. The parking lot isn’t that big so as you drive up you are sure to see countless cars lining the street. As you walk up you will see a large outdoor patio that may or may not have plastic walls up to help protect against the rain or cold. Additionally there are a few picnic tables, where I was fortunate enough to enjoy my evening.
Of course we must start with the beer. There are about 15 beers on tap ranging from the ever-popular PBR to some of my favorite Kentucky beer Jefferson Reserve Bourbon Barrel Stout to some deliciously imported Aventinus. You can buy draft beer in 10, 16 and 20 ounce sizes, but they appear to do growler refills – always a plus in my book. But what is on tap doesn’t begin to compare to what is inside, where the selection is organized by state or country.
Of course the food selection pales in comparison to the beer list, but they know what they can and cannot do. Most of the choices are sandwiches and yes, there are vegetarian options. They also have a bison burger, salads, and a few pasta and rice dishes. My husband and I tried some sandwiches that were quite good and our friends had the bison burger that seemed to satisfy their craving.
Overall this is a great place to go for really good beer and grab a sandwich. If you sit all the way at the picnic tables the service may be a little slower, but our server did a good job of making sure our glass was always full.

Charlottesville - Bodo's Bagels

If you live in Charlottesville then I doubt you need to read further because you already know how awesome this place is. If you somehow live and don't know about Bodo's then I'm glad you found my post! If you are from outside the area and are coming to visit, then make sure this add to this to your list of places to grab a quick bite on your trip to town!

Bodo's Bagels has three locations in town. The main location is at the intersection of 29N and 250 bypass (1418 Emmet Street), which is very convenient, though traffic is a pain. However, getting into the parking lot, finding a spot and getting inside is well worth it! They are open 7 days a week from breakfast to dinner (though Sunday they close at 4). At Bodo's, bagels are not just a breakfast food, but also lunch or dinner option! They make their bagels and cream cheese spreads fresh every day and you can tell!

There are 10 types of bagels - plain, sesame, poppy, onion, everything, garlic, 100% whole wheat, salt, cinnamon-raisin, and 100% whole wheat everything - to choose from. If you're looking for a simple spread to top your bagel, they have nine blended cream cheeses. You can also ask for honey, butter, cinnamon-sugar, jam, peanut butter or lox and cream cheese.

If a sandwich is more your thing, you can get egg based ones or a deli-style sandwich with meats, salads and hummus. To keep it easy you tell them what you want to top you want on your sandwich such as tomatoes, sprouts, lettuce and cheese. You pay for each one, but a lunch/diinner sandwich can cost as little as $2.15! You can't beat that for the quality! Chips, pretzels and pickles are also add-ons which gives you the power to plan your whole meal without being tempted by Lay's. They also have salads, including green salads, potato salad, and tabouli.

If you haven't gotten to Bodo's recently, go back because it is still as great as you remember!