Diners' Choice: Best Ambiance restaurants in Charlottesville

OpenTable

Updated June 05, 2025

Looking for restaurants with the best ambiance in Charlottesville? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyzes nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favorite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

1799 at The Clifton

4.7

4.7 (795)

$50 and over

Farm-to-table

Charlottesville

About the restaurant

We are serving a wonderful ala carte menu with many delicious & unique options. We have an award winning wine list, and cocktail menu available as well - ask about our 'smoked' cocktails.

Set in a charming and historic house on a ridge overlooking The Rivanna River in Charlottesville, Virginia, 1799 at The Clifton is committed to cooking beautiful, locally sourced food in a warm yet chic atmosphere. Michelin Starred Chef Matthew Bousquet and his team are dedicated to giving you the best of new Piedmont cooking in a special way. Come and explore the offerings of our Chef’s seasonal menus, featuring the bounty of our own organic vegetable and herb garden. We look forward to making your visit truly memorable! Please make any requests on seating preferences, using the reservation notes. We will do our absolute best to accommodate all request based on availability.

Top review

Nicole

Dined 1 day ago

Everyone was extremely friendly. We thoroughly enjoyed our meal and time spent at 1799. It’s pricey but worth it!

The Farmhouse at Veritas

4.8

4.8 (1062)

$50 and over

Farm-to-table

Charlottesville

About the restaurant

Please inform us of any dietary restrictions at least 48 hours prior to reservation time.
No children or pets allowed for any reservations

DINNER: Plan to arrive at 6:15 pm for a glass of bubbly and be seated for dinner at 6:30 pm. Dinner is four courses, each one paired with wine. The cost is $120.00 per person prix fixe

Top review

PeterVIP

Dined 4 days ago

Stunning venue, lovely staff and very enjoyable food and wine pairings.

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Experience

The Farmhouse Wine Paired Dinner

Fleurie

4.8

4.8 (1884)

$50 and over

French

Charlottesville

About the restaurant

Serving Dinner Tuesday - Saturday.
Daily Prix-Fixe 3-Course Menu ($115) with optional Wine Pairings ($79)
Fleurie offers patio and indoor dining by reservation.
Please make sure to select your desired seating area when booking.

Join us at Fleurie Restaurant for a contemporary French fine dining experience, located just off Charlottesville's charming Downtown Mall on 3rd Street. Fleurie's elegant atmosphere, stellar wine list, and innovative menu are sure to produce an unforgettable meal. Fleurie is the perfect place to celebrate special occasions or simply enjoy masterfully prepared dishes and intimate service.

Top review

Barbara

Dined 1 day ago

Wonderful special occasion restaurant. Outstanding service and food but go there hungry because you will be fed many wonderful things. Beverages a bit pricey but then seems they are going up everywhere.

C&O

4.9

4.9 (920)

$50 and over

American

Charlottesville

About the restaurant

Dinner is served in our mezzanine, bistro and upstairs dining rooms, Tuesday through Saturday.
Reservations are for dinner only, please. Bar seats operate on a first come, first serve basis, and cannot be reserved.
We cannot accommodate parties larger than 10. Due to the layout of our restaurant, we are unable to accommodate pets on our patio.

Top review

SteveVIP

Dined 1 day ago

Food and service very good. Bar room seating atmosphere was very lively.

Palladio

4.6

4.6 (598)

$31 to $50

Italian

Gordonsville

About the restaurant

The elegant balance we value in wine, the quality of celebration inherent in its welcome, inspire palate harmonies that are Virginian in resources and Northern Italian in perspective, in country dining of vivacity and refinement. Here the estate of wine is inhabited at its most seamless and complete, sustained behind the scenes by the rarest collaboration of colleagues gifted in cuisine, viticulture, horticulture and service. Luxury on-site accommodations available at our 1804 Inn and Cottages. For additional information, please visit our website www.bbvwine.com.

Top review

RobinVIP

Dined on Jun 26, 2025

Palladio never disappoints. Its gourmet level menu, award winning Estate wines and outstanding attentive service makes this my favorite “destination” for celebrating special occasions with family and friends or just treating myself and others to a fine dining experience. My most recent visit, I dove into four courses and a Reserve White Flight (three 2 oz. Pours of Vermintino, Sauvignon Blanc and Nascent (oaked Chardonnay). Antipasti: Burrata and Prociutto with homegrown cherry tomatoes; Primi: Chilled Puréed Mild Gazpacho topped with Speck, crumbled egg, drizzled olive oil; Secondi: Halibut, tender, flaky served with a saviry medley of pan sautéed golden, orange and red cherry tomatoes; Dolce: Affrogado (Espresso poured over house made vanilla gelato). Every bite, every sip, was a delicious treat for the senses. Highly recommended Palladio for your next special occasion /celebration.

The Ivy Inn Restaurant

4.9

4.9 (3942)

$50 and over

Contemporary American

Charlottesville

About the restaurant

Seasonal Local American Cuisine. We use many local products from local farmers. We are located about a mile west of the University of Virginia campus. Historic old home turned into a restaurant. Three small intimate dining rooms upstairs, one on the ground floor and a large weather protected patio. In the winter the Patio is heated. Family owned since 1995. Special diet needs met upon request.

Top review

Jeanne

Dined on Jun 24, 2025

The food was exceptional and the service friendly and appropriately attentive.

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Popular dish

Key Lime Pie

Popular dish

Potato Gnocchi Bolognese

Popular dish

Grilled Certified Angus Beef Tenderloin

Ten

4.7

4.7 (1139)

$31 to $50

Japanese

Charlottesville

About the restaurant

Ten is a modern Japanese tapas style restaurant, centrally located on Charlottesville's Downtown Mall.

Since 2006, Ten has served a variety of both traditional and original cuisine.

Chef Pei Jen Chang sources ingredients from the finest local, regional, and international sea and farm purveyors, and strives to offer fare that will appeal to the gamut of culinary palates.

Our bar menu boasts an extensive wine list, an assortment of imported and local craft beers, as well as one of the largest collections of sake in Virginia. In addition, we offer a unique selection of libations, such as hand-crafted Asian inspired cocktails, assembled using inventive, authentic ingredients, or a 'Sake Flight', which allows for the subtle, intricate flavors of three selected varietals to be experienced.

The meaning of the Japanese word 'Ten' is 'heaven' or 'celebration', and our highest goal is to create an elevated, adventurous, and intimate dining experie

Top review

Kelly

Dined 4 days ago

Great experience! Everything was delicious and plated beautifully. Service was great - they even sent over a complimentary dessert for a birthday at the table. Excited to go back!

Mas

4.9

4.9 (5)

$31 to $50

Tapas / Small Plates

Charlottesville

About the restaurant

For a taste of organic and locally grown tapas dishes that are inspired by the flavors of Spain and Latin America, visit Mas Tapas in Charlottesville, Virginia. Chefs at Mas Tapas believe that the food of Spain is already culturally inspired by Arabic, African and European tastes, and bringing those flavors to the American table will allow guests to experience tastes from around the globe. Items on the menu include carne asada, chiles rellenos, alas de pollo, queso y alcachofa, lamburguesa, & gambacitos al ajillo. The menu at Mas Tapas is expansive, and allows guests to taste samples of virtually any type of cuisine. A variety of meat, seafood and vegetarian options are made with ingredients sourced locally in combination with organic flavors for a healthy and fun meal.

Top review

Kitty

Dined 7 days ago

Yet another excellent meal at Mas. Grilled artichokes are my favorite “go to”. Hoping to see the grilled octopus back on the menu soon!

Spoon & Spindle

4.7

4.7 (130)

$31 to $50

Southern

Orange

About the restaurant

Spoon & Spindle is located in historic Orange, Virginia in a nearly 100 year old silk mill. Spearheaded by Chef Kyler Rudy, Spoon & Spindle serves seasonal menus for brunch, lunch, & dinner as well as ever-updating craft cocktails, local wines, and unique beers. Our Spring/Summer 2025 lunch/dinner menu features fun new dishes like a Loaded Mac & Cheese, Shrimp Toast, All American Burger, and Crab Linguine. For brunch, we have menu stapes like fresh from scratch Eggs Benedict, Chicken & Waffles, and Breakfast Fried Rice. You'll also find house made desserts to finish off your meal. Our unique menu, intimate dining room, and uber friendly staff keep our regulars coming back to see what we have on special each day.

Top review

shelley

Dined 6 days ago

What a great place. Great ambiance. A little dark but cool in this heat. Loved the dishes, cutlery and decor. Friendly staff and food was delicious. Loved the menu items. We have to come back to try everything else. The potatoes pave were wonderful!!!

Black Cow Chophouse

4.8

4.8 (598)

$31 to $50

Steakhouse

Charlottesville

About the restaurant

Black Cow Chophouse is Charlottesville's spot for steaks, chops, fine wines, modern & classic cocktails and fun times. We feature a huge daily selection of both dry-aged and non dry-aged local and nationally sourced beef, as well as pork, game and lamb cuts. Our beverage program is carefully crafted and our hospitality is second to none. For the budget conscious, visit during our daily happy hour from 4:30 to 6:00 for Charlottesville's best steak deal and discounted drinks.

Top review

SaraVIP

Dined 2 days ago

Perfect birthday dinner for my husband. Thank you.

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