Diners' Choice: Best Ambiance restaurants in Charlottesville

OpenTable

Updated December 05, 2024

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!

The Farmhouse at Veritas

4.9

4.9 (1011)

$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

Julian

Dined on Nov 21, 2024

A wonderful dinner and evening. Attentive but not intrusive wait staff. We (6 of us) enjoyed the wine paired dinner. The food was superb, compliments to the Chef.

Discover more

Experience

The Farmhouse Wine Paired Dinner

The Ivy Inn Restaurant

4.9

4.9 (3835)

$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

JudithVIP

Dined 1 day ago

Excellent restaurant, nice atmosphere, wonderful service. Thoroughly enjoyed our leisurely dinner. All of the food was very well prepared.

Ten

4.8

4.8 (1085)

$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

Richard

Dined 3 days ago

We go to Ten two or three times a year as a special occasion, and it never fails to impress us with the quality of food and service. The menu does not change very much, and what they do, they do very well. Always thoughtful service, too.

Fleurie

4.8

4.8 (1833)

$50 and over

French

Charlottesville

About the restaurant

Serving Dinner Tuesday - Saturday.
Daily Prix-Fixe 3-Course Menu ($109) with optional Wine Pairings ($75+)
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

Brent

Dined 2 days ago

Fleurie continues to embody the highest standards of classic, yet still modern French and American dining, with outstanding food, décor and service. The food on the seasonally changing menu is always superb, with innovative twists that keep it interesting as well as delicious. The three-course prix-fixe menu, which also includes several additional gratis dishes, provides a wealth of choices, including nightly specials, and accommodates vegetarians as well as meat and fish eaters. The wine list is also tops, and the service and welcoming, comfortable ambiance could not be better. Fleurie remains our favorite spot by far for a celebration.

C&O

4.8

4.8 (848)

$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

MarkVIP

Dined 1 day ago

Our first visit to C&O in several years. It used to be one of our favorite C'ville restaurants and, after yesterday's dinner, that ranking hasn't changed. A spectacular meal. A great selection of expertly-prepared starters ("Did someone say 'sweetbreads'?") and mains. Creative cocktails and a well-constructed (and fairly priced) wine list. And an outstanding waiter who has worked at C&O for over 2 decades - a professional that makes a dinner at C&O the type of fine dining, yet relaxed, experienced that it is.

Discover more

Popular dish

Tenderloin of Beef

Popular dish

Duck Confit and Ricotta Gnocchi

Popular dish

Pan Roasted Scallops

Palladio

4.7

4.7 (542)

$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

Cheryl

Dined on Dec 13, 2024

We love to celebrste our December anniversary here! Attentive staff and exceljdnt food and wine! Looking forward to our next visit!

Black Cow Chophouse

4.9

4.9 (483)

$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

LizVIP

Dined 2 days ago

Great food. Very very very delicious! Real food that feeds the soul. Service is great as well. Attention to detail and good ability to to serve courses in order and when table is ready. Small recommendations would be to fry foods in lard/tallow as opposed to seed oils. And as I age--I find the bar top tables and chairs to be uncomfortable; but there are lower chairs available--you may want to request them if bar top seating is uncomfortable. I never like paying fine dining prices and then being seated at a bar height table-but for this restaurant-- the food is so good I go with the seating flow! Highly recommend!

Discover more

4.7

4.7 (329)

$31 to $50

Contemporary French / American

Charlottesville

About the restaurant

Café Frank is a vibrant, intimate Franco-Italian restaurant and cocktail bar on Charlottesville's Historic Downtown Pedestrian Mall. We can't wait to serve you!

Top review

GeneVIP

Dined 2 days ago

It's as if a nice little bistro from Paris was air-dropped in Charlottesville. A splendid dining experience with a superb menu, smartly chosen wine list, and a great location. Staff is just super and the chef outdid himself with the seafood offerings.

Hamiltons' At First & Main

4.7

4.7 (2328)

$30 and under

Contemporary American

Charlottesville

About the restaurant

Contemporary Fine Dining in Charlottesville, Virginia Located in the heart of Charlottesville’s Downtown district, Hamiltons’ is the perfect spot for a delicious afternoon lunch or a romantic evening dinner. A cheerful, cozy atmosphere and attentive service ensure our guests enjoy an outstanding dining experience, be they Charlottesville natives, out-of-town visitors, or University students and staff. We also feature outdoor patio seating seasonally, providing our guests the opportunity to dine amidst the bustle of the Downtown Mall.

Top review

Toni

Dined 3 days ago

My daughter & I both got beef tenderloin & the entire dinner, including the sides, were incredible. We would highly recommend this entree!

Rapture

4.6

4.6 (221)

$30 and under

Southern

Charlottesville

About the restaurant

Rapture features playful, farm-to-table Southern cuisine in a swank-but-cozy atmosphere. We have outdoor dining, billiards tables, and live music several nights a week.

Top review

Michelle

Dined 3 days ago

Great food. Perfect for pre-show dinner (right next door to Paramount).

Explore Diners' Choice best of Charlottesville

Explore more Diners' Choice lists