Location: Lovingston
Top Restaurants in Lovingston
Top Things to do in Lovingston
Where to Eat in Lovingston: The Best Restaurants and Bars
Lovingston is a census-designated place (CDP) in and the county seat of Nelson County, Virginia, United States. The population as of the 2010 Census was 520. Its ZIP Code is 22949. It was among the communities severely affected by flash flooding from Hurricane Camille in 1969.
Things to do in Lovingston
1. Basic Necessities
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 119 reviews
Reviewed By Mary T
The food is great, The wine selection surprising for a little restaurant no bigger than a closet, but this place is a MUST stop for lunch. Incredible salads, inventive combinations of food, and desserts that will make you want to stop every day. The Watermelon Gazpacho is unforgettable - and the cook will share recipes! An unassuming place with a heart of gold.
2. Lovingston Cafe
Overall Ratings
4 based on 121 reviews
Reviewed By Bruce W
Was heading from east of Charlottesville towards Danville on US 29 & didn’t want to wade through Charlottesville traffic for lunch. Lovingston Cafe was a great find and so easy to locate. Found their Smoked Trout Salad so delightful I ordered a take out for my wife to savor that evening. Fresh ingredients and what an excellent dish with the large walnuts! Wow! They do serve a local cider and the nice thing was I could order a small one and not be too tipsy to continue heading south. I went for the Bold Rock “Virginia Apple” which was sweet. It was so fun I found the nearby convenience store sold it by the 6 pack and bought one.
Lovingston Cafe has their local following and is slightly upscale for being a small town. They have a special Ribfest on Saturdays that I’ll have to try. I have passed through this town many times between Charlottesville and Lynchburg, oblivious to this easy on/off accessed gourmet alternative to fast food. Can hardly wait to savor LC again on my next trip up US 29!
3. Devils Backbone Brewing Company
Overall Ratings
4 based on 545 reviews
Reviewed By naturistcouple1234 - Washington DC, District of Columbia
We were on a brewery tour around the Charlottesville area and stopped in at Devils Backbone. The brewery is near Wintergreen ski resort. The brewery is located in a large beautiful log building. They have built several out buildings with bars, outdoor seating, fire pits, and party games. It is a great place to sit and grab a beer while waiting for a table in the restaurant. They even sell Smores kits to use at the firepits. There is also a walk up bbq place there. It wasn't open during our visit, it maybe open seasonally. The restaurant is located in the large log building. The beers at Devils Backbone is very good and diverse. The food is general pub fare with decent sized portions. It is a must visit when exploring breweries in the Charlottesville area.
4. Colleen Drive-In
Overall Ratings
5 based on 20 reviews
Reviewed By SydneyB - Williamsburg, VA
Okay, this is really an old-fashioned kind of place - will remind you of when you were a kid! I've never had the food (although they have a wide variety....but have been told it's just okay), but the ice cream/shakes/malteds are GREAT! If you like malts, order one and ask for double malt...it will bring you back to your childhood! Just be aware that this place is very popular, and the people behind the counter take their time.....so be patient. I say, get into your Nelson County state of mind, enjoy the wait, and then enjoy our cold treat even more!
5. Vito's Italian Restaurant
Overall Ratings
4 based on 81 reviews
Reviewed By Dan O - Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania
This will be short and sweet. This place was just OK. The food was actually pretty good. I had the Italian Trio, which was plenty for two people. The biggest complaint I had was the service, which was really slow. It took almost 10 mins to get waited on and at the end of my meal, I ended up having to look for my waitress to get my tab taken care of. This was a week day evening, so not over crowded. Oh well, at least the food was decent
6. Wild Wolf Brewing Company
Overall Ratings
4 based on 496 reviews
Wild Wolf Brewing Company, established November 11, 2011, is one of just a few mother/son operations in the country. Danny, a classically trained Brewmaster by the Siebel Institute in Chicago, and his mom, a business savvy entrepreneur, have turned a family passion for craft beer into one of the fastest growing breweries in Virginia. The brewery and restaurant is situated in the heart of the Brew Ridge Trail and features a wide selection of hand-crafted beers as well as the freshest local foods in Central Virginia-all in a century old, revitalized Nelson County school house. The ten acre property features an authentic Biergarten, shaded by a protective canopy of 60-year-old Siberian Elms, including a charming gazebo, large Koi pond, and working water wheel. In addition, an outdoor pavilion has been enclosed to allow for a four season dining experience. The pavilion hosts live music every weekend year round. Inside the restaurant, guests are treated to a rustic dining experience, including wrap-around porches that provide stunning views of the surrounding mountains and property. Toward the back of the old schoolhouse guests enter the new building which houses a lively sports bar as well as our brewing facility.
Reviewed By mamaluvs2travel - Richmond, Virginia
We’d like to give this place another try in the future. I think they had some circumstances beyond their control the day we stopped in. The cool thing about this place is that it’s a very eco-friendly establishment. It’s family friendly and there was live music. The food was ok on the day we were there. Some of the chicken didn’t seem fully cooked. Beer selection was interesting and good. Like I said, we’ll likely give this place another chance in the future.
7. Wood Ridge Brewery
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 8 reviews
Reviewed By USCGRetired - North Carolina
This was the last stop on our winery tour. The story behind this place is entertaining, especially when Barefoot Barry tells it!
There are two runways for small airplanes to visit. The two story bar is a unique homemade wooden wonder of craftsmanship! You can wander around it looking at the unique wooden construction. We didn't eat here, but sampled the beers. They advertise "from dirt to glass" as all the ingredients are grown on this farm. The beers were tasty and potent. The views from the upstairs porch were 360 degrees of the surrounding mountains. The rocking chairs invite you to stay a while and the cornhole and horseshoe games provide outside entertainment. Inside are several large TVs for the sportsfans. We'll go back for a longer visit.
8. Chicken Coop Restaurant
Overall Ratings
4 based on 16 reviews
Reviewed By Sunny66611 - Indiana
We thought we were visiting a restaurant, but it's actually a fried chicken carry out service with a couple tables and chairs at the back of a small store/station. One of our parties was kind of disgusted with the way the place looked and had to kind of wipe off our own tables. I have to say the chicken and sides were very good. The macaroni and cheese was excellent, made with crushed croutons, heavy cream and cheese. The cook told me how she made it and I can't remember all the ingredients. But she know her stuff. Looks are sometimes deceiving. It's too bad that this isn't connected to a nicer dining area. I think it would be great for tourists in the area.
9. Subway
Overall Ratings
4 based on 8 reviews
Reviewed By virginiagamer - Westbrook, Maine
This is a relatively nice Subway. It's not super-fancy, but it doesn't have any obvious shortcomings either. The staff are relatively friendly and efficient, and their menu is typical of most Subways I have been to. The restrooms are clean, which is obviously nice. It is easy to get to off of US 29. Overall, it is a good lunch stop if you are in Lovingston.
10. Chen's
Overall Ratings
4 based on 5 reviews
Reviewed By mike b - Chesterfield, Virginia
While on our way from Charlottesville to Smith Mountain Lake, we wanted to stop for a bite somewhere and found the little strip mall which has two choices....Subway and Chen's. We eat Subway all the time, so I convinced my wife to be adventurous. Glad we did. We were both surprised by the food. I had the House Fried Rice and my wife the Steamed Vegetables in Spicy Brown sauce. My rice was very good, but my wife's vegetables were outstanding. The brown sauce is excellent. We also both had some soup (hot & sour and wonton), neither of which was very good. The spring rolls were okay. But if you get a chance to go here, get something with the brown sauce on it. TIP: We ate there, since we were on the road. But be aware that they only have 4 or 5 tables in the place, so it's clearly more of a carryout restaurant.
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