Over near the 900 block of Preston Avenue, the area has recently turned into fertile ground for new restaurants and food stores. Just this past year, Sticks Kabob shop, Mona Lisa's takeout pasta store and the Mexican restaurant El Gir also all have opened.
It's BreadWorks Bakery & Deli that really stands out from this pack, though. BreadWorks offers an experience completely unique from the sandwich shops on the Corner, many of which we love, but tire of after numerous weekly visits. It is the perfect example of the many hidden dining treasures that Charlottesville residents know, but students often fail to discover.
BreadWorks makes great bread. They have an extensive listing of different bread selections, and you can pick up a copy of the baking rubric at the register. For example, the Apple Streusel Light Wheat ($3.75) is only baked on Tuesdays and Thursdays, but never fear, because the white Cinnamon Raisin bread ($3.25) is baked the other three days. The bakery only is open on weekdays and Saturday mornings, and the classic baguette is the only type of bread that is prepared every day. Day old breads are available for half price on a special rack.
If it weren't enough that BreadWorks serves up high quality, warm, homemade baked goods, there is an altruistic reason to patronize the establishment. BreadWorks is a division of Work Source Enterprises, which provides training and jobs for mentally challenged and disabled people in the community. Based on their skill levels and abilities, individuals are placed in various jobs in the bakery - some have been with BreadWorks since it opened eight years ago.
BreadWorks also offers breakfast, cakes made to order, pies, rolls, croissants, cookies and muffins - you name it. There are ready-made and custom-made sandwiches, including the famous Curried Chicken Salad ($3.95), as well as a variety of smoked meats, cheeses and vegetarian options. The sandwiches aren't huge, but they're not expensive either.
For convenience, you even can call ahead to reserve loaves of your favorite breads. Be sure to ask if any new or seasonal breads have made their debut that week. The hot new bread of the week was the Chocolate Streusel Bread ($3.50) made with sour cream. A dense cross between bread and cake, it has chocolate swirls and is drizzled with chocolate. Wonderful.
As with Take It Away, a sandwich shop on Elliewood Avenue, there are benefits for being a regular customer, and BreadWorks has many. For every 12 loaves of delicious bread you buy, you get one free.
Pricey dough
This town presents so many distinctive delis and bakeries, but it is a tragedy to stick to just one. Perhaps the most chic of all such eateries is Hotcakes, gourmet delicatessen in the Barracks Road Shopping Center. This upscale a la carte experience allows you to create your own delicious picnic. Sirloin, pork and chicken rest next to pastas, vegetables and a wide arrangement of desserts.
A variety of vegetable and fruit salads all are sold by the pound, and the price can add up quickly. The broccoli salad ($6.75/lb) includes cut broccoli, black kalamata olives, sliced red onion, strips of fresh basil, cored cucumber and halved cherry tomatoes. A light vinaigrette ties it together, and the salad is light and refreshing.
The stuffed peppers are enticing, huge red and yellow orbs with their tops cut off and stuffed with an intriguing combination of tri-colored couscous and smoked salmon. A sour cream base flavored with fresh herbs holds the mixture together. Frankly, the taste is unique, but after a few bites you realize there is still a whole lot of pepper to go.
Hotcakes has a variety of gourmet cakes that can be ordered whole or by the slice. The Chocolate Almond Raspberry Cake is quite good, although, surprisingly, it is not a chocolate cake. Luscious whipped chocolate frosting separates the layers of white cake, and you can feel the grit of real seeds in the fine layers of raspberry paste. Almond flavored white frosting encloses the delectable package.
Bottle beer, wine, fountain drinks, as well as a variety of Clearly Canadians, Honest Teas and other funky New Age drinks complete the beverage selection (try the raspberry cream soda). Everything in Hotcakes can be taken out or eaten in, and they also offer extensive catering service. Hotcakes is a great place to stop if you are on your way out to Skyline Drive and are looking for some upscale picnic goods, but for grabbing a quick bite, you'll get more for your buck almost any place else.
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