The Local, Charlottesville, Va.

I visit Charlottesville, Va., every year for the wine, history, hiking and, of course, the food. While Charlottesville is home to several of my favorite restaurants, my friends and I never pass up the opportunity to enjoy a meal at The Local.

The restaurant itself presents a unique blend of Southern charm and rustic chic, with exposed brick walls, wood and metal details and Mason jar candles. There’s plenty of outdoor seating and two bars. The cocktails continue this theme with Southern-inspired options like Porch Time and Appalachian Spring, a delicious blend of Boar Creek Appalachian Whiskey, muddled mint and lemon, Woodland Bitters, sugar and sparkling water. The .38 Special is a must-try — Bulleit Bourbon, Canton Ginger Liqueur, Peychaud’s Bitters, local honey and an orange peel.

The menu offers an eclectic collection of New American cuisine with a modern, Southern twist. On our most recent visit, we had the fried cauliflower and Brussels sprouts to start, tossed with Szechuan spices and serve with sriracha aioli. The fried calamari is another great option to start.

For dinner, I thoroughly enjoyed the seasonal pasta special — fresh, homemade pasta with summer squash, zucchini and tomatoes in a white-wine sauce. It was outstanding. Other dishes filling our table included the Steak Frites, served with a horseradish-artichoke Béchamel and crumbled blue cheese; the meatloaf, wrapped in bacon with a honey BBQ sauce; and the Local Buffalo Creek Beef Short Ribs, braised with red wine and veal stock.

In creating its menu, the aptly named restaurant takes advantage of the abundance of local farms, butchers, breweries and vineyards in and around Charlottesville, and the result is delicious, fresh food and drinks.