maf

I appreciate the suggestions and, since we are not going until August, hope more will come. Oakencroft sounds like a definite, and Front Royal is also a good idea since we will be hanging around Skyline Drive looking for a waterfall that flows in August. The Griffin Tavern looks great (as is, I recall, Court Square Tavern in Charlottesville). Sorry the consensus is negative on Prince Michel, as it is close to Graves Mountain where we are staying, but I’ve had a couple of their reds and know there is better in the area (including Barboursville, which is also a good idea). Since we will mostly be daytripping in an area from Charlottesville to DC, any other food suggestions (we will have 11 and 6 year olds in tow, but they have learned that there will be no chains) are appreciated. Does anyone know if Crozet Pizza survives? rcarter, the link you provided is quite impressive, although unlike your friend I am more prone to drinking the wine as opposed to the swish and spit method.

We will be in the Charlottesville area (actually Syria) in August and would like to visit a couple wineries. I like Horton Norton and therefore plan a trip to Orange. Has anyone had a particularly good/bad experience at any wineries in the area?

I think of the Farmers Market (and Dekalb is the farmers market) as a grocery mecca. We make trips to Atlanta from Savannah (about 4 hours) to periodically stock the pantry. I have occasionally pondered moving to Atlanta (which most Savannahians would never admit) because living near the Farmers Market would insure that we ate better. I always assumed other big cities had something similar. For anyone who has never been, "farmers market" is a misnomer. There are no stalls, no bushels of corn. It's a huge ethnic grocery store with produce, fruits, meats, seafood, cheeses, coffee roasted on premises, spices, etc. It has with good prices, an amazing selection and is huge. For anyone who enjoys cooking, this place is not to be missed. Two cautions: its pretty cold in there, and they don't take credit cards (but debit cards will work). If you bring a cooler, ask for ice in the fish department; they'll give you a bag. It's just inside I-285 on Ponce de Leon (forget your fancy Spanish; de Leon is two words, the second being Lee'-on). They also have a pretty good wine department, but remember this is Georgia, so never on Sunday.

Surprised you have not generated more replies; perhaps "best" is too daunting. If you find yourself in Savannah, the only choice is The Breakfast Club on Tybee Island. As for chains (which I suspect you avoid), I think Cracker Barrel has good ham.

I accept the premise that the cuisine is transportable (I've never been to Japan, but I like the Japanese food I've had without really knowing if it's true to its origin). I believe, however, that the lack of a BBQ tradition, and dearth of competition, allows a barbeque restaurant to survive in New York based as much on novelty as the quality of the 'que. It's also probably true that even if I had the best BBQ of my life in Manhattan, I wouldn't admit it. I cannot accept without comment, however, that pastrami is BBQ. What's next, lox ? I commend you for at least not using the word as a verb, but I'm still hesitant to let even beef or ribs under the tent.

It is not possible to produce good BBQ in New York, any more than I can hope to get a good pastrami sandwich in Savannah. Once you introduce creamed spinach, mussels and all that other stuff (mashed potatoes should have lumps, by the way), you are no longer eating bar-b-que. If you pass through Baltimore, do you look for crab or dim sum? Good que depends on patience, simplicity,and, to a certain extent. poverty and a slight uncleanliness. New York may have some of these characteristics some of the time, but they are not sought after in restaurants. Finally, there is no wine that goes well with BBQ; beer is OK, but sweet tea is the official beverage.

Didn't mean to offend. I didn't know anything about Maurice's politics, I just saw the picture of him on the horse when he was campaigning. For an alternative, although the 'que isn't as good, Millendear's is nearby and worth eating.

North Carolina folks are justifiably proud of their BBQ, but that doesn't mean you have to eat burgers until you reach the State line. You would presumably come up I-95. I've tried a few places in North Florida and haven't found any worth a return trip, but there are some decent options once you enter Georgia. You will notice several choices on the gas/food/lodging intestate signs, but ignore them until you reach US 82 just South of Brunswick, where the Georgia Pig is just a few yards East of I-95. The meat is good and smoky and served in a quirky South Georgia style, smashed and toasted in a large hamburger bun run through a sandwich press. The sides are unexceptional, and for some reason they find it annoying if you ask for fries (they don't have them). Avoid the water, which comes from a sulfur well, but it makes for surprisingly good sweet tea. If you venture into the town of Brunswick, Mack's and Twin Oaks are local favorites. It's then BBQ wasteland until you reach Savannah. There's nothing on I-95 except Don's in Pooler, which purports to be Lexington, NC, style. It's OK, but I'd wait for North Carolina to have the real thing. Savannah (take I-16 about 15 minutes East to get there) lacks a single place that stands out as great, but there are a few with noteworthy possibilities. Johnny Harris has been around for about 70 years but has far too varied a menu to be considered a BBQ joint. Their pork and stew are edible, but the best thing there is the barbequed lamb (Savannah has a fairly large Greek community). Many people like Walls because it's on an unmarked and unpaved alley (called a lane in Savannah) downtown, so you feel like you've discovered a hidden gem. Unfortunately there's no AC, and the pork is pretty average. The deviled crab (made w/ BBQ sauce) and veggies (collards, mac, red rice), however, are very good. The Rib Hut has good meat, better ribs, and in my opinion the best sauce anywhere (ask for the hot BBQ sauce). Go during daylight; you'll feel safer. If you venture a few miles across the US 17 bridge and head about 20 minutes towards Hilton Head, you'll find the Pink Pig in Levy, SC. I know many people who consider this the best 'que around, but they are apparently fooled by the choice of three distinct sauces, which at least provides some variety. It recently got written up in Southern Living as one of the two best in SC, so it's always possible that I just don't appreciate it as much as those with more refined tastes. If you can venture a little further off the I-95 corridor, Vandy's in Statesboro, GA, is worth a trip. The meat is good, the white bread is always Sunbeam (it tears straight down the middle) and the brunswick stew is the best I ever had. Gator's in Estill, SC, is also good, although it is more of a Georgia style (meat smoked, then sauce added after cooking). Georgia is a huge state, and there are many possibilities if you get away from the coast. In general, the further north you go, the more it gets vinegary, like the stuff from Western Carolina. In South Carolina, you'll want to try the unusual, slightly sweet yellow mustard sauce, which as far as I know is unique to that state. Probably the most famous place for this is Maurice's Piggy Park off I-26 near Columbia, SC (Maurice once ran for governor). Closer to I-95, however, is Sweatman's in Holly Hill (Thursday through Saturday only, I believe). It's quite good, and it's served buffet style (often a negative, but OK here). You can also sample that SC concoction known as hash, which to a Georgian appears to be pureed Brunswick stew served over rice. The South Carolinians appear quite fond of it. You only get one trip through the line, however, so you'll notice the locals using the ribs as some sort of superstructure to get more on their plate. There's also fried pork rind, which is both uncommon and better than you think. Once you're further north than that, I'll leave to to the locals for advice.