Episode 6 Itinerary: Explore Lesser-Known History (Dining and Gathering Places)

The sixth episode of  Founding Footprints: Tracing America’s Journey in Charlottesville & Albemarle County heads to Michie Tavern! Convening with good food, family, and friends – whether longtime or newly-met – is a way to honor established traditions and introduce new ones. Hosting these gatherings in historic settings further deepens our connection to the past and provides a backdrop for the creation of future memories.

We’ve put together an itinerary that helps you explore the dining and gathering places that continue to influence how we eat and share ideas in Charlottesville and Albemarle County.

Listen to the Founding Footprints podcast HERE or on your favorite audio streaming platform.

Itinerary Length: 2.5 – 3 days

Day 1: Michie Tavern

In 1784, William Michie, son of Scottish emigrant John Michie and Virginian Mary Sarah Horne Garth, was granted license to run an ordinary at his home. Ordinaries were taverns or inns that provided simple comfort food and drink and overnight accommodation. The Michie property was located in northwestern Albemarle County between the communities we know today as Earlysville and Free Union. It was strategically placed to serve people traveling between the Shenandoah Valley and transportation routes along the Rivanna and James Rivers.

By the mid-1800’s, ordinaries had fallen out of fashion and Michie Tavern reverted to a family home. In 1927, Josephine Henderson purchased the tavern and moved it closer to Monticello, which had opened as a museum in 1923. The project was a major undertaking and entailed numbering, dismantling, transporting, and reassembling the buildings piece by piece. You can learn more about the historic move here.

1. Dine at the Tavern

Enjoy a midday Southern-style buffet, 11:30 am – 3 pm, in the Ordinary. The 1784 Pub, in the oldest part of tavern, is open Thursday – Saturday 3:30 – 7:00 pm. Plan a private dinner for your group of 25 or more people.

*Insider tip: Michie Tavern is closed on Tuesdays in January and February.*

2. Explore the Grounds

Walk between the Tavern and General Store. In addition to the original Michie house, built in the 1770s, the property includes the Meadow Run Grist Mill c. 1797 and 19th century Sowell House among other historic structures moved during the 20th century.

3. Shop at the General Store and Tavern Shop

Find a great selection of Virginia-made products, such as Michie Tavern's Finest Red and Charlottesville favorites Allen’s Scottish Shortbread, Valente Pasta, and Toute Petite stationery.

Beers and Ales

Home brews and locally produced ales were the norm in early America, particularly after independence from Britain. Experimentation with ingredients, such as wheat, corn, pumpkin, sweet and sour fruits, molasses, sassafras, pine, and juniper, and small batch production meant that recipes varied greatly from community to community and were often shared between households. Did you know? Indigenous peoples had been brewing fermented beverages for centuries before the arrival of Europeans.

4. Follow the Charlottesville Ale Trail

Discover how the revolution of fermentation continues today at craft breweries of the Charlottesville Ale Trail, including 8 within walking distance of the Downtown Mall. Don’t miss breweries in Albemarle County, such as Decipher and Selvedge Brewing Companies and the tasting room at Mount Ida Reserve, which are close to hiking trails and outdoor recreation.

Day 2: Choose Your Path to Dine with History

Charlottesville and Albemarle County are home to dozens of restaurants with historic roots and activities that are better together, whether visiting with friends, family, or your favorite traveling partner. Check out our themed mini-itineraries for your second day!

Family Focus: Start your day at Tip Top Restaurant, a favorite of local families for decades. Walk the rustic trails at the Botanical Garden of the Piedmont. Enjoy lunch at Dairy Market and duck pin bowling at Sunpins. The Monticello Dairy processed and distributed milk, butter, and cheese at this location from 1937 until the 1980’s. It also hosted a popular ice cream parlor on site. In 2020, the building found new purpose as the area’s first food hall. Continue your fun with visits to Decades Arcade and Cville Escape Room.

Vintage Vibes: Eat breakfast at The Nook, which has been serving customers since 1951, followed by shopping along the historic Downtown Mall. Explore the galleries and artist studios at McGuffey Art Center. Grab a milkshake or slice of pie at the soda fountain at Timberlake’s Drug Store. Founded in 1890, Timberlake’s moved to its current location in 1917. Stay up late with live music at the Southern Café and Music Hall or Miller’s Downtown. The Miller’s building dates to 1920. You can still see evidence of its life as a pharmacy.

In and Around UVA Grounds: Grab a breakfast sandwich at Ivy Provisions before bouldering at Rock Revolution or Rocky Top Climbing. Visit the Memorial to Enslaved Laborers, UVA Rotunda, and Declaration of Independence exhibit at UVA’s Special Collections Library. Eat lunch or dinner at The Virginian. Opening in 1923, The Virginian remains the oldest restaurant in the city of Charlottesville and its décor showcases history at UVA and “the Corner.” End the day with live music at The Stage at WTJU or Old Cabell Hall

Grownup Getaway: Enjoy breakfast and the mid-century exterior at Guajiros Miami Eatery. Get to know the Fralin Museum of Art and shop at Bellair Place. Visit Septenary: The Winery at Seven Oaks Farm and Chiswell Farm & Winery. Savor dinner at The Ivy Inn – the 19th century house on Old Ivy Road opened as a restaurant in 1973 – or Duner’s. Duner’s is surrounded by Ivy Commons shopping district, which was originally built in 1951 as the Siesta Motor Court motel.

Summer in Scottsville: Grab coffee at Baine’s before getting out on the James River. Eat lunch at Tavern on the James then indulge in cupcakes at Baked on the James. Originally the site of the Carlton Hotel c. 1840, the building was home to Bruce’s Drug Store from 1928 to 2003. Wrap up the day with a visit to Gallery on Valley and dinner at the Red Rose Pub.

Day 3: Food for Thought

At the time of the American Revolution and through the founding years of the United States, ordinaries and taverns were social hubs for their communities. They often hosted dances, games, and auction sales. In rural areas, taverns functioned as mail stops, post offices, courtrooms, and common ground to mediate personal disputes. They were places where residents and travelers of all social classes, including itinerant doctors, lawyers, artists, and merchants, came into contact.

These interactions meant taverns were lively centers for the exchange of information. News was shared through the public reading of newspapers and broadsides. Ideas and political thought were debated and refined through meetings and one-on-one conversations. As a patriot in the Revolutionary War and an active participant in local politics, William Michie most likely used the inn as a platform for promoting his views.

1. Channel Taverns' Revolutionary Role

Learn more about American politics past, present, and future through programs at the University of Virginia. UVA’s Center for Politics, Karsh Institute of Democracy, Miller Center, and Nau Center for Civil War History regularly host public talks and lectures.

2. Take Inspiration from Jefferson's Table

Thomas Jefferson, as President and when at home at Monticello, recognized that food and drink were powerful tools for statecraft, even while “politics” was avoided as a dinner topic. Instead of grand seating arrangements, he adopted the use of smaller round tables that encouraged dialogue and removed hierarchy.

For the nation’s 250th anniversary, Monticello is partnering with the Culinary Diplomacy Project to bring world-renowned chefs, food historians, and culinary experts to the area. Look for special Culinary Diplomacy events through 2026.

Prepping for those sometimes difficult, sometimes raucous meals with family or friends? Purchase a Feast of Reason card deck to guide conversations in Jeffersonian style. You can also find recipes from Monticello here.

3. Meet the Locals

Have fun while engaging with new people and new ideas! Astronomy on Tap Charlottesville and book clubs like Jefferson-Madison Regional Library’s Books on Tap, Moms Lit Society, and Monticello Wine Trail’s Between the Wines series welcome visitors to their discussions.

Listen to all 10 episodes of Founding Footprints and make your travel plans now. Charlottesville and Albemarle County offer a variety of places to stay including resorts, inns, B&Bs, hotels, and vacation rentals – so you can book the lodging that aligns with your travel preferences.

Places to Stay Charlottesville and Albemarle County offer visitors a wide variety of places to stay, including resorts, hotels, inns, bed and breakfasts, cabins, and vacation rentals. Learn More