My parents were in town this past weekend, which means we went out to eat quite a few times! Charlottesville has TONS of wonderful restaurants, so when guests come to town, we enjoy showing them the latest and greatest, as well as old favorites.

Commonwealth Restaurant and Skybar opened last fall, and my three visits have all been great! The first floor features the main restaurant, while the second floor features the “Skybar”, serving drinks and bar food.

The night began upstairs, with cocktails:

“En Fuego”: Blenheim Ginger Ale, Bourbon, and Cinnamon Aromatics, and Lime

Coconut tequila, Blood Orange Liqueur, and a splash of Agave Wheat Beer

We headed downstairs for dinner, which began with appetizers– we ordered two types of Empanadas: shredded steak, served with guacamole, and corn, served with a tomatillo salsa. They were so delicious I couldn’t get a picture before the others dug in!

Wine was poured (Dad almost always chooses a California Chardonnay)…

…and the entrees arrived! Dad chose the Halibut special, which came with mussels and clams:

Mom chose the lamb chops with minted smashed peas:

My husband chose the skirt steak, with sauteed peppers and onions and cassava fries. I was too slow with the camera to get a picture of his dish! I sampled a bite of each, and they were all delicious!

I chose a vegetarian dish of braised root vegetables and brussels sprouts, served around a delicious sweet potato roisti, and tossed in a mustard beurre blanc. This was a veggie lover’s dream come true!

Commonwealth has certainly impressed me thus far. Great cocktails, great food, and great ambiance, especially when the weather is nice. The upstairs bar is perfect the perfect place to enjoy a drink on a spring evening, and they have outdoor dining downstairs, as well as exterior walls that open wide to let fresh air into the restaurant.

I’m sure we’ll return again soon!

-L