We at Foxfield Inn love “the legendary bagelry that has become a Charlottesville institution,” as The Hook has so eloquently named Bodo’s. And although we serve a full three-course breakfast here at the Inn, we often suggest Bodo’s for a quick bite, food for the drive home, or even lunch on the go. You can eat in or take away.
As we learned in last week’s blog, Charlottesville is recognized as a destination for food and wine lovers, receiving innumerable accolades for both from such well-respected publications as Wine Enthusiast and Esquire this past year alone.
And as anyone knows who has lived here or visited, Charlottesville offers fare for just about every palate and budget, from haute cuisine to “good eats,” as Alton Brown would say.
Heading the pack for the latter category is our own local Bodo’s bagels, C-ville‘s “Best of” since 1996. Locally owned and operated, Bodo’s began with only one store. Bodo’s was started in 1988 by Brian Fox, who ended up in Charlottesville like a lot of other Charlottesville residents: he got in his car, drove around looking for a place to relocate his family and start another business. He had owned and operated a clothing boutique and a bistro, Deja Vue, in New England. He knew he was home when he hit Charlottesville, saying that it “felt right.”
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| Ever wonder where the name “Bodo’s” comes from? It was the name of a former waiter at Fox’s Deja Vue bistro, a business he owned and operated in New England before he moved to Charlottesville. |
By 1993 Fox had built a such loyal following that the Preston Avenue Bodo’s opened, followed in 2005 by The Corner Bodo’s, the third and final store. With three shops, Bodo’s now serves up to 6,000 happy patrons in one day! Six thousand! That’s a lot of bagels.
And 6,000 people can’t be wrong. Whether you love Bodo’s for breakfast, lunch, or dinner (and some people say that Bodo’s is not for dinner; I respectfully disagree), they offer a variety of “standard” breakfast fare items from which to choose, like lox and bagels or bagels and cream cheese. For lunch or dinner, you can enjoy a cup of hot soup with a bagel sandwich, or for those watching their carbs, one of Bodo’s delicious salads; we particularly like their Caesar and Clio salads.
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At Bodo’s you can eat in or take away. My
favorite
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And for those with a vegetarian bent, Bodo’s can fit the bill. Their “meat-free” sandwiches include their own house-made hummus, locally made tofu, avocado, kalamata olive spread, and even the “NoBull,” locally made lentil-based veggie patty. Bodo’s is a vegetarian’s delight!
With a plethora of food offerings, Bodo’s is also easy on your wallet. Prices for items range from $2.40 for a tofu sandwich to $5.20 for a baked salmon and whitefish salad. It’s no wonder that Real Estate Weekly said that Bodo’s is “the number one thing people miss when they move away from Charlottesville.”
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| Here’s something you almost never see at Bodo’s, regardless of which shop you visit: no line! Even if there is a line going out the door, you know that it will move quickly, as Bodo’s is the epitome of efficiency. |
So if you are not fortunate enough to live here, to enjoy Bodo’s any time you please, be sure to visit them when you come to town. Because, after all, “when you are in Charlottesville, going to Bodo’s is just something you do,”—The Charlottesville 29.
Postscript:
After 18 years in the business, Fox sold Bodo’s. But he kept it in the family, selling the business jointly to the managers of his three stores so that the reputation they all built together remains.
After 18 years in the business, Fox sold Bodo’s. But he kept it in the family, selling the business jointly to the managers of his three stores so that the reputation they all built together remains.
