We were avoiding a huge deluge of rain and saw the menu at Bizou full of small plates that looked intriguing. We weren’t too hungry and quickly decided to head in. Boy was that the best move we made since our gem we found in Montmartre. The food was lovingly prepared with fresh and delicious ingredients. I had the beet salad, my husband the duck pate. My boys had meatloaf and the caprese salad respectively and we ordered a side of the fingerling potatoes. The food was devoured quickly but with delight. Nicholas served us and he was the perfect balance of quick whit, local insight, and efficient service! Next time we’re in Charlottesville, Bizou will be our first stop!

We loved our visit to Bizou. Cute, quaint and very delicious food. We tried the tofu tamales (we aren’t vegetarian and we don’t like tofu but they were outstanding!) we also tried the carne a la plancha and the ricotta gnocchi - both very good too. We tried cocktails but had to send them back. That said they were very accommodating and we ended up ordering from their wine list which was great! I hate we missed out on the crab tortellini...but we’ll definitely be back!

I have been to this restaurant many times over the years and enjoyed its consistently high quality food and service. Today, however, the tapas served on their restaurant week menu was extraordinary! The two kinds of heirloom tomato soup somehow divided across the diameter in one bowl was delicious and magical. The crab tortellini was a work of art and had me scraping the plate with a spoon. The smoked chicken thighs stuffed with mushrooms was wonderful and who knew that potato salad could complement it so well? The fennel salad with tempura zucchini and confit tomato was delightful. A few weeks ago we enjoyed tapas in Spain and every one of these dishes would stand proudly with the best we had in Barcelona and San Sebastian. Akelarre, take a lesson from Bizou!

Bizou is on the downtown mall in Charlottesville. It has both indoor and outside dining. The menu was fine and the food quality was great. Pricing was reasonable and service was good. We enjoyed our meals, the shrimp and grits was off the charts.

This lovely little dining spot has a lot to offer for its size, but the one thing worth writing about- Meatloaf! It is better than what mama use to make. Sorry, but it's better than what my mom made and her's was pretty good. But also try their in season softshell crabs, or their soup of the day and yes, save room for dessert. Dining inside is retro and al fresco is in the heart of downtown mall. This a jewel in the heart of the city!