One of my favorite places for delicious cocktails and French small plates is a discreetly located speakeasy style bar called The Alley Light. My favorite dining and bar experiences tend to be hole in the walls and hidden gems, either in plain sight or tucked away down a dark alley way. In this case, it happens to be the latter… Marked by a candle sitting on top of a wine barrel, you won’t find any signage to mark this lounge’s location.
My cocktail of preference? Sometimes nothing beats a carefully crafted sazerac or sidecar by two of my favorite bartenders in town. Other times, when I am feeling more adventurous, dealer’s choice exposes me to creative new cocktails and time honored classics that I have yet to experience. And of course, The Alley Light features an excellent wine list that has been carefully selected by the owner, Will Richey.
Besides the fantastic atmosphere, cocktails, and wine, the food is also equally unique and inspired. On this particular evening, I shared the seafood board with some amazing people. And it was absolutely delicious! Tuna tartare, mussels, pickled vegetables, smoked salmon, to name a few of the delicious items that are part of this seafood charcuterie.
The Alley Light can be found at 108 2ND ST. SW, CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA 22902.
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