Tonic

Cute and intimate cocktail bar with sophisticated seasonal / local sourced inspired fare. We had fried fingerling potatoes sprinkled with cayenne pepper and a lemony aioli that was the perfect starter, then a fancy potato bisque drizzled with olive oil and pickled onions, and a snack board of our choice that did not disappoint. Crunchy grilled bread, roasted red pepper or butter and shallot spreads, fancy vinegar based deviled eggs with garlic chips, pickled red beets.. all so good. Capped off with our favorite drinks. This would be a great first date destination.
Fall in love at the Tonic❤

We had a group of 7 here for dinner recently. I found this place on Resy and between the unique menu and cocktails it was perfect for us. We started with a variety of cocktail, all super tasty! We also went with the works in addition to the crispy potatoes and whipped ricotta. I think we all agreed the potatoes were out of this world! The crispy pork with carrots was one of the best meals I’ve had in quite some time! I would definitely return here in the future!

Cute little place in Charlottesville proper. Food was good and service spot on. Smaller, cozy restaurant with obvious care in decorating with a holiday theme. Menu was eclectic and rather fun, with small plates, large plates and a variety of options and food types. Highly recommend the butternut schnitzel as it was decadent and cooked perfectly. The pork belly sandwich was also good and cooked well. Some decent beer on tap with also plenty of non-alcoholic other options available and a holiday cocktail list that also was intriguing ( can you say hot toddy????). Would go back again when in the area for sure.

Tonic is a great spot for cocktails and dinner (they’re open for lunch too). The food is delicious and they change their menu often - locally sourced ingredients are staples in the menu!

I had the open faced tomato sandwich and it was amazing! Their home made chips were perfect.

Great location, great food and wonderful atmosphere. I highly recommend

I celebrated my birthday here and it was perfect! I reserved the outside patio, the space was beautiful and the heater did a great job at keeping us warm. The drinks and food were excellent and the manger and staff were incredibly kind and wonderful hosts. Would recommend this place for anyone thinking of a good location for a gathering of 20 people or so!

This is a new restaurant in Cville, securing the space formerly held by the Tin Whistle, across the street from the Police Station on Market St.
A significant renovation has turned the indoors into a Swedish-themed space that is bright and open with a bar and about 6-8 tables, and the courtyard now boasts a large covered area with seating and a bar. Its quite pleasant and fresh.
The menu offers a number of interesting appetizers, soups, salads, bowls, sandwiches and main plates, and they incorporate an eclectic selection of locally sourced, organic, vegan and gluten-free offerings like Virginia trout, cauliflower sandwiches, baked ricotta, grits, local chicken, and chickpea fritters.
The bar is not extensive, but definitely capable, and offers a good number of specialty cocktails, beer, cider and a wonderful wine list. Chris, the bar mManager, and Jacob the very capable bar tender, are superbly friendly, knowledgeable and great ambassadors for the establishment. I had one of the best Negroni's I've ever had.
I recommend reservations, and especially on weekends!

This was a fun outdoor seating evening with a group of coworkers. The staff was friendly and the drinks were pretty good. We had fun and the only complaint was that the fans were not working. It’s a minor thing and overall did not impact the rating. I would definitely come back with friends and have a few drinks after dinner.

I am so glad we decided to stop in Tonic for some late night drinks. Everything we ordered was so delicious! (western daiquiri, wabbit season, espresso martini, paloma). Our bartender was so knowledgeable and kind! 10/10 experience

Super tasty food choices and refreshing cocktails! I highly recommend you try Tonic for a relaxing day date outside on the patio or inside the nicely remodeled restaurant. The staff were friendly and helpful, and the restaurant is perfect for staying socially distanced while still feeling social.

Came to Virginia for the first time and arrived late on a Thursday evening. As we drove to our hotel we were on the lookout for restaurants that were open. To our dismay, most places closed at 9 and it was already 8:50 pm. When I saw Tonic was open until 10, we headed there without looking a reviews, menus or anything. But what a lucky thing it was! Tonic has such a lovely setting, with a garden patio, outdoor tables, and cafe lights. The menu looked great and I ordered the roasted chicken and hominy. The flavors and textures were perfection - crispy chicken on the outside, but tender inside. Savory and creamy hominy, delicious sauce, and a spectacularly sweetness from the grapes was unexpectedly pleasant.

We clearly didn’t have a reservation, but late on a Thursday night, there were available tables. Parking was very easy, as there is a parking garage across the street, just past the police station.

Food was sooo good. We were just nearby hiking and didn't know what the seating situation was like (had our dog with us) so we ordered pickup. But they have a really nice outdoor seating area and they're dog friendly so we decided to stay and eat. We were the only ones there at 4:30 and had a quiet little lunch date. Very nice of them to bring our creature some water and treats even though he was rude.

Enjoyed dinner at Tonic on a Friday evening in December. The outdoor space has been completely transformed from the previous restaurant. It's been expanded with several outdoor tables, an outdoor bar, plenty of light, and heaters for each table. We ate outdoors and very much enjoyed the space. Servers were attentive and made good recommendations. I opted for a beer from a local Richmond brewery, but after watching the bartender prepare drinks, I'd likely opt for one of those next time. Ny husband and I shared several menu items, including a snack board, curried sweet potato soup, and the brussels, mushrooms, and grits. My favorite was the soup, but everything was good. On our snack board, we selected the dilly beans, pickled eggs, pickles, feta spread, grilled sourdough and spread. We enjoyed dinner so much, that we returned on Sunday and order takeout for lunch. We split a ham and cheese flatbread (weekly special) and another curried sweet potato soup. The ham and cheese flatbread was awesome. We will definitely return to try more of the menu.

Really lovely patio with tons of seating and great character. We just shared the patio punch and a couple of apps but everything was delicious and the service was great.

They were very busy and seemed a bit short staffed but the service was still top notch. Pork chop was very salty, we mentioned this and they quickly got us a new item . Also offered coffee and dessert on the house which was above and beyond. We were all full from apps and dinner but enjoyed a cup of really good coffee.

So good! They have a lot of non alcoholic options which is super nice. I didn't feel like getting a cheese board but had some soup which was excellent

This place hit a home run on "things I couldn't cook myself". The mushroom toast, the butternut schnitzel, the snackboard, the Kale salad. We ran a gambit on the menu, and everything was awesome. Great cocktail & mocktail too. I'd come back to Charlottesville specifically for this place.

Nancy calls me on the phone “Allan we must go to this restaurant I just passed by-tonight! “ Now that may not sound alarming to some but we NEVER go ‘out’ to restaurants these days or hardly ever. Well, it turned out to be the right move as Tonic is exceptional! A great mix of DIY ordering, unique menu, friendly service, and casual yet classy feeling overall. Go!

Delicious, gluten free options (including local bread), and wonderful atmosphere — we ate outside. A gem. The mushroom toast, a seasonal item, was fantastic. The snack board options were superb. The teas we great. Definitely want to go back.

This place is extremely underrated. Everything I had was at least a 4/5. The Shrooms, Brussels, and Grits were outstanding - as was their butternut squash & candied wanlut soup.

This place was phenomenal in all regards - food, drink, and environment. Starting with the food, there were two standouts for me: the feta dip was herbal, complex, and savory. It had such a rich gaminess to it (I mean that as a compliment) that prompted me to ask whether there was lamb fat in it (there’s not). The other was the braised lamb roast special. The lamb perfectly seasoned and it’s one of the best entrees I’ve had anywhere in months. Of the other items we ordered, there were no “misses”.

The cocktail menu is very good and the execution was also on point. I enjoyed the patio atmosphere on a nice October evening. And my dog loved that she could come too.

I’m visiting from out of town, so I don’t know when I’ll be back next. But I bet I return to Tonic the next time I’m in Charlottesville.