If you’re like me, you go to Panera Bread craving fresh healthy food, order a sandwich and soup combo, drop almost $10 and leave still kinda hungry.
Next time you want to leave Grounds for a meal or want to grab something sweet, think HotCakes Gourmet. Located nearby in the Barrack’s Road Shopping Center, HotCakes is arguably the most unique establishment in Charlottesville.
Not only do they sell a large amount of lavish foods sold by weight, but they have a full soup, salad and sandwich menu that offers food made-to-order. Their bakery case is always fully stocked, and their coffee menu keeps caffeine addicts happy.
Photo by Cailin Diberto
Each season, HotCakes offers a different display of food to be bought by the pound that ranges from curried chickpea fritters, to French onion mac and cheese to sweet potato orzo.
The most popular items like the sesame noodles and chicken salad are served year-round.
Photo by Cailin Diberto
In addition to the fancy food in the eye-catching case, you can order from a full menu of sandwiches, soups, salads, quiches and even breakfast burritos for laid-back dining that easily puts Panera to shame.
Photo by Cailin Diberto
If you’re just craving a cup of coffee to get through piles of homework, HotCakes provides a full coffee menu using beans from Shenandoah Joe’s. Talk about supporting local business.
Insider tip: during the entire month of September, UVa and Piedmont Virginia Community College (PVCC) students and faculty get a free latté every day. Yup, you heard that right.
Photo by Cailin Diberto
One of the best parts of Hotcakes is the huge display case of mouth-watering cakes, pastries, desserts and treats baked daily for when you need something sweet after dinner or simply crave a pick me up. The pumpkin muffins are award winning, and the peanut butter pie is to die for.
Photo by Cailin Diberto
Their specialty cakes are switched out monthly, and flavors include banana walnut, chocolate salted caramel, raspberry chai and more.
HotCakes also sells a signature apple cake and coffee cake that are hard to beat anywhere else in Charlottesville.
Photo by Cailin Diberto
Wedding cakes, catering, monthly freebies for awards members and the fact that HotCakes donates its leftover baked goods to UVa clubs and other organizations around town adds to its “one-of-a-kind” factor.
Not only does HotCakes serve the citizens of Charlottesville with a wide array of food, but they give back too.
Photo by Cailin Diberto
Next time you’re heading over to Barrack’s for Panera, or want a quaint place to study or even need a new place for a date night, HotCakes Gourmet is the right place.