Petit Pois in Charlottesville

While you may not be looking for a classic French boite when you visit Charlottesville, your taste buds will miss out if you overlook Petit Pois. A tiny spot situated on the Downtown Mall treated our palate and the rest of us very well.

Green is the color scheme at Petit Pois

The tiny bar at Petit Pois

The menu contains many French classics with an emphasis on locally sourced ingredients. The menu also changes based on season and sourcing.

We experienced Petit Pois during the height of Winter and selected a couple of hearty dishes from the lunch menu.

The Steak Frites delighted. Medium rare and so tender. It was just the right size and came with a lovely side salad and delicious fries.

Extremely tender steak

And the Cassoulet was perfection. The crock bubbled upon presentation with the white beans cooked through (thank goodness!) and chunks of chicken, duck, and sausage. The chicken was a bit surprising, but Petit Pois sources chickens from Polyface Farm and after cooking the chicken they pull it apart so the cassoulet contained large shredded chunks of tasty poultry. A wonderful meal on a day when snow still blanketed the ground.

Hearty fare for a cold day in Winter

We had a nice French wine from Languedoc. While lunch prices were fairly reasonable given the ingredients and preparation, wine prices were a bit higher than I would have liked. But, of course, the meal begged for wine, and we succumbed.

A nice compliment to the meal

As we finished our entrees, we lingered and decided to close out lunch with a cheese plate. There was a variety of cheese options including a house-made boursin.

A lovely ending to a delicious meal

Ah, c'est magnifique! Very happy taste buds.