Ivy Provisions — Restaurant in Charlottesville

For around 5 years now I've been lucky enough to live within a few miles of Ivy Provisions. A creature of habit, many Sunday mornings began with a trip there to pick up 3 or 4 En Fuego Wraps for roommates and myself. To this day I haven't had a better breakfast burrito anywhere, let alone in Charlottesville. Unfortunately, I don't think I can bring myself to go back anytime soon.

Understandably, they have always been incredibly busy on the weekends, especially if students are in town. Never unreasonable, but you needed to be prepared for a decent wait if you were ordering anytime near peak hours. After a lengthy closing due to covid, they re-opened with only the option to order online or over the phone and pick-up only. They were often short staffed and wait times became outrageous, but all was forgiven because that was the state of just about every restaurant. Fast forward a year later, the patio and indoor dining is open, they have added a pick-up window outside, and appear to be fully staffed, often with 2 cashiers, a barista, and a full kitchen staff. However, still, every time I place an order, I'm given an estimated pick-up time of around 25-30 minutes. That would be perfectly fine by me, if it were ever remotely accurate. Today my order was supposed to be prepared by 11:32 am (25 minutes from when the order was placed online). At around 11:35 there was a small crowd gathered around the pick-up window and I asked a fellow customer how far behind they seemed to be running. One woman spoke up and said "mine is about 9 minutes behind right now". I went back to my car and waited. 11:40 I approached the window and asked if my order was ready, a young woman who was sending out orders said she would check. She never came back. Another woman came to the window at 11:47 and told me that my order was the next ticket up in the kitchen and that my drinks were being made, so my order would be ready shortly. Another 7 minutes go by, 3 more orders go out, and a 3rd woman comes to the window to tell me that she will check on my order. She brings me my drinks and tells me that the kitchen is still working on my food. Finally, around noon, and about an hour after ordering 2 burritos, my food comes out and is missing the hot sauce I requested on the ticket. Not the end of the world, but frustrating nonetheless after an absorbenant wait and less than great service. Thank God the burritos were still near perfection.

If you aren't that hungry, and have a long time to wait, the En Fuego burrito is life changing (the rest of their menu is great too). If you think you're looking for a quick place to grab breakfast, keep dreaming. I'll inevitably go back, but I hope I remember to to wait a half an hour or more before I...

What do I love most about Ivy Provision's? That they remind me of home in Virginia Beach decades ago when TASTE Unlimited first opened. Better yet I respect the overall operation after a single visit and know they have their act together.

Ivy Provisions is located just outside UVA grounds make it very convenient for this HOO Dad to check out the first time. Of course I looked at their reviews, menu and photos of sandwiches to properly vet. I was astonished and made this a must stop.

I caught them at a good time on a weekday before close and better yet knew they were featuring lobster rolls on the Ivy Provisions Instagram feed. Parking was easy in their own lot. The non commercialized building was a welcome site. This is the one and only Ivy Provisions.

Grab a bag of chips, salad or treat with a bottle drink as you head to the counter of Ivy's cozy space. The young gentleman was friendly and efficient with answering a few questions. My wife ordered the Gobbfather which is a Turkey Melt on white. I ordered the lobster roll special.

Seating is all outdoors on the patio. Food orders are prepared and sent out in a bag through the window, you will find utensils and napkins in this location. The area was clean. The restroom is gender neutral and was also clean with proper supplies.

My wife enjoyed her turkey melt and found it so big she could not finish. My lobster roll I had no problem dusting off. It was a beautiful roll with fresh Maine lobster and soft roll. Total home run.

Find me back at Ivy Provisions the next time in Charlottesville. A full 5 stars and job well...

I walked in looking for a new lunch place, but I left extremely disappointed. I placed my order and waited for what seemed like an eternity. I watched a several items placed out but not picked up wondering if one might be mine, but didn't worry too much because they were calling out order numbers, and items were eventually picked up by their customers. About 20 minutes passed while I watched other orders go out, one after the other while I listened intently for my number to be called. I started to notice order numbers higher than mine going out. When they finally called mine it was an item had been sitting for about 15 minutes - they never called it! This wasted most of my lunch break. I expressed how I felt and that I didn't have time to eat it now, but the woman I spoke with just shrugged at me without saying anything. I will not be returning, which is a shame because when I later ate my breakfast sandwich, it wasn't bad. Would have been excellent if it...