The Alley Light - French restaurant in Charlottesville - 108 2nd St SW, USA

5 stars just doesn't do it justice. The Alley Light is the Greatest dining experience I've ever had. Took my girlfriend for a birthday dinner, atmosphere, food, service and drinks were exceptional. The food and drinks were perfect! Delicious balanced and fresh. Our server, Anna, was kind, attentive and knowledgeable. She made us feel like VIP's. The atmosphere is so vintage and cozy, I never wanted to leave. I am a cocktail aficionado and these were perfection. Prices weren't cheap to be sure, but worth every penny and totally fair for the quality of everything. I literally cannot say anything negative about my experience there. Bravo team!

How every restaurant should be! Food is delicious, we’ll balanced and beautiful. Service is warm, efficient and non-pretentious. Atmosphere is wonderful. We loved all of our dishes, food came out quickly and cocktails were perfectly crafted. Cannot say enough great things about this place, best meal we’ve had in years.

I can't not express how lovely and incredible this place is! I came last night for my birthday and I very much am a food conesour and have high expectations based on atmosphere and prices a restaurant has. I was beyond blown away. I sincerely cried at how delicious and flavorful my food was. We had several menu items and all were enticing, inviting, balanced, and beautifully plated. My significant other isn't much for dessert and was so shocked and over joyed by how delicate, rich, and artistically crafted the passion fruit cheesecake was-it is NOTHING like you expect and everything you did not know you were missing in your life. The wait staff were informative, kind, and knowledgeable- which is always a treat. Our craft drinks we ordered were so exceptional, they were unexpectedly flavorful in a way I'd not previously experienced but worked together extricately and balanced beautifully. Overall, this was by far the best dining experience I've ever encountered, and I could not have had a more gratifying and enjoyable experience. Thank you so much for this spectacular evening.

I can not even begin to compliment Alley Light and its owner Chris enough! We just had my son and daughter in laws rehearsal dinner and Welcome Party there and tuly it was a 10 STAR experience. The food was out of this world---it was the tenderest beef we ever tasted, Scallops outstanding, cauliflour soup extraordinaire, salad was to die for good, lamb carpaccio so delish----every single plate/appetizer they made, our guests said they wanted to lick the plate---thats how good it was. And the cocktails and bar----outstanding!!! They could tell you and make any drink and knew everything for your cocktail/wine/champagne pleasure. The wait staff----absolutely the best!! They were so accommodating and knew the answer to any question about the cuisine. And Chris, the owner, was a dream to work with and went above and beyond----truly!!! The chef----whoa!! We are talking---Inn at Little Washington delicious and beautiful presentation---believe me, I am picky and this is a night like no other. I understand she is also the owner, Chris' wife. It ended up a most memorable experience (beyond our dreams) to kick off the whole weekend celebration. The bridal couple and all of us were thrilled. We will be back and we have told everyone we know. If you are in Charlottesville---put this on your Must Do List!! You will thank me!!

Truly a gem in fine cuisine. The best restaurant I've eaten in. Comparable to or better than Michelin cuisine I've had in NYC but significantly cheaper. We tried some unique dishes and enjoyed each one. You can tell that each dish was very thought out and every ingredient used enhances the food experience. What added to this was the atmosphere and the waitress Anna was excellent. She was very personable, friendly and not overbearing. I've been trying other higher end restaurants so far in CVille and they don't even compare. I could see myself coming here again and again.

The Alley Light was one of the highlights on our visit to Charlottesville and we can’t wait to go back. Their cocktails were works of art - perfectly balanced, beautiful presentation, and delicious. And everyone there was so friendly and welcoming. Our only regret is that we didn’t have a chance to try their food, which also looked incredible, but we are looking forward to that on our next visit. Make sure to make reservations, because this place gets packed.

The Alley Light is always a win, as you can tell by the near empty glasses! My group of four stopped in after dinner for a nightcap and we're able to grab a seat at the bar to watch as their team of amazing bartenders whipped up magic. As always, the atmosphere was cozy and warm, the service impeccable and the drinks amazing!

One of the best foodie experiences I have had and we travel a lot. I had the sweetbreads which were prepared better than any other I've had in the past. My halibut was cooked perfectly. My husband ordered the brocolini, the French onion soup and the mussels so we could try a few different items. He ordered the scallops for his main. Everything was exceptional. Our server was friendly and attentive. Will go back anytime I'm in Charlottesville.