The Clifton Inn

1296 Clifton Inn Drive
Charlottesville, VA 22911
434.971.1800

www.cliftoninn.net

I went to a beautiful wedding during this weekend just outside of Charlottesville, VA. The reception was at Veritas Vineyards and while the food was great, I'm not sure if it was memorable. However, I was in the wedding party and we all stayed at a bed & breakfast called the Clifton Inn.  I'm not sure of the history of the inn but it looks like one of those sprawling plantation mansions that you see in movies all the time. I stayed in the Honeymoon Suite (ironic, right!) which was decorated in old Southern charm complete with a cast iron tub.  There was no internet connection at the time and you really did feel like you were on the set of Gone With the Wind.

We had the rehearsal dinner in the private dining room that looks liked it served as a wine cellar also.  The dinner was fantastic but unfortunately my memory is a little hazy of the night (due to the wine being so fantastic also) so forgive me for not being able to describe the food. But, I do have to acknowledge that the chef, Dean Maupin, was kind enough to let me sit in his kitchen on Saturday for an hour in order to ask him questions and watch him cook.  Just the experience of talking with a restaurant chef and sitting in his open kitchen was invaluable to someone who loves food as much as me.  Additionally, I'd like to rave about the breakfast. For two days in a row, I ordered the Eggs Clifton which is the inn's take on Eggs Benedict. Eggs Clifton are two lightly fried eggs sitting on top of Virginia Ham, leeks and a muffin. The sauce was delightfully light, the leeks were a perfect crunchy complement, and the dish was a far cry from the heaviness of a Benedict. The dish is a perfect example of turning an old classic into something more subtle, fresh and new.

So, if you ever find yourself headed to the Shenandoah mountains in southwestern Virginia, you should definitely try to stop at the Clifton Inn and at the least, try out their food.