Introduction

Carmello's has been a Charlottesville favorite since 1992. We made our mark with with the traditional, rustic northern Italian recipes of the restaurant's founders, Bill and Stella Hedges. We opened Carmello's a few years before that, however, in Old Town Manassas of Northern Virginia in 1987. 

The Early Years

Carmello's was founded by Bill and Stella Hedges in Old Town Manassas in 1987. It became an immediate success, receiving rave reviews by the local papers and people, major publications like the Washington Post Magazine, celebrities. As a result, Carmello's received the Silver Spoon Award and "Best Italian" category for five consecutive years.

Moving to Charlottesville

Bill and Stella Hedges fell in love with the Central Virginia and the city of Charlottesville in particular during a visit in the early 90's. They decided that it was the perfect place for them to raise their children. The decision to move the family and Carmello's to Charlottesville was made. The restaurant in Manassas was sold to a Portuguese family who maintained the name and character of Carmello's as well as Portuguese Cuisine. Carmello's of Charlottesville was established in May of 1992 and became a big hit within the town and the University of Virginia.

Today

Since April 2014, Executive Chef George Hedges, who has taken over the kitchen since 2013 after graduating from Le Cordon Blue Culinary Institute has blended the traditional elements of his mother's cuisine and rotates new ideas through dinner specials each night. The result is a delightfully unique array of flavors and presentation, an intimate connection to the land that produces our food, and a wonderful selection of wines spanning the Piedmonts from central Virginia to northwestern Italy and beyond.