By the time 2 a.m. rolls around on a Friday night, restaurants on the Corner are packed with hungry University students in search of late-night eats. No matter your craving, a Corner establishment will cater to your snacking needs in both a timely and efficient manner.
Second-year College students Juliet Paterek — founder of online student food publication Spoon University — and Jeremy Geiger weigh in on favorite late-night eateries and discuss why the Corner maintains a special place in University students’ stomachs.
Christian’s Pizza
Christian’s Pizza is well known for its specialty slices. With fast, friendly service and a variety of choices satisfying your need for cheese, Christian’s is a consistently popular late-night option. If you come to Christian’s with a hungry group of friends, you can order a pie and skip the line. If you are ordering for yourself, true standout slices include the tortellini slice and avocado, tomato and feta slice.
Geiger: My favorite late-night spot is Christian’s. Just a personal choice [because it’s the] easiest to eat, relatively cheap and you can bypass the whole line by ordering a pie.
Marco and Luca Dumpling Shop
The food at Marco and Luca never disappoints for savory Asian cuisine. Paterek suggests the classic pork fried dumplings. The sesame noodles are another beloved menu item. Marco and Luca’s has a limited menu, but after a long night, it is comforting to have straightforward options.
Geiger: [The dumplings are] not too fried, but they’re crispy enough. The only downside is that if [it’s] a long night, you’re more than likely going to spill dumpling sauce on yourself and that stuff is hard to get out [even] with stain remover.
Littlejohn’s New York Delicatessen
Littlejohn’s has been a staple on the Corner since 1976 and still maintains its status as a student favorite. With an extensive menu of sandwiches, salads, sides and pastries, it is one of the only late-night options catering to a student’s sweet tooth. Its range of sandwiches are by far the most popular student choice. Paterek recommends the Chipotle Chicken Sandwich.
Littlejohn’s employees work quickly, serving food to a line of students wrapping around the restaurant and often out the door. A friendly and efficient staff is part of what makes Littlejohn’s a staple of Charlottesville nightlife.
Geiger: There’s [always] a good chance you walk in on something funny happening behind the counter. The people working behind the counter are always fun and rowdy and have some sort of commentary on the students who eat there.
Runners Up
While Christian’s, Marco and Luca and Littlejohn’s are major late-night eating spots, Paterek and Geiger said there are a series of alternatives students can explore.
Paterek: Benny Deluca’s is an up-and-coming pizza joint that is off the beaten path, located by The Flats apartments. This place is known for super-sized, delicious pizza that everyone must try, if they haven’t already.
Geiger: [Two Guys is] a good alternate to go to once in a while for nachos or tacos. Their nachos are definitely underrated and not many people know about them. It’s [also] cheaper than Qdoba.
Another University classic is The White Spot. This small diner is famous for its signature burger, the Gus Burger, which comes topped with a fried egg.
Whether you go for cheesy pizza, a Mexican feast or a classic American burger and fries, a late-night meal on the Corner is a quintessential University experience.
Geiger: These restaurants assure that there is something substantial in your stomach after a night out. They’re also de facto social settings [and] because everyone mixes there late-night, you’re bound to see a few friends.
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