1799 at the Clifton

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

A Restaurant Rooted in Place

Set within The Clifton estate in Charlottesville, Virginia, 1799 takes its name and its spirit from the land around it. The dining room opens onto a sun-drenched veranda and an enclosed patio where floor-to-ceiling windows frame sweeping views of the Virginia countryside — a setting that shapes the experience as much as what arrives on the plate.

Seasonal American Cooking, Grown Here

The kitchen works from seasonal menus built around ingredients sourced directly from the Chef's own garden on the property. That farm-to-table grounding gives the American cuisine here a specificity that goes beyond the phrase — what grows on the estate finds its way into what you eat. The menu shifts with the seasons, so the food reflects the actual moment rather than a fixed idea of it.

Cocktails at the adjacent Copper Bar are inventive, and the wine program is substantial enough to have earned Wine Spectator's Award of Excellence — a recognition that reflects the depth of a list anchored in Virginia's most celebrated wines while reaching across major wine regions worldwide.

Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

1799 serves all three meals daily, making it a full-day destination rather than a single-occasion table. Hotel guests at The Clifton receive a complimentary continental breakfast each morning, but the restaurant stands on its own for outside diners as well. Whether it's a quiet lunch overlooking the grounds or an evening of American cuisine with a well-chosen Virginia wine, the experience is grounded in the estate's particular sense of place.