I count eight Thai restaurants in the Charlottesville area, which is something to celebrate in a town of this size. But none is worth celebrating as much as Lime Leaf, the delicious gem tucked away north on Route 29 in the Rio Hill Shopping Center. I get a case of food rage every year when I read “Best of C-ville” and Thai ’99 tops the Asian category yet again. I’m not sure how C-ville voters continue to prefer one of the least impressive Thai places instead of the obvious best, but I hope anyone who hasn’t yet visited Lime Leaf will make the trek north to give the true deserving Thai champion a try.
We eat at Lime Leaf a lot. A lot. And we’ve always been treated with flavorful and fresh food, competent service, and an enjoyable dining experience. The ambience is far superior to your standard strip mall Asian dining experience with nice lighting, attractive decorating, and an overall pleasant and sophisticated setting.
I’ve never had a bad dish at Lime Leaf, but some dishes are better than the rest. I like the tangy Tom Kha Gai soup (coconut milk coup with chicken, mushrooms, and galanga) to start and the other appetizers are usually good, but the entrées are what it’s all about so it’s hard to waste room elsewhere. Jed’s favorite order is the Ka Pao Fried Rice (rice, basil, scallions, and chicken), which is almost painfully spicy if you ask for Thai spicy. I’m a hopeless devotee of the Pad See Ew (wide rice noodles, broccoli, and egg in a soy-based brown sauce) with chicken and tofu. Often a greasy and heavy dish, Lime Leaf serves a delicious version that tastes healthier than anywhere else I’ve tasted, yet even more flavorful.
With all of their food, Lime Leaf uses quality, fresh ingredients and the best of Thai flavors. Factor in the reasonable portions and it feels like a fairly healthy indulgence. With this Thai triumph, we round out the triumvirate of Asian restaurant powerhouses. I think Lime Leaf (Thai), Korean House (Korean), and Taste of China (Chinese) would hold their own in any city in the U.S. Don’t you love our town?
Jed says: “Don’t let the strip-mall-across-from-Lowe’s location deter you. This is the best Thai in Charlottesville!”
Rating: Erin: 
Jed:
Pros: Best Thai food in town and most places, great ambience.
Cons: Strip mall location too far away from downtown.
Price: Appetizers $4-$7, Entrées $8-15.
Parking: Always available in the Rio Hill Shopping Center lot.
Contact Info
Photos
More Info
- Charlottesville-Dining.com Reviews of Lime Leaf
- cVillian Review of Lime Leaf
- Yelp Reviews of Lime Leaf
Best in Chow
#1 by Libby on January 10th, 2010
Sigh. Can we add a fourth to this group? Won't SOMEONE, SOMEWHERE, PUH-LEEEEEZE open a pho restaurant? Or at least something that passes for Vietnamese cuisine?
#2 by erin on January 10th, 2010
I second that. I've been longing for good Vietnamese spring rolls for many years. We can dream!
#3 by Libby on January 11th, 2010
Sigh. Can we add a fourth to this group? Won't SOMEONE, SOMEWHERE, PUH-LEEEEEZE open a pho restaurant? Or at least something that passes for Vietnamese cuisine?
#4 by erin on January 11th, 2010
I second that. I've been longing for good Vietnamese spring rolls for many years. We can dream!
#5 by misterdonalddraper on January 15th, 2010
Lime Leaf has treated well for years, I love this place. Every dish I have had there has been delicious and spiced just how I would like it. The servers have also been consistently friendly and attentive. The only recommendation I might offer them would be to create a little softer ambiance, perhaps something as simple as dimming the lights a bit. I do agree though that it is nicer than your average strip mall asian fare in terms of atmosphere.
#6 by billdauterive on January 26th, 2010
One complaint about the Lime Leaf–the dishes are invariably too sweet–nothing like the best Thai food I've eaten elsewhere (far from C-ville). While I appreciate that the dishes offer true Thai flavor, fresh ingredients, and the like, I just can't get over the sweetness of the dishes–makes me pine for a visit to Duangrat's in Bailey's Crossroads (best Thai food I've eaten in the states).
#7 by billdauterive on January 26th, 2010
One complaint about the Lime Leaf–the dishes are invariably too sweet–nothing like the best Thai food I've eaten elsewhere (far from C-ville). While I appreciate that the dishes offer true Thai flavor, fresh ingredients, and the like, I just can't get over the sweetness of the dishes–makes me pine for a visit to Duangrat's in Bailey's Crossroads (best Thai food I've eaten in the states).
#8 by Cici Haynes on April 11th, 2010
Hey Erin and Jed,
I know I might be a little bias, but if you haven't tried Lemongrass, DO IT! I have tried Tara Thai, Lime Leaf, Thai 99, and Monsoon and I can quite confidently say that Lemongrass has the best Thai food in Cville. I have very few issues with Lime Leaf and it is definitely my second favorite spot for Thai in town but just try Lemongrass and let me know! Try the Viet-soft rolls and i promise you, you won't regret it! Watch out for the dinner rush on Fridays and Saturdays.
#9 by Jed on April 11th, 2010
Hey, Cici! We had Lemongrass recently and it was definitely good, though a step down for us, at least as far as our particular dishes are concerned. Every restaurant – but especially Thai and Chinese restaurants, it seems – will have strong and weak dishes, so it can be hard to assess the overall quality of a place based on a limited sampling. If you haven't tried Pad Thai (by Beer Run), you should definitely give it a shot. It might be #2 for me, and I know it's #1 for many.
#10 by Jed on April 11th, 2010
Hey, Cici! We had Lemongrass recently and it was definitely good, though a step down for us, at least as far as our particular dishes are concerned. Every restaurant – but especially Thai and Chinese restaurants, it seems – will have strong and weak dishes, so it can be hard to assess the overall quality of a place based on a limited sampling. If you haven't tried Pad Thai (by Beer Run), you should definitely give it a shot. It might be #2 for me, and I know it's #1 for many.
#11 by Cici Haynes on April 13th, 2010
Pad Thai restaurant? now I'm intrigued! I mean, I used to work at Lemongrass and so am biased. I've sampled all of the dishes, their strengths are definitely the lemongrass chicken and the curries! We should have a couple date soon and try out a new venue =)
#12 by Jed on April 13th, 2010
Good to know about the lemongrass chicken and curries. We'll be sure to have those next time. Meanwhile, we should definitely have a double-Thai-date. Pad Thai is less good for a date because of the ambience, but if you haven't had it we should probably go there. We also haven't been to Monsoon in a while, which could make for a better atmosphere, especially if we can sit outside…