Leblon Brazilian Steakhouse
Leblon is a true churrascaria, in that they keep the meat coming for as long as you want it. Prime rib, chicken, turkey, parmesan pork tenderloin, garlic flank steak, lamb, smoked sausage, and even more cuts of meat, all brought to your table by servers dressed up as gauchos, on sword-sized skewers. The pork and beef cuts are, to me, better than the other meats.
Add to this one of the most unique and appealing salad bars I've ever seen, sides of mashed potatoes and mashed sweet potatoes, mini crescent rolls, and fried bananas for dessert, and you have an exquisite meal.
It's an expensive evening out, so it should probably be for a special occasion. It's definitely worth the price.
Phoenix Asian Cuisine
Phoenix Asian Cuisine isn't exactly Chinese, isn't exactly Japanese, and isn't exactly Vietnamese or Thai, either. What it is, exactly, is rather exotic. Every dish has a combination of spices that is not quite what you've tasted anywhere else but is just right. Take their Phoenix Chicken, for instance. It's both spicy hot and slightly sweet. And that's representative of everything I've had there, in that it's unique.
The service is just as right as the food. Do yourself a favor and do not miss this place.
Pie Works
Think of the wildest thing you'd want on a pizza. Now, go to Pieworks and chances are, they already have it on their menu. If not, they'll try to make it for you.
Be sure to try their fruit dessert pizza, which uses cream cheese for the sauce on a graham cracker crust. Yummy!
Sharp Shopper
Sharp Shopper in Harrisonburg is just about the best friend your grocery budget can have. $50 - $60 buys what $125 won't quite touch in a regular grocery store. The secret is that Sharp Shopper sells mostly overstocks. Do be wary, though, because it's easy to miss that something is well past it's sell by date.
Pepper Palace
The Pepper Palace is located in the Mountain Mall, and they specialize in hot and barbecue sauces. I love that they have extensive sampling. Some of the hot sauce names are just a hoot, especially the ones that you are supposed to be 18 and over to even look at the labels.
Horton Vineyard
Horton's is my very favorite winery. We go there at least a couple of times a year, including their "Mardi Gras", when all the employees are dressed up in mufti and beads, they have all-you-can-eat chili and jambalaya, a tour of the winery, and plenty of wine to cool off with. I particularly like their Courage label, a port style semi-dry red. I'm not really that knowledgeable about wine, but the fine folks at Horton are never snobbish about it.
Palermo Pizza
I enjoy their white pizza and steak subs. They are delivery or take out only, no tables in the restaurant. For the most part, they get the orders right, but sometimes it just doesn't work. Except for the couple of items above, I prefer Elizabeth's Pizza.
Altmans Seafood House
My parents introduced us to this place, and they have a wonderful tasting and extensive Sunday buffet. They have everything from roast chicken to baked ham to deviled crab to vegetables to banana pudding for dessert. And it's only $7.95!
Tandoor India Restaurant
This is a small place in a shopping center on Market Street, and I think it has the best Indian food this side of my own chicken curry. The service could not be friendlier, and it's never crowded, which concerns me a little, because I afraid they don't do enough business to stay open.
Sedgefield Crossing's Cinema
Sedgefield Crossings Cinema is a second run movie house, and I find that I enjoy quite a few movies a lot more for $2.00 than I would have for $6.00 - $8.00.
The place is running a little threadbare, but in this case, it adds character. The folks who work there are friendly, and the concession prices are in line with the ticket prices. All-in-all, not a bad way to kill a weekend afternoon.