ME2 Market & Eatery

Driving into town from Palmyra and need a bite for lunch… I gave it a try. The chicken salad was perfect… the ladies were friendly and super efficient as well, even though they seemed super busy getting Thanksgiving dessert orders completed. I will definitely be back!

Excellent homemade BBQ and cheesecake — and very reasonably priced! I have eaten there a number of times. It’s always good! I gave one of the cheesecakes as a birthday present recently — it was a big hit!

This is a small convenience store with a kitchen attached. Locals seem to know the owners by name. You feel like you’re in a small town here.
We saw this place on Unilocal and saw it was close to Montecello, so we gave it a shot. Even though we called in our order for 11 sandwiches 45 minutes ahead of time, they were still trying to get things together when we got there.
The picture of the BBQ sandwich is about right. Plenty of meat. Tender. More of a vinegar based sauce. The ciabatta bread was kind of getting soggy when I got to eating it (5 minutes after paying).
For $ 4.50 each. It’s about right. The coleslaw was served in about the size of a to go condiment container. Nothing too amazing — nothing that I would go out of my way to request/​order.
The brownie was freshly cooked. They asked if my wife wanted a center or edge piece =).
I wouldn’t go out of my way to find this place to eat, but if you’re on your way to Montecello, this may be the closest option. There are a few picnic tables around the back side, but otherwise no seating so be ready to be on the go.

Earlier today, around lunch time, I decided I would visit one of our local BBQ establishments to see if I could find a new local ‘favorite’. The Charlottesville area is blessed with many great eateries, and the foodie scene (and beer and wine) is thriving, so I am always looking for something new.
Today, I visited ME 2: Market and Eatery, which is located about 5 or 6 miles down the road from both my house and Charlottesville, and is near Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello. The place is a small roadside market offering a few sundries for anyone travelling, not a restaurant, but clearly, homemade BBQ and associated sides and desserts are the draw.
I was hoping to try some ribs, but the majority of their BBQ food menu is aimed at the catering side of the business and is not usually available. For anyone visiting, they offer a variety of sandwiches ‘to go’, including pulled pork BBQ, smoked chicken and tuna/​chicken/​egg salad sandwiches.
Upon entering, I was struck by how little room there was inside — A row of drink coolers lined the left side wall, with another display next to that. The rear of the store was a traditional deli setup and the cashier was on my right. After being greeted by the friendly folks manning the deli counter, I ordered a BBQ sandwich with coleslaw, and selected some potato salad from the cooler. I had asked for baked beans, but alas, these were not available either. I rounded out the meal with a soda from the cooler. My total was around $ 9.
As ME 2 is not a restaurant, there is no where to eat inside, but there are several benches along the porch with a ledge where you can sit down and eat. I settled in next to a couple travelling the area on a motorcycle, who were also BBQ fans.
On to the important stuff.
The BBQ was fantastic. It was well sauced but not soggy or dripping and had a well developed range of flavors. Hints of hickory and a very slight bit of heat was present, but it was primarily sweet with tangy components. I generally don’t favor heat on my BBQ, but this was so mild I hesitate to even refer to it as spicy, because it was more flavorful than anything else, more like the ‘heat’ of regular black pepper than anything else.
It was served on a fresh baked ciabatta bread roll, something I had not had before with BBQ, but was a perfect complement. The coleslaw on the sandwich crisp and very fresh, and added a nice counter to the texture of the BBQ. The potato salad was egg based and very good.
The lack of seating, limited menu and cramped quarters are the only drawbacks. The food and service was excellent.
Verdict: 4.6÷5

I just don’t know where to begin. Wait. Yes I do. 2 words: Chicken Salad. Great BBQ, also. Macaroni salad,…macaroni and cheese… YUM! We’ve used ME2 for several events since we discovered them and they are always on-​point (see my pics of the cowboy boot cookies they created for our country/​western themed baby shower). It’s in a great spot to find such high quality eats. When we tour the local vineyards with our guests, ME2 is always one of my recommendations and I never miss the opportunity to stop in for the chicken salad. I can’t put into words how good this chicken salad is. I’m just saying. No, dear. Of course it’s not as good as your chicken salad. Ahem. **They make the stuff fresh so it’s a good idea to call ahead!

A dear friend and I wanted to grab a sandwich to have a picnic. It was a Monday and the local restaurants were closed besides Subway (yuk). I asked around and people told me that this fairly new place opened on Route 53. It was an 8 mile ride from our place but the ride was so beautiful on the Thomas Jefferson Parkway. This little establishment owned by a father and daughter has GREAT potential! The lunch menu is very limited but the food is outstanding. We both got the pulled pork sandwich with home made bun with a side of cole slaw and it was so reasonably priced, maybe $ 4.25 or something close to that. There baked goods are outstanding also. I bought an Apple Cake from a local orchard and come to find out they make it at ME2 and sell to the orchard!
If I could make a suggestion: If you can get ride of the «grocery» part of your place (I know you inherited from the last owner) and add maybe a few tables, it would not only add a bit of atmosphere but may attract a crowd in the winter months that want to eat inside.
If I ever have an occasion to get something catered, I will be going to ME2!
I wish you the best of luck in your business. If there is someway you can advertise to all those tourist that go to Monticello, wow you will be very busy!
I only gave it four stars because the menu is very limited. In time I am sure you will add more.