Voted Best Bistro in Central Virginia!

Black Bear Bistro & Cellar has been voted by Virginia Living readers as one of the Best Bistros in Central Virginia. Featured in Best of Virginia 2012 special issue.

Black Bear Bistro and Cellar … Satisfy Your Growling Stomach!

“The black bear, a curious and bashful animal indigenous to the Commonwealth, can be a rare sighting for Virginians. This majestic creature has a healthy, opportunistic appetite that changes with the seasons making it an ideal candidate to name a restaurant which supports Virginia food and beverages. Black Bear Bistro and Cellar is a quaint restaurant located on Main Street with the belief in supporting and highlighting local and organic Virginia products.

Todd Eisenhauer has been a successful chef for many popular restaurants in the region for years. Working and living nearby, he and his wife Liz, became passionate about Virginia’s food movement and began incorporating it into his work. While developing a restaurant of his own seemed like only a distant dream, a very real opportunity presented itself. An ideal space became available that was familiar to him and with the support of others, Chef Todd and Liz Eisenhauer became the creators of Black Bear Bistro and Cellar, a restaurant that has an ever-evolving seasonally fresh menu.”

Drive Here Now

KathEats.com posting ‘Drive Here Now’ features a road trio to Charlottesville, with a pit stop in Warrenton & the Black Bear Bistro!

Day Tripping DC Metro – Warrenton, Virginia

“Upon entering the Black Bear, we were instantly struck by the clean and colorful interior, featuring striking but not overdone decor. This looked like a place that wanted to attract and keep an appreciative clientele. Our greeting was friendly and we were seated immediately in a nearly full room. Our server appeared right away and set the stage for nearly perfect service from an attentive wait staff.

Ordinarily, soup is just soup – a way to introduce a meal and take up time until the entree arrives. Not this time – both were tasty without a flaw. The cauliflower and goat cheese combination was an entirely new experience – the vegetable and cheese flavors blending beautifully and not fighting each other for pre-eminence. The vegetable soup was a surprise – not dull as was expected but flavorful, robust and oh so fresh tasting. Someone here loves to make soup!!!

This barbecue moves to the top of our list. The Bistro Chef has found a way to neither mimic the sweet barbecue that some prefer nor deliver the vinegar-laced recipe that others enjoy. This barbecue, enhanced by peach chutney (brilliant addition) grabbed my interest immediately. The taste was tangy, but not too much so, hearty but not overbearing, and perfectly done. Unlike so many such sandwiches, the barbecue was not dripping with sauce – the bun held together throughout the meal and there was no attempt to pile on so much meat that you end up having to use your knife and fork to eat a sandwich – I just hate that.

The sausage hoagie was truly unique – a delightful flavor Tom had not experienced anywhere else and I watched Tom’s eyebrows arch after the first taste – a sign of instant liking. The pie was superb and the coffee was brewed to perfection.”

Black Bear Bistro & Sweeney’s Cellar
 – A twist on typical pub fare

“take a longer look at the chow offerings, and it’s easy to see what makes this four-month-old restaurant different. The hot wings are smoked before being slathered in sauce and served with a house-made blue cheese. A tuna sandwich eschews the canned fish in favor of a slab of seared ahi that’s smeared with wasabi mayonnaise. A pasta dish is tossed with goat cheese and produce from local farms.”

NoVa Tastes – Black Bear Bistro, Warrenton, VA

“It seems like a pretty obvious idea, but I have never had Buffalo Oysters before. We had to order some. They were delicious, as was everything at the Black Bear Bistro, in Warrenton, VA.

After the beer, wine, drinks, appetizers and entrees, no one had room for dessert. Several more beers had to suffice. All in all, Black Bear Bistro is an excellent restaurant. We will be back…”

Black Bear Bistro – Warrenton

“The Food Was Awesome”
“Something For Everyone”

“Good Place For A Sandwich”
“Charming Bistro”