Hey, it’s me, Lesley, your host of Going Gainesville with my co-host Paul Norton from C&P FLEET Services and we’re going to Rockwood VA, a Virginia Gateway restaurant that combines modern American cuisine, craft cocktails and an unmatched level of customer service to create a casual yet refined experience.

Let’s go!

Restaurant owner, Anthony Cordero, gave us the inside scoop on this awesome Gainesville dining establishment. Mr. Cordero’s father, Chef Mike Cordero, a 42-year veteran chef, has been serving as a chef of Rockwood coming up with the recipes the Cordero restaurants are known for.

Rockwood is the latest restaurant from Chef Mike Cordero Concepts, offering American comfort food with a trendy twist. Featuring house-made soups, breads, fresh salads, burgers, and steaks, along with some innovative sandwiches.

Two words that best describe Rockwood. Sunday. Brunch.

The Sunday brunch is a huge hit in Gainesville. Omellete station, carving station, fiesta station, and an endless spread – bacon, gravy, ribs, fried chicken, and even desserts – featuring a huge chocolate fountain.

And my personal favorite – a “Make your own Bloody Mary” station – what?! For $5, you can go to town in making your perfect, custom Bloody Mary (I don’t want to brag, but my concoction was delicious). Bloody Mary’s not your thing?

$3 flavored mimosas might do it for you! Or maybe – their magnum Champaign bottles complete with sparklers – because each Sunday is Party Sunday at Rockwood.

Apps we tried:

🍤 Calamari and Shrimp topped with Jalapeno
🍤 Closeline Bacon over fried pickles complete with TORCH

🔥 You read that right. A torch. It was served with a torch.

Entrees we tried:

🍗 Chef Mike’s Jamaican Jerk Chicken (yum)
🍗 Seared Ahi Tuna Salad (double yum)

Things we loved:

❤️ Absolutely Everything

And if the food, the brunch, the torch, and the chocolate fountain wasn’t enough, Rockwood has added two outdoor patios – the “Fun Side” complete corn hole, bocci ball, big Jenga, and bench tables, and the “Dining Side” where you can sip your cocktails while enjoying the upcoming spring season.

🍷 Location: 7505 Iron Bar Ln, Gainesville, VA 20155
🍷 Website: https://rockwoodva.com/
🍷 Phone: (703) 743-5172