Seasoned C’ville bakers opening cafe in new Forest Hill development

The new three-story building is rising on a former Bank of America branch site. (Mike Platania photo)

Two veterans of the Charlottesville bakery scene have signed on as the first commercial tenants at a new development in Forest Hill.

Janet’s Cafe & Bakery is expected to open next year at 4701 Forest Hill Ave., where a three-story mixed-use building is currently taking shape on the site of a former Bank of America branch. 

Will Darsie and Janey Gioiosa are behind Janet’s, which will offer fresh baked bread and pastries as well as sandwiches, salads, coffee and more. 

The duo met years ago at MarieBette, a Charlottesville bakery known for its pretzel croissants. Darsie was its longtime manager and co-owner of its second location, Petite MarieBette, and Gioiosa worked as a baker there after getting her start in the industry through culinary school. A few years ago Gioiosa stepped out on her own with Janey’s Bread, where she sells wood-fired sourdough bread at local farmer’s markets. 

Janey Gioiosa and Will Darsie (Courtesy Janet’s Cafe & Bakery)

Darsie said he approached Gioiosa last fall about going into business together with a Richmond bakery. 

“I was looking to move to Richmond and for a way to make that happen. I hit Janey up and she was into it immediately,” Darsie said. 

“It happened very quickly,” Gioiosa added. 

They eventually found the under-construction development on Forest Hill, which is a joint venture between Daniil Kleyman’s Evolve Development and Duke Dodson’s Dodson Development Group. 

Janet’s Cafe is taking about 2,000 of the project’s 8,000 square feet of commercial space. The building also will include 40 apartments above ground-floor commercial area.

Darsie and Gioiosa said it’s too soon to reveal menu specifics, but that Janet’s will be primarily a breakfast and lunch spot. 

“There’s going to be bread, I know that much,” Gioiosa said, laughing. “And croissants, croissant sandwiches, and breakfast sandwiches. It’s going to have your classic stuff, and then some specialty lunch sandwiches, salads and chocolate chip cookies.”

“A neighborhood feel is what we’re going for,” Darsie said. 

Janet’s will operate with counter service and have seating for around 25. The cafe is named for an inside joke between the two about how Gioiosa’s first name auto-corrects to “Janet.”

The new development will include 40 apartments plus commercial space. (Courtesy KBS)

Gioiosa and Darsie said they’re hoping to open Janet’s in spring 2025, a few months after the Q1 2025 timeframe that Kleyman said he anticipates the building’s residential units being ready for occupancy. 

Kleyman said they’ve been in talks with some other commercial tenants to join Janet’s at the development, but nothing’s been finalized. 

“We are looking for a dinner/cocktails concept to go into the corner space with the outdoor patio,” Kleyman said in an email. “For the rest of the commercial space we are open to ideas but are looking for uses that will be attractive to our residential tenants and the neighborhood in general.”

Dodson Commercial’s Clint Greene and Palmer Wilkins have the listing on the remaining 6,000 square feet. 

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