By John Seevers

Scottsville sits on a bend in the James River in Albemarle County. Image credit: United States Census Bureau.

When visiting the river town of Scottsville, food options may seem scarce, as the only breakfast spot in town also doubles as a four-room motel. This, combined with the nature of the one-street river town, does not create an environment where food and high-quality restaurants are prevalent, but shockingly, the Lumpkins Restaurant is without a doubt one of the best breakfast joints I have been lucky enough to visit.

The town of Scottsville is located about an hour and fifteen minutes up the James River from Collegiate and requires a mere three turns to get there. I have frequently made trips there in both summer and winter to visit friends with river houses near Scottsville. The town itself has nine restaurants and an amazing antique store, and, besides that, not much else.  The town also features amazing fly fishing on the James River, the historical Hatton Ferry, which I have been lucky enough to see in action many times, quality hunting, and a wealth of history. The Hatton Ferry is the last pole-operated ferry in the world.

Photo credit: Billy Hathorn via Wikimedia Commons.

In the 1700s, when rivers were the fastest and most efficient means of transportation, Scottsville was created to further expand west, and the town served as the westernmost center of Virginia government and commerce. It used to be called Scotts Landing, after its founder Burges Edward Scott, and many of its historical buildings are still in use. This historical background and the nature of the minuscule river town create the perfect environment to enjoy a meal at a local restaurant such as Lumpkins.

When pulling into Lumpkins, you are immediately greeted by an enormous rooster out front, adjacent to a sign that reads “Lumpkins Restaurant and Motel.” The warm welcome of the hostess and kitchen staff, combined with the small seating area with an unusual layout, create a relaxed environment, as if you just walked into your friend’s living room full of long-time friends. This feeling is hard to beat, and immediately when walking into Lumpkins, you know you are in for a fantastic meal.

Photo credits: Lumpkins Restaurant (left) and TripAdvisor user cheryl h. (right).

The menu is purely an outline for your imagination, almost just a list of ingredients that you can use to craft your preferred breakfast. When dining there, my friends and I typically start with an egg sandwich of choice, and most of us go with a sausage egg and cheese biscuit. On a recent visit, Turner Shield (‘25) commented on the sandwich through a heaping bite, saying, “This is easily the best breakfast sandwich I have ever had. I need the recipe.” When asked what makes the sandwich stand out, Shield responded, “I think it’s the biscuit itself. It’s the perfect amount of flavor, because it doesn’t overwhelm the egg, sausage, and melted American cheese, but you can still taste hints of buttered biscuit as you eat.” I could not agree more with Shield’s synopsis of the sandwich, and this precursor might be my favorite part of the Lumpkins experience.

Next, each of us branched out and studied the menu in an attempt to create the perfect main course. At this point, our fresh-squeezed orange or apple juices had already been refilled, as the waitress seemingly covers all 10 tables in the restaurant simultaneously. I am always sure to leave a large gratuity at Lumpkins for this reason. In our quest to create the ideal breakfast, most of us order the disc-shaped home fries, which come seasoned to perfection. 

Along with that, we normally order an outstanding breakfast burrito or an amazing omelet. The traditional American breakfast is also amazing, with two eggs in any style, and your choice of multiple sides. The highlight of this portion of the meal is the home fries. All of my friends share this opinion, as a close friend of mine and long-time Lumpkins enthusiast Bayler Ruth (‘25) stated, “These fries are cut, cooked, seasoned, and eaten to perfection. I have never in my life had a potato prepared in a superior way. I’ve got to get my mom this recipe.” 

Lumpkins has been around since 1970, and I sure hope it stays around, as this restaurant has made its mark on my childhood, and I know it has done the same for many of my friends. I highly suggest making a trip to the amazing river town of Scottsville, and while you’re there, you might as well stop by Lumpkins.