Roanoke's Best Restaurants - Dining Awards 2012

Dining Awards 2012

You, our loyal readers – and perhaps even more loyal diners – have spoken once again about the wonderful bounty of restaurants that grace our valley. Your participation in our annual voting – to the tune of 31,000 individual votes in 119 categories, resulting in 383 mouth-watering platinum, gold and silver awards – is a compliment both to your discernment and to the meals, dishes, drinks, desserts, chefs, staffs and dining rooms that make up your selections.

Best of the Best

Best Overall Dining

Best New Restaurant in Town (since July, 2011)

Best New Chain Restaurant (since July, 2011)

  • Platinum: LongHorn Steakhouse
  • Gold: Chick-fil-A (Salem)

Most Creative Menu

Best Expense Account Dinner

Best Hotel Restaurant

Best to See and be Seen

Best Remodel/Relocation

Place You Never Get Tired Of

Best Simple Meals

Food so Pretty You Hate to Eat it

Best Diner, Drive-In or Dive

Best Late-Night Dinner

Best Late-Night Dinner (Chain)

  • Platinum: IHOP
  • Gold: Wendy’s
  • Silver: Waffle House

Most Diverse Menu

Best Buffet

Most Affordable Dinners

Most Affordable Lunches

Best Deli

Best Takeout

Best Healthy Plates

Deal You Gotta Try

Best Sunday Brunches

No Tabasco Required

Best Quick Bites

Best Quick Bites (Chain)

  • Platinum: Chick-fil-A
  • Gold: Chipotle
  • Silver: Panera Bread

Best Outdoor Patio

Best Sidewalk Dining

Best Gluten-Free Choices

Locavore’s Dream Come True

The Personal Touch

Best Overall Staff

Top Chef

Restaurant With the Best Maitre D’

Favorite Foods

Best Local Pizza

Best Chain Pizza

  • Platinum: Papa John’s
  • Gold: Pizza Hut
  • Silver: Domino’s

Best Subs & Sandwiches

Best Barbecue

Best Hot Dogs

Best Chili

  • Platinum: Texas Tavern
  • Gold (tie): Crock and Roll, Roanoke Weiner Stand

Best Local Hamburgers

Best Chain Hamburgers

  • Platinum: Wendy’s
  • Gold: Red Robin
  • Silver: Hardee’s

Best Steak

Best Steak (Chain)

  • Platinum: Outback Steakhouse
  • Gold: LongHorn Steakhouse
  • Silver: Logan’s Roadhouse

Best Fried Chicken

Best Chicken

Best Chicken (Chain)

  • Platinum: KFC
  • Gold: Chick-fil-A
  • Silver: Bojangles’

Best Buffalo Wings

Best Buffalo Wings (Chain)

Best Ribs

  • Platinum: Smokey Bones
  • Gold: The Blues BBQ Co. & Grill
  • Silver: Blue 5

Best Fish and Chips

Best Seafood

Best Biscuits

Best Biscuits (Chain)

  • Platinum: Hardee’s
  • Gold: Bojangles’
  • Silver: Red Lobster

Best Bagels

Best Grilled Cheese

  • Platinum: Pop’s Ice Cream & Soda Bar
  • Gold: Crock and Roll
  • Silver (tie): 309 Winery (since closed), Macado’s

Bread Lovers’ Dream Come True

Best Appetizers

Best Appetizers (Chain)

  • Platinum: Applebee’s
  • Gold: T.G.I. Fridays
  • Silver: Cheddar’s

Best Small Plates

Best Salads

Best Soups

Best Soups (Chain)

  • Platinum: Panera Bread
  • Gold: Olive Garden
  • Silver: McAlister’s Deli

Best Vegetarian Menu

Best Comfort Food

The Sweets

Ace of Cakes (Best Desserts)

Dessert to Un-Diet for

Best Yogurt

Mouthwatering Baked Goods

Mouthwatering Baked Goods (Chain)

  • Platinum: Panera Bread
  • Gold: The Fresh Market
  • Silver (tie): Dunkin’ Donuts, Golden Corral

Best Chocolate/Candy Store

  • Platinum: chocolatepaper
  • Gold: Baylee’s Best Chocolates
  • Silver: Nancy’s Candy Co.

Best Local Ice Cream

  • Platinum: Pop’s Ice Cream & Soda Bar
  • Gold: Katie’s Ice Cream & Chocolates
  • Silver: Homestead Creamery

Best Chain Ice Cream

  • Platinum: Maggie Moo’s
  • Gold: Bruster’s
  • Silver: Dairy Queen

Drink Up

Best Local Craft Beer

Best Beer Selection

Best Wine List

Best Wine Made in Virginia

  • Platinum: Chateau Morrisette
  • Gold: Valhalla Vineyards
  • Silver: AmRhein’s Wine Cellars

Best Cocktails

Best Martini List

Best Happy-Hour Deals

Best Local Coffee

Best Coffee Chain

  • Platinum: Starbucks
  • Gold: Dunkin’ Donuts

Roadmap to Great Eats

Best Downtown Restaurant

Best Basic Watering Hole

Best 460 / Bonsack-area Restaurant

Best Hollins/North County Restaurant

Best Southwest City/County Restaurant

Best Salem Restaurant

Best Vinton Restaurant

Worth an Hour in the Car

  • Platinum: The Homeplace
  • Gold: Chateau Morrisette
  • Silver: 309 Winery (since closed)

Best in the Neighborhood

Best Neighborhood Bar

Best Uptown Bar

Best Lake-Area Restaurant

  • Platinum: The Landing
  • Gold: Mango’s Bar and Grill
  • Silver: Moosie’s

Tastes of the World

Best Indian Restaurant

Best Chinese Restaurant

Best Italian Restaurant

Best Italian Restaurant (Chain)

  • Platinum: Olive Garden
  • Gold: Carrabba’s Italian Grill
  • Silver: Ragazzi’s Italian Restaurant

Best Mexican Restaurant

Best Japanese Restaurant

Best Traditional Virginia Food

Best Sushi

Meals for Two or More

Best for Talking Business

Best for Taking Everyone Along

Best Kid’s Birthday Spot

  • Platinum: Chuck E. Cheese’s
  • Gold: Pop’s Ice Cream & Soda Bar
  • Silver: Macado’s

Best Kids’ Menu

Makes the Whole Family Happy

Best Anniversaries/Special Occasions

Best Bachelor Party

Best Bachelorette Party

Dinner Dates That Score Big

Best for Watching the Game

Best for Watching the Game (Chain)

Best Live Entertainment

Best Vibe

Best Club

Best Picnic Food

Best Picnic Food (Chain)

  • Platinum: KFC
  • Gold: Bojangles’
  • Silver: Kroger

Best Tailgate Food

Best Tailgate Food (Chain)