The story below is a preview from our November/December 2017 issue. For the full story Subscribe today, view our FREE interactive digital edition or download our FREE iOS app!
This year’s winners in our reader polling reflect the diversity and excellence that continues to mark the Roanoke Valley’s collection of great places to dine for every taste preference and price level.
Best Overall Restaurant
Platinum: Local Roots: A Farm-to-Table Restaurant
Gold: The River & Rail Restaurant
Silver: Blue Apron Restaurant and Red Rooster Bar
Best New Restaurant (opened since July 2016)
Platinum: Tuco’s Taqueria Garaje
Gold: Foot of the Mountain Cafe
Silver: Blue Cow Ice Cream Co. (tie)
Bushi (tie)
Top Chef
Platinum: Aaron Deal, The River & Rail Restaurant
Gold: Matt Lintz, Local Roots: A Farm-to-Table Restaurant
Silver: Cara Lowe, Wall Street Tavern
Best Overall Staff
Platinum: Local Roots: A Farm-to-Table Restaurant
Gold: Alexander’s
Silver: Foot of the Mountain Cafe
Best Diner, Drive In or Dive
Platinum: Texas Tavern
Gold: Community Inn
Silver: Angelle’s Diner
Best Farm-To-Table Menu
Platinum: Local Roots: A Farm-to-Table Restaurant
Gold: The River & Rail Restaurant
Silver: Bent Mountain Bistro
Best Outdoor Dining
Platinum: Billy’s
Gold: Brambleton Deli
Silver: Village Grill
Best Brunches
Platinum: The Regency Room at The Hotel Roanoke & Conference Center
Gold: Local Roots: A Farm-to-Table Restaurant
Silver: The River & Rail Restaurant
Best Food Truck
Platinum: Rock & Roll Diner Food Truck
Gold: Bruno’s GastroTruck
Silver: Thai This Food Truck
Best Appetizers & Small Plates
Platinum: Blue Apron Restaurant and Red Rooster Bar
Gold: Local Roots: A Farm-to-Table Restaurant
Silver: The River & Rail Restaurant (tie)
Wall Street Tavern (tie)
Best Biscuits
Platinum: Scratch Biscuit Company
Gold: The Roanoker Restaurant
Silver: The Homeplace Restaurant
Best Barbecue / Ribs
Platinum: Three Li’l Pigs Barbeque
Gold: Wildwood Smokehouse
Silver: Village Grill (The Lick BBQ)
Best Barbecue / Ribs (Chain)
Platinum: Mission BBQ
Best Buffalo Wings
Platinum: AllSports Cafe (Grandin/Salem)
Gold: Buffalo Wild Wings (Tanglewood/VV)
Silver: Village Grill (tie)
Wildwood Smokehouse (tie)
Best Fried Chicken
Platinum: The Homeplace Restaurant
Gold: The Roanoker Restaurant
Silver: Lucky Restaurant
Best Steaks
Platinum: Frankie Rowland’s Steakhouse
Gold: Coach & Four Restaurant
Silver: Carlos Brazilian International Cuisine
Best Hamburgers
Platinum: Burger in the Square
Gold: Martin’s Downtown Bar & Grill
Silver: Local Roots: A Farm-to-Table Restaurant (tie)
The River & Rail Restaurant (tie)
Best Hot Dogs
Platinum: Roanoke Weiner Stand
Gold: Fork In The Alley
Silver: Texas Tavern
Best Pizza
Platinum: New York Pizza
Gold: Grace’s Place Pizzeria
Silver: Frank’s Pizza and Subs
Best Deli Sandwiches
Platinum: New Yorker Deli & Restaurant
Gold: Brambleton Deli
Silver: Macado’s
Best Soups & Salads
Platinum: Local Roots: A Farm-to-Table Restaurant
Gold: Evie’s Wildflour Restaurant and Bakery Wildflour Cafe at Towers
Silver: Montano’s International Restaurant
Freshest Seafood
Platinum: Harbor Inn Seafood
Gold: Awful Arthur’s Downtown
Silver: Local Roots: A Farm-to-Table Restaurant
Best Special Diet Menu Items
(gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, etc.)
Platinum: Local Roots: A Farm-to-Table Restaurant
Gold: Evie’s Wildflour Restaurant and Bakery Wildflour Cafe at Towers
Silver: Firefly Fare
Best Cakes & Baked Goods
Platinum: Evie’s Wildflour Restaurant and Bakery Wildflour Cafe at Towers
Gold: Bubblecake
Silver: Our Daily Bread Bakery & Bistro
Best Dessert Menu
Platinum: Evie’s Wildflour Restaurant and Bakery Wildflour Cafe at Towers
Gold: Montano’s International Restaurant
Silver: The River & Rail Restaurant
Best Candy Store
Platinum: The Candy Store
Gold: Katie’s Ice Cream
Best Fine Chocolates & Truffles
Platinum: chocolatepaper
Gold: Baylee’s Best Chocolates
Silver: Altus Chocolates
Best Ice Cream & Milkshakes
Platinum: Blue Cow Ice Cream Co.
Gold: Pop’s Ice Cream and Soda Bar
Silver: Katie’s Ice Cream
Best Donuts
Platinum: Really Good Donuts
Gold: Carol Lee Donut Shop
Silver: Mama Crockett’s Cider Donut Truck
Best Donuts – Chain
Platinum: Krispy Kreme
Gold: Dunkin’ Donuts
Silver: Duck Donuts
Best 460 / Bonsack area Restaurant
Platinum: Sal’s Italian Restaurant
Gold: Cafe Asia Bonsack
Silver: Jersey Lily’s Roadhouse
Best Botetourt County Restaurant
Platinum: Tizzone Wood-Fired Kitchen & Wine Bar
Gold: Town Center Tap House
Silver: Foot of the Mountain Cafe
Best Downtown Roanoke Restaurant
Platinum: Billy’s
Gold: Alexander’s
Silver: Frankie Rowland’s Steakhouse
Best Hollins/North County Restaurant
Platinum: Hollywood’s
Gold: Lew’s Restaurant
Silver: Veranda Bistro
Best Salem Restaurant
Platinum: Blue Apron Restaurant and Red Rooster Bar
Gold: Mac & Bob’s
Silver: Mamma Maria’s
Best Smith Mountain Lake Restaurant
Platinum: The Landing Restaurant
Gold: Mango’s
Silver: Moosie’s
Best Southwest City/County Restaurant
Platinum: Carlos Brazilian International Cuisine
Gold: Local Roots: A Farm-to-Table Restaurant
Silver: 419 West Restaurant
Best Blacksburg Restaurant
Platinum: Bull & Bones
Gold: The Cellar
Platinum (chain winner): Cabo Fish Taco
Best Christiansburg Restaurant
Platinum: The Farmhouse
Gold: Due South BBQ
Silver: Dude’s Drive-In
Best Vinton Restaurant
Platinum: New York Pizza
Gold: Red Jasmine Thai Cuisine
Silver: Dogwood Restaurant
Worth an Hour or Two in the Car
Platinum: The Homeplace Restaurant
Gold: Swinging Bridge Restaurant
Silver: The Palisades
Best Chinese Restaurant
Platinum: Szechuan Restaurant
Gold: Red Palace
Silver: China Wok
Best Japanese Restaurant
Platinum: Kabuki Japanese Steakhouse
Gold: Ichiban Japanese Steakhouse
Silver: Wasabi’s
Best Multi-Asian Menu Options
Platinum: Cafe Asia 2
Gold: Taste of Asia
Silver: Cafe Asia Bonsack
Best Thai Restaurant
Platinum: Red Jasmine Thai Cuisine
Gold: City Corner 2
Silver: Thai Continental Cuisine
Best Sushi
Platinum: Ben Gui Sushi
Gold: Wasabi’s
Silver: Cafe Asia 2
Best Vietnamese Restaurant
Platinum: Viet Sub
Gold: Pho Saigon
Silver: Vina Cafe
Best Indian Restaurant
Platinum: Taaza Indian Cuisine
Gold: Nawab Indian Cuisine
Silver: India Garden Restaurant
Best Italian Restaurant
Platinum: Luigi’s Italian Gourmet Restaurant
Gold: Sal’s Italian Restaurant
Silver: Mamma Maria’s
Best Greek / Mediterranean Restaurant
Platinum: The Athens Corner Grill
Gold: Veranda Bistro
Silver: Paul’s Restaurant
Best Mexican Restaurant
Platinum: Alejandro’s Mexican Grill
Gold: El Rodeo
Silver: Tuco’s Taqueria Garaje
Most Unique Ethnic Restaurant
Platinum: Carlos Brazilian International Cuisine
Gold: Taaza Indian Cuisine
Silver: Cuban Island Restaurant (tie)
Leonore Restaurant (tie)
Best Traditional Virginia Food
Platinum: The Homeplace Restaurant
Gold: The Roanoker Restaurant
Silver: The Regency Room at The HotelRoanoke & Conference Center
Best Southern Dining
Platinum: The Homeplace Restaurant
Gold: The Roanoker Restaurant
Silver: The River & Rail Restaurant
Best Local Coffee Shop
Platinum: Mill Mountain Coffee and Tea
Gold: Sweet Donkey Coffee House
Silver: Cups Coffee & Tea
Best Local Craft Beer Selection
Platinum: Wasena City Tap Room & Grill
Gold: Blue 5 Restaurant
Silver: Local Roots: A Farm-to-Table Restaurant (tie)
Town Center Tap House (tie)
Best Local Craft Brewery
Platinum: Parkway Brewing Company
Gold: Soaring Ridge Craft Brewery
Silver: Ballast Point: Virginia
Most Creative Cocktails
Platinum: Lucky Restaurant
Gold: Local Roots: A Farm-to-Table Restaurant
Silver: Fortunato
Best Happy Hour Deals
Platinum: Local Roots: A Farm-to-Table Restaurant
Gold: Macado’s
Silver: 419 West Restaurant
Best Wine List
Platinum: Frankie Rowland’s Steakhouse
Gold: Local Roots: A Farm-to-Table Restaurant
Silver: Tizzone Wood-Fired Kitchen & Wine Bar
Best Martinis
Platinum: Frankie Rowland’s Steakhouse
Gold: Lucky Restaurant
Silver: 419 West Restaurant
Best Margaritas
Platinum: El Rodeo
Gold: Tuco’s Taqueria Garaje
Silver: Alejandro’s Mexican Grill
Best Brunch Drinks
Platinum: Wall Street Tavern
Gold: Local Roots: A Farm-to-Table Restaurant
Silver: The River & Rail Restaurant
Bar Where Everyone Knows Your Name
Platinum: Local Roots: A Farm-to-Table Restaurant
Gold: Community Inn (tie)
Fork in the Alley (tie)
Top Bartender
Platinum: Chad Howard, Local Roots: A Farm-to-Table Restaurant
Gold: Jackie Gentry, Fortunato
Silver: Hunter Johnson, Lucky Restaurant and Stellina
Best Date Night / Special Occasion Restaurant
Platinum: Carlos Brazilian International Cuisine
Gold: Alexander’s
Silver: Blue Apron Restaurant and Red Rooster Bar
Best Bachelor/Bachelorette Party
Platinum: Corned Beef & Co.
Gold: Blue 5 Restaurant
Silver: 419 West Restaurant
Best Live Entertainment
Platinum: Martin’s Downtown Bar & Grill
Gold: Blue 5 Restaurant
Silver: Sidewinder’s Steakhouse & Saloon (tie)
Wall Street Tavern (tie)
Best for a Private Party / Celebration
Platinum: 419 West Restaurant
Gold: Billy’s
Silver: Blue 5 Restaurant
Best Late-Night Eats
Platinum: Texas Tavern
Gold: Benny Marconi’s
Silver: Community Inn
Best Kids’ Eat Deals
Platinum: Famous Anthony’s
Gold: Macado’s
Silver: The Roanoker Restaurant
Best Tailgate Food
Platinum: The Roanoker Restaurant
Gold: AllSports Cafe
Silver: 2Dye4Que (tie)
Wildwood Smokehouse (tie)
Best for Watching the Game
Platinum: AllSports Cafe
Gold: Buffalo Wild Wings
Silver: Brambleton Deli
Best Take Out
Platinum: The Roanoker Restaurant
Gold: Cafe Asia 2
Silver: Szechuan Restaurant
Restaurant With Can’t-Miss Daily Specials
Platinum: Martin’s Downtown Bar & Grill
Gold: The Roanoker Restaurant
Silver: Our Daily Bread Bakery & Bistro
… for more from our November/December 2017 issue, Subscribe today, view our FREE interactive digital edition or download our FREE iOS app!
