The story below is from our July/August 2021 issue. For more stories like it, Subscribe Today. Thank you!
These five delicious destinations are worth the drive.
Layla Khoury-Hanold
We’re spoiled with delicious dining options in Roanoke, but sometimes you need an adventure to indulge your cravings or satisfy the thrill of discovery. From taking afternoon tea in an enchanted garden to a rooftop happy hour above a pie shop, these delicious destinations, all within an hour’s drive of Roanoke, are worth the trip.
Donnie D’s Bagels & Deli
As someone who lived in New York and New Jersey for nine years, I have opinions about bagels. I’m happy to report that the specimens at Donnie D’s, which opened in Daleville in September 2018, deliver. Owner Donnie DeGeorgis grew up nearby, but the bagels exude a classic New York aesthetic with a thin, shiny, crackly exterior and a chewy-tender crumb within. Up to 22 different flavors of bagels are offered every day, including classics like sesame or poppyseed and sweet takes like cinnamon raisin or French toast. The first flavors to sell out are plain, everything or the fan-favorite cheddar jalapeño, so get there early, call ahead or order online to ensure you get your pick.
The bagels veer from New York standards with their almost-full-ounce-larger size. This bodes well for housing the ample fillings in the breakfast and lunch bagel sandwiches. The bacon-egg-and-cheese brought me straight back to my favorite New York bodega, and there’s even a sandwich with Taylor ham pork roll, a regional New Jersey specialty that DeGeorgis describes as the filet mignon of Spam. The Donnie D’s special, featuring roast beef, provolone and horseradish mayo on a cheddar bagel is a midday go-to, but the latest addition, the Jersey Devil, starring grilled Taylor ham pork roll, Swiss cheese, coleslaw and thousand island dressing on an everything bagel, is rising in popularity.
Other notable activities nearby: Pick-up bagel sandwiches and drive the short distance to Carvin’s Cove for a picnic lunch. DeGeorgis reports seeing photos of his bagels on the Appalachian Trail too (look for the Hay Rock trailhead in Daleville). On Saturdays, peruse local produce and artisan goods at the Botetourt Farmers Market at the Daleville Town Center. Other spots for shopping local include Ikenberry Orchards for fresh fruit, preserves and sweet treats, and Bryant Orchards Farm Market for homemade pies and charcuterie boxes.
Draper Blooms Tea Garden & Thee Draper Village
The Draper Tea Room and Garden is a draw all its own. (Hat tip to Genya Kalinina, who runs the popular Instagram account Best of Roanoke, for putting this on our radar.) The tearoom exudes an enchanted-fairy-garden-meets-Alice-in-Wonderland vibe, bright and airy with touches of lush greenery, beautiful flowers, and place settings with proper china. There’s also a lovely outdoor deck, where there’s an Instagram-ready flower-and-vines wrapped swing to pose on. Book afternoon tea for a quintessential English tea service, complete with tea sandwiches (cucumber of course, plus pimento cheese and Draper’s locally famous chicken salad on a mini croissant), tender scones with clotted cream and jam, and fruit, all arranged on tiered serving platters. Kids’ platters include fresh fruit and sandwich fillings such as Nutella and marshmallow fluff. For more of a lunch spread, opt for high tea which also includes charcuterie and soup. If you’ve got a serious sweet tooth, consider booking the dessert tea, replete with miniature desserts and vanilla scones.
You could also make a day of it at Thee Draper Village, a collection of shops, restaurants and events spaces formerly known as Draper Mercantile & Trading Company. ‘Village’ feels like a more apt descriptor—by the end of your visit, you’ll wish you lived in Draper. Kick off your day at the Village Coffee Shoppe with a lavender vanilla latte wreathed with whipped cream and adorned with edible flowers. Rent bikes from The Junction across the street and pedal down the street to ride along the historic New River Trail. Breakfast and lunch are served at the coffee shop all day, so you can refuel with an egg sandwich or a pimento-cheese-topped burger. “Homestyle Sundays” include a buttermilk fried chicken plate and rotating specials, like meatloaf or seasonal pasta.
Mosey over to the Marketplace, where you can pick up edible souvenirs like local apple butter, pepper jelly and sourdough, or snag homemade fudge from the Blue Ridge Fudge Lady. Continue your shopping spree at Curious Quill (next door to the tea garden), chock-full of the kind of quirky finds that make the best gifts (or to treat yourself), including eclectic earrings, leather journals and felted hats from a local maker who has worked with Lady GaGa.
Other notable activities nearby: Visit local wineries Spinning Jenny’s Winery and Iron Heart Winery, take in the breathtaking waterfall at Foster Falls or get a scenic view from Draper Mountain Overlook. If you fancy staying the night, rent one of New River Retreat’s cabin rentals, either on the New River Trail, ideal for hiking and biking, or waterfront cabins with views of the New River or Claytor Lake.
The Pie Shoppe
When Fincastle folks started wondering, ‘where are the pies?’ Virginia Barkett felt a call to action to bring back The Pie Lady’s pies. She had been friends with the original Pie Lady, Lisa Helmick, who earned a loyal following in Fincastle for both her sweet and savory pies. When she moved away, she sold the business to Cindy Bailey, who ran the business for a short spell.
Meanwhile, Virginia and her husband, Erryn Barkett, bought the old pharmacy building in downtown Fincastle. The Barketts fixed it up and opened the Fincastle Café in 2019, with the intention of leasing the vacant pharmacy space next door. But Virginia kept thinking about those pies. She contacted the Baileys to purchase the Pie Lady’s equipment and recipes.
Fittingly, Virginia signed the papers to buy the business on Pi Day in 2019. Bailey hosted a “pie school” to teach Virginia and her son, Will, a budding chef and student at Virginia Tech, the recipes and signature crimping style. Virginia started selling her pies on the festival circuit, but as demand grew, she decided that the vacant space in her family’s building would make an ideal home for her pies. Will returned home to outfit a new kitchen and oversee pie production, and The Pie Shoppe officially opened in August 2020.
Enjoy a slice at one of the cozy café tables—there’s typically two or three savory varieties available, along with quiche and dessert pies—or buy whole frozen pies to take home for a stress-free weeknight dinner. On the savory side, best-sellers include chicken-and-vegetable and bacon-spinach-asiago (Virginia’s favorite). Try the smoky barbecue chicken, one of Will’s original creations that’s destined to be a sleeper hit. From the sweet selection, opt for the fan-favorite peanut butter pie, which eats like a frozen Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup.
1772 Rooftop on Main
The whole town of Fincastle stopped what they were doing to watch a crane lift a vintage airplane onto the rooftop of the Barketts’ Pie Shoppe building. Erryn has always had a passion for flying, so when he spied an old bonanza airplane at Black Dog Salvage in Roanoke, he knew it’d make the perfect backdrop for the bar at 1772 Rooftop on Main (named for the year that Fincastle was founded). The plane has been retrofitted into several compartments to store all the bottles of spirits, syrups and bitters that anchor the craft cocktail menu. Bartender Nexus Watts is equally adept at crafting the classics as he is creative, Instagram-worthy tipples. To wit, Crew Juice marries cucumber-infused tequila with lavender Szechuan peppercorn syrup, lime and pineapple juice.
Seating is on a first-come-first-serve basis, so if there’s a wait, take your cocktail downstairs to have happy hour in the Pie Shoppe. Once you settle into your rooftop perch, take in the views of the Main Street courthouse, church steeples and the Peaks of Otter mountaintops. The vista is particularly stunning at sunset. Peruse the menu of small plates and classic bistro entrees, overseen by the Barketts’ son, Will (who also worked on The Pie Shoppe’s menu). Start with one of the dips, like the weird-but-it-works bacon kalamata dip, where briny olives square off against smoky bacon in a savory showdown; patatas bravas, fingerling potatoes served with aioli; and a bowl of mussels in a garlicky white wine-butter-lemon broth. For heartier fare, opt for the Fincastle burger, a Swiss-and caramelized onion-topped patty on a brioche bun. Save room for a slice of pie from the Pie Shoppe.
Other notable activities nearby: Snag a map from the kiosk down the block from 1772 and take a walking tour of historic downtown (also a good option if there’s a wait at 1772). Stop by Heritage Family Market to stock up on local honey, produce and meats. If you’re killing time in between lunch-time pie at The Pie Shoppe and sunset cocktails at 1772, drive 35 minutes to hike the Roaring Run Trail, take in the waterfall and see the historic furnace.
Mama Crockett’s Cider Donuts
If you’ve tracked down one of Mama Crockett’s vintage trailers when they’re in town—you can smell their apple cider donuts hitting the fryer a block away—you know the anticipation that builds while you wait for the donuts to get rolled in cinnamon- or maple-sugar before they sail down the chute into your clutches.
At Mama Crockett’s Lynchburg brick-and-mortar, the donuts are made fresh-to-order too, but there are extra coatings, like sticky pow pow (powdered sugar), lemon bar and caramel crunch, plus house-made donut dips (think cream cheese, Nutella, fruit). Ask about the secret menu of drizzles, such as caramel, white chocolate, and raspberry reduction. Come summer, sample the signature shop special called “Fire in the Hole” (it’s so good, employees are known to eat one per shift). It features two hot donuts topped with vanilla soft serve plus a dip or drizzle on top (Nutella recommended). Wash it all down with an apple cider slushie or cup of apple cider, made with the same fresh-pressed, locally sourced apple cider that’s folded into the donut batter, or a cup of 5th Street coffee from local roastery Mission House Coffee. The shop’s cool vibes invite you to linger (check out the booth in the trailer cutout), or if al fresco’s your thing, snag a bistro table out front or a seat on the back deck underneath the photo-ready LOVEwork mural.
Other notable activities nearby: Pick up a dozie (a dozen) or halfsie (half dozen) donuts and go for a walk along the RiverWalk trail a few blocks away. The scenic and shade-dappled seven-mile trail goes over the James River and across Percival’s Island.. Other family-friendly sites include SeaQuest aquarium or kids’ museum Amazement Square. Mama Crockett’s staff picks for dinner include Grey’s for classics with a twist, or Rivermont Pizza for wood-fired pies.
The story above is from our July/August 2021 issue. For more stories, subscribe today or view our FREE digital edition. Thank you for supporting local journalism!