In spite of the COVID-19 pandemic which has caused many other restaurants to scale back or close altogether, Gina’s “Food with Flavor” is continuing full steam ahead. Earlier this month, the business moved from Glenvar to a new location on West Main Street in Salem.
The owner of the Salem location and Melinda Payne, the city’s economic development director, both of whom are fans of the delectable food that Gina’s “Food with Flavor” offers, pursued owner Peggy Fleming over an extended period of time.
“Although they pursued me, I had been eyeballing the space myself for about 20 years. It’s surreal to be here now,” Fleming explains. “My husband and I used to sit in the parking lot and think of all of the wonderful events we could have here.”
Gina’s “Food with Flavor” has been in business since 2018, but it wasn’t until after being reduced to take-out only options due to the relatively small size of her previous location that Fleming was able to make the move possible.
Now, she is able to once again provide the same comfort food and sense of community that her customers have come to expect while still complying with COVID-19 safety guidelines.
Fleming explains that both comfort food and a sense of community are more important now than ever.
“People in the new location like to sit around and enjoy the dinner, the space and each other. It’s very warming for me to see that since most people are only able to get take-out right now,” she says. “My food is comfort food because I serve everything from fried pork chops to catfish to collard greens to macaroni and cheese to cornbread. You could also call it soul food.”
Fleming notes that she is very satisfied with her move to Salem.
“The people of Salem have welcomed us with open arms. Everyone has been so kind,” she says.
Looking ahead, Fleming plans to open the four upstairs dining rooms at her location in order to accommodate more diners. She also hopes to build a covered stage for weddings and live bands.
“Catering was my start, so I would like to create a venue where I can also have catered events,” she says.
Prior to opening Gina’s “Food with Flavor,” Fleming owned and operated a catering business. Opening a restaurant of her own was something she longed to do for many years, but it wasn’t until she found the location in Glenvar that it all came together. “It was for the right amount of money and had the right equipment,” she says.
The name and food of the restaurant are both inspired by Fleming’s mother-in-law, Regina, who she called Gina. “I named it in her memory because I learned this style of cooking from her,” she says.
About the Author:
Aila Boyd is an educator and journalist who resides in Roanoke. She holds an MFA in Writing from Lindenwood University.
