The story below is from our November/December 2025 issue. For more stories like it, Subscribe Today. Thank you!
Foot of the Mountain cafe, led by Nina and Brian Whitehead, takes top honors in Botetourt with good food, good views and good people.
Courtesy of Foot of the Mountain Cafe
Foot of the Mountain Cafe in Buchanan took home a sweep of honors in this year’s Dining Awards for the Botetourt County region, from Best Overall Restaurant to Most Creative Cocktails and Best Pet-friendly Patio (and many more). For co-owners Nina and Brian Whitehead, the recognition is both humbling and surreal.
“It honestly feels like we are dreaming,” Nina says. “We could not be more excited and grateful to see our dedication and hard work getting recognized. It truly means so much!”
Courtesy of Foot of the Mountain Cafe
The café’s story began more than a decade ago, when the couple was working at the Natural Bridge Hotel and a coworker offered them the chance to take over her outdoor café space. The city of Buena Vista gave them their first business loan, but after 16 months, they knew they needed to find something closer to home in Botetourt County. They “stumbled upon” the Arcadia location in December of 2016 and “have been fortunate enough to be here ever since.”
“We have been a power couple since we first got together back in 2012. We both understood the demand and dedication we would have to give and the sacrifices we would have to make. We learned over time to separate our marriage from the business.”
Their motto — Good Food. Good View. Good People. — guides the way they run the business. “It’s about making sure we have good employees around us to follow our lead,” Nina says.
That leadership also extends to their award-winning team in the kitchen and behind the bar. Both Nina and Brian earned top honors this year, along with their colleague Jay Dalton, who readers awarded Silver for Top Chef and Bartender. “We understood once we applied for the business loan that in order to make this work, we had to be an unstoppable team,” Nina says.
Courtesy of Foot of the Mountain Cafe
Foot of the Mountain’s menu favorites include burgers and wings, though Nina swears by the John Eakin (a sandwich with house-made pimento cheese, smoked bacon, lettuce, chipotle mayo and fried green tomato on Texas toast) and loves their pimento cheese. Brian’s pick is the shrimp and parmesan sirloin.
Nina credits Botetourt County as a huge part of their restaurant’s success. “The people make it unique — how else could we have gotten through COVID?”
When they aren’t working, the Whiteheads enjoy family time and their pets. “Brian loves his sports teams and anytime he can catch a game on TV, he’ll be watching,” Nina says. “We also love to watch our shows and hang out with our fur babies.”
As for what’s next? “The future is bright and we are just here to see where this journey takes us!”
Foot of the Mountain Cafe is located at 126 Arcadia Road in Buchanan. See their menu, weekly features and more at fotmcafe.com.
Foot of the Mountain Cafe
Platinum: Best Overall Botetourt County Restaurant, Best Overall Restaurant Staff in Botetourt County, Top Chef in Botetourt County (Brian Williams), Best Appetizers / Small Plates, Best Wings, Best Burgers, Best Steakhouse, Best Sandwiches, Best Seafood, Best Desserts, Best Mocktails (tie), Best Happy Hour Deals, Foot of the Mountain Café, Top Bartender (Nina Williams), Most Diverse Menu, Best Pet-friendly Patio, Hidden Gem, Best Family-friendly Restaurant, Best Place for Lunch, Best Outdoor Dining, Best Meal with a View, Best Restaurant that Gives Back to the Community (tie), Best for a Private Party / Celebration, Best Takeout / Curbside Service, Best Late-Night Eats (tie), Restaurant With Can’t-Miss Daily Specials
Gold: Best Salads, Best Barbecue, Best Allergen-Friendly Options (tie), Most Creative Cocktails (tie)
Silver: Top Chef in Botetourt County (Jay Dalton), Best Wine List (tie)
The story above is from our November/December 2025 issue. For more stories like it, Subscribe Today. Thank you!