Roanoke's Best Restaurants

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Editor's Note: The results below are from our 2014-2015 Dining Awards reader survey. For the results of our most recent survey, view our FREE digital edition archvies now!

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2014-2015

Readers' Choice Dining Awards

Our readers love dining out. And as discerning partakers of the best of the restaurant scene in the Roanoke Valley, they express their opinions strongly – as in more than 30,000 votes cast – to create these 15 pages of awards in more than 75 different categories! Read on to find out who won, or view the results in our digital edition today!

And For More Great Dining Information Check Out
The Menu: Roanoke's Best Dining Guide!

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Best Overall Dining

• Platinum: River and Rail Restaurant
• Gold: Carlos Brazilian International Cusine
• Silver: Blue Apron Restaurant and Red Rooster Bar

Best New Restaurant (since July 2013)    

• Platinum: Cafe Asia 2
• Gold:  Bent Mountain Bistro
• Silver: Our Daily Bread Bakery & Bistro

Best Chef    

• Platinum: River and Rail, Aaron Deal
• Gold: Blue Apron, Scott Switzer
• Silver: Crock and Roll  (since closed), Charles Hooper

Best Overall Kitchen Staff

• Platinum: Local Roots: A Farm-to-Table Restaurant
• Gold: Table 50
• Silver: Montano’s International Restaurant

Best in the Neighborhood

• Platinum: Fork in the Alley
• Gold: Rockfish Food & Wine
• Silver: River and Rail Restaurant

Best Diner, Drive In or Dive

• Platinum: Texas Tavern
• Gold: Community Inn
• Silver: Dogwood Restaurant

Best Hotel Restaurant

• Platinum: The Regency Room at The Hotel Roanoke & Conference Center
• Gold: Shula’s 347 Grill
• Silver: The Pine Room Pub at The Hotel Roanoke & Conference Center

Best Sunday Brunches

• Platinum: The Regency Room at The Hotel Roanoke & Conference Center
• Gold: River and Rail Restaurant
• Silver: Rockfish Food & Wine

Best Overall Staff

• Platinum: Local Roots: A Farm-to-Table Restaurant
• Gold: River and Rail Restaurant
• Silver: Alexander’s

Best Outdoor Dining

• Platinum: Fork in the Alley
• Gold: The Brambleton Deli & BBQ
• Silver: Billy’s Restaurant

Best Pizza

• Platinum: Grace’s Place Pizzeria
• Gold: New York Pizza
• Silver: Jimmy Sardines Italian Pizza Shop

Best Subs & Sandwiches

• Platinum: New Yorker Delicatessen
• Gold: The Brambleton Deli & BBQ
• Silver: Macado’s–Electric Rd.

Best Hot Dogs

• Platinum: Roanoke Weiner Stand
• Gold: Fork in the Alley
• Silver: Texas Tavern

Best Chili

• Platinum: Texas Tavern
• Gold: Roanoke Weiner Stand
• Silver: Crock and Roll

Best Hamburgers

• Platinum: Burger in the Square
• Gold: Jack Brown’s Beer and Burger Joint
• Silver: Beamer’s 25

Best Steak

• Platinum: Frankie Rowland’s Steakhouse
• Gold: The Great 611 Steakhouse
• Silver (tie): Carlos Brazilian International Cuisine
• Silver (tie): Shula’s 347 Grill

Best Chicken

• Platinum: Thelma’s Chicken & Waffles
• Gold: The Homeplace Restaurant
• Silver: The Roanoker Restaurant

Best Buffalo Wings

• Platinum: AllSports Cafe – Grandin
• Gold: AllSports Cafe–Salem
• Silver: Mac & Bob’s

Best Buffalo Wings-Chain

• Platinum: Buffalo Wild Wings–Tanglewood
• Gold: Buffalo Wild Wings–Valley View

Best Ribs

• Platinum: The Blues BBQ Co.
• Gold: Wildwood Smokehouse
• Silver: The Brambleton Deli & BBQ

Best Fish and Chips

• Platinum: Annie Moore’s Irish Pub
• Gold: Awful Arthur’s–Downtown Roanoke
• Silver: Harbor Inn Seafood

Freshest Seafood

• Platinum: Harbor Inn Seafood
• Gold: Parker’s Seafood Co. Inc.
• Silver: Rockfish Food & Wine

Freshest Seafood - Local Chain

• Platinum: Awful Arthur’s Seafood Company

Best Biscuits   

• Platinum: The Roanoker Restaurant
• Gold: Thelma’s Chicken & Waffles
• Silver: The Homeplace Restaurant

Best Bagels   

• Platinum: Roanoke Bagel Company
• Gold: Full Moon Cafe
• Silver (tie): New Yorker Delicatessen
• Silver (tie): On The Rise Bakery
• Silver (tie): Our Daily Bread Bakery & Bistro

Best Bagels–Multiple Locations

• Platinum: Mill Mountain Coffee & Tea

Best Bagels–Chain Winner

• Gold: Panera Bread

Best Grilled Cheese

• Platinum: Pop’s Ice Cream & Soda Bar
• Gold: Crock and Roll (since closed)
• Silver: Wildflour Cafe at Towers

Best Appetizers / Small Plates

• Platinum: Blue Apron Restaurant and Red Rooster Bar
• Gold: River and Rail Restaurant
• Silver: Montano’s International Restaurant

Best Soups & Salads

• Platinum: Crock and Roll (since closed)
• Gold: Wildflour Restaurant & Bakery (4th St.)
• Silver: Wildflour Cafe at Towers

Best Vegetarian Menu

• Platinum: Wildflour Restaurant & Bakery (4th St.)
• Gold: Wildflour Cafe at Towers
• Silver: Firefly Fare

Best Comfort Food

• Platinum: The Homeplace Restaurant
• Gold: Thelma’s Chicken & Waffles
• Silver: The Roanoker Restaurant

Best Cakes / Baked Goods

• Platinum: Wildflour Restaurant & Bakery (4th St.)
• Gold: Bubblecake
• Silver (tie): Bread Craft
• Silver (tie): Our Daily Bread Bakery & Bistro
• Silver (tie): Viva La Cupcake

Best Chocolate Store

• Platinum: chocolatepaper
• Gold: Baylee’s Best Chocolates
• Silver: The Candy Store

Best Dessert Menu

• Platinum: Wildflour Restaurant & Bakery (4th St.)
• Gold: Our Daily Bread Bakery & Bistro
• Silver: Hollywood’s Restaurant & Bakery

Best Candy Store

• Platinum: The Candy Store
• Gold: chocolatepaper
• Silver: Baylee’s Best Chocolates

Best Ice Cream / Frozen Treats

• Platinum: Pop’s Ice Cream & Soda Bar
• Gold: Katie’s Ice Cream
• Silver (tie): HITS Frozen Treats
• Silver (tie): The Homestead Creamery

Best Beer Selection

• Platinum: Blue 5 Restaurant
• Gold: Wasena City Tap Room
• Silver: Montano’s International Restaurant

Best Wine List

• Platinum: Rockfish Food & Wine
• Gold: Montano’s International Restaurant
• Silver: Frankie Rowland’s Steakhouse

Best Winery Within a 2-hour Drive

• Platinum: Chateau Morrisette Winery
• Gold: Valhalla Vineyards
• Silver: Villa Appalaccia

Most Creative Cocktails

• Platinum: Lucky Restaurant
• Gold: Metro!
• Silver: Frankie Rowland’s Steakhouse

Best Overall Bar

• Platinum: Lucky Restaurant
• Gold: Blue 5 Restaurant
• Silver: Billy’s Restaurant

Best Happy-Hour Deals

• Platinum: 419 West
• Gold: Macado’s–Electric Rd.
• Silver: Macado’s–Salem

Best Local Coffee Shop

• Platinum: Mill Mountain Coffee & Tea
• Gold: CUPS Coffee & Tea
• Silver: Sweet Donkey Coffee House

Best Indian Restaurant

• Platinum: Nawab Indian Cuisine
• Gold: Taaza Indian Cuisine

Best Chinese Restaurant

• Platinum: Szechuan Restaurant–Roanoke
• Gold: Cafe Asia 2
• Silver: Cafe Asia

Best Italian Restaurant

• Platinum: Luigi’s Italian Gourmet Restaurant
• Gold: Sal’s Italian Restaurant
• Silver: Mamma Maria’s Italian Restaurant – Salem

Best Mexican Restaurant

• Platinum: Alejandro’s Mexican Grill–Downtown
• Gold: El Rodeo–Electric Rd
• Silver: Alejandro’s Mexican Grill–Williamson Rd.

Best Japanese Restaurant

• Platinum: Kabuki Japanese Steakhouse & Sushi–Roanoke
• Gold: Wasabi’s Japanese Restaurant & Sushi Bar
• Silver: Ichiban

Best Traditional Virginia Food

• Platinum: The Homeplace Restaurant
• Gold: The Roanoker Restaurant
• Silver: Thelma’s Chicken & Waffles

Best Sushi

• Platinum: Ben Gui Sushi
• Gold: Wasabi’s Japanese Restaurant & Sushi Bar
• Silver: Cafe Asia 2

Best Mediterranean Cuisine

• Platinum: Cedars Lebanese Restaurant
• Gold: Carlos Brazilian International Cuisine
• Silver: Montano’s International Restaurant

Best International Taste Not Covered Above

• Platinum: Carlos Brazilian International Cuisine
• Gold: Red Jasmine Thai Cuisine
• Silver (tie): Cedars Lebanese Restaurant
• Silver (tie): Montano’s International Restaurant

Best Farm-To-Table Menu

• Platinum: Local Roots: A Farm-to-Table Restaurant
• Gold: River and Rail Restaurant
• Silver: The Homeplace Restaurant

Best Kid’s Birthday Spot

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

Best Kids’ Menu

• Platinum (tie): Chuck E Cheese’s
• Platinum (tie): Macado’s–Electric Rd.
• Silver: Famous Anthony’s–Grandin

Menu That Makes The Whole Family Happy

• Platinum: The Homeplace Restaurant
• Gold: Famous Anthony’s–Grandin
• Silver: Montano’s International Restaurant

Menu That Makes The Whole Family Happy–Local Chain

• Platinum: Famous Anthony’s
• Gold: Macado’s

Best Anniversaries/Special Occasions

• Platinum: Carlos Brazilian International Cuisine
• Gold (tie): Frankie Rowland’s Steakhouse
• Gold (tie): Blue Apron Restaurant and Red Rooster Bar

Best Bachelorette Party

• Platinum: Corned Beef & Co.
• Gold: Metro!
• Silver: 202 Market (now Stefano’s)

Best Bachelor Party

• Platinum: Corned Beef & Co.
• Gold: 419 West
• Silver (tie): 202 Market (now Stefano’s)
• Silver (tie): Blue 5 Restaurant

Best Live Entertainment

• Platinum: Martin’s Downtown Bar & Grill
• Gold: Blue 5 Restaurant
• Silver: Sidewinders

Best for Watching the Game

• Platinum: AllSports Cafe–Grandin
• Gold: Mac & Bob’s
• Silver: The Brambleton Deli & BBQ

Best for Watching the Game–Chain

• Platinum: Buffalo Wild Wings–Tanglewood
• Gold: Buffalo Wild Wings–Valley View

Best Picnic or Tailgate Food

• Platinum: The Roanoker Restaurant
• Gold (tie): Elderberry’s
• Gold (tie): New Yorker Delicatessen
• Gold (tie): The Brambleton Deli & BBQ
• Gold (tie): Three Li’l Pigs Barbeque

Best Picnic or Tailgate Food–Chain

• Platinum: Buffalo Wild Wings–Tanglewood

Worth an Hour in the Car

• Platinum: The Homeplace Restaurant
• Gold: Chateau Morrisette Winery
• Silver: The Landing Restaurant

Restaurant That Makes You Forget You’re In Roanoke

• Platinum: Carlos Brazilian International Cuisine
• Gold: Metro!
• Silver: Blue Apron Restaurant and Red Rooster Bar

Best Vinton Restaurant

• Platinum: New York Pizza
• Gold: Red Jasmine Thai Cuisine
• Silver: Dogwood Restaurant

Best Southwest City/County Restaurant

• Platinum: Carlos Brazilian International Cuisine
• Gold (tie): 419 West
• Gold (tie): River and Rail Restaurant

Best Smith Mountain Lake Restaurant

• Platinum: The Landing Restaurant
• Gold: Jonathan’s Restaurant
• Silver: Blackwater Cafe

Best Salem Restaurant

• Platinum: Blue Apron Restaurant and Red Rooster Bar
• Gold: Mac & Bob’s
• Silver: Mamma Maria’s Italian Restaurant – Salem

Best New River Valley Restaurant

• Platinum: Bull and Bones
• Gold: The Palisades
• Silver (tie): Cabo Fish Taco
• Silver (tie): Sal’s Italian Restaurant

Best Hollins/North County Restaurant

• Platinum: Hollywood’s Restaurant & Bakery
• Gold: Lew’s Restaurant
• Silver: Veranda Bistro

Best Downtown Restaurant

• Platinum: Alexander’s
• Gold: Frankie Rowland’s Steakhouse
• Silver: Lucky Restaurant

Best Botetourt-Area Restaurant

• Platinum: Three Li’l Pigs Barbeque
• Gold: Town Center Tap House
• Silver: Pomegranate Restaurant & Gathering Place

Best 460 / Bonsack area Restaurant

• Platinum: Cafe Asia
• Gold: Sal’s Italian Restaurant
• Silver: Jersey Lily’s Legendary Roadhouse Grill–Roanoke