What should I do in Roanoke?

We have quite a few requests on a weekly basis of users coming into our great town for the weekend or are moving here and would like something to eat/do. We wanted to compile all the information that's frequently handed out so people can find things quicker. The recommendations below may have local chains, however we left out national chain restaurants.

There are so many more great places to eat in Roanoke, especially downtown. These are just a few that are recommended frequently.

PLACES TO STAY

• Hotel Roanoke - Possibly one of the nicest hotels in Roanoke, and depending on when you're staying a decent rate. Right downtown so access to all local bars and restaurants. (Yes this is a part of the Hilton/Doubletree brand)

FOOD

American

• Burger in the Square

• The Homeplace - My personal favorite

• Jack Browns Beer & Burger Joint - This is a chain and broke the rule above, however it's been recommended by so many redditors I left this one in. TONs of beer on tap, great burgers

• Texas Tavern - Great spot for meals after bars close. Chili Dogs and Hamburgers

• The Village Grill

• Wasena Tap Room - Trivia Nights Monday and Friday

• Macado's

• Lew's

Asian

• Cafe Asia - Don't let the website fool you there is a second Cafe Asia located here Cafe Asia 2 will even tell you the other one doesn't exist anymore. It does. Ownership split.

• Szechuan

BBQ

• The Blues BBQ Company - This is also a out of state chain, however this is 1 of 3 so I'd say it's pretty much local.

• Wildwood Smokehouse

Cajun/Creole

• The Quarter

Coffee

• Cups Coffee & Tea

• Mill Mountain Coffee & Tea

• Sweet Donkey Coffee

Cuban

• Cuban Island Restaurant - Probably the best restaurant in roanoke honestly - u/Ravenstown6

Deli

• Mike's Deli

• New Yorker

Indian

• Nawab

• Taaza

Italian

• Fortunato

• Luigi's

Korean

• Wonju

Mediterranean

• Abarakabara

• Bethlehem Restaurant and Grocery

• Mediterranean Goods Market

• Paul's

• Shishka - Hookah bar and Mediterranean Grill. Also recommend their pizza

Mexican

• Alejandro's Mexican Grill

• La Elenita

• Tacos Rojas

• Angelos - For authentic Mexican, Angelos in Vinton. The service is slow, the cook can be surly (being a pretty female helps), the place is a hole in the wall, and it is unforgettable. Just don't go there in a hurry or the property will tell you to go to Taco Hell. - u/bbcard1

Pizza

• Benny Marconi's

• New York Pizza

• Frank's

Seafood

• Capt'n Paul's Seafood

Southern

• River and Rail

Sushi

• Ben Gui

• Wasabi's

Thai

• Thai Continental Cuisine

Unclassified

• Lucky - Offers good vegetarian options

• Local Roots

• Wildflour Restaurant & Bakery

• Firefly Fare

Vietnamese

• Pho Saigon

• Pho Viet Nam

• Viet Sub

BARS

All Bars are also restaurants. Food varies in quality

• Allsports - Good sports bar in Salem, VA as well as off of Grandin Road in Roanoke.

• Billy's

• Blue 5 - Great Jazz Restaurant and Bar

• Community Inn - Sports bar on Grandin

• Cornerstone

• Corned Beed & Company

• Flanary's - Irish Pub, Trivia Night Wednesday

• Fork in the Market

• Martin's

• The Park - Roanoke area LGBT friendly bar. Quite a few Gay/Straight alike recommend the danceclub within The Park

BEER/WINE

• Barrel Chest

• Big Lick Brewery - Brewery

• Blue Ridge Vineyard

• Callaway Brewing Company - Brewery

• Chaos Mountain Brewing Company - Brewery

• Chateau Morrisette - Winery, Dog friendly

• Flying Mouse Brewery - Brewery

• Parkway Brewing Company - Brewery

• Roanoke Railhouse Brewery Company - Brewery

• Soaring Ridge Craft Brewers - Brewery

• Sunken City Brewing Company - Brewery

• Valhalla Vineyards - Winery

• Whitebarrel Winery - Formerly Attimo Winery

THINGS TO DO

Hiking

There are a TON of hiking around Roanoke, here are a few.

• McAfee Knob - This is the most photographed spot on the Appalachain Trail

• Devil's Marbleyard

• Dragon's Tooth

• Mill Mountain Star

Hobbies

• Roanoke Valley .NET UserGroup - Meets the 1st Thursday of every month. Have presenters every month that discusses anything and everything programming. Mostly .NET but frequently dabble in Arduino, Java, and Javascript.

• Roanoke Valley Linux Users Group - Meets at various times to discuss anything Linux related

• B&D Comics

• Mishap Games - For those interested in board gaming

• The Roanoke Board Game Group

• Star City Games - Largest Magic the Gathering store in the world and it is right here in Roanoke. I can answer questions about them - u/Hanidalon

• Roanoke Robotics

• Roanoke Pinball Museum

• Roanoke Mountain Adventures - an outfitter here in the city that will pick you up by shuttle from your hotel and take you mountain biking. They also offer other fun stuff like kayaking, stand up paddleboarding and more

Music

• Roanoke Old Time Jam - Wednesdays 6-8PM

• The Harvester

• Dr. Pepper Park

• The Jefferson Center

Sights

• Roanoke Star

Social

• Monday Funday - Meets the 1st and 3rd Monday every month at various local establishments. Check out the page to determine where the next one is being held.

• Roanoke Valley NORML - See local Facebook Page here Groups trying to promote the legalization and decriminalization of cannabis.

• Roanoke Outdoor Club

• Meetup - A great resource for finding local groups who enjoy similar activites.

Shopping

• Southern Hills Homebrew Supply - Redditor owned - Great one-stop shop for all your beer and wine homebrewing needs.

• Photo USA - Redditor managed

EDIT: Adding suggestions