Every place you need to eat in Roanoke, VA

My challenge: to eat at the most popular, affordable, locally owned eateries in Roanoke.

The results: a very full (and satisfied) stomach.

Famous Anthony’s

Famous A’s, as the locals call it, has been around since 1986. I can remember eating at one of their  many locations around town with my family when I was very young. My aunt even took us out to dinner there to tell us she was pregnant with her second child!

Anthony’s has been my pick for breakfast since high school, when my friends and I would get food on a testing delay day.

Roanoke Weiner Stand

Mom talks about eating here when she was in her 20s on her lunch break. I’ve heard a lot of people talk about it, actually, but I’ve never had it. I visited the second location (on Brandon Avenue) and thought it was the cutest thing. It’s adorably retro, with barstools, a Pacman machine, and 70s music playing over the radio.

I ordered a hot dog, just like it comes, and loved it! It was a beef hotdog smothered in mustard, onions, and chili. I usually avoid mustard and onions on my hotdogs, but I loved this one. It’s a great place to go for summertime food, like hotdogs and french fries.

Lil Cucci’s

While this little Italian place is technically in Daleville, it’s a staple for the northern side of town. Dale, the owner, knows everyone by name and makes his own bread from scratch! My parents like the steak sub and meatball sub, and I order the ziti with marinara sauce because it comes with a small loaf of Dale’s bread!

But the best thing on the menu is by far the pizza with its homemade crust, and plenty of sizes and toppings to choose from. You can’t go wrong here.

Beamer’s 25

This is one of my favorite places to eat in Roanoke for two reasons: one, it’s an entire restaurant dedicated to the life and coaching career of Frank Beamer; two, it serves the best burgers you’ll ever have. As a Virginia Tech student, Frank Beamer is one of my favorite people on the planet. He’s the winningest coach in college football and just retired last season after 29 amazing seasons with the Hokies.

Beamer’s 25 (his number when he played for the Hokies was 25) has memorabilia all over the restaurant from those seasons. The food is reasonably priced, considering the restaurant is located downtown. Outdoor seating makes summertime dining great, and I can’t even imagine what watching a Hokie game inside must be like. Come for Frank, stay for the burgers.

Pete’s Deli

Located in the Towne Square area of Roanoke, Pete’s Deli is a cute little hole-in-the-wall restaurant in a shopping complex. They serve just about everything you can imagine. I like the chicken strips, but my dad loves the gyros.

It’s a great spot for lunch, but bring your large groups too! I ate here with my friends before homecoming my sophomore year.

Three Little Pigs Barbecue

If you’re looking for good barbecue, look no further than Three Little Pigs. The restaurant was originally located in the Market Building downtown, but has since relocated to Daleville. Come by on Friday nights for live music, or for a quick meal in the afternoon, like mom and I did this week. I ordered the vinegar pork barbecue sandwich – the one former President George H.W. Bush ordered when he visited a few years back.

We also got a side of hushpuppies, and let me tell you, this barbecue is honestly the best I’ve ever had. You might even say it’s presidential.

Macado’s

Macado’s is a small chain based out of Roanoke, and it’s been my favorite restaurant since I was a little girl. Locations are mostly in the Roanoke area, but you can find a Macado’s as far away as West Virginia, North Carolina, and Tennessee! Each location is unique.

Decor features everything from Batman and the Joker to carousel horses, and local sports team posters to my personal favorite, King Kong. I guarantee you’ll see something new each time you dine. Macado’s is mostly a sandwich place, but they also serve up some killer nachos.

Dogwood Restaurant

Located in downtown Vinton, this restaurant was introduced to me as a part of this whole journey. You’ll totally miss this place if you’re not looking for it, and I would strongly advise looking for it. Mom loved her BLT, served with homemade chips, that only cost $3.50.

I got the turkey reuben, and while it had a tad too much sauerkraut for my taste, it was still delicious and incredibly filling. The best part was by far the homemade potato chips.

The Great 611 Steak Company

The Great 611 was a steam engine built in Roanoke and ran in the early 1900s. It’s been retired and refurbished a few times, but it’s still celebrated as if it runs everyday. Around the restaurant you can spy Roanoke and railroad memorabilia. As for the food, it’s a buffet with entrees you can order.

This is another place we ate a lot when I was growing up, probably because I had a thing for buffets. Make sure to stop by for a history lesson and some great food!

Texas Tavern

If you want a real Roanoke classic, look no further than Texas Tavern. The tiny diner opened in 1930, and the prices haven’t changed much since then. I had the cheesy western burger ($2.30), which had a burger patty, egg, pickles, mustard, and onions. It was my first burger with an egg, and I really enjoyed it. But what I really loved was the “World Famous Chile.” At $1.70, you can’t beat this bowl of beans and meat. It went surprisingly well with the burger.

Texas Tavern is unique in that they knew just about everyone’s order, and they have their own lingo. For example, the chile I ordered was called a “bowl with.” My favorite part of the restaurant was my favorite thing I found throughout this experience: the sign that says, “We seat 1,000 people…10 at a time.”

If you’re looking for a great place to eat, you don’t have to go to a chain. Roanoke has plenty of local options to choose from; these are just ten of my favorites.