It is said that valuable things come in small boxes, but never in my wildest imagination did I…read moreconceive of a place like Stellina. After having been selected as number 4 of Yelp's Top 50 most prolific Elites of 2025, a year when I also was awarded the Yelp Triad Squad Photographer of the Year Award at their Yelpies 2025 Award Ceremony, an event that honored the highest-performing Yelp Elites, and where last year I was awarded the Yelp Triad Squad Yelper of the Year Award, I decided that this year, as an All-Star Yelp Elite, I not only wanted to be the first to discover new restaurants and bring them to the attention of the public, but also to uncover those found in hidden paths that for one reason or another have not reached the public in its totality. And Stellina, in Downtown Roanoke, is a perfect example. Stellina (which means "Little Star" in Italian) is a secretly hidden little bar within the very popular Italian Restaurant Fortunato, but with its own entrance through a door on the right of the restaurant. Its only indication of its name is a small letter board behind one of its front windows, stating its name and hours of operation. This bar was constructed with reclaimed wood from the Old Crow distillery and opened in December of 2016. Since then its gain a reputation as the ideal spot for hand-crafted cocktails in a cozy and intimate atmosphere. It seats only about 20 people, with 7 at the bar. Not that long ago it gained recognition by being featured in the New York Post as one of the world's best small bars. All that I can tell you about this place doesn't do justice to the experience of visiting the place for the very first time. After stepping inside, I was mesmerized by the simple yet effective, elegance of the establishment, complimented by the beautifully dressed young lady, server/bartender. Her elegant style and mysterious personality contributed to the character and ambiance of this one-of-a-kind relaxing place. The very hospitable young lady welcomed me and handed me the drink menu, while asking me if I also planned to dine there. I answered in the affirmative and asked her if they had any Mocktails. To my surprise, she pointed out that one side of the Drinks Menu were all non-alcoholic drinks, including mocktails, bottled mocktails, wine by the glass, and beers. I ordered one of the mocktails and by the end of my meal, I think I must have tried a few. She then brought me Fortunato's menu, and I ordered the Fritto Misto as appetizer and the Pork Milanese as my main entrée. I enjoyed both course immensely. A lady employee brought me the food from Fortunato's Restaurant through a door that led to the restroom area of Fortunato's Restaurant, pass the kitchen. For dessert, that Which I consider the "Grand Finale" of a wonderful fine dining experience, I ordered their Tiramisu and Hot Chocolate. They were absolutely mouthwatering. I highly recommend this place and can't wait to return in the near future.

My best friend Becca and I were looking for the perfect place to celebrate her 23rd birthday in…read moreRoanoke. We had originally settled on Fortunato's, but upon arrival at 6pm, the pleasant hostess had informed us that there was not a table available until 8:30. While she was seeing if there was space at the bar, another young woman said, "There's a table at Stellina!" We already knew that Stellina shared the same menu, so we were pleased to walk over there. A young man greeted us and said, "Sit wherever you like!" But there was only one table available. It was a great table, positioned by a window that let us see a glimpse of the city. Cocktail menus were already on our tables, and the young man asked if we wanted food menus as well. We said yes, and ordered The Obituary, a gin drink, a vodka drink that I cannot remember the name of, the house bread, Lumache a Forno, and Bucatini all'Arrabiatta. While waiting for our food, I got to admire the space. It was a small space decorated with a beautiful purple-lit wallpaper, christmas lights, and a colorful overhead light. The room was dark, but our table was tastefully lit with a small lamp. The wallpaper looked as if it had some floral print on it, but upon closer inspection, it was actually a collection of people's faces, which was charming. But perhaps the most striking element of this bar's atmosphere was the music. I immediately heard a trippy beat that was familiar to me, and upon shazaming it, found out it was Interia Creeps, by Massive Attack, one of my favorite 90s trip-hop bands. The music continued to impress me, and has inspired to start a spotify playlist called Stellina's Songs. Some of the standouts include: Army of Me - Bjork Never Let Me Down - Depeche Mode Lovesong - The Cure It's No Good - Depeche Mode The ambience of this dark, 90s music paired perfectly with the dark yet pleasant atmosphere of the restaurant. Our drinks were cold, our food was hot, and it was all quite delicious. I got to try both dishes and both drinks, and was perfectly satisfied. The gentleman that greeted us checked on us frequently, as well as another woman. Overall, the experience was classy and pleasant. The restaurant seemed popular among an older crowd. Nevertheless, this is a great place for anyone of any age to grab a drink or a bite to eat while feeling like an elegant member of society. This is truly a gem that Roanoke has to offer, and my experience could not have been greater.

I've dined at Bloom numerous times now and I must say the food is amazing. It's delicious and…read morecreatively presented. The blueberry waffle ( with fried chicken ) was delish, fluffy on the inside and slightly crispy on the outside. The potatoes with aioli were crispy with just the right amount of spice. My daughter got the burrata toast.. divine! Our waiter, Michael, was attentive, informative and very pleasant. We sat in a nice booth in the main dining room which has cool vibes and a countertop kitchen so we could see the production. Love that Bloom offers Sunday brunch on special occasions. Delightful experience from booking to finish. Looking forward to our next visit!

We got their price fix Japan menu and it was delicious! The salt bread was great, light and airy…read more Other standouts include the shrimp skewers and mushroom onigiri. The broth in the onigiri was perfect and balanced the crispy rice really well. Atmosphere was nice and chill, really great for a date or a group dinner

I cannot believe I have not written a review for this place when I go literally every week. Show…read morePony is such an amazing addition to the Roanoke area. Every Monday they have $2 oysters which always makes it worth going. The drinks here are AMAZING!!! it's so unique and so delicious! I enjoy that the food menu will have rotating items on top of permanent items. I cannot recommend the chicken tenders more. Everyone who works there is always nice and welcoming.

As soon as I found out that there was a new restaurant on the block, replacing a Grandin Village…read morefavorite, Local Roots, which operated next to the Grandin Theatre since 2010, until it suddenly closed, I phoned the number of the new restaurant to see if it was open, and when I found out it was, I immediately headed over to the restaurant to try it out. When I arrived to the place, I found out the name of the new restaurant by reading it from the window, painted in yellow paint: "SHOW PONY / COLD DRINKS HOT PLATES." Not until afterwards did I discover the meaning of this new restaurant's name. As I entered the door, I noticed that the bar had been extended along the wall with more seats, and was the center of attention of the restaurant. The booths that were once there had been replaced with bistro tables. But the focal point was definitely the bar which was completely full of customers talking, drinking, and having a good time. The clientele at the restaurant's tables was a diverse group of people of all ages, and of all economic backgrounds. The items on the drink and food menu were refined yet reasonably priced to accommodate everyone and leave out no one. The atmosphere of the restaurant was relaxed and unpretentious. It was a bar centered neighborhood joint, with refined yet accessible comfort food in a classy setting. It didn't take long for the host to warmly greet me and and offer me a seat at one of their small tables. And as soon as she left, my server arrived. She was a young lady with a welcoming attitude, a big smile, and a wonderful personality. When she asked me what I wanted to drink I asked her if they had any Mocktails in the menu. She immediately answered that she can have the bartender make me one and suggested THE BEST DAY EVER FAN CLUB. I agreed and she went over to the bar. What she brought back was amazing. It looked wonderful and tasted even better. She then took my food order after answering me some questions about the menu. I ordered the YAKAMEIN which contained Braised Beef in Broth with Noodles, Shrimp & Hard-boiled Egg, and was reasonably priced at $15. The entrée was a good size and tasted amazingly delicious. For dessert I had the HOUSE ICE CREAM which was Strawberry & Lime Ice Cream with Whipped Cream & Sponch Marshmallows. Also, very interesting and sweet. In conclusion I highly recommend this place. The owners did an excellent job in making their dream come true by with their creative imagination coming up with place everyone can enjoy to the fullest.

Amazing service at the bar beforehand where our group of 6 took a lot of our bartenders time with…read moresome questions, luckily it was pre dinner rush so we didn't halt service for others. We then proceeded to supper on the other side to enjoy the following: lobster thurmidor, oyster sampler, crab louie, canard frites, and affogato. This was a wonderful experience with courteous staff...our only hiccup came at the end of the meal. We were ready to leave and had to wait 15 minutes to be able to get our servers attention to get our check.

Sidecar in Roanoke is a great spot with a unique, creative menu and tons of tasty options. Sitting…read moreat the bar was the highlight for me though. Service was excellent and the staff were fun and knowledgeable to talk with. The bourbon selection is fantastic, with a wide range for any level of interest. I travel to this area for work frequently and have a hard time wanting to go anywhere else for dinner.

First time trying Lucky and I'd give it a 4.5 rounded up to a 5. The menu is local farm based so it…read morechanges seasonally and is a bit limited. I was disappointed because I was hoping to try a soup or scallops I'd seen in Yelp pics but they weren't in the menu this time. Which is the roll of the dice you pay for fresh creative menus. Dining area and bar have a nice vibe with attractive art work. Dim lighting and smaller tables make it cute for a date or a solo business diner like myself. The lucky cube drink was creative and tasty. Brussel sprouts were also unique with a tahini sauce on top and perfectly crispy chickpeas. I'd seen "Smoke in Chimneys Trout" on a few menus in Roanoke this trip but never heard of that before. Looked it up and learned something new. They are trout that are local and prized for living in a lime stone aquifer rather than a river. Giving them a clean light slightly sweet taste, no essence of mud that can come with other river fish. I've never ordered trout in a restaurant, But when in Rome... Lol. The fish itself and the portion was really good. Wish I could remember my waitress' name. She was knowledgeable and just had a really warm, friendly energy.

I came in for the fried chicken because other reviews were very positive .. the coating was v…read morecrunchy , plus , however it was really burnt ! Ir was really over cooked ; plus had little flavor . Needs a little salt and pepper .... Better chicken at Popeyes or Bojangles .. Mashed potatoes were excellent . I wa not impressed with the Kale and still think there may be fatback in it ... even though the server swore there was no pork on the dish .. anyway you can try for yourself .. maybe I just came on an off night . My server was very nice ( Alyssa ) BTW.

I was told to check this place out while I was in town. When I arrived they had a trivia contest…read moregoing on, I didn't participate but sounded like fun. The service was good. Sat at the bar and had a burger which was pretty good.

When I first reviewed this Downtown Roanoke Restaurant, I focused on their drinks and food. But…read morethis time around I couldn't help it to discover why this place is the center of Roanoke's night life. After being awarded the Triad Yelper of the Year 2024 Award at the Yelpies Award Ceremony last year, an event that honored the highest-performing Yelp Elites, I decided that it would be appropriate this year to go back to this restaurant and write a follow-up review, since my initial review was one of my reviews that contributed to me obtaining this highly esteemed Award. I arrived on a Thursday evening with a 6:15pm reservation which I'm glad I had made because later I found out that this place gets to be a full house on Thursdays. A young lady host greeted and welcomed me at the Host's station as soon as I arrived. She checked my reservation and had my table all ready for me. Located in the middle of this very popular Restaurant Bar, gave me a nice view of the entire place, and with a light high above I had a perfect lighting to photograph my drink and food as part of my review of the place. My server Jillian arrived soon after I was seated. She had a wonderful personality and welcomed me with a friendly smile and very pleasant attitude. After answering me some questions about their Mocktails, I ended up ordering their Raspberry Burro. For dinner I ordered their BBQ Bacon Chicken Kababs with a side of their special fries and a salad. While I was waiting for my food to arrive I observed the place quickly filling up and I found out that tonight was Music Bingo and Live Music at 9:30pm with no cover charge. It brought me back to my college days in Boston and Cambridge, Massachusetts, where the night life was a thing to look forward to. Suddenly I discovered the key of Martin's popularity and the important role it plays in contributing to making the City of Roanoke a Star City indeed. I enjoyed my drink and the Chicken Kababs with the side of special fries were amazingly delicious, as well as the salad. They have a good variety of quality items on their menu and their chefs amazingly deliver. I invite you to read my first review where I celebrate their Cuban Sandwich and Slaw, and view my photographs that accompany my review. What a night. Besides the food, I enjoyed playing the Music Bingo, which one of the card titles was The 1970's. One of the best years of my life, when I attended High School in San Juan, Puerto Rico and College in Boston and Cambridge, Massachusetts. During that time I also won a Saltwater Fishing Tournament at the young age of 17 by catching a 405 pound Blue Marlin off the coast of Isla Verde, Puerto Rico. It was the best of times for me. My server Jillian provided exceptional customer service, checking on me at the appropriate times. For dessert I ordered their Glazed Doughnut Bread Pudding, and it was so good, I can't wait to return to have it again. What an extraordinary dining experience I had that night. I highly recommend this restaurant and bar for when you feel like having a good time, alone or with family and good friends. I promise you will be able to sabor what a Five Star review is all about, and experience for yourselves why Martin's is one of the City of Roanoke's most precious gems.

In town for work and staying at the Fire Station One boutique hotel. Stock is located on the first…read morefloor so of course I had to try them. WOW! This place is a win for flavor and atmosphere. Kaitlin was the bartender and she also waited on me. She was friendly and knowledgeable about the menu. The bird-watcher drink she made me was SO delicious. I had the Kapsalon appetizer as my meal. It's kind of like a chicken shawarma salad over hand cut fries with a creamy herb dressing. Seating was flexible, I had the choice of outside back patio, inside at a table, or inside on a couch in the studio. I picked the couch and felt comfortable like at home. The whole place is very cool. I plan on staying here again for future work trips and will definitely try a lunch here sometime this week.

So much more than a cafe! If you're feeling fancy, Stock is a fantastic choice for food and drinks…read moreof incredible quality at a great price point. Set inside an old firehouse, at the back of a high end furniture store, this place made me feel like I was having a night out in a big city. My husband and I at sat at the bar and ordered pork schnitzel with warm potato salad and hanger steak with frites smothered in gouda cheese sauce. The pork and steak were cooked perfectly! The hanger steak tasted like a much more expensive cut of meat so clearly this is not the chef's first rodeo. And that cheese sauce was ridiculous. My husband enjoyed their $9 happy hour old fashioned and I loved my glass of cab sauv from Fableist. Our server gave us the perfect amount of attention as well. I neglected to take more pictures of the space but, it's gorgeous. This is a Roanoke gem for sure!

Roanoke's Historic Grandin Village has many restaurants of all sizes and types but one that stands…read moreout is Rockfish Food & Wine. Founded in 2005 by Olivia and Rocky Byrd, this family-owned and operated fine-dining restaurant was established to bring a high-end yet relaxed seafood and wine dining experience to this area. It offers a seasonal menu and an extensive wine list of over 270 selections. After being ranked 4th among Yelp's Top 50 Most Prolific Elites of 2025, a distinction recognizing my consistent community engagement and high-quality contributions, I decided that this year, as an All-Star Yelp Elite, I not only wanted to be the first to discover new restaurants, businesses, and establishments, and bring them to the attention of the public, but also to go back and write follow-up reviews on those places that impressed me the most during 2025, and Rockfish Food & Wine located in the heart of Grandin Village, one of the most desirable neighborhoods in Roanoke, Virginia, is the perfect example of one of them. After making a 5 o'clock reservation on the Toast platform from the restaurant's website, I did some errands and then proceeded to drive to the restaurant located at 1402 Grandin Road. (This is considered the Main Street of this neighborhood) The restaurant's building is located next to a small 7-Eleven, and doesn't have parking, but I found plenty of on-street parking spaces good for an hour or in some cases two, and free after 5 o'clock. I picked one of them and parked my pearl white Lexus there. When I entered the restaurant, a young, elegant lady greeted and welcomed me behind the Host's station. Soon after she took me to the requested booth, I found out her name was Kayla and she would be my server. While I was reviewing the menu, she brought me a carafe of cold water with a glass, and a small dish with slices of a baguette and butter. She then took my order. To drink, besides the water, I ordered a Strawberry Fields Mocktail. It had just the right taste and was brought to my table by the bartender herself. To dine I started off with a Crispy Oysters appetizer which was delicious. Followed by a Dinner Mixed Green Salad, which was one of the most delicious salads I've ever had at a restaurant. It had many ingredients and tasted amazingly delicious. For my main entrée I had their Ribeye Filet Au Poivre median rare. It came served with roasted mushrooms, green beans, and cheesy mashed potatoes, and was cooked medium-rare just as I ordered it. I invite you to view my photographs accompanying this review to get a better sense of the place and the high-quality food. My server provided exceptional customer service, filling my glass with water, and pointing me out the restaurant's owner who was an elegantly dressed, distinguish looking lady with lots of charm and a great personality, who had moved here with her husband and co-owner from California's central coast with a vision of creating a fine-dining restaurant which they felt the local area needed. I also found out through my server that every Thursday the restaurant had live Jazz music to a full house audience, and I would need to make reservations early. Seated at the table next to mine were a distinguished looking couple which I established conversation with and found out that the lady was Dr. Laura Treanor, the fifth president of Virginia Western Community College, who began her term on July 1, 2025. She had succeeded Dr. Robert "Bobby" Sandel, who retired after over two decades of service, and is leading the college with a focus on institutional effectiveness, instructional quality, and student success. For dessert I had their Vanilla Cheesecake with mixed berry sauce, which had missing the fresh berries described on the menu. I had just had such an extraordinary dining experience that I didn't even mention it. Before leaving and after paying the bill with my Harvard Alumni World Mastercard, I had the opportunity of meeting the founder and co-owner of the restaurant, Olivia, and thanking her and her husband for such a wonderful dining experience I had today and always whenever I dine there.

While enjoying a night out and eating at rockfish for the first time, I learned that the owner has…read morehad this place for 20 years, and still works behind the bar. She said she opened it because "Roanoke needed a place like rockfish," and she's not wrong. The food and drinks were delicious. We had pistachio and crusted salmon., and rack of lamb. The salmon was absolutely fantastic. I would've liked a little more lamb in my lamb dish for the price, but it was cooked very well and tasted delicious. Atmosphere is both high-end and casual at the same time, and the drink drinks she makes aren't lite on the pours. I absolutely plan to go back! They host live music quite often and it's a nice place to go. Listen to some music knock back a couple cocktails and have a great meal. Oh! And the charcuterie board was amazing!

Stopped in for a nightcap. Busy place most of the time so be prepared to wait a bit. Just had a…read morewhiskey neat so can't say much about my drink but Deb tried to get an expresso martini. They were out of the things to make it and the one they tried was not too good. A cool hotel bar to chill.

Our group spent plenty of time here. The bartenders were great. A special shout out to to Bethany…read more(I believe they was her name). They after party to the wedding we attended was held here and she did a great job in taking care of us. Foodwise, I recommend the crispy cauliflower. Perfect with the Get Bent IPA on draft.

Betty & Veronica's makes the BEST cheesecakes! We have tried their Blueberries & Cream but our…read morefavorite is their Banana Pudding Cheesecake. It is AMAZING!!! They are working on finding a business location but will meet up with you once you order. Their service is excellent and they schedule a time and local pickup. It is worth it, but looking forward to seeing them with a shop window so the rest of Roanoke can see what they are all about. Their customer service sets the bar for any other bakery in Roanoke and beyond. In short - they are wonderful! Forget any other cake - make your birthday, anniversary or other special event cake a Betty & Veronica's Cheesecake! They have a full menu with plenty of exquisite choices on their Facebook page! The best desserts in Roanoke! You MUST give them a call! Tell them Tom sent you!