really solid bar food!…read more I love the vibe here and the atmosphere makes you want to stay awhile. Definitely a great local spot if you're looking for good bar food and a fun, relaxed place to grab a drink.

We visited the Yard Bird Tavern in downtown Roanoke. Finding a spot can be a bit of a gamble;…read moreunless you're lucky enough to snag a space at the curb, you should expect to pay for parking. ​Atmosphere & Menu ​Upon entering, we found the restaurant pleasantly sophisticated, though it was nearly at capacity. While we opted not to explore the drink menu, we were eager to see what the kitchen had to offer. The menu itself is concise, focusing primarily on wings, sandwiches, and pizzas, supplemented by a few small appetizers. ​The culinary style is quite eclectic. They feature several unconventional toppings and flavor combinations that might seem a bit eccentric at first glance. ​The Culinary Experience ​I decided on a flatbread-style pizza topped with: ​Smoked chicken ​Pickles ​Peppadew-style peppers (which resembled small cherry tomatoes) ​A tangy, zesty sauce reminiscent of an enchilada base with an extra "zing." ​My wife opted for a "build-your-own" pizza featuring red onions, pepperoni, and bell peppers. Although she realized too late that she had forgotten to request light sauce, she noticed the oversight immediately upon the dish's arrival. ​Service Observations ​The service was a bit of a mixed bag. Our waitress was professional but remarkably brisk. She lacked the usual pleasantries or "small talk" one might expect, focusing instead on efficiency. While her haste felt a bit impersonal, I couldn't complain about her attentiveness--she was incredibly prompt at refilling my iced tea the moment my glass was empty. Make sure you bring your pocketbook this pizza brings a sting at the register.

The first thing that attracted me to this Shack was the graphic design of its logo. It was simple,…read moreyet very effective, to communicate what this place was all about. Yet never in my wildest dream would I have imagined that it was designed by a kid, the nephew of the owner. 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 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 Subshack in Salem, Virginia, is the perfect example. After arriving to this Sub Shop located in a small strip mall in the middle of nowhere, in Salem, Virginia, the friendly owner of the place, who has a wonderful personality, gave me a warm welcome and immediately, in a nutshell, told me the story of how this place came to be. Born and raised in New York and having lived for many years in North Carolina, the opportunity of opening up this business here in Salem, Virginia came up and he literally went for it. And aren't we lucky he did because it is an ingenious little Sub Shop, a product of two persons who let their imagination run wild and then worked hard to see their dream of owning a little restaurant come true. And don't be confused by its name, it simply means a small place where large Subs are made for people to savor and enjoy. Thus we have: the "SUBSHACK." This restaurant is mostly for orders To-Go, yet outdoor, in front, it has a picnic table, for customers who would enjoy eating there during the warm Seasons of the year. They bake their own Sub bread in-house daily, and also have daily Specials. Today's Special was: "BUY ANY LARGE SUB GET A FREE DRINK & CHIPS." So I ordered their large Italian Sub. The Sub bread was gigantic and their Deli meats were also quality and huge. On top of this there was a large list of ingredients you could add to the Sub. I invite you to view my photographs accompanying this review and see for yourselves. Besides Hot and Cold Subs, they also serve Paninis, Desserts, and Milkshakes and Smoothies. I can't wait to return and try their Cuban Panini. In conclusion I definitely recommend this Sub place as a very unique place if you're looking for good food, prepared in a welcoming and friendly environment, by a warm and kindhearted individual.

Excellent service and freshly prepared food tucked back into a small area off of Apperson. I was…read morereally impressed with their attention to detail and food quality. I will be back again. Highly recommended!

A nice specialty grocery with deli counter…read more I was too late to catch the deli counter but browsed and got a loaf of sourdough from a vendor. From my limited experience I would return.

Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined such an extraordinary Grocery and Cafe that opened…read moreits doors in 2019 after quality extensive renovations to Tinnell's Finer Foods, when it closed its doors after 82 years of serving the South Roanoke community. When I came to visit this place for the first time I had no idea that it had a close relationship to the River and Rail Restaurant which I reviewed last year, giving it the highest rank of my Five Star reviews ever. When doing my research for this review I found out that the long-time Roanoke residents, Whit and Lauren Ellerman, the owners of Crystal Spring Grocery, are also the owners of the River and Rail Restaurant, located on the same block as Crystal Spring Grocery. The Ellermans clearly have an eye for recognizing the possibilities of vacant buildings and the talents of others and a vision of how they can come up with something as wonderful as this establishment. Gourmet grocery store and Cafe is a short definition of what Crystal Spring Grocery Company is all about. But I must go more in depth of what makes it so special and unique beside being gourmet. First of all I was very impressed with the interior design of the building space. Simple yet beautiful in its simplicity. I particularly loved its shiny whitish gray floors, and the green furniture and design, throughout the Grocery as well as Cafe. Also, I was very impressed with the windows and lighting treatment of the place. Second, I was very impressed with the quality and organization of the food items and wines, in the Grocery area. Third, with the menu items and quality of the food coming out of the kitchen of the Cafe. I had an Iced Sweet Tea to drink, and a Chicken Sandwich with Fries to eat. Everything was amazingly delicious. And last, but not least, I was highly impressed with the quality of your employees; with the ones behind the counter up front and the ones taking the orders and handing them out in the Cafe area. They all were so friendly and welcoming and at the same time so knowledgeable and organized, providing exceptional customer service individual and working as Team players. I highly recommend this Grocery and Cafe to everyone reading my review and viewing my photographs accompanying this review. This place is another gem in the this neighborhood.

This was my very first time dining here, but after successfully purchasing a beautiful 2022 Lexus…read moreES 350 at Brambleton Imports, I sort of have developed an interest in many of the businesses located on Brambleton Ave. 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 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 Brambleton Deli in Roanoke, Virginia, is the perfect example. So today, I decided to have dinner here and try it out. Arriving a little before six, their front parking lot was already full. Luckily the parking lot continues around the side.of their building and into the back where it turns into an even larger parking lot. After parking my car in a safe spot, I walked to the front of the restaurant and entered through the front door after passing by their outdoor dining patio. There was already a long line of customers waiting to be seated. But with patience the friendly hostess got to me and brought me to one of the booths of the place. My friendly server Kelty soon arrived to greet me and take my order. To drink I ordered a Sweet Ice Tea. As an appetizer I wanted to have their Mini Corn Dogs but they were so many for one person that the server suggested I have the Kids Mini Corn Dog as appetizer and I did. For my main course I had their Pork Barbecue Platter, with Pit Cooked Pork, Cole Slaw and Onion Rings as side items. The 6 mini corn dogs were delicious, crunchy on the outside and soft in the inside, and having them made the wait shorter. The BBQ sauce came on the side. While the food was cooking my server came by to check on.me and give me a refill of Sweet Ice Tea. I asked her about where the bar was and she told me on the other side.of the restaurant and that some nights they have live music there. I figured if it was so crowded today on those nights it must really be crowded. By this time the food was ready and brought to my booth. The Pork was fresh and juicy, and after I spread the BBQ sauce over it, it was even better, the Onion Rings and Cole Slaw were also very good. And the Reese's Peanut Butter Pie was outstanding. After I paid the bill, I went for a walk to see the bar and the area where they play live music some nights. On the other side of the restaurant and next to the bar, this other dining area is more elegant and stylist in part for the quality of the furniture and lighting treatment. Can't wait to come again some night with a group of friends to listen to the live music. I definitely recommend this place as somewhere to go and spend some quality time in a relaxed environment, with good food at reasonable prices and to top it off live entertainment.

Always great food, great service and a lot of fun. Whether…read moreyou are with family or meeting friends you can count on a nice time.

Nothing presumptuous about this hole in the wall deli located in a clean, small space, with hardly…read moreany decorations at all. Just a brochure menu with this saying on the cover: "Generous portions, made fresh, specifically for you." After being awarded the NC Triad Yelp Squad Yelper of the Year 2024 Award at the Yelpies Award Ceremony last year, an event that honored the highest-performing Yelp Elites, celebrating their contributions and accomplishments throughout the year, I decided that this year, as an All-Star Yelp Elite, I not only wanted to be the first to discover new restaurants and businesses, 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 Joe's Deli, in Salem, Virginia, is a perfect example. Located right next to the City of Salem Farmer's Market and its parking lot, where you can conveniently park for up to two hours, enough time to park and walk across the street to Joe's Deli to have something to eat.While I was walking, I noticed a mural with a rendition of people eating at Joe's Deli painted on the side of the building, which I found very interesting. Once inside, during around lunch time, the restaurant was modern and clean with a minimalist decor. The dining area had both regular size and high tables and chairs, and also a small bar counter with a large screen TV and a framed American Flag under it. On the wall leading to the ordering counter there was a poster with a QR code to be able to skip the line by ordering online on their website. Next to this there was another poster with the Roanoke College Wrestling schedule for the season. The atmosphere here was incredibly warm and inviting, making for a really comfortable experience. On top of that, this was by far one of the cleanest delis I've ever visited; it's clear they take take great take great pride in their space. I waited in line as a lady in front of me was making her order at the ordering counter and a gentleman was waiting standing up for his take-out order. While I waited I took a menu brochure from the counter and planned what to order. When it was my turn to order, a friendly lady greated me at the ordering counter and answered some questions that I had about what I was planning to order. I ordered a Reuben Pastrami that came on a white rye bread, and included a bag of chips. To drink I ordered a Pepsi since they carried Pepsi products. When my order was ready they called my name and I went to pick it up. The sandwich came wrapped in a nice, heavyweight waxed sandwich paper. When I opened it at my table, the sandwich was humongous, filled with a generous amount of quality Pastrami, Swiss cheese, Sauerkraut, and Thousand Island on a white rye bread, and was toasted. It was amazingly delicious! So much so that I went back and complimented the owner and chef of the restaurant, in person through the window that led to the kitchen. I highly recommend this deli for breakfast or lunch. For they have the qualities of a great Delicatessen, focusing on quality ingredients, generous portions, and excellent service.

The pastrami was amazing. Everything you want in a deli. The staff was friendly and very helpful…read more Food was amazing.

I have been to many bakeries in my lifetime, many wonderful ones located in cities like San Juan,…read moreMadrid, Rome, Paris, Brussels, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston, Miami, and Washington, DC, among others. I have truly enjoyed dining in each and every one of them. But Bread Craft, located in the Star City of Roanoke, is in a class of its own. 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 Bread Craft Bakery, located in Downtown Roanoke, is the perfect example of one of them. Bread Craft is a premier, artisan European-style bakery established in 2006 by owner Alex Eliades, who besides having a passion for baking, has over 25 years of baking experience, and leads the bakery focusing on traditional slow-fermentation techniques. The bakery is known for its high-quality, scratch-made sourdough, pastries, and Croissants. It evolved from a wholesale operation into a popular 6,000 square foot café on Church Avenue, also supplying local restaurants. The bakery specializes in Franch and German-style baking, utilizing sourdough as a natural leavener. It servers breakfast and lunch items, including sandwiches, salads, and some creative breakfast egg entrées. They are open Wednesdays through Sundays from 8:00AM - 2:00PM and are well known for running out of items before the end of the day. For this review I visited the Bakery / Café for breakfast on two consecutive Wednesdays. The first Wednesday I arrived too late to be able to have their Chorizo & Eggs Cocotte from their Breakfast menu. Breakfast is only served until noon, and I found out about this on that day. So instead I had a Cheese Danish and a house-made Mocha Coffee. Both items were delicious. On the second Wednesday I arrived much earlier for breakfast. Luckily, right before a whole rush of customers arriving to place Take-out orders. As soon as I walked inside I immediately felt comfortable with its clean and contemporary architectural design and decor, and an exposed red brick wall that gave it a warm ambiance. One can see that the owner spent a substantial amount in renovating the place when they moved here, and that they took good care of it, because it looked as if it had just opened for the very first time yesterday. While I was looking over all the baked items they had, I received a friendly greeting and warm welcome from a lady behind the counter who seemed to be the manager and took my order. To start I ordered a Chorizo Quiche which happened to be the Quiche of the day, and a house-made Mocha Coffee. Then since I was planning to turn this into a Brunch, for my main entrée I ordered their Chorizo Cocotte from the Breakfast menu. And for dessert I had a Chocolate Hazelnut Croissant that was simply irresistible. Everything tasted amazingly delicious, especially since I love Chorizo. The Quiche had an amazing crust with the eggs inside cooked with the perfect amount of chorizo. The Chorizo Cocotte was served in an elongated bowl with two poached eggs over Spanish sausage, accompanied by three slices of freshly made Baguette. And if all this wasn't enough, the Chocolate Hazelnut Croissant was the perfect ending dessert to this fabulous put together Brunch. Oh and the coffee was the best of the best. I invite you to view my photographs accompanying this review to get a better sense of the place and the quality of their food. What an outstanding dining experience I just had at Bread Craft. Wonderful ambiance, amazing food, and extraordinary customer service. I highly recommend this Bakery/Café whenever you're in the area. I'm absolutely certain it will become one of your favorites bakery.

The place I live has no good bread bakeries, so it was delightful to find Bread Craft while…read morevisiting Roanoke. We were only in town for a few days, but we made it our breakfast place for our entire visit. They have excellent pastries in addition to fantastic-looking bread, and great coffee. I had their strawberry bostock (which in this case is a sort of brioche-based confection with strawberries and powdered sugar) and a blueberry Danish. It's a cozy yet spacious place. The staff were super friendly. I'll miss them!

Fantastic food and great environment! Every time we are in town we stop by for a croissant!!read more

What a cozy family style feeling when you walk into this bistro. The pastry case was loaded with…read morebeautiful cakes & macarons. I chose the mango mousse cake - WOW it's light & airy & refreshing , the flavors & textures all compliment each other. The young gentleman at the counter was friendly and ready to serve. I also picked up two chocolate ganache macarons for my husband to try later on. I tried their strawberry & cream iced latte - it was just okay - I didn't get much vanilla taste in my latte. Overall, would definitely come back to try more of their desserts & maybe try lunch next time too!

OK, I feel like everyone in town loves this place, including myself. They finally accept debit…read morecards, which is amazing. The amount of food you get for your dollar they are feels like we are still in the 1990s. You can totally fill up on less than 10 bucks. I love the Kosher Klub German potato salad. It's always been my toe but recently, I've tried the submarine. And my oh my it is phenomenal.

The New Yorker Delicatessen is practically a landmark in the Star City of Roanoke, Virginia,…read more providing Quality Subs, Deli Meats, and other delicious items at very reasonable prices. I never got to visit it before Covid. But after Covid the dining room is no longer in operation and the Deli is Open for Take Out orders only. Their menu has been practically the same for 30 years, but now they accept credit cards for payment as well as cash. They have one of the largest parking lots of a restaurant located on Williamson Road. Yet it is never full anymore because now the restaurant is Open for Take Out orders only. Nevertheless, after all these years, I was looking forward to going in and discovering what was inside that has continue to attract such a large clientele to the restaurant. With a beautiful Art Deco-Ish Restaurant sign on its parking lot, that entice you to drive in; the architectural solid design of the building structure seems to be reflecting how solid this business continues to be in spite all it has gone through during the Civid era. The restaurant's building design contained many brown bricks as well as tiles making it look warm and solid. As one entered through two larged open doors, the first thing one saw was refrigerated display cases with Deli meats and other food items such as potato salad, cheese cakes. One of their employees greeted me with a smile behind the counter and even though I had a small menu of the place, she showed me a large version of the menu located on one of the walls, when I told her this was my first time here. The decor was very simple with chips filling all the all the wooden shelves around, a framed large portrait of the deceased founder of the restaurant, and many award certificates that the restaurant had won through the years. I ordered a Cheese Dog to go, because of the quality look of the hot dogs stored inside the refrigerator display case up front. And also an Onion Wheel, that had Corned Beef, Pastrami, and Imported Swiss, Served with Lettuce and Onions on a Buttered Onion Roll. For dessert I ordered a slice of their famous Cheesecake made in-house and a Chocolate Bomb. A dessert that I had for the first time at a local Italian Restaurant. Made with chocolate mousse in the center and other layers of chocolate all around, it is one of my favorites desserts ever. When I approached the cashier counter to pick up my order and to pay for it, a very welcoming and friendly lady who seemed to be the manager of the restaurant talked to me a little bit about the history about the restaurant and about its founder and his wife. From there I also got to see the dining area, that even though it was not used at the moment, gave you a sense of how the restaurant looked when it had eat in service. The food items were all reasonably priced. They sandwiches bread was soft and fresh and well toasted. And the deli meats, cheese, and other ingredients were served in generous portions, and amazingly delicious. And the slice of Dill Pickle was a nice touch to the eating experience. The desserts were also amazing, from the Cheesecake made in-house to the Chocolate Bomb who I would definitely return just for this alone. Even though I missed the inside the restaurant dining experience, I definitely highly recommend the amazing food and extraordinary customer service received. Great place to Order Out food for a family gathering or a special occasion party or event.

A friend of mine recommended this Deli to me and since this is one of the most effective ways of…read morediscovering interesting places to eat, I decided this morning to go check it out for breakfast. The only New York City Deli in Roanoke, Virginia; located almost in the corner of Jefferson Street and Campbell Avenue SE, it is centrally located with on street parking as well as a parking garage nearby. When I arrived to the building where the restaurant was located, it had a small restaurant front with windows on the two sides of the restaurant's door. It had its name painted in the window, as well as a black stand out sign with golden letter fonts: "R.T. Smith's Delicatessen EST. 2011." From outside it seemed like all small restaurant, but once inside, I found that its was actually a long space with an infinite amount of food products and many menus for breakfast and lunch. The restaurant was decorated with many interesting items, menu signs, and a collection items of Star Trek figurines. The owner greeted me with a friendly hello and asked me to pick a table, serve myself coffee, and take a seat. After reviewing the menu while sseated, I ordered the Hot Mess Omelette. It was one of the largest omelettes in the Breakfast menu. Later I found out that they also had Breakfast Add Ons to the Omelette at an extra price. But the Omelette I ordered already had 4 eggs, ham, bacon, sausage, and American & Gouda cheese. When the Omelette was cooked and served on the counter, I went to pick it up and pay the bill on the cashier counter. When I took it to my.table and opened up the container where it was served; I was amazed at the size of it. It was cooked perfectly. I put salt and pepper on it from the antique Coca Cola bottle shackers and began eating it. It was one of the best Omelettes that I have ever eaten! And I have eaten the best of the best. Another of my best was one I ate at the Boston Marriott Hotel that had Lobster meat, mushrooms, and brie cheese. Afterwards, I stayed for a while drinking my coffee and talking to the owner and his wife. They both have wonderful personalities and we talked about the business, their move from New York to here. How they import their fresh bagels from New York and soon they will be importing other items as well. Their hobby of collecting Star Trek figurines and other items. Before I left I made sure to tell them that they had just gained not only a new customer, but also a friend. I highly recommend this restaurant for breakfast or lunch. They serve quality food in generous portions and cooked extraordinary well. And provide with their wonderful customer service an amazing dining experience!

If a traditional style deli shop is what you are looking for, THIS IS THE SPOT! The people here are…read morefriendly, respectful & honest. They keep the place clean & maintained. Affordable prices & fresh cut deli meats.

Great food! Service is always good. Would definitely recommend. Now I'm just putting words to get…read moreto the 85 characters.

Dropping our son to college. Somehow saw Yelps Top 100 sandwich places in the USA. Just a short…read moredrive from Virginia Tech in Salem. Located in beside a gas station. Going in we asked the locals what to get- everything. That didn't help with great selection of sandwiches and wraps. The place has some hand carvings on the wall- Nepalese. The owner is very pleasant and helpful. We chatted a bit after we got our sandwiches to go. We got three sandwiches- the Brooklyn, the Manhattan, and Chicken tandoori. All sandwiches were amazing. But the chicken tandoori stood out the most- amazing flavors!!! Highly recommend it. We also got some fries. They also sell cookies and some Punjabi snacks. Definitely will hit this place again when we come visit.