For some time now I would walk by a place called CRAFTERIA on Church Ave in Downtown Roanoke,…read morewondering what was inside. Until one day, looking for a new Puertorican Restaurant named "Delicias Boricuas," I had a reason to go inside. And I'm so glad I did. When one walks in, one is greeted by a very friendly young man who is seated at a desk and who is in charge of taking care of you if you need to buy any of the arts and crafts items displayed in any of the booths inside. Then, the first store there is the Little Green Hive which is a Coffee, bakery, and sandwich shop. There is also the Puertorican Restaurant which is literally a hole in the wall where one orders their food and then goes to sit on marble tables and chairs that are all around to enjoy their food.Besides these two restaurants, there are a couple of beauty salons, and a vinyl record shop. As one walks around looking at all the beautiful arts and crafts displayed, there is music playing in the background. I would definitely recommend to those visting Downtown Roanoke to come by this place. Who knows you might discover a new place to hangout with family or friends and enjoy some coffee, shop for that special one of a kind gift, or discover the delicious flavor of the Puertorican Cuisine.

As tourists in Roanoke, we stumbled upon Crafteria while doing a self-initiated walking tour of the…read moredowntown area. We're so pleased that we did, as it was an interesting place to wander with its eclectic set of stalls with interesting and high-quality crafts, candles, vintage records, various foods, and more for sale. We were tempted by the Puerto Rican food stall, and just HAD TO take some empanadas and other savory snacks back to our hotel. I was also tempted to buy one of the absolutely gorgeous wooden charcuterie boards -- and, would have, had we not been walking. I did, however, take the craftsman's business card! A steady stream of customers were visiting while we were there.

I wish I could teleport this store to New York so I could shop there more regularly. I love…read moregreeting cards and the selection here is incredible and it took incredible restraint on my part to only buy seven of them! My husband on the other hand, showed no such restraint in the confection department as we spent a lot of green on candy purchases both times we visited the store during our long weekend in Roanoke. They also have so many neat gift ideas and items for your house. If you like to have fun cocktail napkins at your parties, you will find a huge assortment here. If I'd had a bigger suitcase, I would have bought more. The staff here is super friendly and helpful. They seem to enjoy what they do and it shows in the pride they take in the store and in their interactions with customers. Excellent place!

This amazing gift shop family business is full of surprises. Located on Market Street near the…read moreRoanoke City Market, it carries a wonderful selection of the finest artisan chocolates from around the States, as well as a nice variety of creative greeting cards, and gifts of all kinds. The store is completely packed from wall to wall and display case to display case in a well organized way and they manage to always be caught up with the current Holiday Season at hand. Besides this, it has a warm and friendly group of employees who greet you warmly from the time you step foot in the store and are always ready to answer any questions you might have of any of their products as well as assist you in selecting a gift or putting together a group of nice chocolate for that special person in your life. From the time you enter the store, you encounter a vast variety of greeting cards, chocolates, and gifts of all kinds; including books, local souvenirs of the Star City of Roanoke, and many curiosity items that will be the a surprise and topic of discussion of anyone fortunate to receive it as a gift. I highly recommend this unique chocolate, greeting cards, and gift shop to all those who are looking for a special gift for a family member, a friend, or a loved one, during the Holiday Season, for their birthday, or just to make any day a special day by surprising them with that "one of a kind" gift.

You guys carry a few products that others don't and your deli/meat department are stellar!read more

This is a nice-looking store, like most Fresh Markets. The selection was, as I often find, a bit…read morepuzzling. I came seeking the little protein shakes that are common in health food stores. Finding them neither with the vegetables or with the alternative milks or with the coffee-based mixed drinks, I assumed they didn't have any of this sort of item, only to find a small freestanding cooler that did have some, but not quite the price or selection that I was hoping after all that searching. Similarly, some elements of the fruit and vegetable section didn't quite have everything I was hoping for. This store also had a longer wait in line than I would have expected despite three registers running. There were still some good quality food items to be had, but trying to shop comprehensively at Fresh Market often leaves me a bit frustrated.

This is an upscale health food grocer in a town that does not have a Whole Foods, a Trader Joe's,…read moreor even a Sprouts. It is quite large for a store of this sort and was a clean, nice-looking space. As is often the case with these sorts of places, the fresh vegetable selection is not that big, but is high quality. There were a lot of good options for special dietary needs in the other sections. The price is predictably higher than other places, and I haven't determined whether this place could be a major contributor to my food supply or just an occasional stop to pick up a specialty item or hunt for sales. But I'm glad it's here.

It's nice to have a specialty market like this in Roanoke! They carry things I couldn't even find…read morein places like Whole Foods in other areas (if you follow a dairy free diet, the Follow Your Heart sour cream is amazing). The store is clean and organized. I also enjoy the juice bar, hot bar and hair/skin care section.

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.

Strolling through the market I ran across Roanoke Natural Foods…read more I browsed a bit and found them pricey. A manager was stocking shelves and struck up a conversation. He was friendly and I appreciated the assistance. I ended up grabbing an apple for my walk. Checkout was friendly and smooth. I would return.

The Roanoke Co+op is Southwest Virginia's largest food co-op. And this year they are celebrating…read moretheir 50th year anniversary. Since 1975 they have been serving the Roanoke Valley community. Located in Center In The Square, in the heart of Downtown Roanoke, it's a Market featuring natural grocery staples and organic-focused produce, along with prepared foods and grab-and-go options. It also accepts SNAP/EBT for its prepared foods. Besides this Roanoke Downtown location, it has another much larger community-owned grocery store in Grandin Village. This co-op has over 6,200 owners. They welcome everyone in the community as well as visiting tourists to shop there. And if you wish you too can become an owner by filling out an application and by making a one-time purchase of 8 ownership shares at $200 or paying for your shares one at a time in 8 installments of $25 each within an 8 year period. Owners receive benefits such as Owner Rewards, Patronage Rebates, Vote in their annual Board of Directors elections, eligibility to run for an open seat on the Board of Directors, and an invitation to the Annual Co-op Meeting. Today, I visited their Downtown Roanoke location. The employee on duty allowed me to explore the grocery store and take photographs to accompany my review. The store was very clean and organized, and although it was a bit late, early in the morning its suppliers bring in fresh merchandise, and make sure to fill up all its shelves spaces. In the past, I had purchased many items from this store. In the Summer, I would sometimes get a grab-and-go salad and either go sit at one of the tables that they put out in the Center In The Square or to the ones in the Market Building, and eat it with the salad dressing that it includes inside. Their hot Soup of the day is also very tasty and popular, and I've enjoyed a bowl many times. A while ago they experimented by selling Roanoke t-shirts and due to popular demand they now carry a nice variety of them for both locals and tourists who like taking one home with them as a souvenirof the Star City of Roanoke. I invite you to view my photographs accompanying this review to get a better sense of the place and the quality merchandise they sell here. I definitely highly recommend this grocery store to all who want to eat healthy and support locally sourced products.

Love Dan Walters. Best trivia ever. Geography and music, fun and order in food with amazing beers.read more

Loved this brewery (full disclosure, the band that was playing- Night Shift- was amazing and the…read moremain basis for this review!). The beer was good and the ambiance was fun. Lots of bonus points for being dog friendly! Also enjoyed the fire pits and Cornhole games! Service was friendly and efficient.

Was able to order a cake for my dad's birthday in advance on the website that was super quick and…read moreeasy to use. It might be my favorite cake I've ever had! The perfect density and the ganache is so rich and flavorful.

I picked up a slice of death by chocolate cake and it was extremely mediocre. The slice was very…read moresmall and dry and completely overpriced at $9 (I live in DC and would have thought it was overpriced at home!) The frosting was the best part...and I don't even like frosting! The interior was nice and inviting and the staff was friendly but I definitely won't be going back.