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    Ernie's

    4.0 (101 reviews)
    InexpensiveBreakfast & Brunch
    Open 7:00 am - 1:00 pm

    Ernie's Photos

    Business Info

    ERNIE'S ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Good for kids
    Good for groups
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - Ernie's

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    Entrance!
    Whitney W.

    Great service and atmosphere, no frills just solid good food. Came in at 8:30 on Wednesday with a girlfriend for some coffee and breakfast and the western omelet and wheat toast was the perfect combo. The food was filling, serviced with a smile and multiple coffee refills. The exposed brick and historic photos hung up are a nice touch. Bathrooms and everything were very clean!

    Justin V.

    We came in mainly to chat with one of our former college professors, who was kind enough to meet up before we embarked on our return trip home. Ernie's is located in the downtown section of Roanoke, facing the intersection of Market St and Campbell Ave. It's a small venue full of neon-lit signs and other odds and ends. The best description I can give is that Ernie's is a more eclectic version of No Frill in Ghent. Being a film geek, one thing that stood out was the lamp leg made famous in A Christmas Story ("Frageeelay!"). You can find one at Ernie's bar. Coincidentally, No Frill boasts the same lamp leg at their bar (last time I checked). It was a little chilly, but warm enough to sit outside. We were a party of 4, but the 3 of us heading back to CoVa decided to go light as we already agreed to visit County Smoak again. I opted for a side - home fries with American cheese and grilled onions (per our server's reco). Neal ordered the same thing, and we were happy with it. For me, the side tasted like an omelet sans eggs. I enjoyed it and would've happily ordered more food if not for the impending County Smoak revisit. We talked more than anything - Prof. Lazenby was the only person at our table who ordered a full breakfast. We actually talked long enough to notice our server hadn't visited our table in a while. It turned out that once she gave us our check, she was pretty much done waiting on us, since we have to pay at the register (I had hoped to get a refill of my drink during our lengthy conversation). That was the only hiccup from our dining experience, albeit a minor one. One more note - their bathrooms are single-serve. It appeared clean when I used it. I've always liked downtown Roanoke - for a small city they boast a commendable food scene. Hopefully I'll have another chance to visit Ernie's and order a proper meal. Thank you, Ernie's! JV

    Scrambled eggs, sausage, and a giant potato pancake
    Amanda H.

    I went to Ernie's for breakfast this morning and was not disappointed. We found a table immediately. This is a small locally owned diner style establishment, however there was plenty of f seating available as we went late morning. I was starving and wanted a hearty meal. I ended up order the 2 egg breakfast with sausage, a potato pancake, and a side order of biscuits n gravy. The food came out very quickly and was absolutely delicious. The eggs were perfectly cooked and immediately upon taking a bite of the sausage could tell it was great quality meat. My biscuit and gravy was very tasty as well and the biscuit was not dry at all. The potato pancake....OMG! It was huge and had this nicely seasoned creamy sort of center. It was delicious! Friendly staff, very reasonable prices, and great food makes this girl happy. I would definitely like to come back and maybe have lunch another day.

    Jack P.

    Quaint little breakfast and lunch place downtown Roanoke. We ordered and egg salad sandwich on wheat. It was good but tasted a little vinigrey - strange taste. The service was okay and the waitress was busy. Not a do over! No coke products!!!!!!!!

    Holly K.

    Wow! What a gem in Roanoke. We were staying nearby at Hotel Roanoke and Ernie's was super close and had great reviews. We went in around 9am on a Sunday and were able to grab a seat without a problem. They have both indoor and outdoor seating. The servers all seem to take care of every table, which worked out well. We were able to quickly order, they brought over huge mugs of coffee, and then our food was super quick as well. I tried out the potato cake and I think I was envisioning more like a latke but it was literally more like a potato and a pancake. It was tasty, but mine was super well down. My husband got a biscuit sandwich and really enjoyed it. What was a huge standout for me was, the price! I literally could not believe we got two coffees, two dishes, with tip, for $20. Like where do you find that anymore?! No where! Great spot for a fast and super affordable local breakfast!

    Breakfast menu
    Jessica D.

    Quick and easy! Cheap but delicious. We sat at the counter and I tried the biscuits and gravy. It was definitely worth the price and the biscuit was fluffy. The sausage gravy could use a tad more seasoning and I wish I would've asked for a scrambled egg on top to give the dish a little something extra. Great breakfast spot.

    Phil enjoyed his cake at Ernie's.
    Charlie A.

    We were looking for a place to have breakfast and saw that Ernie's was open. Our server was very nice and attentive. The atmosphere was wonderful and had a Cheers vibe. We tried the potato cakes and they were awesome! Good coffee too! We went back later for coffee and cake. We highly recommend this restaurant. Ernie's is great!

    2 eggs, bacon, home fries and toast

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    2 months ago

    Great American foods, pleasant surroundings, affordable prices. Excellent service. This is my affordable go to .

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    5 months ago

    Great food and service in a charming setting on the market. Fast, quality, generous servings.

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    9 months ago

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    9 months ago

    Great breakfast, nothing fancy but you won't leave hungry. Great sausage gravy, pancakes were tasty as well

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    10 months ago

    I love their biscuits and gravy and there home fries are delicious. Staff is wonderful. Definitely a hidden gem. Great food

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    2 years ago

    The homemade sausage gravy is very good. Service is great. Highly recommend for an early morning breakfast.

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    2 years ago

    A cozy little spot with awesome people and great food. Waitress is amazing! Potato cakes were a surprise treat

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    3 years ago

    Great breakfast and very friendly staff! Highly recommended ,had the sweet potato pancakes with bacon and eggs

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    Ask the Community - Ernie's

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    Bread Craft - Eating the freshly made Raspberry Almond Danish with a fork.

    Bread Craft

    (185 reviews)

    $$

    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.

    10 out of 10 recommend! This place has the best pastries and bread in all of Roanoke! If you're…read morethinking about trying it, do it! You will not be disappointed! Best almond croissant I've ever had. I am obsessed with the sour dough. They usually have daily specials but you need to get there early (before 10am) to try one before they sell out, especially on the weekend. The have a refurbished old cigarette vending machine in the front, ask the front desk for a token to get a piece of art from it! Tokens are $5 and well worth it and a fun activity! They stock the machine with little pieces of art work from local / regional artists.

    Scrambled

    Scrambled

    (245 reviews)

    $$

    We stayed in Roanoke for the month of October and tried a lot of restaurants while we were there…read more Scrambled became our favorite breakfast spot. The service was great every single time. We were always greeted warmly and genuinely felt welcome, not just like customers passing through. The food was consistently great and the French toast was the best. Portions are the perfect size. On our last visit, we wanted to buy their WTFT ("What the French Toast") t-shirts, but they didn't have our sizes in stock. The owner took down our information and later shipped two shirts to us to our home in California, complete with a personal note. Truly above and beyond.

    Located at one of the most prime locations of Roanoke's City Market Square in one of the corners of…read morethe Historic City Market Building, with a beautiful view of the heart of Downtown Roanoke, this breakfast restaurant is open daily from seven o'clock in the early morning until two o'clock in the afternoon, except Sundays that they open at eight o'clock, and they're closed on Mondays. Last time I visited this restaurant and wrote a review I found it simply amazing: its decor, its ambiance, its food, and most important of all, its excellent customer service by its friendly and very efficient servers. I invite you to read that review and view my photographs accompanying it to get a better sense of my experience here, then. However, this time around, it wasn't so good. And I judge restaurants by their consistency of quality of food and service. This time, the ambiance was nice and the service was excellent by a friendly young lady server, but the quality of the food left much to be desired, especially the way it was cooked. The cook was a total disappointment. I was one of the first ones there when they opened their doors. When I entered, a group of friendly and eager to serve servers who where gathered around chatting, waiting for their customers to arrive, greeted me and gave me a warm welcome, and invited me to take the table of my choice. Soon after I was seated, my server, a friendly young lady came by and took my order. I asked for orange juice and coffee to drink, as well as a glass of iced water. And to eat I asked for the dish that I so much enjoyed and was looking forward to having today: the Steak & Eggs. I ordered a five ounce filet cooked medium rare with two fried eggs cooked over easy, served with homefries as my choice of side, and for bread: white Texas toast. While I waited for my food to come out, I enjoyed drinking my orange juice and coffee, looked over the menu, and looked out the window where I saw in the distance, Ernie's, one of my favorite breakfast restaurants, for its consistency of quality food and service, and relaxing environment. When my server brings my food, the first thing I noticed was my flat filet cut. Usually this cut is for customers who like their steak well done. Last time, my filet was a thick cut one, cooked medium-rare to perfection. Then I saw the fried eggs. They weren't over easy, but over cooked as well. And the toast was over-toasted and laid there while the food was cooking, because it was luckwarm and hard by the time it got to me. When I cut my steak with the steak knife to see if it was pink inside, it was not. It was tough and dry. When my servers. I signaled one of servers asking for my server and tell her about my steak. She replied that now they were using a different meat provider, but that she would take it back and ask for another to be cooked. She only takes the steak back. Shen then brings me another back that not only had a weird shape, but was rare and with gristle. Judging by the quality of the second steak, the cook didn't intend to make amends, or maybe didn't know better. It's a pity because everything else about this restaurant is comforting, but when the food isn't, it takes away the desire to return. I hope the management and the owner of the restaurant read this review and take the necessary steps to correct the misdoing. Because restaurants' success is brought about through repeat customers and not by passersby.

    First Watch

    First Watch

    (177 reviews)

    $$

    I'm a fan of First Watch and do seek them out when traveling due to their consistency of being…read moreabove average. So when in Roanoke, Virginia I found they had a location. They also have another location in nearby Salem. I used the app for getting in line which typically works flawlessly. My time to arrive was 15-20 and upon arrival in that frame a table was ready. A host seated us with menus and silverware. Our group of four looked over the menu as a waitress arrived minutes later. She got the drink order and arrived back in short order. We were ready to order. I cannot remember what everyone got, but I had the Spring chimichurri special and added an avocado. The dining room was packed as was their outdoor patio. The noise was elevated, but not piercing. We had a table near the patio. I enjoyed my coffee as we waited for brunch orders. It's impossible to not be impressed with the hard working staff as they quickly moved through the dining room. After around 15 to no more than 20 minutes the food hit the table. The millionaire bacon is always a huge hit and recommend. Everyone's dishes were correct. My dish overall looked smaller than I've had before. Everyone enjoyed their dishes. The avocado add was two tiny pieces which was disappointing. When our waitress checked in I alerted her the avocado add on was underwhelming. She immediately addressed it with additional. She also got another water craft. Checkout was efficient up front. In my opinion First Watch offers a higher level service, good and atmosphere. I plan on returning with additional visits in Roanoke coming up this Summer.

    We stumbled upon this place and glad we decided to stop on in. The food was hot, fresh and…read moredelicious. The menu - beautiful and so many options - it was hard to choose but I settled on the farmhouse hash - potatoes with cheese & bacon, topped with eggs and avocados, served with toast. I also tried the honey caramel crunch coffee - a bit too sweet for my liking and the cold foam was off seemed more like marshmallow fluff . My husband enjoyed the Barbacoa Breakfast Tacos. We had a very nice waitress - food came out quickly. I wish I would have gotten some inside pictures - I'm a bit nervous when it comes to that - but it's spacious and trendy inside! I already plan to come back - to try that lemon blueberry cornbread!

    Crumbles Store - The Nice. Biscuit with Bacon, Egg, and Cheese. Really nice!

    Crumbles Store

    (19 reviews)

    Enjoyed this small restaurant for a quick breakfast. I got the sausage, egg, and cheese biscuit…read morewhich was small but filling. I didn't think they are rave worthy but I enjoyed it and would go back to try a different one. The cashier seemed like the owner and she was very nice!

    A quaint little Breakfast Cafe, located on a hidden Avenue in Downtown Roanoke, Crumbles…read morespecializes in quality homemade buttery Biscuits and Cinnamon Rolls, as well as in Coffee, Hot Tea, Pemium Hot Chocolate, and different kinds of Frappés. On weekdays they are usually opened by 7:00am and closed by 11:30am. On Saturdays they open at 8:00am and are closed by 12:30pm. The owner, a native of Venezuela, seems to come from an Entrepreneural family since he is the brother of the owner of Leonore Restaurant, a Venezuelan food restaurant, now located in Salem, Virginia. From the outside of the storefront, the place doesn't look at all big, but once you enter you find it very clean and nicely painted with tones of orange color which is also in the logo of the Cafe. The business occupies two rooms. On the right side is where the kitchen and ordering counter is located. And on the left side is where the seating area is found. The place is decorated in good taste in a minimalist style. And the small space proviprovides a cozy feeling with the right ambiance to be able to enjoy a good hearty breakfast with family and friends, or even with coworkers, those who work nearby in the Downtown Roanoke area. A large Biscuit Menu is posted on one of the walls and has pictures of the different biscuits. There is also a small black menu on the counter of the ordering area for one to order from. I would have liked to be able to order and stay to enjoy my biscuit there, but since I was in a hurry to go somewhere, I ordered to go a Nice Biscuit (Bacon, Egg, and Cheese). Later on when I reached the place I was going, I sat down and enjoyed eating one of the best Biscuits that I have ever had. It was buttery and soft in the inside and toasty and crispy on the outside. The bacon was thick and good quality, as the egg and cheese as well. I highly recommend this place for enjoying a delicious breakfast in a cozy and relaxed environment. And as for me I will definitely come again with friends, and am looking forward to having another Biscuit, a Cinnamon Roll, and a Premium Hot Chocolate.

    Black Birch Restaurant & Tap House - Grilled salmon garlic cheese mashed potatoes

    Black Birch Restaurant & Tap House

    (11 reviews)

    This is a bar/restaurant in a hotel lobby. We sat at the bar and were pleasantly greeted by the one…read moreand only server. I ordered a grilled salmon dinner that included a small salad and a serving of garlic mashed potatoes. My wife ordered chicken strips and fries. The salmon was good. The salad was good. The potatoes not so good. The chicken strips were good. There are a few booths along a wall as well as the bar area to eat. Biggest gripe is the wait time on your order being cooked. It must be a one man show in the kitchen( at least the night we were there). Overall the food was ok/good. Service was friendly and fast but......there are better places around town to eat. If I could add a 2&1/2rating that's what it would be. My very good rating max is 4 stars so I couldn't put a 3 star rating here. Sorry guys. Might have been a bad night for dinner but I'm telling about my experience that night

    For perspective I am Diamond level member with IHG, this means nothing other than I stay in a IHG…read moreproperty 3-4 nights a week and have ate many a dinner in their onsite restaurant. Never once have I had a single issue worthy enough to mention. Also for perspective it's 8pm, it's been a 14 hour day and I surly was in no mood to get into my car when it's less than 20 degrees outside and the wind howling, but I did. Sat at a table for over 15 minutes, bartender avoided me as she was in deep conversation with another patron I suppose. Moved to the bar. Got a TUDE from her with a "I would have came over, you didn't have to move". Then another guy just walks up, she gives him a menu and then his drink, I have neither. Finally she comes over my way, I asked if I could place a take out over. She grabs a menu, drops it in front of me and walks to the other end of the bar without asking or taking my drink order. She starts at the other end of the bar taking drink orders for all the other patrons who already have a drink in front of them. My daughter was a waitress while in college so I'm extremely empathetic toward wait staff, my lowest tip is 20%, good service 30% and excellent pays 40%. Tips are how they earn a living. Walked out.... also the menu is vastly different than what is offered on their website. Also I guess it may have been the chef- working extremely hard the entire time holding up a wall. What's sad in the end is I'll bet a 100 to 1 that not even a peep will come of this review from hotel or restaurant management.

    Ernie's - breakfast_brunch - Updated May 2026

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