Updated. Some friends talked me into trying it again. Third time's a charm. The service was awesome ( and we were a large group) and the owner attentive and wonderful. I take back the not so great things I said before. read more

Went there on a Saturday morning on a lark. We were asked if we had reservations, but we were still accommodated. Host was friendly and helped us get into a booth. The server said that brunch was new to them so we didn't have a high expectation. The coffee tasted good and the Bloody Mary, medium pepper, was mixed well (but little vodka taste). My father asked for his grits to come early, they did but they were cold. He ordered an omelette and it was prepared completely different from what he asked. Our potatoes o Brian were not o Brian; they were basic over roasted with no seasoning. My sausage and biscuits were ok but wouldn't order again. The manager was nice and came to apologize and took the omelette dish off the bill. Overall it was a nice atmosphere but will not return for Brunch. read more

My husband and I decided to make a trip down to Culpeper for the weekend. We already had our dinner reservations, but since we arrived around noon and had not had breakfast, we wanted to grab a light lunch to tide us over. We spotted Grass Rootes and decided to check them out. We were warmly greeted and offered a table, but decided to sit at the bar instead. We loved the atmosphere and look of the place from the live edge bar and tables to the beams on the ceiling. The owner obviously has a sense of humor judging by the bathroom signs; rooster for men's and kitty for women's. They have live music Thursday through Saturday. For lunch, we started with the asparagus puff - three or four asparagus spears topped with prosciutto, parmigiana and then wrapped and baked in a puff pastry. Delicious! For lunch my husband and I split the BLT with fries. Their fries are some of the best I have had - perfectly seasoned, crunchy on the outside and soft in the middle. The sandwich was large and half was more than enough to fill me up. Thick slices of bacon, fresh tomato and lettuce served on their house sun dried tomato bread. Again - delicious! They had a full bar with a somewhat limited selection of beer and wine. I ordered white wine and it was served a bit warmer than I am used to, but just my preference and certainly did not dampen my experience. My husband and I really enjoyed ourselves here and would definitely return! read more

Grass Rootes - Buffalo at the bar - New American Near Me - Culpeper, Virginia

We went here with a party of twenty today and the staff was fabulous. Efficient while working together, constantly filled our drinks, and super nice. We tried the charcuterie board, Brussels sprouts, and fried pickles as appetizers. All were pretty good, Brussels sprouts are the only thing I would write home about. Tons of parm and balsamic made them DELICIOUS. Got the salmon for my entree and it was decent, not anything outstanding but decent. Probably not worth the cost, so won't be coming back although it was nice with someone else paying. read more

We were in town for a fun cattle drive weekend at Andora Farm and stopped to eat here. Delicious!! All three of us thoroughly enjoyed our food. I loved the great vegetable filled soup!! A special that night. The service was great, the staff couldn't have been nicer and the owner, Andrew Ferlazzo even gave us 'Yankees' a tour. read more

See all

What can I say?! This place is phenomenal!! You must try the meatballs, the marinara is out of this world.

Over priced for their taste and quality. Went here for a dinner on Friday the day before a buddies wedding based on a recommendation. Wife's fried chicken was extremely salty. My catfish was good but I've had better for less. Worst part was getting an old fashioned and it tasting like Makers Mark with water, should have snapped a picture, it was so clear. We each got 2 drinks. I got a beer next after being disappointed with the Old Fashioned. Wife got 2 gin and tonics. Not worth 130 for a party of 2. I hate getting burned on poorly made cocktails. My other buddy ordered a $45 prime rib that was grey throughout and barely any pink but a quarter size in the center. Looked gross but he didn't want to be rude and ate it anyway. read more

I wanted to give this place a try based on the decent reviews but I was sadly mistaken. The atmosphere was unique and different. The staff was very friendly. I got the spaghetti and meatballs. Unfortunately, the food was a big letdown. My meatballs were a little overdone and charred and the pasta and sauce were so beyond bland. The dish lacked flavor and seasoning, I am sorry to say. Overall, the food quality did not match the price and not worth a 50 dollar dinner, vey overpriced. read more

Would I drive an hour plus to dine at Grass Rootes again, Hell Yeah! I've frequented many restaurants, but this was by far my best experience in service, food, and atmosphere. The owner is very friendly and walks around to make everyone feel welcome. The food was one of the best I've had, very fresh. Each plate was an explosion of goodness in my mouth. 100% recommend. And get one of the specials read more

Grass Rootes - New American Near Me - Culpeper, Virginia

See all

I enjoyed this place alot. The food tasted good. The ambiance was beautiful but I don't think the food and ambiance matched. It seemed that the food was more on the fine dining side and the ambiance was more casual. Other than that, I enjoyed it. read more

Had a large party today for lunch, everything was delicious and our service was great! We will definitely be back again. The chefs specials are always amazing and we love the vibe of the place! read more

FANTASTIC!!!!!! Food and DRINKS! The environment and staff is beyond exceptional!!! I loved every little thing and detail! Thank you so much! read more

The service was great took care of a large group meeting here. The crab soup was soo delicious as was the salmon with champagne sauce and the lamb chops lollipops. Desserts topped it off made homemade with love. wil be coming back with the charming fireplace and music ! read more

Best food in Culpeper. Great staff. Always on point. And great food. I'm here way too much when I'm in town. Kudos to the crew there.

Oh My God, this was our first time in the Culpeper area and I'm so happy we stumbled upon this restaurant Gem! The ambience is phenomenal, and the owner said they have a live band periodically. It is a really cool place just to hang. And the food will take you to your happy place! They offer different daily specials but even their regular menu offered a good selection. One of the specials order by my group was a grilled watermelon salad with arugula, feta, and balsamic reduction. They're still talking about how good it was a day later. LOL I ordered chicken salad, that was packed full of good stuff (wish it had grapes in it) but delicious none the less. And you can't go wrong with fish and chips. That fish was cooked the way it was supposed to be cooked! read more

See all

Okay this is a uniquely awesome place. First it has dinning very casual but elegant with moderately priced menu. Fireplace...check. sofas...check...cleanliness...check...candlelight glow...of course! Then there's Kelly that runs the place hands on ownership participating with all that it takes to keep the doors open. Live music too seriously. And an outdoor fireplace too! Oh and a bar...it literally has it all and the coffee is amazing! Found a local hang out spot for sure! read more

Phenomenal as always. Little has changed with new owner. Food, drinks and service were on point. Great music and very relaxing sitting beside a roaring fire. read more

Let me tell you. If you can afford the prices, give this place a try. We did not regret it. We ordered the grilled salmon. This was presented beautifully even in its take out container. Veggies were perfect. Just amazing We ordered chicken Alfredo. More amazing than the salmon. And it was one of the large square Styrofoam containers and it was filled. Chicken was tender, sauce was not too thin, just perfect. So. Much. Flavor. We ordered roasted red pepper soup. Creamy but not too rich, flavorful, not too salty. Had a bit of texture but not too much, just perfect. We ordered spaghetti with meatballs. Sauce was amazing. So flavorful. Noodles were perfectly cooked. Already came with the perfect amount of parmasean on it, I was impressed. The only downside to the meal was the meatballs. They were huge, but really dry, so the great flavor was kind of muted, but honestly I didn't miss them. When we called we at first got disconnected. They called us back and apologized which I thought was great. They expressed great appreciation for our order and that felt really good too. This is my first order from this place and it won't be my last. When all this stuff is done, we will be going inside. read more

Wonderful service and fun environment. The pork chop was tops! Hope to be back again soon.

Pleasantly surprised. I stumbled upon this place while passing through town and the name "Grass Rootes" initially peaked my interest. The building is a converted manufacturing warehouse, civil war militia bunker, and many more. It's use varied throughout the years, as it's the oldest commercial building standing in Culpeper and was actually first surveyed by...drum roll...George Washington in the early 1700s. The interior is retrofitted nicely while still maintaining the historic charm. I love what they have done with the building. A warm fireplace surrounded by bright colored accents and exposed brick puts a new twist on an old architecture. A perfect mix of old and new. As for the food- it was lovely. Grass Rootes exercises a "farm to table" mentality, sourcing as much of their foods from local sources as possible. This is a concept that I absolutely love. Not only is it more nutritional to do so, but it helps support your local tax paying citizens. After speaking with the owner, Andrew, he mentioned that he hates having to brand themselves as that- because he thinks that should always be the case. My personal diet limits me from animal products, so they kindly removed the lamb and goat cheese from my Mediterranean bowl of wonderfulness. I happily munched on a mild, smooth, and peppery babaganoush, which sat alongside a salty and smoky hummus. Both were accented well by the red peppers and cilantro, not to mention the warm pita bread that was the perfect mechanism for scooping. The meal came with perfectly sautéed eggplant, zucchini, and onion. Fresh sprouts and raw cucumber helped cleanse the pallet in between switching from one bold flavor to the next, such as the bitter Gastelvetrano olives and earthly grilled squash. I had a great experience here. Give it a try! read more

Grass Rootes - New American Near Me - Culpeper, Virginia

overpriced okay food. best thing to get is spaghetti and meatballs. i don't recommend getting the veggie pasta. nice immaculate setting. read more

See all

I love Grass Rootes. We had our wedding rehearsal dinner here last year, and return this year for our anniversary. The owner is amazing and always makes us feel so welcome. Plus the food is amazing. Please stop here if you're in the area. read more

Great spot. The salmon and mussels were on point tonight. Alway a nice vibe and delicious food.

We recently had a family event with 16 people at Grass Rootes. The owner, Kelly, was terrific to work with! She was very helpful in accomodating several food preferences and allergies that people had and the food was great.The event was held in the private room downstairs. The environment was perfect! It's a historic setting with amazing architectual features and a fire going in the fireplace. The waitstaff were very attentive and super friendly. Our family would have a good time anywhere, but having it at Grass Rootes made the event special and memorable. Thanks Kelly! read more

Well, the ambiance was fantastic! The musical duo was very nice. They had a good volume and good songs. We had an extreme issue with Service tonight. They failed with whom had which tables. They failed with the person who was bringing the food out - didn't know which table the food should go to. 2 of us got served, then after 15 minutes we finally asked the "water girl" if she could check on the other 2 meals. This brought immediate attention to the fact that something was wrong. We were apologized to from someone who was in the kitchen (manager? Not sure) they blamed it on "a new hire". Clearly they weren't trained well?! Anyhow, we finally got our other 2 meals as the first 2 finished. Our 2 meals weren't up to par. They lacked flavor and the vegetables weren't cooked at all - raw! In 30 minutes time, after the last 2 meals got served, we never had any Staff member stop by to check on us absolutely nothing! When we finally flagged a wait Staff that took our order, and alls he had was another excuse. Not one person offered to "comp our meal" or offer a discount or coupon to come back. We were highly disappointed in our evening. We do not get to Culpepper often and we had high expectations. Unfortunately, this experience was extremely disappointing and we not venture this direction anytime soon. The catfish special was excellent as was the fried ravioli appetizer. No photos due to the bad experience. read more

Giving 5 stars for sentimental reasons, as my family always enjoys coming-in and we adore Andrew, the owner, and his various family members on-staff. The charm is in the warmth, music, and a decent meal. Always something special on the menu or new adult beverage offerings be it a local IPA, new wine or seasonal cocktail, as well as daily food specials. Go listen to some music and enjoy! read more

A great experience both for dining and just for the atmosphere itself of classic Culpeper Virginia. A warm and friendly atmosphere boast historic authentic decor. The menu is always evolving, the food is locally grown and the presentation of every dish is something to be marveled at. Owner Andrew, makes you feel like you have just arrived home after a long trip. He make sure that you are cared for like family. A really great bar in the restaurant area is a wonderful place to meet your friends for some fine wine before dinner. There is always Entertainment either in the dining room quietly or downstairs in the club (originally a jail during the Civil War) In essence, there is always something good to do, see, hear or taste at grassroots! read more

Better than most! Came in late on a Saturday evening to local music on a warm summer night. While the staff seemed to be confused about who did what, or they were all sharing in duties tonight, we were shepherded to a nice table, given menus, water and bread. We went with the specials, which are an interesting mix of Creole, American and Italian. The service seemed sparse at times, but the food was good and plentiful. Our daughter did ok for her meals, but they really are not set up for younger kids. But, kudos to the staff for their attempts at finding her new things to try. And I would recommend this for adults interested in a good sitdown meal, in a casual atmosphere, as the food is quite good. The seasoning is a bit aggressive, so those who prefer milder food may want to let their server know when ordering. read more

The Atmosphere is cozy and the music was good. A folk singer was playing in the bar area. The selection of Chardonnay was limited and the mixed drinks were expensive and not very well prepared. After reviewing the menu we decided to go elsewhere read more

See all

Spontaneously had our first dining experience here last evening (Friday), at 6pm. We were pleasantly surprised by the experience. Totally unexpected, actually. The ambiance was delightful by way of soft lighting, rustic interior, and regional décor, and accompanied by soft live music. The service was very good. The initial server presented the 6 or 7 detailed daily "specials" by memory, which are actually the core menu for that day, which changes regularly. The service model is unique to me in that they have multiple servers circulating the tables co-providing services as needed, all professional and polished. We never waited for a coctail refill, water top-off, etc., as the servers always inquired before there was actually a need. The food? Wow. Quite exquisite and savory. Some of the finest cuisine I can remember having in a very long time. Remarkable actually, elements of the meal may have been the best I've ever had. To quantify it, we have reservations next week at what is considered to be a 5 star French restaurant. I would expect the overall dining experience at the 5 star restaurant to provide us a similar level of satisfaction with regards to the cuisine, and only a slightly better (different) experience regarding the service and ambiance. My one exception to this experience was the $14 dollar coctail cost for a Grey Goose and cranberry. I don't mind paying for a proper pour, but the cocktails were at-best standard pours, and may have even been a little light in my opinion. I'd like to get that extra 1.5 pour count for the premium coctail price. Cost of dining for two: 1 appetizer, 2 entrées , 4 cocktails, 1 desert, and 30% tip: $175.00. Excited for return visit! read more

Excellent atmosphere, food and service. We love ridding our motor cycle to the mountains and stopping for lunch in Culpeper, Grass Rootes is one of our favorites! read more

Grass Rootes - New American Near Me - Culpeper, Virginia

See all

Great tomato bisque and a saute calamari dish with wonderful flavor. And a glass of spices hot cider on a cold day. This former hardware store is a unique setting for great flavor and fine service. The best Culpeper restaurant I have had in four trips. High expectations in the kitchen and great results for the diners. Price may be above average but food and experience is well over average. read more

We were there on a Tuesday evening, and there were very few other customers, so we got plenty of attention. (But not too much.) We found the place just driving by. We sat outside - a beautiful summer evening. The drinks and food came quickly, was well prepared, and delicious. I would definitely go back if I lived closer. read more

See all

Wonder atmosphere, great service, delicious food and comforting acoustic music. The most meaningful thing was that the own approached in a very genuine way to tell us how much our business meant to him. That's a small business owner that get it! We will definitely be back. read more

Passing through Culpeper on road trip to Florida and was looking for a good spot for dinner. Will definitely return if in the area again. Super cute space with great music, excellent service and a well crafted menu. With the dog in tow my boyfriend and I were looking to call ahead to place an order for takeout. I dialed the number and it went to the answering machine, which made sense as it was prime dinner time. I didn't leave a message but moments later the manager Andrew called right back to make sure we were taken care of. The order was ready when we showed up. Walking in I was greeted by Andrew the manager who quickly flashed a smile at my dog who was waiting outside. Remembering the dog, Andrew asked me to wait just a moment as he had something special for him. Moments later he emerged from the kitchen with a cured marrow bones that had been smoked and dehydrated. What a treat! Definitely my dog's new favorite place on the planet! Great roadtrip memory! read more

Grass Rootes - Even my dog loves this place - New American Near Me - Culpeper, Virginia

This place is nice. It had really good food and drinks. The service was fast and everyone was friendly. It has a cool rustic vibe and was overall a pleasurable experience read more

Expensive but beautiful atmosphere inside. Andrew, the owner, is always so friendly. Wish they would switch up the menu a little more and the prices are outrageous. Drinks are great. Staff is great read more

Sorely disappointed. Was looking forward to yummy farm-to-table fare and instead got boring and bland. The highlight of the meal was the tuna appetizer. Nothing else was noteworthy -- at least not on the positive side. The salmon dish - which the menu said would be served over rice pilaf - was served over a scoop of dry white rice with four little pieces of squash in it. The salmon had no seasoning except for the red bell pepper puree spooned over top. Meh. My husband had the rack of lamb - while the meat was tender, the breading was soggy and he felt the Dijon was overpowering. The potatoes had a very odd, off-putting flavor. Neither of us finished our food. Also, the restaurant doesn't have assigned tables - so, upon arrival, we had three different servers approach us for our orders. Even after we had placed our drink order and our appetizer order, we were approached repeatedly to ask if we were ready to order our meals. It was kind of annoying. Not sure we'll go back. The food quality certainly didn't match the price. read more

Top notch. Bartenders are always friendly, great live music. Owner is a really nice guy, goes out of his way to talk to everyone. Food is excellent and you can tell the cooks really care about what they are serving. My favorite spot when in town for business. read more

WOW! What an awesome place! EXCELLENT food!!!!! Excellent ... EXCELLENT Service!!!! Veggie Dumplings Rib Tips BBQ chicken, Collard Greens, sweet potato Mushroom Ravioli with Shrimp (minus) the shrimp, and Vegetables Peanut Butter Bomba Cabernet Sauvignon Long Island Ice Tea Great music, EXCELLENT Service, HOT waitresses, a full bar - complete with a mounted Buffalo Head hanging above the bar. My kind of place. (Did I mention, "Excellent Service"????) read more

Grass Rootes - What kind of Heaven is this???? Grass Rootes Heaven!!!! Very Impressed. - New American Near Me - Culpeper, Virginia