Corbin's Confections may not be anything special to many, but to others, it's like finding the pot…read moreof gold at the end of the rainbow. After having been selected as number 4 of the Top 50 most prolific Elites of 2025, a year when I also was awarded the Yelp Triad Squad Photographer of the Year Award at the 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 Corbin's Confections, in Salem, Virginia is the perfect example. I don't know you but to me, I love sweet treats and bakery items. A dinner is not complete if I don't have a sweet dessert. Yet we have people with food allergies that can't afford this luxury. Corbin's Confections was born out of the motherly love of a mother for her son, Corbin, who is anaphylactic to peanuts and all tree-nuts. She wanted to create a bakery that her son and other's with similar allergies, can experience the joy of eating baked goods without having to worry that something would happen to them, because of some ingredient that the food contained. Her mission was "To provide a place where anyone with gluten, peanut, or tree-nut allergies can get tasty treats." Today, I had the opportunity to visit this bakery and meet with Shana, the owner of this women-owned business. She was so friendly and welcoming and realized the service she was providing the community was a very special one. She told me that all bakery items there were gluten free, peanut free, and tree-nut free. It is also mentioned on the store window, right under the name of the bakery. Even though it was almost closing time, she still had some delicious and safe treat on display in the display cases, like cupcakes, donuts, and other savory items. We were interrupted by a customer who wanted to find out information about placing an large order for a gathering of some sort. Listening in was how I found out that she also provides custom options for special occasions and dietary needs, She also provides custom options for special occasions and dietary needs, including lactose intolerance. I thought to myself, how in the past some kids with food allergies might not want to attend birthday parties of their friends in order not to embarrassed by being the one one who didn't have a piece of the birthday cake. Well now, if the parents are aware that their sons and daughters have friends with food allergies, they can have the cake and other sweet treats made here, and that way, everyone can enjoy the party without any concern. Definitely see how this business can provide better quality of life to many in our community and therefore give it my total support and urge you to do the same.

I live five hours away, but every time I work here I make an effort to stop in. This place is…read moreconsistently good with great service. And everything is gluten free. A celiacs dream come true. My favorite today was the Danish and the oatmeal cookie. Yum!

Love their food first off. The staff there can guide you if you don't know what to order off that…read moredelicious menu they have to offer. It is beautiful in there and presentation is presenting. Service is better than the A-1 sauce in my fridge & so is their sauces Their food is better than a lot of other restaurants in the area as well. Remember this is locally owned so that says a lot. You'd be a little bit silly if you choose another restaurant ... can't lie lol especially if you're a food explorer! Their delicious desserts BTW goodness I ate like three different plates

It is not often that one encounters a restaurant of this caliber. But oftentimes, unexpectedly,…read moredestiny takes it course, and one ends up in front of the front door of such restaurant. This is the case with Brood Restaurant and Bar. Located in the heart of Main Street Salem, near the beautiful Roanoke College, this place is more than just a casual fine dining restaurant, it's one of the best restaurants that I have ever visited, and in this review you will find out why. After making a reservation for 5:00pm, not knowing how bad the traffic would be, I left early, only to discover that there was no traffic and ended up arriving at 4:30pm. Like in many of the best fine dining restaurants that I have eaten at, this one had a glass and wooden door with simply the restaurant's name and logo engraved on it, which included a tiny artistic rendition of a rooster as part of it. As I entered the door I was fascinated with the simple yet magnificent decor and ambiance of the place. The original restored hardwood floors and the natural brick walls gave it an air of distinction, as well as the antique furniture Host's station holding the menus and reservations computer. The furniture was elegant yet comfortable at the same time, and the lamps gave just the right light to create a cozy yet elegant and comfortable ambiance. The Host came out and graciously greeted me, and after I told her that I was half an hour early for my reservation, she invited me to have a seat at the bar until the kitchen was officially open at 5:00pm. It was the way she said this that motivate me to go discover the bar and the drinks it had to offer. Soon I was given a warm welcome by Cole, the bartender, as I sat in the middle seat of the small but cozy bar. After I asked him to recomend me a Mocktail, I had him make me a Mule Mocktail and to my surprise I can say it was the best that I have ever had. This young bartender was surprisingly at the level of the ones in restaurants such as Lucky, River and Rail, and Alexander's, just to name a few of the best around. To accompany my drink I ordered the Sea Scallops appetizer and they were so tender and fresh covered with an amazing mix that included little bits of bacon. When it was time to move to the main dining room I told the bartender that I had enjoyed the bar, and his excellent service but I wanted to finish my dining experience at the main dining room to better be able to review the restaurant. He made arrangements for the move and to my surprise and manager's wisdom, they made him my server as well. It is in little details like this one, that one uncovers the greatness of a restaurant and its extraordinary customer service. There, I ordered another of the Wonderful Mule Mocktail, and a Caesar Salad to start with, with the Steak Frites, medium rare, as my main entrée. Everything was delicious. For dessert, I ordered the Belgium Waffle Bread Pudding, at the recommendation of my server. This dessert was amazing. By the time I was finished I could notice that the restaurant was filling up with repeat customers, and by my experience today I could see why. Needless to say, I highly recommend this restaurant to all those reading my review and viewing all my photographs taken to compliment this review with some visual flavor, for it is said that a picture is worth a thousand words. In this case not a single word can do justice to this extraordinary dining experience.

My favorite local restaurant in the entire southwest Virginia region. Primarily family-owned…read more Delicious menu items that sre consistent every time and friendly staff. I've been to Italy and this restaurant is the closest to going to Italy anyone will ever get, from flavors to ambiance. At lunchtime this restaurant also offers a buffet which is a great idea if you're a first-time diner. ALWAYS save room for their homemade gelato!! Their gelato is best I've ever had outside of Italy itself! We love, love, love this place. (Also, squeaky clean bathrooms)

The welcoming atmosphere at this Italian restaurant was evident from the moment I walked in. I was…read moregreeted by the Host with open arms, and this brought back happy memories of the time I visited Italy with my parents when I was growing up, and I was immersed in the true spirit of Italian Hospitality. As I was seated at the table of my choice, it made me feel as comfortable as the other guests there that you could clearly see were satisfied repeat customers. My server Suzana, who later I found out was from Bosnia and carrying a child, had such a friendly and warm personality, and attention to detail, that she was the ideal server that one could ever imagine. The menu featured a variety of exquisite options, and I selected the following: a Coke to drink, the Fried Calamari as appetizer, a House Salad with homemade Italian Vinaigrette dressing, and as my main entrée Scallops Fiorentino. My server also brought me soft freshly baked bread with three dips to dip the bread in. The food was amazingly delicious and served in large portions at reasonable prices. My server checked on me at the appropriate times and always kept my glass filled up to the rim with Coke. As the Grand finale I had their famous Pumpkin Tiramisu which is only made during this time of the year, together with a small homemade Mango Gelato. Both desserts tasted marvelous. In conclusion, I highly recommend this Italian Restaurant for an unforgettable dining experience.

I have been to this place a wide variety of times, and every single time they have impressed me…read more It's beautiful inside, the staff are wonderful and accommodating. For the food, everything I've had has been a 10/10. My go to is a half order of the biscuits and gravy! It is always so flavorful, the biscuits are giant and fluffy. The gravy is seasoned perfectly. My second go to, as well as my girlfriend's is the hot honey fried chicken biscuit. Portion wise that thing is hugeee, most of the items are so they are absolutely worth what you pay! The chicken is so tender and crispy, breading is amazingly seasoned as well. This paired with the jezebel sauce is heaven on earth. I cannot express how much I love this place, their food is wonderful, their biscuits are massive, and their service is great. Only issue I've ever had was my delivery order never showing up (not their fault but the delivery drivers) and they immediately comped and replaced my meal. 100% recommend.

Never again. Was excited to try this place as this is my 1st time visiting…read more Pros - ABSOLUTELY NONE Cons Coffee is absolutely disgusting Freezing cold insids inside Food wasn't hot Unseasoned eggs Overseasoned fried green tomatoes Undercooked French toast Severely undercooked bacon that they refuse to cook well done and gave a lame excuse as to why they couldn't. Bacon was all fat. Save your money and go somewhere else!

Y'all...this is the sweetest place with the kindest and most attentive staff. My belly is full with…read moregood food and my coffee is hot and delicious. If you don't eat here (and often), what are you even doing? The music is fun and from my generation too (Gen X). I'm at least 30 years older than most of the staff here and I couldn't have been taken care of better. I'm not gonna name names because multiple people came to my table to check on me so all this is a collaborative effort and a lesson in good customer service. BRAVO!!!

What happened? Used to actually choose to eat here. Not anymore!…read moreOrdered omelet plate-- potatoes were swimming in oil, toast was dry with no butter, vegetables in omelet were also oily. The entire omelet had no taste! Sad to see this occur.

Frank's is hands down one of the best spots in Salem. The pizza is classic New York-style, thin…read morecrust, perfectly cooked, and full of flavor. Everything is always fresh and the service is quick and friendly. We've tried pizza, wings, calzones and subs and it never disappoints. Portions are generous and it's such an easy go-to for takeout or a casual meal. If you're searching for the best pizza near me in Salem, VA, Frank's is the answer.

I was really looking forward to dining at this pizza place, especially because I was led to believe…read morethey had the best New York Pizza in the area. But what I discovered was it was nothing like a New York style pizza, and not at all the best pizza around. The fact is I lived for over 25 years in Boston, Massachusetts, and frequented the Italian neighborhood of Boston which is called the North End, that it is also widely known as Boston's Little Italy, due to its rich Italian-American heritage and abundance of Italian restaurants and bakeries. There, at the pizza place next to the Little Italy Market, I've had the best genuine New York style pizza ever. And I also visited New York frequently, and have actually eaten a New York style pizza in New York City often, so I guess you can say I know first hand the look and taste of a New York Style pizza. I arrived at Franks Pizza on East Main Street, Salem on a Saturday early evening, and parked at the City of Salem Farmer's Market Parking lot, conveniently located across the street, and where you get 2 hours of free parking, Monday - Saturday, 6AM-6PM. As I entered the place I saw an open window on the wall with one of the cooks making a pizza, I stopped there on the way to the main counter to ask to be seated. The person making the pizza was kind of rude and asked me to move on, not allowing me to see how he was making the pizza. When I arrived to the main counter, the server, who was a very nice gentleman, greeted and welcomed me and asked me to sit in any booth available. Practically all the booths were empty except one where two older ladies were dining at. I found this a bit odd, on a Saturday early evening, when good restaurant are already beginning to get full. The gentleman treated me well, handed me the menu, got me my softdrink, and took my order. I ordered a House Salad with Balsamic vinaigrette dressing, and a Special 12" hand tossed NY Style Pizza. As I was waiting I noticed there was no music in the background to make for a relaxing ambiance. Instead you could here the cooks back in the kitchen talking loud in Spanish, which I guess they didn't know I was understanding all the nonsense they were saying. That loudness coming out of the kitchen didn't create a relaxing ambiance. The salad arrived shortly, inside a plastic black bowl, and it was the highlight of the meal. I invite you to watch and listen to my video clip and photographs accompanying this review to get a better sense of the place and its food. Then the pizza arrived. My servered delivered it by placing it on a stand. At first it looked good, but a bit too white on top. It hardly had any sauce at all, and thus hardly any flavor from the lack of sauce and quality meats. The Italian sausage and pepperoni lacked flavor probably due to the low quality. It was full of cheese, that's for sure, but also lacking flavor. The dough of the crust was bland and burnt, not at all tasty. Some customers, for whatever reason, might like their pizza this way, and might not mind the loud noise coming from the kitchen, and the lack of music creating a relaxed environment, and I respect that. But in my opinion, with so many other good pizza places around, even in the least expected alleyways, I would not waste my time and money here.

Peruvian Cuisine is one of the best in the world and right here in Southwest Roanoke, on Brambleton…read moreAve, we are fortunate to have a restaurant that represents it very well: Inka Grill. 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 Inka Grill Peruvian Cuisine in Roanoke, Virginia, is the perfect example. I've been eating at this restaurant since they were in another location and then through Door Dash delivery, as a matter of fact the main photograph on their Yelp website is a close-up of their Lomo Saltado I took from the container delivered through Door Dash. So today I decided to go visit for the first time their Cave Spring location on Brambleton Ave in Roanoke, Virginia. Located inside a small, clean building, but nothing fancy, the success of this restaurant has been the fresh ingredients they use to make their wonderful recipes. My two favorite dishes are the Lomo Saltado and their Bistec a lo Pobre. And the main reason why I like them is the top quality meat they use. It is so tender and tasty and at reasonable prices, that can compete with many of the most expensive restaurants in the area, and come on top. When I arrived at the restaurant there was a group of three Hispanic ladies having dinner there. Later an American older couple with a college age daughter also came in and sat at the table text to mine. They all seemed to have something in common: steady customers very familiar with the menu and their favorite items. My server Lizbeth greeted and welcomed me to the restaurant, took me to my table, and handed me the menu. Not too extensive but each of the few items were much to be desired. To drink I had a glass of Chicha Morada, a very popular non-alcoholic drink from Peru. As an appetizer I had a House Salad. For my main entrée I had a Bistec a lo Pobre cooked medium rare. It is rice and beans together forming a roll, a tender thick steak, fried ripe plantains, a fried egg, and a criolla sauce. Everything was so tasty and delicious. And for dessert I had the Tres Leche. It is said that a picture is work a thousand words. I invite you to view my photographs accompanying this review and see for yourself, the amazing food. I highly recommend this restaurant to all. Once you try their amazingly delicious food, you will want to come back for more.

Stopped here on a road trip from Eastern VA on our way to TX and wowzers. Worth every extra min of…read moreour stop. I got the pollo Inka, my daughter got the bistecca a lo pobre, my son-in-law got the half chicken with rice and beans. All of us were so satisfied with our food choices! Joceyln (sp?) was our waitress. She was so sweet and helpful! Music was a nice add on. Writing a review mainly because I make this trip often and I want to make sure I remember this place for next time!

I'm a huge Mission BBQ fan. They ate one of the most consistent restraunt chains out there…read more This was my first trip, but will not be my last. Super and friendly service at the counter to kick off my visit. The dining room was spic and span. My order was a two meat platter of, pulled pork and lean brisket w/ side of green beans. It comes with cornbread. My son moist brisket, pulled pork w/ side of macaroni and cheese. Also cornbread. The manager expedited the food and was awesome! Then he came out to bring slices of smoked sausage samples. After learning we had a new customer/ to the store the desert flowed out by the manager. A cherry cheesecake. Our meals were amazing, especially our fave the pulled pork. Upon departing staff came by to take our trays. Otherwise it's self bussing. No reason to not elevate to full 5 stars.

The staff is always friendly and accommodating here. I'm a single mom and have young children and a…read moremanager once went out of his way to help me get a high chair and wrangle my kids to a table, even bringing refills once for them. The food is pricey but to be expected for BBQ I always get the brisket and add on a third side and it's about $30 a pop. This time it was late about closing and the brisket was very dry. I would go earlier in the day to avoid getting the dry leftovers. The sauces are okay, the Mac and cheese is very good. Overall a great place to dine.

Great ambience Great food and portions…read more Wine and cider options Gluten free options Friendly staff

Food and service was very good! The restaurant is small but very clean! We will definitely return!read more

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!