Looking for a place to have some dessert after finishing having an early dinner, I happened to find…read morethis place by the name of Sugar Cube Cafe. And never in my wildest dreams did I imagine what I would find inside. 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 Sugar Cube Cafe in Roanoke, Virginia, is the perfect example. This family-owned Bakery, Cafe, and Gift Shop is located in a small outdoor strip mall across from the Valley View Mall in Roanoke, Virginia. The owners are a husband and wife couple with a very enthusiastic family member who works there welcoming the customers, introducimg its products, and taking the customers orders. From the time I parked my car in the extensive parking lot next to their corner shop, a van parked next to me and it so happened to be the owner of the shop who is of Asian origin. When he saw I was headed the way of the shop, he introduced himself and gave me a warm welcome. Later inside I had the opportunity of meeting his wife and co-owner, who made my Boba Coffee that I ordered. When I entered the shop I was just expecting to find gourmet cupcakes, but what I found besides the wonderful cupcakes, were gourmet cheesecakes, macaroons, bubble coffee and tea, milkshakes, ice creams, mini pancakes, large cookies, and even Ramen Noodles and Udon, among other treats. The shop also had many stuffed animals and Asian dolls and posters and toys. I ordered a Midnight Magic Cupcake and a Boba Coffee with French Vanilla Cream. The Cupcake was $5.00 and the Boba Coffee was $10.00. The items here are not cheap, but they are definitely worth the money. I invite you to view my photographs and videos accompanying my review to get a better sense of the place and its products for sale there. It has a cozy atmosphere and friendly staff. And I highly recommend you give them a visit and support their business. You will be happy you did.

Extremely awesome experience! Highly recommend! Staff was amazing, atmosphere was amazing, food…read moreand deserts were great!

This place has great bread and pastries! I especially like the Lavender Chai Latte! The Almond…read morecroissants are really something remarkable. I love almond flavored pastries and desserts. I have had a hard time finding an almond flavored dessert to satisfy my pallet but this place did the job. The service leaves nothing to complain about but nothing to get excited about. You form a line when you enter the building, order and pay before you are seated. It's a bit loud inside, I should there is outdoor seating, but if you like to ease drop you'll love sitting inside! The acoustics make it easy to hear everyone conversation no matter where they are sitting. I would not recommend the Duck Confit if you are hungry, the serving is more like confetti. Aside from the portion disappointment the Duck Confit was good. I've had 4 meals here and that is the only slightly negative thing I have to say. I will make it a point to come here again the next time I am in Roanoke!

First time at this location. The downtown location closed and they consolidated…read more As their name implies they do a lot with bread. So lot of options with bakery items during my weekend visit. They have a strong brunch menu and also a fun coffee menu. Ordering is at the counter and was extremely friendly and helpful. The dining atmosphere is casual and comfortable. The area was clean. They also have outdoor dining. My party of three all ordered different items from chocolate chip packed, oh my that cake is huge! Scrambled eggs, quiche and I had an omelette. I was not in love with my omelette unfortunately. It lacked flavor. My pancake latte was amazing! 3.5, rounding up. I will be back.

Coconut Cake is like Heaven!…read more Wow, first time getting anything from this shop and very impressed. Ordered a 9" round 3 layer coconut cake for my wife's birthday, her favorite! I am not a food critic, so I will describe it as best I can. Beautiful appearance - fluffy white cake. Icing is just the right amount of sweet without being heavy like some icing. Feels almost light but has substance. Texture is smooth and pleasant. The cake itself is a off-white cake that has a combination of lightness with some density to it, but again not heavy. I'm and older guy and this is the best cocunut cake I have ever eaten. Just the right balance of flavor, texture and deliciousness, but not the overpowering sweet like many children's desserts and candies have. Thank you for a great product and timely, pleasant service! Love the appearance of your shop, and I do plan to return and try other products.

The downtown, brick-walled space has charm, and the baked goods appeared to have quality. My…read moreexperience left something to be desired. Arriving several hours before closing, I found only a couple of loaves on sale, and a long line to get with them. I managed to snag the last one that wasn't plain white bread, and thought I'd add a slice of pizza as it looked appealing. While the ingredients were there, the little toaster oven they used barely warmed it up at all. I ate it there, but I'd suspect it would have been much better if I'd gotten it to go and cooked it properly myself. They don't open all that early on weekdays and I've struggled to make it in, and on the weekend, they struggled to meet expectations. Perhaps on a different day, they could do a better job of getting the right baked goods into my hands.

Really delicious and nice people. I had the ham,cheese, and jalapeno croissant. And it was…read moredelicious would recommend

I discovered this relatively new restaurant while driving with a friend a few months ago, and…read morequickly went and added the business to Yelp. At that time they were so new that they only took cash as payment, and since neither one of us had enough cash we weren't able to eat there that day, nor was I able to be the first one to review it for Yelp. But it so happened that while searching for new restaurants in Yelp, I found the review of the first person who did, and this motivated me to drive back the hidden path where we first had discovered it, to go try it out. 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 El Mexa Breakfast & Lunch in Roanoke, Virginia, is the perfect example. This relatively new family-owned restaurant is located in a small outdoor strip mall named Starkey Station on Merriman Road, in Roanoke, Virginia. It is so much out of the way that you had to have known about it to find it or just happen to take that hidden paths on your way to somewhere else to discover it, the way we did. And today I found out while talking in Spanish with the owner that another way people have been finding out about this place is when they have been coming next door to pick up their Domino's Pizza. They have seen it, entered and taken a menu, then ordering take outs from home over the phone, and coming to pick their orders up. What's interesting is that even though they focus on breakfast and lunch, since they close at 7:00pm daily, they have an opportunity of reaching the early dinner crowd and by offering their breakfast menu to some day round, this is opening the doors for more people to come at anytime of the day from 7:30am to 7:00pm. Their menu consists mainly of fresh Mexican pastries which they have dropped off daily from bakeries in Vinton and North Carolina. They have a variety of handmade Mexican Tacos, Tortas (which are gigantic sandwiches), Sopes (which are a traditional Mexican dish consisting of a thick, fried corn tortilla with raised edges base, topped with various savory ingredients), Taco Salads, and a Deluxe Quesadilla (a tortilla filled with cheese and other ingredients cooked on a griddle or stove until the cheese melts). After meeting and talking with the owner for a short while before other customers started to come in, the owner took my order at the counter, after letting me know that they now accept Credit Cards. To drink I ordered a Boing Mango Pulp Beverage which I picked up at their beverage refrigerator. To eat I had a Torta Cubana, which was a sandwich made in their typical large oval fresh bread, that contained a breaded steak milanesa, ham, Mexican sausage, chorizo, and Oaxaca Cheese. Included was also mayo, tomato, onions, avocado, and Chipotle. Usually, the wife is here to take care of the customers and their orders, while he does the cooking and fulfills the orders. But at this time of the early evening, he did everything while the wife had to do an errand. What impressed me the most was that even though this was a small place, everything was so clean and organized, and the food was so fresh and delicious. I invite you to view my photographs and videos that accompany this review to get a better sense of what I mean. I highly recommend this place for when you're in the mood for some genuine Mexican food prepared by very friendly and warm people, in a clean and comfortable environment. You know, very often it is in these hidden places that we find the most delicious culinary treasures.

10/10 quick and friendly service! Portions are incredible for the price point. Took an entire…read morecollege soccer team of 40 girls and it was less than $200. They accommodated us and if we're ever back in Roanoke we will be back!!

I enjoy having breakfast at Ernie's for its warm and cozy ambiance. As soon as I enter the place I…read morefeel right at home. The sever already knows what I usually have to eat, and she serves me a freshly brewed cup of coffee as soon as I have a seat at my favorite booth. Ernie's on the Market is owned and operated by Bill Kopcial, a former Roanoke City firefighter and his business partner Scotty Smith. They are wonderful individuals. Bill always greets me when I'm having breakfast and he stops by. Just the other day, I ran into him and his family at McAlister, where they were having dinner. My usual breakfast there is two fried eggs over easy, with bacon, homefries, and white toast. I also enjoy their omelets. On weekdays they are one of the few restaurants that open at 6:00AM, so it gives you an opportunity to get a head start of the day. The server is a very friendly and hospitable young lady, who is always looking after her customers to see if they need a coffee refill or would like a glass of iced water to enjoy with their food. Today I had the usual breakfast. No matter how the cook prepares my breakfast, it always tastes so good. The white Texas toast is always fresh and soft, and the eggs and bacon tastes just right. I also enjoy looking at the historic photographs on the brick wall and their flamboyant decor. Their prices are reasonable enough to be able to leave a well deserved good tip. And one always leaves the place with a good feeling.

Quant, comfy ambiance with smooth coffee and well-executed breakfast staples. Ingredients were…read morefresh and the bean juice locally sourced. With a copious amount of fresh baked goods and coffee options, this place seems to truly be the one-stop-breakfast-shop of the area. Of note, my potatoes had a strong garlic profile. Delicious, but something to steer clear of if you aren't into garlic.

It saddens me to leave a negative review about Our Daily Bread, but my most recent experience was…read morevery disappointing. I have lived in Blacksburg my whole life and ODB has been a go-to bakery for most locals for a while. Serving a variety of pastries, cakes, breads, and offering lunch, brunch, and dinners. They have a lovely variety of options for customers to enjoy. The bakery primarily serves French pastries and caters to French cuisine at their meals. Although they offer more than just French inspired food. In the past, my family and I have enjoyed grabbing their cakes for celebrations and individual pastries from their pastries case. But recently, they have not been up to par and have left us very unsatisfied. The cakes have been dry and do not taste fresh at all. On my latest visit I tried a couple of things, all of which were cold, with dry, crumbly textures. It was evident to me that these pastries were not made day-of and had clearly sat in a fridge for at least one night (if not more). I found this to be extremely disappointing as ODB used to have a reputation of serving FRESH baked goods and pastries. I cannot attest for the hot food they serve during meal times, but the pastries and cakes have gone down hill. Over the winter break, I had their NY cheesecake bar (which I've gotten in the past and it was phenomenal) and it fell so short of what I remembered. It was lacking flavor and the crust at the bottom was dry. This past visit, I tried a Napoleon (also have had this before and really enjoyed it), a specialty cake, a scone, and a couple macarons and macaroons. The Napoleon was so cold and the puff pastry was super stale, it practically fell apart the second I tried to eat it. The specialty individual cake slice was also very cold and the cake wasn't moist at all. Again, indicating it was not fresh or made day-of. The scone was also a disappointment as it was dry and lacked any moisture. I thought the macrons and macaroons were fine though. While most of this was disappointing, the price didn't help either. Nothing was inexpensive and the quality was completely missing. So disappointing to leave this review as I used to enjoy coming here for sweet treats. It's sad to see that ODB is unfortunately not what it used to be. I will note that the service is very friendly and they do their best dealing with customers. Could have been more efficient, but I did go during a busier time. I hope they can turn things around, but until then I do not think I will be retuning soon.

Located in Roanoke's Historic Old Southwest neighborhood, Evie's Bistro and Bakery is not your…read morecommon restaurant. It's a place where locals have gathered for years to spend some quality time with family and friends, in a cozy environment with an eclectic French bistro decor, and offering exquisite homemade food dishes and memorable in-house made desserts. Today, I felt nostalgic, and decided to go have dinner there. As soon as I stepped inside, I felt relaxed and the sign at the entrance that read "Please Seat Yourselves!", created an ambiance of feeling right at home. Shortly after I sat down at my chosen table, my friendly and welcoming server, Alyssa, came down to bring me the menus and take my drink order. I ordered an original Coke and asked her if she could bring me a glass with ice. Somehow, I find that any kind of drink tastes better drinking it from a glass. Alyssa, my server, had a warm and hospitable personality, and fit right in this neighborly establishment. After consulting with her on what to have from the menu, I ended up ordering a cup of Mushroom Bisque, one of the Soup Du Jours, to start off with. And as my main course, the Meatloaf Dinner, with the two sides of their special Potato Salad and Black Beans with Rice. The Meatloaf came with a delicious bordelaise sauce. The Mushroom Bisque soup was amazing! It had many pieces of mushrooms and was very flavorful. Next time I think I'll have a bowl. The Meatloaf was one of the best that I have ever had. Even better than the ones I've had at some of the most prestigious and expensive restaurants. Simply, exquisite. The Black Beans were perfectly seasoned, and the Potato Salad was also very tasty. For dessert, which I consider the "Grand Finale" of any meal, I had a slice of their exclusive cake named "Better Than Sex." It was amazingly delicious! I invite you to view my photographs accompanying this review to view the cake and read about what it was made of. I also ordered a slice of their Peanut Butter Pie to take home and have as a night snack. In conclusion, I highly recommend this neighborhood Bistro and Bakery. They have a wonderful menu with an amazing Daily Specials one as well. All these, together with a relaxed ambiance and excellent customer service, contribute to an exceptional dining experience.

Went with my daughter, who I was visting! Walked a bit to get some pastries and immediately was…read moretargeted with slurs and racist remarks. Don't know if it was my hat or shirt that set them off. Regardless, horrible people working at this miserable establishment!

We asked our car where to eat and Gemini suggested Scrambled. When we arrived at about 1:00 pm, it…read morewas pretty quiet and we were seated right away. Amanda our server was there and delivered some really good coffee and took our orders. My wife ordered the scrambled eggs and sourdough toast, our daughter had the Denver omelet. I was looking for something light, so I ordered the Sweet and Savory combo. A half order of biscuits and gravy, plus their famous vanilla French toast. The large portion of scrambled eggs were light and fluffy, and the sourdough toast was very flavor full. Our daughter loved the Denver Omelet scrambler, but was unable to finish the large portion. I am really glad that I only had the half portion of biscuits and gravy, two biscuits and generous portion of gravy were the best I have ever had. I barely had room for the four half slices of delicious French toast. It did not need the syrup. My wife appreciated the fact that I ate my biscuits first and had to share the French toast with her, she loved it too. Overall, we all really loved Scrambled. The food was great, and Amanda was very attentive. If we lived in the area, we would definitely make this a regular stop. Thank you Gemini!

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.