It is said that valuable things come in small boxes, but never in my wildest imagination did I conceive of a place like Stellina. After having been selected as number 4 of Yelp's Top 50 most prolific Elites of 2025, a year when I also was awarded the Yelp Triad Squad Photographer of the Year Award at their 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 Stellina, in Downtown Roanoke, is a perfect example. Stellina (which means "Little Star" in Italian) is a secretly hidden little bar within the very popular Italian Restaurant Fortunato, but with its own entrance through a door on the right of the restaurant. Its only indication of its name is a small letter board behind one of its front windows, stating its name and hours of operation. This bar was constructed with reclaimed wood from the Old Crow distillery and opened in December of 2016. Since then its gain a reputation as the ideal spot for hand-crafted cocktails in a cozy and intimate atmosphere. It seats only about 20 people, with 7 at the bar. Not that long ago it gained recognition by being featured in the New York Post as one of the world's best small bars. All that I can tell you about this place doesn't do justice to the experience of visiting the place for the very first time. After stepping inside, I was mesmerized by the simple yet effective, elegance of the establishment, complimented by the beautifully dressed young lady, server/bartender. Her elegant style and mysterious personality contributed to the character and ambiance of this one-of-a-kind relaxing place. The very hospitable young lady welcomed me and handed me the drink menu, while asking me if I also planned to dine there. I answered in the affirmative and asked her if they had any Mocktails. To my surprise, she pointed out that one side of the Drinks Menu were all non-alcoholic drinks, including mocktails, bottled mocktails, wine by the glass, and beers. I ordered one of the mocktails and by the end of my meal, I think I must have tried a few. She then brought me Fortunato's menu, and I ordered the Fritto Misto as appetizer and the Pork Milanese as my main entrée. I enjoyed both course immensely. A lady employee brought me the food from Fortunato's Restaurant through a door that led to the restroom area of Fortunato's Restaurant, pass the kitchen. For dessert, that Which I consider the "Grand Finale" of a wonderful fine dining experience, I ordered their Tiramisu and Hot Chocolate. They were absolutely mouthwatering. I highly recommend this place and can't wait to return in the near future. read more

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My best friend Becca and I were looking for the perfect place to celebrate her 23rd birthday in Roanoke. We had originally settled on Fortunato's, but upon arrival at 6pm, the pleasant hostess had informed us that there was not a table available until 8:30. While she was seeing if there was space at the bar, another young woman said, "There's a table at Stellina!" We already knew that Stellina shared the same menu, so we were pleased to walk over there. A young man greeted us and said, "Sit wherever you like!" But there was only one table available. It was a great table, positioned by a window that let us see a glimpse of the city. Cocktail menus were already on our tables, and the young man asked if we wanted food menus as well. We said yes, and ordered The Obituary, a gin drink, a vodka drink that I cannot remember the name of, the house bread, Lumache a Forno, and Bucatini all'Arrabiatta. While waiting for our food, I got to admire the space. It was a small space decorated with a beautiful purple-lit wallpaper, christmas lights, and a colorful overhead light. The room was dark, but our table was tastefully lit with a small lamp. The wallpaper looked as if it had some floral print on it, but upon closer inspection, it was actually a collection of people's faces, which was charming. But perhaps the most striking element of this bar's atmosphere was the music. I immediately heard a trippy beat that was familiar to me, and upon shazaming it, found out it was Interia Creeps, by Massive Attack, one of my favorite 90s trip-hop bands. The music continued to impress me, and has inspired to start a spotify playlist called Stellina's Songs. Some of the standouts include: Army of Me - Bjork Never Let Me Down - Depeche Mode Lovesong - The Cure It's No Good - Depeche Mode The ambience of this dark, 90s music paired perfectly with the dark yet pleasant atmosphere of the restaurant. Our drinks were cold, our food was hot, and it was all quite delicious. I got to try both dishes and both drinks, and was perfectly satisfied. The gentleman that greeted us checked on us frequently, as well as another woman. Overall, the experience was classy and pleasant. The restaurant seemed popular among an older crowd. Nevertheless, this is a great place for anyone of any age to grab a drink or a bite to eat while feeling like an elegant member of society. This is truly a gem that Roanoke has to offer, and my experience could not have been greater. read more

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Tried to get reservations at Fortuna, but could not. Stellina offers their menu and is right beside them. Stellina is small and on a Friday they were packed in. Scored at the bar which worked fine for me. Service was lukewarm, but still ok. Service started out slow and improved. However, no check-ins were performed at all. I was given a cocktail and food menu. I knew I wanted an Old Fashioned and dropped an order for their lamb meatballs. Shortly after I decided on the eggplant Parmesan main. My drink with Rittenhouse Rye bourbon was tasty, just not much of it price at $17 steep too! I also ordered a specialty hot rum drink with pumpkin spice at $10 that was amazing! The meatballs hit quickly and were devoured! So yummy! About 15 minutes later the main dropped and was huge! Really quality and flavorful for a vegetarian dish. Overall the food was better than the service and prices were stretched. 3.5 rounding down due to service. read more

Stellina - Bar - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Roanoke, Virginia

An intimate, funky bar that feels like a speakeasy but you can also order tasty Italian food from Fortunato next door. I recommend their wood-fired pizzas. It is a little on the spendy side but is also high quality. Specialty cocktails are available but they also have a full bar with the ability to fulfill other requests (like a tasty pisco sour, in my case) as well as wine and beer. It makes for a fun date or girls night! read more

This evening I had the pleasure of dining at Stellina with a friend. We arrived at Fortunato around 6 PM without making a reservation, with the full intention of waiting for a table to be available at the restaurant. However a waitress just happened to be walking by as we were talking with the hostess, telling us there was a table available at Stellina, the cocktail bar attached to Fotunto, where we had originally intended to dine. We were informed it would be the same dinner menu, but a different cocktail menu, which was fine with us, so we took the table. At Stellina, we were quickly seated at a 4-top table by a window and perused the drink menu. We easily decided which drinks and food we wanted and placed our order with our waiter, a nice young man. The room was decorated with Christmas lights and otherwise low lighting, creating an intimate atmosphere. I ordered a gin based drink called "the obituary." It was had floral notes and was served with 3 olives as a garnish. I also sampled my friend's drink, which was vodka and cranberry based. It was sweeter than my drink but tasty in its own way. My companion and I ordered bread as an appetizer. The bread was served with herbed butter and oil and was quite tasty. By the time our food arrived we had eaten almost all of it. I ordered the "Bucatini all'Arrabiatta," Bucatini Pasta, Spicy Tomato Sauce with Calabrian Chiles, Stracciatella & Pecorino Romano. The spice on the first bite was a bit overwhelming, but I quickly adjusted. My dish was extremely satisfying and worth the $17 price tag. I also sampled my friends dish of Lumache al Forno, Baked Three Cheese & Spinach Stuffed Shells with Tomato Sauce which was also quite good. Throughout the meal, the waitstaff checked in with us multiple times to ensure we were satisfied with our dining experience. Towards the end of our dining experience, a waitress offered to remove some plates from our table and we requested the check. Before we left, we visited the women's restroom which had two clean stalls and one sink. On our way out the hostess wished us a good rest of our night. I would recommend Stellina to anyone looking for an upscale Italian dining experience in the Roanoke area. The atmosphere and food quality are worth every penny. read more

Stellina - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Roanoke, Virginia

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The atmosphere was fun and the decor was imaginative. The walls are lined with Christmas wrapping paper and there is an upside down Christmas tree fastened to the ceiling. Oh, and one random menorah for the sake of inclusivity I suppose. Club Christmas music was bumping (loud) and the bar was full. There was a man dressed as an elf literally hopping around. The bartenders did not look happy....at all. It was honestly comical how miserable they seemed given the irony of the atmosphere of "holiday joy". They were also less than attentive and we had to flag them down for drinks. It was still a nice novel spot to hang out. We did not order food but the food I saw looked good. The drinks were a bit pricey but they did come in cute Christmas themed mugs that were available for purchase for a hefty price. I was not a fan of either drink I ordered (Run run Rudolph and Christmapolitian) as they were very sweet and had tons of ingredients that were overwhelming and contradictory on the palate. The Yippee Ki Yay Motherf*cker drink looked pretty despite its classless name but had a heaping amount of powedered sugar on top. If anything this is a dessert bar, drink wise. I would urge diabetics to drink and dine elsewhere. Aromatic bitters, multiple syrups, vermouth, spices, creams, etc, each drink felt like they were just trying too hard to be "fancy" and throwing everything but the kitchen sink into it. I don't think I would have enjoyed a single drink on the menu and would have paid a small fortune trying them out. Sometimes less is more. But all in all it was fun to do one time. read more

Stellina's is the latest addition to mixed drink bars in Roanoke, VA The bar features a small counter and very trendy beverages from their "The Cheeky Nips" menu. Frankly I order off menus when Jacquie is tending bar; she is a master! Next to Fortunato's, this place is where you need to go after having a decent meal or too many beers at Jack Brown's. Music bitchin in to the conversation as a modern beat. Spoon is playing their Rainy Taxi while I drink this mystery concoction of bourbon, orange and beyond. All and all, Roanoke has another winner. read more

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Loved this little "speakeasy" bar. Very small and intimate, dark lighting. This is a great date night or after-dinner drinks kind of place. The bartenders here are extremely talented and put care into each and every drink, even drinks that aren't on their specialty menu. I even came in once with a group and didn't order a drink because I was DD and the bartender was super friendly about it, asked if I at least wanted a water or non-alcoholic beverage to sip on. read more

Stellina - Cocktails. The square is pineapple that was dipped in apple-smoked sugar and bruleed with a blowtorch. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Roanoke, Virginia

Delicious cocktails, great for date night in an intimate space. Bartender was social and easy to get along with. I will be back!

The food is amazing, the drinks are to die for. The octopus, the shrimp and the risotto balls we ordered were delicious. The mixologist really knows how to make all kind of amazing drinks. Ask for the one with the flambé pineapple, his old fashions are on point and that whiskey sour Thanks Loui! Loved loved loved everything there. Do yourself a favor and stop to get good food, good drinks and just make sure you bring good company read more

Stellina - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Roanoke, Virginia

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Apparently a hidden gem cause none of the local had heard of it. Delicious drinks in a great atmosphere. read more

Stellina - a bar filled with people - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Roanoke, Virginia

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Overnight stop in Roanoke in route to MD. First stop for Saturday night out at STELLINA. Jackie and Slammy (sorry if spelling is incorrect) make you feel welcome the moment you walk in the door. Cool speakeasy vibe with Burt Reynolds book on the shelf sultry artwork and old-school speakers complete the vibe. Food menu from Fortunato next door is awesome. Find it if your in Roanoke read more

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Can't say enough about how great this place was! I stopped by while in Roanoke for my 21st birthday. It's a small, cozy spot that can get quite busy later in the evening, but we got there shortly after open and me and my friend were the only two there! It was awesome to have the bar to ourselves and the two bartenders were super sweet! One made me a birthday crown and gave me a shot with a candle! Their cocktails on the menu are great and they have a wonderful selection of liquor. They partner with the Italian restaurant next door, so we also ordered a pizza, which was excellent. Most Italian pizza I've had in the US! read more

Fun, friendly bartenders, delicious (and I mean DELICIOUS) drinks with creative ingredients, very cosmopolitan atmosphere. You feel like you're in a hip Boston or DC neighborhood rather than in Roanoke! I love coming here. read more

These bartenders know their craft and know what they're doing. You can't go wrong. The vibe here is that of a local hotspot. I've been here twice and am a big fan. You can also order food from the Fortunato's menu. read more

Four Stars unless its really crowded.... I'm not a millennial so I am not going to use the word "craft" anywhere in this review because the use of that word whilst referring to a bartender is just dumb. I respect bartenders more than lawyers and way more than airline attendants...but Wizards "craft" spells and glassblowers "craft" molten glass into wine decanters that look like swans. Just say they are awsome or "rad" like we did in the 80's. Stellina is a quality quiet spot for a cocktail you probably can't find anywhere else in Roanoke. Drinks are always interesting and as advertised...the bar tenders take pride and are friendly. The boutique bar space is unique for Roanoke with a noir decor and vibe. It is dark and intimate...really nice for a very small group, business bourbon or quiet couples. I feel that the bar was built for a light-to-busy crowd of light talkers. The bar performs best under these moderate conditions. I prefer going early for dinner pre-game rather than as a late night spot. You can also order dinner and sit in case Fortunato is full. After a couple of late night appearances, I still go regularly but try to avoid late night. It is a very small square footage situation, they do a good job and people flock there late night. When the bar and tables fill up people don't stop coming in...they just fill in between the tables toward the bar. A very busy late night means really slow drink service and a loud compressed atmosphere, which is difficult for staff and customers. The bar just doesn't perform as well under crowded/cramped conditions. My only drink complaint is that I have been into this establishment on an occasion and they did not have any IPAs at all. I'm sure they have fixed this by now but this was a major personal problem for me on that evening. Otherwise, whether its cocktails or night caps, the quality is very high. Keep up the good work! read more

My husband and I had a mostly great experience at Stellina. It has a great speakeasy vibe with delicious cocktails and friendly service. We came on a friend's recommendation to get our current favorite drink, negronis. The bartender who served us, Brett, made us delicious negronis and introduced us to a new strawberry infused campari spin on the drink that was fantastic. We were curious about his craft and the bar in general and he was friendly and charismatic, telling us about some new drinks he had recently crafted. While we expressed enthusiasm towards his work, we did not ask to try the drink. We had come for one, and mentally budgeted for it. "I have so many ideas for your next drink!" he said at one point, and I realized he was trying to manipulate us into it. Then, without prompting or request, he brought two drinks over. We assumed they were on the house. Upon receiving the bill we realized they were not, but just paid for them anyways. Besides being worked by the bartender we had a good experience overall. I definitely recommend trying it, just keep your wits about you! read more

Great cocktails very small and wonderful place to grab a drink. Speakeasy vibe