It is said that valuable things come in small boxes, but never in my wildest imagination did I…read moreconceive 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.

My best friend Becca and I were looking for the perfect place to celebrate her 23rd birthday in…read moreRoanoke. 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.

Outstanding food, cocktails, and service. The Anastasia Speakeasy is extra fun as it set up like an…read moreold prohibition lounge. Menu is unusual and delicious. The cocktails are crafted with unusual menu options and top shelf brands. Manager Kim took care of us and did an outstanding job. So much fun to walk in and look behind the barbershop to find this fun place. Be aware that they do not take reservations and on popular evenings, especially during shows at the Harvester you may have to wait for the table. One of our top places to visit

This place had been on our list for some time and thankfully we made it in finally. We had just…read morefinished a hike so frankly we didn't really fit the bill on a Saturday evening looks wise but it didn't seem to matter in the terrific way we were served. We had two fancy cocktails and a baked brie to nosh and everything was just top notch. I felt like we had stepped back in time with the period-era details. Clean restroom to boot! Five stars and you will see us again soon!

This was a rare gem! A gem that we really enjoyed. Our hostess was the best. She quickly seated us…read moreand told us about the "Tuesday Half Price the Entire Menu" day. Our group had been studying the menu prior to our arrival. We enjoyed nearly every cocktail on the menu along with one of their "special shots in an animal head shot glass". There was a little "show" with almost every drink. Even though we had already eaten, we couldn't resist sampling a few snacks. Each snack was unique. The baked potato skins had a spinach artichoke topping and the dumplings had a cayenne dust. The mini pizza was just ok. The service was the highlight of our experience. Our server was always there to make sure we had everything we needed. We hope to visit again when we are in town.

This college town has a hidden gem for parents and relatives of college kids. Our group was excited…read moreto try this speakeasy type lounge in the heart of downtown. Our host was very hardworking. She also served our drinks, took our food orders and even gave us some advice on nearby venues. I think our group tried most drinks on the Spring cocktail menu. On Tuesdays, everything on their drink a food menu is half off. So yes, we enjoyed everything from shots, interesting cocktails and a variety of snacks.

I had a great experience at Lost Saint last time I was in town so I had to return to try more…read moreseasonal cocktails and food. My husband and I met up with some of his co-workers and they had a 6 top to accommodate us. The ambiance reminds me of the prohibition era as it is located in the basement of Tavern & Grocery. Service was also excellent this second visit. I had the Dilly Dally and the Roses Really Smell Like cocktails while my husband tried the Lemon Meringue Flip. For dinner we had the roasted cauliflower and pan seared cod fish. The roasted cauliflower had a nice flavor profile with shiitake mushrooms and castelvetrano olives. We were too full for dessert, but we will return.

We ducked in here on a Saturday night before our dinner reservation next door for a drink. After…read moreexperiencing this place I wish we could have stayed all night! Food/drinks (5/5): Amazing! The cocktails are a bit pricey but like nothing I've ever had. I had a spicy mezcal drink and it was just fabulous. Service (5/5): Lindsey is the best bartender! She gave us samples of some of the new drinks she's working on and it was so much fun! Ambiance (5/5): The dark cozy vibe is just amazing! I love the dark feeling of this place. Just the perfect place to warm up with some fun drinks.

Rivermont never seems to disappoint. One of the top 2 pizza places in Lynchburg in my wife and I's…read moreopinion. Good for takeaway or for eating in (though expect a louder atmosphere if you plan to eat in). Service is always quick and friendly as well! Have also heard they have trivia nights and other fun events if that entices you but we have never been in on one of those nights... yet!

Super cute fun location. Service was great. Grabbed food to go. Chicken chili is amazing, not quite…read moreas expected, but blew my mind. Strawberry arugula salad was amazing too, great combinations of flavors! Pizza was amazing too! Chewy and crunchy! Only complaint was gf crust. It tasted fine, just nothing special. We got 2 toppings and skimped a little on pineapple. Top of crust was extremely burnt but bottom was fine.

We came for dinner to celebrate my best friends bachelor parties and start our weekend off…read more We are all huge foodies and there were 11 of us so we tried all of the apps. I'm not a pretzel person but hear me when I say GET THE PRETZEL!!! It was absolutely delicious. The burrata caprese was delicious as well. The chilled shrimp were a weird play on what we were expecting (shrimp cocktail) and we will definitely pass on that one next time. Our table ordered multiple things including salads, rigatoni, steaks, macaroni and cheese and fried chicken. The highlights were the macaroni and cheese and fried chicken! Our server was extremely busy with other larger parties but she was super sweet and fun

The veggie melt was unseasoned and the fried chicken had no salt. Service was good overall.read more

Visited Macado's again- 13 years after my first visit. Little has changed for the better. Service…read moreis a bit slow. I had fish and chips, which was Tgood. there was one rather large hunk of fish and way too many fries at a pricey $14.00. My guest ordered chicken strips- If I had known the amount of fries I would get, she could have avoided buying a separate order of fries I recommend the Tennessee cheesecake. It still seems a Liberty U student hangout, The centrally situated bar was large and very noisy. (Does beer make one deaf?) I didnt notice it the first time I was here but the booth seats are EXTREMELY uncomfortable. They are solid flat wood with square front edges and backs. Maybe the discomfort contributes to getting people to refrain from hanging around after they eat- it sure worked for me. Use your GPS as the place is hard to find without one. Parking is adequate

Friday night visit - chicken salad: chicken tasted like several day old rotisserie chicken that I…read morebuy from Costco. Didn't look good or taste good. Flatbread pizza. The appearance was a piece of naan bread with sauce, sloppily thrown on with ham and cheese that appeared to have been bought at Walmart as it still contained the round shape of cheese and the look and texture of ham that you would buy out of a lunch meat container. It was not presented well and it did not taste good. Server was good. I have eaten at Macado's in Blacksburg many times with no food issues.

The interior is cozy and decor leans heavily toward an antique style. Couches have outlets where I…read morewas able to study and enjoy a pot of Chinese green tea. Prices are reasonable but food is limited to appetizers. Lovely staff and comfortable atmosphere, would definitely recommend.

We didn't smoke hookah and it didn't seem like anyone was so there was no smoke in the air. We just…read moregot a chai and a rose milkshake and took in the vibes. This place was so cool and delicious and if I were a college kid here I'd be going here all the time.

A very unexpected swanky bar in Floyd,Va. It'll throw you for a loop if you're not ready when you…read morewalk in, we were. Think prohibition. The joint takes you into the prohibition era. The staff play into it very well. The bartender was super cool. The lady at the front door stayed in character (so cool). Helpful hint ... buffalo nickel. Once in, it is a super dark and cozy classy place. Great selection of wine and cocktails. Small selection of beer. Had the very tasty Chef burger. The Mango Habanero cheese curds were tasty. Checkout the upstairs... I'd revisit this place again.

A place to go back in time! They are a prohibition…read moreestablishment theme/vibe. Fun wall decoration and art. Makes you feel like you are on a different timeline. Food was great! We ordered the seared ahi tuna, filets, and ravioli. Everything was delicious and fresh. Id recommend if you are quiet hungry and want to order the ravioli to perhaps order something else to pair with it as it only comes with 4 raviolis. Let's talk drinks. They are seasonal so they had an apple smoked old fashioned which was delicious and a whole experience as they bring it in a container with the smoke in it 10/10 recommend! They have a yummy spicy orange margarita and really good non alcoholic drinks that taste like alcoholic drinks! Service was great! Our server had really good suggestions and was attentive and up front with items that where not available.

High end creative food with a not pretentious vibe. The miso maple salmon and the grilled pork chop…read morewith hominy and crimini shrooms are my fav mains. Multiple layers of flavor and all the right textures. Visually appealing on the plate as well. Solid cocktail list here. I'm a big fan that they go old school with a hot toddy. The applejack brandy added to that is a nice touch. Service is excellent here. Prices reasonable given the quality of the dishes. Will be back the next time I'm in town for sure. Take out orders here https://orders.cake.net/11301553 Reservations via Resy.

Went there for a late Sunday Brunch few others were open. Great food and service. The coffee was…read moregood as the breakfast. Will be back for dinner later.