Edible Blue Ridge Summer 2022

Restaurant has reopened after a brief hiatus, serving up their own eclectic small plates along side the most highly touted cocktail menu in town. If you’re looking for something different, Inka Peruvian Grill has become a newer fa vorite of ours, and I’ve never regretted a trip to the best local burger joint, Farmburguesa . Hopefully you’ve saved a little room for dessert! Visit Pop’s Ice Cream and Soda Bar in Grandin, and be transported back to a 1950s style soda bar while you enjoy your shake or scoop. Crème Fresh in Wasena has opened for their second summer, serving a selection of ice cream made entirely with non-dairy milks. Downtown, you’ll find homemade ice cream stuffed between homemade cookies at Rook ie’s , or you can travel back towards Mill Moun tain and try some of the creative scoops (or an ice cream flight) at Blue Cow Ice Cream . A short two years after I left southwestern Virginia, the mountains called me home. Most weekends, I was waking up at 4 a.m. to drive three hours to Shenandoah National Park. I missed the cool mountain air and the quiet nights, and I knew it was time to return. Af ter struggling to find and build community on my own, I found it quickly upon my return to Roanoke. What was once a sleepy former rail road city had become a growing center full of culinary talent and outdoor activity, all while retaining the small-town feel. Reestablishing my roots here was the best thing I could have done, and I am thrilled to share some of my love for my home with our readers.

Keep an eye out for a menu from newly-opened Food Hut RKE , a new project attached to the building and started by some of Roanoke’s best culinary minds: Patrick Riley, who built the OG Heliotrope menu in Lexington; Tyler omas of River and Rail ; and Elliott Orwick of Yard Bull Meats . Between beers, be sure to check out neighbors Gatewood Rose Botani cals and Blade Gaming . is grouping of ex citing new businesses is forming up to be one of Roanoke’s most encompassing places to spend a day. While we’re talking beer, I would be remiss to leave out our other favorite spots in town. A Few Old Goats makes some killer “big beers” in a former school building with a large out door patio. Starr Hill Pilot Brewery & Side Stage is a terrific spot to relax at the base of Mill Mountain, and Barrel Chest Wine &Beer has opened Roanoke’s first self-pour wall. Barrel Chest has also re-opened their cafe with plenti ful charcuterie, sandwich, and snack options to pair with their extensive beer and wine list. Now comes the fun part—dinner! Opened just a few short years ago, our top choice for a Roanoke dinner is bloom Restaurant &Wine Bar . Chef and owner Nate Sloan grew up just outside of Roanoke, and excels at using almost entirely local products in his ever-changing small plate menu. Bring your appetite (and maybe a friend or two), as we highly recom mend ordering every dish on the menu. While bloom sits at the top of our list, arguments for the top spot could be made for numerous Roanoke restaurants. Downtown’s Fortunato boasts brick-oven pizzas and the best pasta dishes in town. e meatballs are one of their specialties, and for good reason. Lucky

From Left: Corn Parfait from bloom Restaurant & Wine Bar, Photo by Otto Tyler. The Roanoke Star sits high atop Mill Mountain; illuminated at night, it shines down brightly on the city.

did, and never know it exists. “ e Roanoker,” made with jerk-spiced chicken, melted provolo ne and grilled peppers and onions is my favorite of their extensive sandwich list. Owned and op erated by Nepali couple Sarojani and Prakash Malakar, Cafe Xpress also wins my “Best Fries in the Area” award — crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and perfectly seasoned. ese would pair especially well with a sour beer from Olde Salem Brewing Company or a Get Bent Mountain IPA from Parkway Brewing Com pany . Stick around Salem through the evening, and you’re likely to catch a Salem Red Sox game. You would be hard-pressed to find a more picturesque minor league baseball sta dium — not many places exist where you can drink great local craft beer and watch a ball game with the mountains beyond the outfield walls. Catch lunch or dinner (dinner only on Fridays) beforehand at Gina’s Food with Fla vor — especially if you miss e Homeplace (if you know, you know) —and your stomach and your soul are guaranteed to leave happy. As the day wanes, and your hunger grows back, it’s time to start thinking of dinner. You’ll find no better place to contemplate than at Golden Cactus Brewing over some delicious beers. e “new kid on the block,” Golden Cactus defies modern brewery norms with a taproom chock-full of plants and natural light. ~~Turning the Corner~~

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