Highest-rated restaurants in Roanoke by diners
Humans are creatures of habit. We tend to stick to our morning routines, rewatch movies we've seen time and time again, and hit up the same tried-and-true restaurants when going out for a meal. In fact, 35% of Americans said they rarely, if ever, try a new restaurant they haven't been to before, and 5% say they never do, according to a survey of more than 2,600 diners from TouchBistro.
But those numbers look quite different when you focus on younger generations—56% of Gen Zers and 47% of millennials in the U.S. say they visit new restaurants once a month or more. When it comes to deciding which new restaurant to try, younger generations are also more likely to rely on online reviews, through sites like Yelp or Google or from social media. The TouchBistro survey found that 71% of Gen Zers and 72% of millennials have opted to try a new restaurant solely because of favorable reviews online.
Some of the best restaurants in your neck of the woods might be those established spots that customers have been visiting for decades, but some may be brand new. More than 10,000 new restaurants opened in 2023, up 5.7% from 2022, according to a report from BentoBox. The states that saw the most new restaurants open up in 2023 were Florida, Texas, California, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania, but new locales are popping up all over the U.S.
To help you determine which spots—both new and long-standing—to try out, Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated restaurants in Roanoke, according to Yelp reviews from diners as of January 2024. Only restaurants with at least 20 reviews were considered. Read on to find some inspiration for the next time you dine out.
Note: The photos in this article are stock images and do not necessarily reflect each restaurant listed.
#30. Fortunato
- Rating: 4.5/5 (114 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 104 Kirk Ave. Southwest Roanoke, Virginia
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#29. City Corner 2
- Rating: 4.5/5 (156 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3005 Plantation Road Northeast Roanoke, Virginia
- Categories: Thai
- Read more on Yelp
#28. Hollywood's Restaurant & Bakery
- Rating: 4.5/5 (391 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 7770 Williamson Road Roanoke, Virginia
- Categories: American, Seafood, Soup
- Read more on Yelp
#27. The River and Rail
- Rating: 4.5/5 (279 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 2201 Crystal Spring Ave. Southwest Roanoke, Virginia
- Categories: Southern, New American, Soul Food
- Read more on Yelp
#26. Local Roots Restaurant
- Rating: 4.5/5 (459 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1314 Grandin Road Southwest Roanoke, Virginia
- Categories: New American
- Read more on Yelp
#25. Caribbica Soul
- Rating: 4.5/5 (44 reviews)
- Address: 215 Market St. Roanoke, Virginia
- Categories: Caribbean, Soul Food
- Read more on Yelp
#24. AGOGO
- Rating: 4.5/5 (44 reviews)
- Address: 2202 Orange Ave. Northeast Roanoke, Virginia
- Categories: Asian Fusion
- Read more on Yelp
#23. Pop's Ice Cream & Soda Bar
- Rating: 4.5/5 (129 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1916 Memorial Ave. Roanoke, Virginia
- Categories: Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#22. Mi Tapatia
- Rating: 4.5/5 (29 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4818 Williamson Road Northwest Roanoke, Virginia
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#21. R T Smiths
- Rating: 4.5/5 (48 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 10 East Campbell Ave. Roanoke, Virginia
- Categories: Delis
- Read more on Yelp
#20. Sweet Donkey Coffee
- Rating: 4.5/5 (289 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2108 Broadway Ave. Southwest Roanoke, Virginia
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#19. Tacos Rojas
- Rating: 4.5/5 (143 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 737 13th St. Southwest Roanoke, Virginia
- Categories: Mexican, Burgers
- Read more on Yelp
#18. Bread Craft
- Rating: 4.5/5 (149 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 24 Church Ave. Southwest Roanoke, Virginia
- Categories: Bakeries, Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#17. Sidecar
- Rating: 4.5/5 (45 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 411 1st St. Southwest Roanoke, Virginia
- Categories: Modern European, Coffee & Tea, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Wok n Roll Kitchen
- Rating: 4.5/5 (25 reviews)
- Address: 120 Campbell Ave. Southeast Roanoke, Virginia
- Categories: Asian Fusion
- Read more on Yelp
#15. Bethlehem Restaurant & Grocery
- Rating: 4.5/5 (123 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1613 Williamson Road Roanoke, Virginia
- Categories: Middle Eastern, Arabic
- Read more on Yelp
#14. One Love Coffee House
- Rating: 4.5/5 (28 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 40 Summers Way Ste 102 Roanoke, Virginia
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Bloom
- Rating: 4.5/5 (71 reviews)
- Address: 1109 Main St. Southwest Roanoke, Virginia
- Categories: Tapas/Small Plates, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Cello Coffee House & Cafe
- Rating: 4.5/5 (43 reviews)
- Address: 118 Campbell Ave. Southeast Roanoke, Virginia
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Mediterranean, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Bernard's
- Rating: 4.5/5 (244 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 303 South Jefferson St. Southwest Roanoke, Virginia
- Categories: New American, Gastropubs
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Petra Mediterranean Grill
- Rating: 4.5/5 (105 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 4520 Brambleton Ave. Roanoke, Virginia
- Categories: Mediterranean, Middle Eastern
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Richee Freeze
- Rating: 4.5/5 (27 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 4405 Williamson Road Northwest Roanoke, Virginia
- Categories: Burgers, Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt, Hot Dogs
- Read more on Yelp
#8. Cuban Island Restaurant
- Rating: 4.5/5 (317 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 5508 Williamson Road Roanoke, Virginia
- Categories: Cuban, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Lazy Bulldog
- Rating: 4.5/5 (21 reviews)
- Address: 5524 Williamson Road Ste 18 Roanoke, Virginia
- Categories: Food Trucks, Burgers, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Inka Grill
- Rating: 4.5/5 (219 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3033 Brambleton Ave. Southwest Roanoke, Virginia
- Categories: Peruvian, Latin American, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Pueblo Chico Mexican Grill
- Rating: 4.5/5 (76 reviews)
- Address: 2626 Broadway Ave. Southwest Roanoke, Virginia
- Categories: New Mexican Cuisine, Mexican, Latin American
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Chicago Bob's
- Rating: 4.5/5 (45 reviews)
- Address: 3621 Blue Hills Village Drive Roanoke, Virginia
- Categories: Hot Dogs, Sandwiches, fast food
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Viet Sub
- Rating: 5.0/5 (279 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1403 Williamson Road Northeast Roanoke, Virginia
- Categories: Vietnamese, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Screaming Vegan
- Rating: 5.0/5 (43 reviews)
- Address: 2715 Melrose Ave. Northwest Roanoke, Virginia
- Categories: Vegan, fast food, Burgers
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Taco Riendo
- Rating: 5.0/5 (23 reviews)
- Address: 5411 Williamson Road Roanoke, Virginia
- Categories: Food Trucks, Tacos
- Read more on Yelp
This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Jaimie Etkin, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 331 metros.