When traveling through Southwest Virginia, you can’t help but be in awe of the picturesque landscape of the mountainous region, but in addition to being a stunningly beautiful backdrop, the land also provides fertile grounds for farming. This lends to a rich culinary scene in Southwest Virginia, where chefs utilize locally sourced ingredients to craft historically rooted Appalachian cuisine. We have already highlighted dozens of restaurants, breweries, and wineries in Part 1 of our Southwest Virginia Dining Guide, but there are many more hot spots to dine and drink within the area. Read on to discover the best places to get a true taste of Southwest Virginia.
—FOR BREAKFAST—
The Front Porch on Main, Tazewell—Located in a historic Victorian-style home in Tazewell, breakfast menu includes regular fare like pancakes, French toast, and Eggs Benedict, as well as specialty ‘morning snacks’ like Grilled Banana Bread and Cinnamon Fried Apples.
Next Door Bake Shop, Blacksburg—A variety of options are available from customizable drinks and sweet treats to a vast variety of bagel sandwiches that accompany rotating specials.
More Breakfast Places:
- The Well Coffee Shop, Tazewell
- The Dutch Treat Country Store, Rose Hill
- Margaret’s Country Corner, Bluefield
—FOR LUNCH—
Cuz’s Uptown Barbeque, Pounding Mill—Eclectic restaurant inside an old dairy barn and silo. While the barbecue is the main attraction, they also have fresh fish, lobster, crabcakes, and steaks. Closed for winter, November through March.
The Girl and the Raven Cafe, Abingdon—Cafe and lunch spot with locally roasted coffee and breakfast and lunch sandwiches.
Green’s Grill and Sushi Bar, Blacksburg—Visit Green’s for lunch or dinner because they have an expansive menu that will catch the eye of everyone from sushi to Mediterranean to burgers and fries.
More Lunch Locations:
- Fisher & Company, Tazewell
- Hob-Nob Drive-In, Gate City
- A Better Burger, Jonesville
—FOR DINNER—
Ina + Forbes, Saint Paul—Located in Saint Paul’s new boutique hotel, the Western Front Hotel. Modern Appalachian cuisine including fried catfish and apple stack cake. Open for lunch and dinner.
Rhododendron Restaurant, Breaks—In Breaks Interstate Park, Rhododendron has large windows that provide breathtaking views of the mountains. Menu changes seasonally, focusing on country-style dishes like fried chicken, country fried steak with homemade gravy, and fresh vegetable sides.
The Bad Apple, Pembroke—On Doe Creek Farm, the Bad Apple is serving up a multitude of cocktails and fanciful food in a prohibition-era establishment.
More Dinner Spots:
- Woodbooger Grill, Norton
- Campus Drive-In, Gate City
- Savory Flavors, Bluefield
- Pizza Town, Lebanon
- Moon Dog Brick Oven, Wise
—FOR SWEET TREATS—
The Family Bakery, Gate City—Family bakery serving a daily selection of seasonally-inspired desserts, including donuts, cakes, cupcakes, pies, cake pops, cinnamon rolls, and chocolate-dipped strawberries.
Sweet Thang Pastries & Restaurant, Clintwood—From-scratch restaurant, bakery, and coffee shop that makes cookies, cinnamon rolls, donuts, pies, and various other desserts.
Bollo’s Cafe, Blacksburg—Frequented by Virginia Tech students and staff, Bollo’s is a popular place in Blacksburg for a study session complete with coffees, teas, and sweet treats. Their desserts have plentiful gluten-free and vegan options to match any dietary need.
More Bakeries & Dessert Destinations:
- K & E Southern Sweets, Wise
- Mattie’s Place, Tazewell
- Serendipity Café, Grundy
- Carol Lee Donuts, Blacksburg
- Cocoa Mia, Floyd
—FOR LOCAL CRAFT BREWS—
Lonesome Pine Brewing, Lebanon—A nanobrewery in the downtown district of Lebanon, Lonesome Pine Brewing features several food and beer pairings and weekly events.
Moon Hollow Brewing Company, Blacksburg—Named after the plot of land situated behind the brewery, Moon Hollow hosts a 5 Barrel brewing system and several local alcoholic and non-alcoholic brews.
Seven Sisters Brewery, Wytheville—Seven Sisters is a community brewery with fun for the whole family from live music to a game hall. They also have several beer options that pay homage to Virginia roots.
—FOR WINE LOVERS—
Mountainrose Vineyards, Wise—Winery built on former coal lands, creating rich wines from grapes grown in the distinct soil, from reds and whites to blush wines and a hard apple cider. Offers tours and tastings 7 days a week.
Plum Creek Winery, Tazewell—Appointment-only winery in Tazewell that produces 14 fruit-flavored wines like plum, peach, pineapple, strawberry, blueberry, and apple.
Vincent’s Vineyard, Lebanon—Quaint farm winery in the foothills of the scenic Clinch and Beartown Mountains. Free wine tastings and tours of the vineyard and winery.
Like the suggestions, but it seems your description of swva did not include much of swva. Such as, Abingdon, Marion, Wytheville, or Galax. Maybe next edition you can visit the remaining counties that too call swva home!