Food is one of the most exciting aspects about a vacation destination.  Visitors will remember an area because of a delicious meal at a romantic restaurant, a unique dish at a quirky hole in the wall or a special delight made by a local.  Visitors can enjoy all of these things and more among a rich variety of eateries as robust as the region's wonderful flavors, making the Roanoke Valley the capital of cuisine in Virginia's Blue Ridge.

If you are seeking to sample some of the region's rich ingredients, a number of farm to table restaurants feature locally grown and raised products on their menus. Alexander's Restaurant in downtown Roanoke creates sophisticated, gourmet dishes with fresh ingredients from their 7Hills Farm, located in nearby Floyd County. In their cozy Grandin Village spot, Local Roots prepares unique and delectable delights, featuring many ingredients from their own city garden, as well as other local farms. The gourmet restaurants in the Roanoke Valley make this an emerging destination for exceptional local cuisine.

The variety of cuisine in the Roanoke Valley also boasts international flair. Whisk your taste buds away to northern India with an order of chicken tikka masala and a side of garlic naan from Nawab Indian Cuisine. Create your own fiesta while you sample the salsa bar and sip margaritas at Alejandro's Mexican Grill. You can even take a culinary adventure to the Orient with the creative selections of sushi and other dishes at Café Asia.

Though the maps may say you're in the Roanoke Valley, your palette will have you traveling around the world as you experience a romantic meal at Carlos Brazilian International Cuisine, which pairs wonderful food and service with fantastic views of the Blue Ridge Mountains. For a taste of classic elegance, The Regency Room at The Hotel Roanoke & Conference Center has been a standard of first class dining in the Roanoke Valley since it opened in 1938. Or, let the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway lead you to Chateau Morrisette Winery in Floyd County, where you can dine in front of a roaring fireplace, overlooking breathtaking vistas on the outdoor patio or enjoy a quiet picnic on their charming grounds.

If you prefer casual dining, The Roanoker Restaurant offers comfort food in an inviting atmosphere that will make you feel right at home. Be sure to sample The Roanoker's homemade biscuits, which were recently featured on NBC's The Today Show. Also featured in many national publications, the savory flavors at Texas Tavern in downtown Roanoke are unlike anything you will find anywhere else. Order a "Cheesy Western" and a "Bowl With" and take in the classic stories of the cooks who make the restaurant one of the area's most cherished landmarks.

And don't forget dessert. Satisfy your sweet tooth with something creamy at Pop's Ice Cream and Soda Bar in Grandin Village, which creates wonderful ice cream sundaes, old-fashioned ice cream sodas and other classics with Homestead Creamery ice cream, a popular local dairy in the Roanoke Valley. And the cakes at Wildflour Market & Bakery in Old Southwest Roanoke are irresistible - especially the Death by Chocolate Cake with sinfully good devil's food cake and chocolate fudge frosting.

No matter what type of food or drink you're craving, a culinary adventure awaits you in Virginia's Blue Ridge. We hope you are hungry, because it's always time to eat!

For more information about dining in the Roanoke Valley, visit our website at http://www.visitroanokeva.com/restaurants-nightlife/, call (800) 635-5535 or stop by the Roanoke Valley Visitor Information Center located in Downtown Roanoke open 9am - 5pm daily.