The Roanoke Valley in Virginia’s Blue Ridge is well represented in the 2017 Best of Virginia awards by Virginia Living magazine.
The Richmond-based magazine produces its Best of Virginia issue annually and winners are selected from an online reader survey. Over 50,000 ballots were cast for this year’s contest.
The state is divided into five regions (Southwest, Shenandoah Valley, Central, Northern, & Eastern) and participants could vote for winners in 105 different categories. Though the area we consider Virginia’s Blue Ridge is located in three different regions that were used for this contest, local winners can be found in the Southwest section of the magazine issue.
Visitors can enjoy many of these unique offerings during a getaway to the Blue Ridge Mountains, such as a stop at the Taubman Museum of Art (Best Museum), Harvester Performance Center (Best Music Venue), and the Roanoke Star (Best “Do Not Miss” Tourist Attraction). You could also book a stay at The Hotel Roanoke & Conference Center (Best Hotel) or the Inn at Riverbend (Best Bed & Breakfast).
The following is a list of the local businesses, attractions, and experiences in Virginia’s Blue Ridge that were selected as winners.
Congratulations to all the businesses highlighted!
Arts, Culture & Entertainment
- Best Annual Charity Events: Union Drumstick DASH
- Best Family Entertainment: Frank Theatres CineBowl & Grille
- Best Food Festival: Roanoke Greek Festival
- Best Movie Theatre: The Grandin Theater
- Best Museum: Taubman Museum of Art
- Best Music Venue: Harvester Performance Center
Living & Recreation
- Best Bed & Breakfast: Inn at Riverbend
- Best “Do Not Miss” Tourist Attraction: Roanoke Star
- Best Historic Site: Historic Smithfield
- Best Hotel: The Hotel Roanoke & Conference Center
- Best Hunting Preserve: Primland
- Best Outdoor Adventure: Cascades
Food & Drink
- Best Breakfast Restaurant: The Roanoker
- Best Caterer: Blue Ridge Catering
- Best Chocolatier: chocolatepaper
- Best Farmers’ Market: Historic Roanoke City Market
- Best Grocery Store: The Fresh Market
- Best Indian Food: Taaza
- Best Local Gourmet Food Store: The Fresh Market
- Best Winery: Chateau Morrisette Winery
- Most Creative Cocktail Menu: Lucky
Shopping
- Best Antiques: Black Dog Salvage
- Best Fine Jewelry Store: Fink’s
- Best Men’s Clothing Store: Davidsons
- Best Motorcycle or Scooter Dealer: Roanoke Valley Harley-Davidson
- Best Shoe Store: The Cobbler’s Wife
- Best Shopping Area/Mall: Valley View Mall
Services
- Best Home Builder: Dollman Construction Inc.
- Best Hospital: Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital
- Best Interior Design Firm: Circle Design Studio
- Best Landscaping Company: Varsity Landscaping & Grounds
- Best Law Firm: Gentry Locke Attorneys
- Best Men’s Haircut: Corporate Image Barbershop
- Best Private Air Service: Signature Flight Support Roanoke
- Best Wedding Venue: Sundara
Pick up your copy of Virginia Living’s 2017 Best of Virginia issue on newsstands. It’s also available for purchase on the Virginia Living website.
You can also check out our list of Awards & Accolades to learn more about Virginia’s Blue Ridge. Connect with us by following us on Social Media and request your free copy of the regional Visitor Guide to get more familiar with the area.