If you’re a vegetarian, there’s no need to worry about going hungry at the local restaurants in the Roanoke Valley in Virginia’s Blue Ridge.
Our dining scene features vegetarian-friendly items in a variety of cuisines, ranging from classic Southern comfort food to Middle Eastern and everything in between.
Just because it doesn’t have meat, doesn’t mean it can’t still be delicious. Many of these items are so good, you will be tempted to try them, even if you’re not a vegetarian!
Here are some of the best vegetarian-friendly restaurant options in Virginia’s Blue Ridge.
Bethlehem Restaurant & Grocery
What to Order: Assorted Appetizers & Salads
As part of the incredible diversity of flavors on Roanoke’s Williamson Road, Bethlehem Restaurant & Grocery specializes in Mediterranean and Arabic cuisine. We suggest creating a platter of various appetizers and salads, which includes items such as baba ghanoush, stuffed grape leaves, tabouleh, and falafel.
Tizzone Wood-Fired Kitchen & Wine Bar
What to Order: Wood-Fired Smoked Gouda & Fig Sandwich
Make lunch at Tizzone Wood-Fired Kitchen & Wine Bar part of your Blue Ridge Day in Botetourt County so that you can enjoy the Wood-Fired Smoked Gouda & Fig sandwich. The fresh ciabatta bread is made by Nick of Thyme Bakery & Catering, a local bakery, and it’s topped with smoked gouda cheese, fresh mozzarella and a house-made fig spread. The sandwich is offered daily from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Taaza Indian Cuisine
What to Order: Lunch Buffet
Send your tastebuds on a journey to India by trying the lunch buffet at Taaza in Roanoke’s Historic Grandin Village. Though the dishes rotate, the buffet always includes a vegetarian curry, marinated vegetables, multiple salads, chutney, and a lentil-based dish, as well as rice and garlic naan. Ingredients such as chickpeas, cauliflower, and tofu pair wonderfully with the unique Indian spices and sauces.
Evie's Bistro and Bakery
What to Order: Dragon’s Tooth Sandwich
Evie's Bistro and Bakery (formerly Wildflour Market & Bakery) offers an assortment of vegetarian-friendly options, but we recommend the Dragon’s Tooth sandwich, named after the iconic local spot on the Appalachian Trail. This popular sandwich is packed with veggies and flavor, featuring baked eggplant medallions that are coated with parmesan cheese and topped with sauteed peppers, mushrooms, red onion, tomato, provolone cheese, lettuce, ranch dressing and secret sauce. It’s also served on the restaurant's in-house, fresh-baked bread.
Thai Oudone Valley Grill
What to Order: Pad Mee
Did you know you can have authentic Laotian cuisine in Virginia’s Blue Ridge?! Thai Oudone Valley Grill has a Laos section of its menu, in addition to Thai and Chinese dishes. For vegetarians, the Pad Mee is a fantastic option. It’s a noodle dish prepared with bok choy, Asian broccoli, carrots and cabbage.
Local Roots
What to Order: Special Dishes featuring Locally-Sourced Vegetables
Local Roots is a restaurant committed to the farm-to-table movement, and its lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch menus all revolve around locally-sourced products. The menus are updated regularly to reflect what’s available through local farmers, but you can always count on finding vegetarian-friendly options with artisanal cheese plates and unique dishes that contain items such as butternut squash, roasted beets, smoked cauliflower, cranberry beans, or pickled daikon.
Dogwood Restaurant
What to Order: Veggie Plate
We love our comfort food in Virginia’s Blue Ridge, and that includes veggies! The Vegetable Plate at Dogwood Restaurant in Downtown Vinton features your choice of any three vegetable dishes, which includes an assortment of daily specials. You definitely will want to try the Mac & Cheese, and it can be paired with other items such as pickled beets, corn, coleslaw, and others. Some veggie items are cooked in pork products so be sure to check with your server.
Fortunato
What to Order: Vegano Pizza
Fortunato is a traditional Italian kitchen and Neapoltian style pizzeria with a vibrant atmosphere and delicious food. There are lots of tasty options for vegetarians, and even vegans will love the Vegano Pizza. It’s a sourdough crust topped with tomato sauce, Italian herbs and spices, house-made cashew ricotta, arugula and jackfruit sausage. We recommend also topping it with some Mike’s Hot Honey for an added touch of sweet heat.
Hollywood’s Restaurant & Bakery
What to Order: Sunshine Wrap
Your Blue Ridge Day will get a little brighter when you enjoy the Sunshine Wrap at Hollywood’s Restaurant & Bakery. It’s a sun-dried tomato tortilla that’s filled with a black bean mix, cheddar cheese, salsa and sour cream, and it’s also served with a side salad. If you’re in the mood for a sweet treat afterwards, order a slice of the famous Peanut Butter Pie, which earned a spot on our list of Top 10 Pies in Virginia’s Blue Ridge!
Tuco’s Taqueria Garaje
What to Order: Vegetarian Tacos
Tacos are always a great vegetarian-friendly option at Tuco’s! The menu features multiple veggie-oriented tacos, including the Black Bean with seasoned beans and spicy red chili, or the Portobello, which has roasted portobello mushrooms, poblano & anaheim peppers, and onions. You also have the option of selecting the style of your taco - Gringo comes with cheese, lettuce, lime sour cream, and salsa, while Traditional is a combination of cilantro, lime and pico de gallo.
Elderberry’s
What to Order: Green & Fruit Veggie Smoothie
Get some liquid fuel for your next adventure in Virginia’s Blue Ridge with a smoothie from Elderberry’s. The shop offers a variety of fruit smoothies, but for some extra energy and nutrition, we recommend one of the Green Fruit & Veggie Smoothies. Feeling a little nutty? Try the Kale & Almond, which is packed with kale, almond milk, banana, honey, blueberries, and is then topped with almonds.
Pop’s Ice Cream & Soda Bar
What to Order: Swiss Melt
In the mood for a grilled cheese sandwich? The Swiss Melt at Pop’s Ice Cream & Soda Bar was recognized by Esquire as one of the best grilled cheese sandwiches in the country! It’s prepared on the shop’s classic 1958 Toastmaster Sandwich Press and is made with Swiss cheese, avocado, artichoke hearts, horseradish and Dijon mustard. Don’t forget to save room for dessert and try some Homestead Creamery ice cream!
Map of Locations
We hope you’re hungry! If you like to post pics of your food, remember to use our #BlueRidgeDay hashtag and share it with us on Instagram! For more dining options, visit our Restaurants section.
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