Roanoke, VA: A Metro Mountain Escape That Hits All the Right Notes

After nearly two years away, I returned to Roanoke, Virginia, a place I’ve visited before, but this time, I saw it through a new lens: Made in VBR: A Metro Mountain Experience, in partnership with Wander Worthy.

Tucked in the heart of Virginia’s Blue Ridge, Roanoke has always had those magical mountain views that stretch for miles, a walkable downtown, and tons of history. But, this trip showed me just how much heart, creativity, and passion are fueling this city’s next chapter.

The journey into Roanoke was its own kind of welcome back adventure. With winding back roads and scenic panoramic views—views that made me pull over a couple times to soak it all in.

My home base for the week? The Liberty Trust boutique hotel! A beautifully restored former bank building in downtown Roanoke, originally built in 1907 and on The National Register of Historic Places, it offers sweeping views of the Blue Ridge Mountains from every floor. Beautiful mountain views that I personally got to enjoy daily from my bed.

Soon after checking in, my wanderer spirit kicked in and I hit the streets. Roanoke’s downtown is perfect for roaming—full of eclectic, independent shops and boutiques. Like, 310 Rosemont, where I was met with incredible hospitality and scooped a great hat. As well as Mast General Store, where I snagged a new pair of hiking/work boots. After 6 years and a resole with my last pair, it was excellent come up.

That evening, I linked up with my points of contact and guides, Kathryn and Grace, for a round of creative mocktails at Stellina, followed by a return to Liberty Trust for a tour and incredible dinner downstairs at The Vault, Liberty Trust’s signature restaurant, where they laid out a delicious spread of the menu to include shumai, mini crab cakes & even bacon wrapped cheese stuffed dates!

From the start, I knew this trip was about more than just seeing the sights, it was time to learn about the meaningful connections and get to know the stories behind the places.

Day two started the best way possible: with biscuits! We headed to Scratch Biscuit Company, home of the famous “cathead” biscuits—a mind blowing five inches across, fluffy, buttery, and melt-in-your-mouth good.

Owner Nathan came out to share a bit of his story and vision. It was a nice reminder of how personal and passionate Roanoke’s culinary scene truly is. I ordered the red curry chicken breakfast burrito, but when those biscuits made it to the table, I could not leave them alone—I mean those things were crazy good!

Next stop: Black Dog Salvage. If you’ve seen the TV show, “Salvage Dogs” you know the name, but walking the massive warehouse with co-owner Mike made me feel like I was stepping into a live episode.

The space is overflowing with reclaimed treasures, architectural elements and stories waiting to be discovered. It was amazing to get a peek into the creative process and see behind the scenes area where essentially, “the magic happens”. I long for an open workspace where I’m able to create art in a similar fashion.

Later, we ventured to the historic neighborhood of Wasena where we popped into RND Coffee and met co-founder Quincy, a culinary school grad turned coffee roaster who brings intention and creativity to every cup.

As he began to tell us about what brought him to the area you could hear the passion in his words. But, what I found even more interesting and loved was that he and his brother originally worked together to open up the shop.

The next leg of our journey took us out of Roanoke to head to Rocky Mount, dubbed the “Moonshine Capital of the World”. There we visited Olde Town Social House, where we had a quick lunch pit stop. After, we got the star treatment and a tour of the historical building and quirky Moonshine Explosion Museum. This place was very surprising! It’s actually located in a building where an actual moonshine related explosion occurred, there are even relics of the cars in the explosion found offering a truly unique and historical experience.

After learning quite a bit of the region’s history in moonshine, we made our way to Twin Creeks Distillery, where we learned about it’s moonshining legacy, the history of generations of local moonshiners and I got to enjoy a delicious strawberry mule made by the daughter of a man whose family spans generations.

We rolled back down to Roanoke for some much-needed downtime back at our respective accommodations. Later that evening we linked back up at Fire Station One , a historic firehouse built in 1907, transformed boutique hotel, furniture showroom, and stylish Nordic bistro and bar, Stock.

We toured the space and got to see the beautiful rooms. Some even had features like fire poles and spiral staircases. As a special treat, I even got to climb up and peek through the lookout window!

For dinner at Stock, we shared an assortment of beautifully plated appetizers and charcuterie of delicious smoked fish and cheeses. For my main, I savored a scallop special that was nothing short of spectacular. For dessert? Why not share one of everything from lavender ice cream to gingerbread cookies.

The following morning brought one of my favorite weekend rituals: A farmer’s market in the vibrant neighborhood of Grandin Village where we met native plant vendors, fresh juice purveyor named Field Day.

I scooped a refreshingly spicy apple ginger shot followed by a revisit to RND by pop up. I opted for a refreshing iced matcha and the crew shared a round of their from scratch doughnuts (lemon poppy seed, RND espresso, and honey butter donut holes to be exact).

I like the Grandin neighborhood, established in 1906 is another neighborhood listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It it blends history with a vibrant yet modern feel and according to Historicgrandinvillage.com, it’s celebrated as one of Roanoke’s best examples of a thriving mixed-use urban village.

Continuing to explore the neighborhood we stumbled onto Open Studios, a local art event where artists open their homes and workspaces to the public. The best part about this was it was totally impromptu and not a scheduled stop for us but it ended up being something beautiful. It felt intimate and authentic—like being let in on the city’s best-kept creative secrets.

All that walking worked up an appetite, so we made our way to Crystal Spring Grocery, a beloved local staple supplying the neighborhood with local meats, cheeses, and gourmet groceries for over a century. Beyond its grocery shelves, Crystal Spring boasts a popular café with a robust menu.

Thanks to a great tip from the cashier, I ordered the crispy chicken sandwich with their signature comeback sauce and pickled jalapeños. The crew and I shared a spread of deviled eggs, pimento cheese, and other house-made sides all equally delicious.

Before leaving I checked out their retail and found my beloved Hub’s peanuts and even scored a vinyl copy of The Carpenters’ “The Singles” for just $5! It’s crystal clear why it’s a neighborhood favorite.

That lunch nearly had me ready for a nap, but a quick stop at Sweet Donkey Coffee for an iced gingerbread latte had me energized again and ready to soak in some culture at the Taubman Museum of Art. A beautiful museum designed by architect Randall Stout that thanks to a grant offers free daily general admission!

Wrapping up our tour of the Taubman, our gracious contacts organized a special hard-hat walk through tour of Dorothy, a new restaurant concept by Nate Sloan that promises to bring something special and exciting to the area’s foodie scene.

From what they told us, it’s going to be an amazing concept with full lunch/dinner menu and a featured listening lounge/bar where I’m sure the vibes will be in full effect.

From there, we headed over to the historic Hotel Roanoke for a special treat. We not only got to see the beautiful 1800 Tudor style hotel, we met the incredible Henry Hill, an award-winning mixologist and creator of the “No Place Like Home” cocktail, which recently took the top spot at the Virginia Spirits inaugural Cocktail Games.

Henry’s is an amazing storyteller that shines bright as the Roanoke Star matching the vibrant spirit of Roanoke itself — a city that shines just as brightly through its people as it does through its scenery.

To cap off an already perfect day, we ventured to the neighboring town of Salem for dinner at Brood Restaurant and Wine Bar. To my surprise, an almost entirely gluten-free restaurant led by Chef Ted Polfelt!

It’s not often I see many gluten free options, let alone an entire menu. The best part is every bite exceeded expectations. After chatting with chef, I learned that his daughter was diagnosed with ciliacs, which was his main drive and motivation behind making just about every gluten free.

They say good things come in threes, and after three days here, I can confidently say: Roanoke has worked its charm on me.

Since getting to the Star City I had been itching to get outside for a hike. So on Day 4, I made it happen.

I woke up before the sun and after a quick “trails near me” google search I settled on a trail system at Read Mountain Preserve by the name of “Buzzard Rock” about 15 minutess from my hotel. I laced my boots (that I found at Mast General), packed a snack and headed out the door. I got there and was the first person on the trail and after checking the trail head I learn it would be a nice 2 miles up and 2 miles down, no problem.

Let’s just say, mountain miles hit very differently than your average flatland stroll. But every step was worth it. The trail, lined with early morning stillness and misty mountain air, delivered exactly the kind of reset & refresh I’d been craving.

I wrapped up the hike and made my way back downtown. Perfect timing to grab a bite to eat before our next adventure. After checking menus around the area, I landed on a local staple named Ernies where I enjoyed a simple yet delicious bacon egg and cheese that I enjoyed standing outside while enjoying some people watching.

Kat and the crew arrived shortly after to whip us over to Roanoke Mountain Adventures to meet with our guide Shawn for an intro to e-bikes tour. As long as I have seen these e-bikes roll around I always said “ah nonsense, who needs it?!” Well, I can admittedly say I’m a convert now because those things are great!

The best part is you can toggle the assist on or off at any point so it allows you to still get a full workout but when you need the extra help, it’s just a fingertip away. While the tour was a bit short it was very insightful and a clear way to see why people who love the outdoors love Roanoke.

Finishing the tour we popped into another local hot spot downtown by the name of Billy’s for brunch. This place was hoppin! I mean after being open for only 30 mins every table in there was full. I haven’t been to a true brunch in a while so it was a nice. I chose the avocado toast as my main, delicious for sure, but the star that stole the show was the incredible salted caramel candied bacon—sweet, salty, crispy perfection.

We wrapped up and got some to-go boxes then made a b-line for Mill Mountain to see the iconic roanoke star. Constructed in 1949 the star originally was a seasonal decoration for Christmas. At 100 ft it is the largest man-made, illuminated star in the world serving as a beacon welcoming people to the city. The best part is it is completely lit up by neon! I have fond memories visiting the star with family from my grandfather to my now partner and friends. I truly is a well loved symbol of Roanoke.

Leaving the star, Kat suggested Blue Cow Ice Cream and Co. to a resounding “Yes!” from the crew. Since their introduction they have since expanded operations to fredericksburg and VB so, I am no stranger to their delicious ice cream. So much so I often call in to see what flavors are available daily during the summer months… I guess you can call me a regular.

We ate on their open outdoor balcony with a view of the beautiful Greenway and an amazing mural by Jon Murril. After our delicious snack we made our way back to our hotels to freshen up so we could get ready for dinner.

All week we had heard so much about Chef Nate Sloan and what he’s done culinary for the area that it was only right to finish the trip off with a hyper locally sourced meal at bloom Restaurant and Wine Bar.

Chatting with Nate he shared that he takes inspiration from around the world and our meal of the evening’s inspo would feature flavors of Iberia! I love going to restaurants where I don’t even have to look at the menu, food like that is art and I let the artist do the painting. Everything was fantastic, well proportioned and exploded with flavor.

There is no surprise it stands out as the area’s favorite place to eat. Every dish told a story. Every flavor, a memory in the making. Bloom isn’t just a restaurant, it’s an experience. And after a week in Roanoke, it was the perfect note to end on.

Over four days, Roanoke reminded me what makes travel meaningful. It’s not just about the scenery (though the mountains certainly don’t hurt). It’s about the stories. The people who pour passion into biscuits, art, coffee, cocktails, and community. The ones who welcome you with warmth and leave you already planning your return.

Whether you’re hiking to the Star, digging through salvage treasures, sipping moonshine, or chasing the best fried chicken sandwich in the region—Roanoke is a place that blends culture and comfort, creativity and calm.

And after this visit, one thing’s clear: the Star City isn’t just a place on the map. It’s a feeling. And it’s shining brighter than ever.