Roanoke's restaurant scene punches above its weight for a city of 100,000. The City Market District is the densest cluster — independent restaurants in restored brick buildings, with everything from neighbourhood diners to nationally reviewed contemporary kitchens. The Grandin Village neighbourhood west of downtown is the second hub, with a row of more residential-scale restaurants and the long-running Grandin Theatre.
The local specialities are good barbecue, country ham, and increasingly sophisticated farm-to-table cooking using produce from the Shenandoah and Catawba valleys. The brewery scene is also strong — Big Lick Brewing Company, Soaring Ridge, and Parkway Brewing have all built reputations beyond the city.