For this, my Yelp 500th review, I had to pick a restaurant from a very special individual. An…read moreunknown place, of a food truck owner and chef with the dream of someday having his own brick-and-mortar restaurant, who finally after spending some time renovating the place with his own two hands, he made his dream come true. After having been selected as number 4 of the Top 50 most prolific Elites of 2025, a year when I also was awarded the Yelp Triad Squad Photographer of the Year Award at the Yelpies 2025 Award Ceremony, an event that honored the highest-performing Yelp Elites, and where last year I was awarded the Yelp Triad Squad Yelper of the Year Award, I decided that this year, as an All-Star Yelp Elite, I not only wanted to be the first to discover new restaurants and bring them to the attention of the public, but also to uncover those found in hidden paths that for one reason or another have not reached the public in its totality. And Papa's Box is the perfect example. James Andre Hairston, Owner and Chef of Papa's Box, quietly and with no fanfare, opened his brick and mortar restaurant a couple of weeks ago, after renovating the place by himself, with his own savings, ingenuity, determination, and desire. For weeks I had found out about the place and his story, and as soon as I did, I sent the information to Yelp and they quickly added a business page for Papa's Box, and sent me a thank you email for making Yelp the best place to find local businesses. For days now, I had been trying to reach them at the two phone numbers listed on the banner placed on the restaurant's front, with the restaurant's name. Having no luck at all, today I decided to drive over to the place and park my Lexus in front of the restaurant before eight o'clock to see if I could catch them as soon as they opened the restaurant. And that was precisely what I did, and because of my persistence, I was able to get the information to be the first one to review this restaurant and make the community aware of it. I invite you to view my photographs and videos accompanying this review to get a better sense of the place and its food. It's new phone number is (540) 929-1878 and its hours of operation are Monday through Saturday from 8:00AM to 4:00PM. Even though the restaurant's facade and outdoor sign don't look very impresive, being just a humble vinyl banner placed on top of the previous sign, inside is another world altogether. The owner did an amazing job, cleaning, painting, putting up new flooring, and making a natural wood counter. Also they furnished the restaurant with solid wood quality furniture, and framed black-and-white photographs on the wall of family members who played sports in the past, creating a warm and cozy ambiance in which to have a relaxing dining experience. While there, I had a freshly made waffle and a cup of coffee, a simple but delicious morning treat since I had already had breakfast earlier at Paul's Restaurant, not knowing if this place would be open. Oh, and their menu is full of amazing items. I can't wait to return and order a Pork chop or a Lamb chop, which they also plan to have in the near future. Before leaving, I went to the back side of the building to take a look at their food truck. They still use it for catering orders. I highly recommend this new restaurant for the wonderful and hospitable personality of the owner and his wife. They make you feel at home. For the simple yet beautiful decor, the relaxing ambiance, the quality of the food cooked to perfection by the talented owner/cook. Let's give them our total support by showing how much we appreciate their love of serving our community through their unique cuisine.

After learning that a Tortilleria had opened it's door in our neighborhood, I immediately headed…read moredown there to see what it was all about, since this type of business is very well known in Mexico and Central America, but not that visible in American cities. When I arrived the place was closed with a handmade sign on the door that read: "Lo Sentimos, Por Hoy Se Nos Termino La Tortilla." (We're sorry, We have ran out of Tortilla for today). After being awarded the NC Triad Yelp Squad Yelper of the Year 2024 Award at the Yelpies Award Ceremony last year, an event that honored the highest-performing Yelp Elites, celebrating their contributions and accomplishments throughout the year, I decided that this year, as an All-Star Yelp Elite, I not only wanted to be the first to discover new restaurants and businesses, and bring them to the attention of the public, but also to uncover those found in hidden paths that for one reason or another have not reached the public in its totality. And Tortilleria La Loma in Northwest Roanoke, Virginia, is a perfect example. A tortilleria or tortilla bakery is a shop that makes and sells freshly made tortillas. These establishments are native to Mexico and Central America and are now also found in some places in the United States, and provide a fresh alternative to the tortillas found in supermarkets. Their quality and taste are often considered superior to store-bought versions due to their freshness and fewer additives. Tortillas is a type of unleavened bread because it is made without a rising agent like yeast, and use corn or wheat flour, water, and salt as their primary ingredients. Located in Town Square, a strip mall in Northwest Roanoke, Virginia, featuring a variety of shops, restaurants and other establishments, including the well known Hibachi Grill & Supreme Buffet, this hidden gem in the Star City makes fresh, hot tortillas daily for sale to the public, special events, and wholesale distribution to businesses. They have a website on facebook with the slogan "Tortillas Suaves y Ricas." This is the way they communicate with the public and their customers. Their delicious authentic tortillas made from scratch daily have attracted the attention of the community in a short period of time from opening. They also sell various bakery goods from Nachitos Bakery and famous popsicles from La Michoacana, as well as cheese and meat ingredients, and special items like pork rinds and lard. I returned the following day in the afternoon and was lucky to arrive before they ran out of tortillas, but the owner of this family-owned business wasn't there for me to meet and interview. However I was able to meet their very friendly and pleasant employee, purchase some freshly made tortillas, and make arrangements to return on Wednesday morning to meet the owner and hopefully get permission to photograph the back of the house Tortilleria operation and write a follow-up review. For the time being, the tortillas I brought home and were still warm when I got there and I tried a few with cheese and they tasted amazingly delicious.

La Shunca means "The Beloved," and its logo is a beautiful Mexican lady dressed in one of their…read moretraditional dresses. This Mexican family-owned business prides itself in bringing authentic, traditional, Mexican Street Food to Roanoke, Virginia. The truck moves around to different places and by going to their website you will be able to find out where they will be on a particular day and time. Go to: www.lashunca.com/links or contact them at laschuncafoods@gmail.com to find out. They are based in Roanoke, Virginia and also serve the surrounding area at events and festivals, and also do catering as well. Owned and operated by Reyna and her son Jose, who learned the business 23 years ago while working for a food truck in Phoenix, Arizona with her then 4-year-old son Jose by her side. Now La Shunca provides us with an authentic and memorable dining experience with handmade tortillas and recipes passed down from family generations. Their menu is simple but tasty. It consists of Tacos, Quesadillas, Tamales, and "La Papa Shunca," a loaded mashed potato served with sour cream, cheese, pico de gallo, and your choice of meat from Carne Asada (steak), Birria (beef chunk roast), Adobada (pork marinated in Adoba), or Pierna (pork). Today, they were stationed at the Olde Salem Brewing Company, located in the heart of Downtown Salem at 21 E. Main St from four to eight pm. I found out this information after emailing with Jose at the above-mentioned email. I was finally able to meet Reyna, her husband Ruben, and son Jose who are native from Guajaca, Mexico. They were very friendly and welcoming. After greeting them I ordered an Carne Asada Quesadilla and three Tacos: two of Adobada and one of Carne Asada. The prices were reasonable and worth it for their amazing flavor and freshness. I also enjoyed the excitement of searching for them and finally being able to try them out. In this occasion they had a setup under a carp, with a modern grill and area with brushed aluminum to put the meats and ingredients. Right after I arrived and my food was ready it started to rain and one could hear in thunder ing. I went and are under the carp and the food was so genuine Mixican and delicious that I didn't seem to mind the rain nor the wind. As soon as the rain stopped, customers started arriving, ordering, and enjoying this wonderful Mexican Street food. I highly recommend that you give them a visit and try them. Besides great cooks, this is a wonderful local family which deserves our total support.

I took the road less traveled only to discover a woman-owned food truck of a lady named Maria, from…read moreChihuahua, Mexico. Chihuahua's cuisine relies heavily on premium beef, hearty ranch-style meals like discada (mixed meat dish), and premium local cheeses such as asadero. It is the birthplace of the Burrito in Northern Mexico, where wheat is grown and cattle is raised. Perfect for flower tortillas with meat which made for a mess-free wrap and the original burrito. The word "burrito" translates to "little donkey" in Spanish. One of the most popular stories in Northern Mexico traces the creation of the burrito to a street vendor during the Mexican Revolution named Juan Mendez, who sold wrapped food in Ciudad Juarez to keep them warm, carrying his ingredients and wares in a basket on his donkey. While traditional Mexican burritos were small, minimalist, and typically filled just with meat, beans, and chile, it exploded into a global phenomenon in the United States. In the 1960s the Mission Burritos were invented in the Mission District of San Francisco. These giant burritos wrapped in foil added rice, beans, sour cream, and guacamole to the mix. The California Burritos popularized in San Diego focused heavily on the meat and are famous for having french fries stuffed directly inside them. And the Breakfast Burritos most recently created in the 1970s at Tia Sophia's in Santa Fe, New Mexico, packing tortillas with eggs, bacon, and potatoes. At the Burritos Paso Del Norte Food Truck, Maria provided me with much of the above information which I later researched. It was fascinating to learn all these interesting facts about the burrito which are reflected in the food truck's name, but in their extensive menu they they also have other well known items such as Tacos, Tortas, and Tamales; and other less known items such as Platillo Norteno, Quesabirrias, and Machetes. I particularly was very impressed with the Machetes which I had never heard about. I found out that the machete is a massive, elongated quesadilla that measures 18 to 24 inches in length, and is named for its resemblance to the long, sharp agricultural blade. Originally hailing from Mexico City, this hearty street food has become very popular in Mexican fondas, taco trucks, and specialized restaurants. It is made with a thick, handmade corn masa (dough) giant oval tortilla. The bottom half is packed with a generous layer of Mexican melting cheese (queso Oaxaca or Chihuahua) along with meats (like carne asada, chorizo, or campechano mix). The empty half of the tortilla is folded over the fillings, and the giant half-moon-shaped quesadilla is cooked on a sizzling flat top until the cheese is perfectly melted and the exterior is crispy. As you can imagine, I ended ordering one of these with asada con chorizo (steak with Mexican sausage). To drink I ordered a Mexican Horchata, a non-alcoholic drink consisting of ground white rice, water, milk (or evaporated/condensed milk), cinnamon, and vanilla. It tastes like a sweet, cinnamon-spiced rice milk. Since it was a bit windy, I took the food with me to eat at home although there was a table with some chairs for dining there. The Machete was amazingly delicious but so big, that I couldn't eat it all in one seating. The food truck is a couple of days a week at 2901 Franklin Rd and also moves around to other locations like the flea market at 5411 Williamson Rd and others. Search for them on Facebook for information on where and when they will be. You also can request them to come to your home and serve the food for your party.

After nearly a month of the Grand Opening of Café Suerte and Suerte Spanish Restaurant & Wine Bar,…read moreI came to have breakfast at their Café for the very first time. Café Suerte is a bright, airy Spanish café located inside the Promissory Hotel in downtown Roanoke. Open Tuesday through Sunday from 7:00AM through 2:00PM, it features local coffee, made-to-order breakfast, bocadillos for lunch, and grab-and-go market items. The café seamlessly transitions into Suerte, a full-service regional Spanish restaurant led by Chef Josh Labreque and Chef Stacia Dougherty, which serves authentic Madrid-style tapas and paella in the evenings. Dinner hours of the restaurant being Tuesday through Thursday 5:00PM - 9:00PM, and Friday & Saturday from 5:00PM - 10:00PM. I arrived on a beautiful Saturday morning at around seven-fifteen and parked my pearl white Lexus in an on-street parking space across the street from the café's entrance through the Promissory Hotel on Campbell Ave., that was once the First National Exchange Bank. Once inside the building, I was immediately greeted by the Promissory Hotel's professional and welcoming Front Desk staff while passing through to the café's entrance on the right. There, behind the counter of the café, a distinguished young lady welcomed me, showed me a copy of the menu, and took my order right in front of the counter. I was amazed to find attached to the menu that they had chilled Gazpacho soup, for that was one of the recommendations I made in my direct thank you note and feedback I made to Stephanie Payne who was the restaurant's representative who informed me of their Opening Day after my request for this information. Alexis, the café's barista took my order and had me take a seat at the dining room, while she relayed the information to the kitchen, and proceeded to prepare my coffee. The menu was short but with some delightful and very appetizing items. I ordered the Bocadillo de Antxon, which was a fried egg, with chorizo, mojo rojo, garlic mahonesa, and potato chips on a brioche roll. Mahonesa (and its more common spelling, mayonesa) translates from Spanish to English as mayonnaise. It refers to a thick, creamy cold sauce made as an emulsion of egg yolks, oil, and vinegar or lemon juice. The term "mahonesa" specifically honors the city of Mahon on the island of Menorca, Spain, which is widely recognized as the birthplace of the beloved condiment. The Bocadillo de Antxon came with a small, refreshing salad which contained seasonal greens, cucumber, red onion, almond, aged Manchego, and piparra yogurt dressing. What a morning treat! As if this wasn't enough, I also ordered something sweet from the menu's "Dulces" area. The Churros y Chocolate. These were deep fried pastry dough covered with cinnamon sugar and served with warm ganache.panache. I particularly liked the lite gourmet twist that the chef gave the churros making them more soft and airy than the commonly known Spanish Churros but nevertheless with an amazing, interesting texture and taste, dipped in hot chocolate. To drink I ordered a Mocha Café Latte. When my server/barista brought the order to my table it was first a treat to my eyes and to my phone. I invite you to view my photographs accompanying this review to get a real sense of the high-quality food and distinguish-looking yet relaxing ambiance. What an awesome breakfast and an extraordinary breakfast dining experience. I highly recommend it to all who are around the area as well as an excuse to plan a trip to the area, stay at the New Promissory Hotel, dine at Suerte, and enjoy all the many attractions that the Star City has to offer.

Just when I thought I had seen it all, I hear about this locally-owned and operated business, run…read moreby the husband and wife team of Delicia and Teano Tucker, from a little blue box trailer. With the name of Delicia's Gourmet Ice, the business is a mobile Water Ice Company with a healthy alternative to traditional summertime frozen treats. The Tuckers started this business several years ago on a street corner with two coolers in the back of a Hyundai, with a simple plan: "That a friendly smile and great product would eventually succeed." Their product is a healthy, creamy and delicious Water Ice that is dairy, egg, and gluten-free. Their slogan for their delicious frozen treat is "It's not ice cream, just good ice," and their motto is: "We create smiles." They currently rotate 15 different flavors with some of the favorites flavors being Mango, Rainbow, Cherry, and Tye Dye. They also offer two sugar-free flavors, Lemon and Cherry. It was not easy to find them. Their phone number was answered by a machine asking you to leave a message. I sent them an email and luckily received a replay from Delicia telling me that their truck will be at the Food Lion parking lot on Shenandoah & Peters Creek today from 4 until dusk (8PM). I found out that the best way to find out where they will be next is to visit their Facebook or Instagram. As I arrived in my pearl white Lexus to the Food Lion parking lot, I felt a relief when I saw this little blue box trailer with Teano inside. He was a friendly gentleman with a true entrepreneurial spirit. We talked for a while and I ordered a small Mango Gourmet Ice. It had the taste and smooth, cold, creamy texture of ice cream, but was dairy free, gluten free, and kosher certified. While I was there several customers came by. A young gentleman, a group of young girls, a middle-aged lady, and a mother and her son. To let people know he was there he had a speaker that played loud music from his cellphone music collection. Once the customers arrived he turned off the music and served them. If a customer was a dollar short he let them have the gourmet ice. "How could you deny a kid an ice," he told me. My small Mango Gourmet Ice was $3 and I gave him a 5 dollar bill telling him to keep the change as a tip. Most of their business is private events. They do private events like birthdays, graduation parties, family reunions, company parties, and fundraisers, among others. Through perseverance and hard work their reputation has spread by word of month and they have been invited to fairs and public events like 4th of July celebrations. I highly recommend that you try their delicious Gourmet Ice and consider using their catering services for your next party or fundraising opportunity.

Top notch hotdogs, great prices, awesome owner and gives his tips to the SPCA...love this hotdog…read morestand!

Not to sound cheesy, but Home Run Hot Dogs is a home run! I have mentioned in previous reviews that…read moreI am a big fan of supporting local businesses, and money spent at this gem of a hotdog cart is an excellent way to feed money into the local economy. The owner/chef Robert Evans can be found most Saturdays and Sundays serving up his delicious hotdogs outside the Roanoke, VA Best Buy. Robert uses all-beef hotdogs and steams the buns as they should be. He has all the toppings including chili, Bertman Ball Park Mustard, onions, jalapeños, cheddar, and much more. The hotdogs alone are worth a visit to this food cart, but the prices are the icing on the cake. A double combo features two hotdogs, chips, and a drink for the low price of $6. What adds to this great business is Robert's enthusiasm. He is super friendly and loves to talk with his customers while preparing their food. He's an avid baseball fan and enjoys discussing the great American pastime with his patrons. Take my word for it, Robert's Home Run Hot Dogs cart is a fun time any weekend it's open.

For days now I had been seeing this food truck parked along Williamson Road and wondered when will…read moreit open and where will it be stationed. I tried finding more information about this Cuban Food Truck to no avail. Then today, as I was shopping in one of my favorites supermarkets, I hear someone talking in Spanish about how she had dined at El Guajiro last week and how good and genuine the Cuban food was. I didn't want to miss this opportunity to find out more about this food truck, so I asked her in Spanish if she had the address of where it finally was anchored. She gives it to me and tells me that their roast pork sandwich is amazing. That same day I decided to drive in my pearl white Lexus over there, and finally discover the mystery of this new food truck that came out nowhere and had seemed to have impressed all those who have been able to find it and sample its genuine Cuban cuisine. After having been selected as number 4 of Yelp's Top 50 most prolific Elites of 2025, a year when I also was awarded the Yelp Triad Squad Photographer of the Year Award at their Yelpies 2025 Award Ceremony, an event that honored the highest-performing Yelp Elites, and where last year I was awarded the Yelp Triad Squad Yelper of the Year Award, I decided that this year, as an All-Star Yelp Elite, I not only wanted to be the first to discover new restaurants and businesses, and bring them to the attention of the public, but also to uncover those found in hidden paths that for one reason or another have not reached the public in its totality. And El Guajiro Cuban Food Truck in Roanoke, Virginia, is a perfect example. As I was nearing the address that my GPS was guiding me to, I clearly began to see the modern, wide, and colorful Cuban Food Truck parked on the side of Envios Express / Envios a Cuba, a business that specializes in Shipments to Cuba. The food truck was one of the largest and nicest food trucks that I had ever seen. One could clearly tell it was a new food truck, not one of those refurbished old ones. Next to the food truck, the owners had set-up a square gazebo dining room, for customers to be able to relax and shelter themselves from the sun and rain as they enjoyed a delicious, genuine Cuban cuisine. The name "El Guajiro" is a Cuban Spanish term for a rural peasant, country folk. It refers to people living in the countryside, with a hardworking lifestyle and deeply rooted to Cuban national Identity and patriotism. This Cuban immigrants,family-owned business, was established to keep the Cuban cuisine alive among the Cuban-American community in exile, and to share it with other members of our community, so they too can appreciate their unique and delicious cuisine. By this time the owner and his wife came out to greet me with open arms and native Cuban hospitality. They talked about how they conceived and are in the process of developing this business and it's menu. How the recipes did not come out of a book, but out of their heritage of their families home kitchens. I ordered a Batido de Mamey to drink, a fruit that is highly popular in Cuba and the Caribbean, and my second favorite fruit after the mango. To eat I ordered the Ropa Vieja, with rice and beans, yuca, and salad. Ropa vieja is one of my favorites Cuban dishes. Authentic Cuban Ropa Vieja requires flank or skirt steak, shredded and simmered in a savory tomato-based sauce. Key ingredients include green and red bell peppers, garlic, cumin, oregano, bay leaves, tomato paste/sauce, beef broth, dry cooking wine, and often Spanish olives or capers. Each family or restaurant tailors this recipe to their own style and taste. With excellent background music I enjoy, the wind blowing, and seated at a table under the gazebo, I highly enjoyed this food. Everything was seasoned and cooked just right and was very authentic home-style Cuban cuisine. At the end of my meal I was offered a Cafecito Cubano (a highly sweetened shot of espresso served in a demitasse), and had a sliced of in-house made Flan. Simply, delicious. Inside the gazebo dining room, they also had a Domino's table, one of the favorite pastimes of Cubans, to attract customers to come and play. I've eaten at many Food Trucks, but none of them, as clean, with comfortable ambiance, inspiring background music, and amazing food, as this one. I highly recommend this place and am proud of having had the privilege of being the first one to review it.

Amazing food and service food was so good I had a guava and mint drink it was so resheshingread more