For some time now after I ate at Cafe Asia 2, which I consider one of the best if not the best Asian Restaurant in Roanoke, Virginia, and I encourage you to read my review for that restaurant, I have been wondering if there is a Cafe Asia, the original one. 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 Cafe Asia, in Roanoke, Virginia, is a perfect example. One day by searching the net I so happened to finally find it. I gave them a call right away to confirm that it was the original of Cafe Asia 2, and once confirmed, I made a commitment to go there for dinner that day. Before arriving I did my research and found out that it was founded by Feng Chen in 2008 "to offer autentic Asian cuisine for everyone to enjoy." I also found out that this first location in the Bonsack area of Roanoke County, offered a pan-Asian menu that included Chinese, Thai, Japanese, and Vietnamese dishes, alongside a sushi bar. And that due to the success of this family-owned business, the second location, Café Asia 2, opened on Electric Rd in 2013. When I arrived, I was surprised that it was located in the same strip mall as Sal's Italian Restaurant which I had reviewed some time ago. As I entered the restaurant the decor was not as modern as the second one but was still very clean and nice for its time. It had a very comfortable and friendly atmosphere. The Host gave me a very friendly and warm welcome and took me to my table. I noticed that decorating the place they had strips of picture frames with pictures of customers of the restaurant, almost like saying, we put our customers first. My server was also very friendly and helpful. He answered some questions I had about the extensive menu and I gave him my order. To start off with I had a Thai Iced Coffee. As appetizer I had a Sunflower Roll from the Sushi Bar. It had spicy lobster salad, mango, avocado, with soy paper. I walked to the Sushi Bar and watched the Sushi Chef make it for me. He was very friendly and appreciated me recording the event for my readers of this review. He came out with a Culinary Masterpiece. I really savored every bite. As my main entrée I had the Pad Thai Combination. It was so good. For dessert I had two: The Mango with Sticky Rice and the Combination Mochi Ice Cream (Mango & Strawberry). It was truly a memorable meal. In conclusion, I highly recommend this restaurant and clearly see the reason for its success. It has a beautiful decor and friendly atmosphere. A menu with a great variety of items. A wonderful Sushi Chef that can work wonders making culinary masterpieces. They use quality and fresh ingredients, and the Chef can also deliver wonderful dishes. All amounts to an extraordinary dining experience. read more

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I ordered 4 sushi rolls: when I got home the sushi smelled bad and tasted horrible. I immediately dumped it all in the trash to avoid getting sick. Cafe Asia 2 is the best. I will never go to this Cafe Asia again. A waste of money in sushi. read more

I've been trying to find a good chinese take out place that is solid and so far Cafe Asia is top of my list. Not only is it offered on doordash, it has crab rangoons which I love. I ordered the general tso's chicken and fried rice all were really good. The only reason this place is not getting 5 stars from me is because I felt like for to go their fried rice portion was very small. However, they made up for it in their chicken. Also, their prices are leaning towards the expensive side for chinese take out. However, the food quality was good and I will definitely be ordering food from here again. I will have to try other items they have on their menu. read more

Paid $7.50 for potstickers, got 6 pieces which were cold and greasy. Didn't get fried wontons for hot and sour soup. Waited over five minutes to order carrot. Other employees saw me waiting however no one helped. Bad place. read more

We have had pleasant meals to go and at the restaurant, but that was over a year ago. Things have changed. First, I tried to order on their website, but no means of payment worked, so I called. They did not seem to understand the choices that I saw online and they were not available. Our food was ready when promised; however, the food was not good. The chicken in the General Tso had some kind of cartilage or gristle in it. The miso soup was overly fishy. The Pad Thai had a fishy flavor and the chicken was overcooked; however, the noodles were good. The spice level of the lo mein was high for a one. All in all, a disappointing experience. read more

This place is a hit or miss. Ordered a big order for family and friends and was overall disappointed by the quality. Sushi Rolls: bland and looked like they were made ahead of time. Beef and Broccoli: Bland and watery Shrimp Lo Mein: Spaghetti noodles tossed with sauce. Also bland Beef Drunken Noodles: the only thing Thai about this was the Thai basil they put in there. These were literally flat noodles tossed with what looks like sweet and sour sauce. Also, bland. Spring rolls: a generic frozen egg-roll (not a spring roll) Crab Rangoons: generic/frozen. Ok, but nothing special. I don't mind paying a premium for good food, but for the portion sizes and the quality my overall opinion is "disappointed" For sushi, our consensus that night was that I should've gone to Kroger next door. read more

This is one of the most consistently excellent Asian restaurants in the Roanoke area. We come here regularly and they never disappoint. Excellent food and service. We highly recommend! read more

Been eating at Cafe Asia for years. Noticed over past couple of tears food was hit or miss on quality. The past 4-5 times ( one time takeout the rest in restaurant) the food was not that good. The portions have always been small especially for the price but food was good. Now that the food is subpar it is definitely not worth it. Wait staff is typically good. read more

Closed during Covid. The new restaurant there is a pale imitation of Cafe Asia . People would travel across Virginia and West Virginia to get to Cafe Asia. Where did you go? read more

My first time trying this restaurant. Great Sushi bar and a varied menu. The service and food was delicious, will definitely be visiting again. Highly recommend it! read more

Pre pandemic this place was amazing. I've noticed a downward turn in quality, with today's to-go order had potstickers that look and taste terrible. And my Godzilla rolls were weirdly dark.. almost like they were made in advance and old. I'm very disappointed especially when factoring in how much one pays for the food. read more

Cafe Asia - Sushi Bars Near Me - Roanoke, Virginia

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Wow. I got on Yelp after a two years just to mention I don't understand how this place is so highly rated. It's not very good. Mushy noodles. Poor flavors. The sushi at Kroger next door is definitely better. What a waste of a nice lunchtime. *tbf it's probably good if it's the only non-specific-Asian restaurant you've ever been to or it's close to your house. Otherwise, miss this and go elsewhere. read more

Great food and service. Gin n tonics are very tasty! Sushi rolls a a good size , not tiny like other places. Returning customer. read more

Huge portions. Waiter was nice. Service was slow, I had to ask for things that are traditionally provided. Meal was expensive.

The service from Olivia was horrible. I know she was high and she needs to be drug tested and fired. she was extremely rude.

They have great food and service. One of the best in Roanoke. A little pricey but what isn't these days?

It was ok, and definitely overpriced. The portion sizes were large except for the rice that comes w/ the entrees. I received a huge portion, enough for 3 people, of the szechuan chicken, but only enough fried rice for one. The waiter never told us his name it took quite a while to get for him to take our order, it didn't appear to be busy. It also took a long time for us to receive our actual order. I don't plan to return. The setting was nice and clean. read more

Overpriced, which I could deal with if the food was great, but it was really not good. You can get better sushi at the Kroger next door.

I ordered a bento box to go and when I got my order, the amount of fried rice in it was embarrassing. It was about 4 solid spoon fulls worth. The bigger portion of the container was filled with vegetables that were not cooked correctly and quite bitter. The general Tso chicken that came with it was okay, nothing special but I wouldn't go back for it. The sushi was basic also, probably the best out of the whole meal but still that doesn't mean much when you put everything into consideration. For the price it is not worth it whatsoever. I'd rather go to China wok with better prices or Szechuan. read more

Always fresh and hot. My family has been eating there for years and has not had a complaint.

It is on the top of my favorite restaurants and always satisfying. The food is the best asian food I have ever had and I have eaten in many other Asian restaurants. read more

And In Conclusion...... This is the first time I've been here because I always thought it seemed a little overpriced. Not that I'm cheap, I've eaten sushi that per piece cost more than most meals. I was just comparing it to other places I've been to. Today I decided to try it because I just really wanted some sushi and was in the area. Had Summer Rolls as an appetizer. Way too thick of wrap and no idea when they were made. Came out just really cold so clearly refrigerated. Nothing about the Summer Rolls were good. They should absolutely not be served like this. As for the maki it was simply uninspired. I am not joking that a Walmart near a music show I used to work on had better basic rolls than this place. Oddly enough they had someone making maki at a counter and the basic rolls were better and cost about $3 each. If the meal here was good I'd still give 4 stars because it would be overpriced for a strip mall. Uninspired Maki -1 star. Terrible summer rolls -1 star. In my experience, the service was the only thing keeping those 2 stars on the table. Waitress was nice and prompt. read more

My favorite general tso chicken in Roanoke, and my wife loved her pad Thai. Friendly server & much nicer inside than most Asian restaurants. Wish it was cheaper though - it was ~1.5x as much as we're used to paying read more

The meal was delicious and everything we ordered came out fresh and seasoned well. My only complaint was the hot and sour soup was too sweet. The dim sum appetizer was awesome. I was so hungry that I forgot to take photos but everything look as good as it tasted. Two people ate for $35 which is a great price for sushi. read more

A little pricey. Super delicious- I've never had a bad meal here. The dinner portions are gigantic- their hot and sour soup is the ONLY one I've ever liked and I LOVE it. Sushi is great, service has always been good. Not sure if they've went back to dining in, but had very strict Covid protocol a few months back. read more

Hand towel once sat. Metal chop sticks. Service with a smile and greeted quickly. Food price was reasonable and test was the best Chinese I've ever had. No exaggeration. I will be back and I'll highly recommend Cafe Asia to anybody. read more

Cafe Asia - General TSO's was incredible. Very clean. Excellent service. Highly recommended. Will be a regular. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Roanoke, Virginia

This place is my new favorite place to eat anything. Boba and pineapple rice? You'll find me there anytime. I love the decor and all the photos of happy customers. Staff is always nice and everything is cooked the way you want it. They don't give out a lot of spice unless you ask for it!! It's a heck of a drive from Campbell to here but... I'll take it. read more

Cafe Asia - Sushi menu - Sushi Bars Near Me - Roanoke, Virginia

Café Asia has a metro decor and trendy atmosphere. It can be a little pricey but not too terrible. There are lots of Asian fusion items to choose from. The octopus and white tuna nigiri are delectable. The Singapore rice noodles are toothsome and spicy. The restaurant has a little bit of a crowded feel, but it is a fantastic place to dine! read more

Cafe Asia - Café Asia - Sushi Bars Near Me - Roanoke, Virginia

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Heard a lot about the place so I went to get the lunch special. Soup entree and fried rice. Prices were great so even opted for a tuna avacado maki roll as well. We got the shrimp with lobster sauce and an order of chicken and peanuts. The soup was good and tasty. The maki roll good. The main meal was ok. Nothing wonderful. Bland. Decent place for a meal. Will try again as it will s near where I am moving. read more

Cafe Asia - Sushi Bars Near Me - Roanoke, Virginia

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Vegan. Nope. I asked the waitress if the sauce for the vegetable dish had any animal in it. She looked at me with a blank stare. With further explanation she still couldn't comprehend I wanted an animal free dish. I decided to order the veggies but wanted fried rice without the egg. Huh? Can you make the fried rice without egg? Not for adults. There is a kid's fried rice without egg. So you can make fried rice without egg? Not with the vegetable plate. Order kid's rice. So, I said looking at the menu, I can get kid's fried rice without egg for $4.50 but I cannot get fried rice without egg with the Buddha vegetables? Yes. No. I left. read more

I've had sushi in some pretty amazing places before - New York, Chicago, Raleigh, but Roanoke has a real gem with Cafe Asia! We headed into Cafe Asia on a chilly winter night and wanted to experience some sushi. The place is tiny, but it was packed. We piled in and waited for a table. The staff were charming and friendly. They were more than willing to accommodate our sometimes odd requests, and played along with us, even when we were silly. We picked a rotating assortment of appetizers, sushi, and dinners. We enjoyed the sake we ordered and the large bottle satisfied the entire table. The appetizers came out in a quick and attractive fashion. Everyone was excited about the flavors and enjoyed the tastes. The first round of sushi shortly followed. I selected a roll without rice for our first test. The cucumber wrapped roll was gorgeously displayed on the glass plate and was full of fresh fish and veggies. The flavors were spot on, and it was a carb counter's best friend! Other members of the table selected other sushi rolls. Every roll was fantastic, and everyone enjoyed their selections. Some of the guests ordered dinner plates and were in love with their flavors and portion sizes. We could not have been happier. Next time you are in the mood for some sushi, get on over to Cafe Asia and be prepared to shout out "KANPAI" for such great sushi in the 'noke! read more

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Omg it is so good I have the best food here in my hole life the sushi taste so delicious read more

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Café Asia is one of the best sushi places in this valley. You can't go wrong with any of the rolls here. read more

Cafe Asia - I don't even remember what rolls we got bit everything here is phenomenal. You can't go wrong. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Roanoke, Virginia

Finally, decent sushi! We have tried two other restaurants in Roanoke and we were going to give up. Cafe Asia was great. Worth the price. We ordered the following: Northeastern Tiger Spider Man Tiger Roll Sweet heart Red dragon Spicy girl I wanted to take a picture but once I remembered it was gone! Miso soup great! read more

We were hooked on the tempura and pineapple fried rice. Many visits later and we have never had a bad experience. This is top notch service and food. The sushi menu is extensive, and the traditional Asian dishes (I.e. Kung bao chicken) are awesome. One of our favorite outings. read more

Cafe Asia - Chicken tempura appetizer - Sushi Bars Near Me - Roanoke, Virginia

Terrible quality food. Service was fine, but food was not hot and ridiculously overpriced for the quality.

I came here to celebrate my partner's birthday and as a special day we decided to do the Party love boat that's like $70, and we asked to the server if we could change the shrimp things to another products, because my partner is allergic to crabs and shrimps. The server was really sweet to take our order and she said that should would tell the kitchen. When the boat was brought to the table, nothing was changed and it still had all of the shellfish my partner was allergic too. I had to ate like 25 pieces of fake crabs because of it. Was ok flavored, but as being a special date I got really upset and the check was high. It would have been nice if they told us that there were no substitutions on the boat, otherwise we would have ordered something else and probably enjoyed our dinner. read more

This sushi here was very delicious - especially the Red Dragon Roll! The staff was super friendly and knowledgeable about their different offerings. If you have room after dinner, their ice cream tempura is very tasty as well. Will definitely be visiting this location again in the future! read more

Cafe Asia - Clockwise from left corner: Spicy Tuna Roll, Shrimp Tempura Roll, Red Dragon Roll, Rainbow Roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Roanoke, Virginia

Every dish I've tried has been good! But, the Beef Hot Pot is SOOOOO good, I'm giving them 5 stars just for that!

One of my favorite spots! Service is always great, sushi is always fresh ! You can never go wrong with cafe Asia !