We're making it a tradition! Every year, when the entire family is back in town we will be heading to Cafe Asia. It's just that good! (It has officially made it on the list of favorite places to dine when I am back at home.) This place is perfect! A vast menu offering more traditional items for our parents whom aren't as adventuresome to a delicious assortment of sushi and sashimi. We ordered a total of five or six rolls and shared each of them. We were blown away with the flavors, combinations and textures. Each roll was made and presented beautifuly with the freshest ingredients. Our mouths were in heaven and soon our tummies would be too. My parents were just as pleased. Their meals came out piping hot. Crisp, crunchy, steamed broccoli just the way my father loves it! And let's not forget the bottles of hot sake to complete the meal. But it gets even better ... The owner is extremely friendly, kind, and welcoming. He always stops by the table to see how you are enjoying your meal. It's not a rushed "How is everything?" he genuinely cares. Whether you've been in the restaurant once or a thousand times he'll remember you. As a matter of fact, the entire staff is wonderful! It makes the dining experience all the better. read more

GREAT people with superb food. Some of the very best sushi that I have had in the state. Genuinely kind people who are professional and understand just how much to visit your table. I am never disappoint here. Some of my favorite Asian cuisine of the entire southwestern Virginia area. read more

The stand-out at Cafe Asia was their staff actually. That doesn't happen too many places. But they run a very well coordinated service. They are warm, fast, anticipatory, and attentive. Laughing and friendly to patrons who go for that. But respectful and unobtrusive for those, like myself, who don't. Though everyone I interacted with seemed to be an Asian immigrant with a strong accent, they all spoke English fluently and with brightness and ease. Service offered hot terry cloths both before - and after - the meal. I witnessed two occasions of servers suggesting different order combinations that would be the same food for better prices. And the hostess, waitress, bus people, sushi bar chef, and manager all worked seamlessly together. The food was OK. Quality was fine, but textures and flavors lacked any special notes for me. I ordered a few pieces of nigiri sushi to start. To be fair, I ordered only cooked pieces. The tamago (sweet egg) was fine but a smidge dry and too smooth. The shrimp was definitely too dry. And the unagi (eel) lacked any crispy edges, and I felt its sauce was too thin and unsophisticated. A miso soup came with my entree, and it was fine. And I received a complimentary salad of what seemed to be principally shredded cabbage with crispy tempura bits, a sweet dressing, and a garnish of poppy seeds. It was tasty, but too much of a good thing - I palate didn't want so much sweetness and deep fry. For my entree, I ordered the Koung Bao chicken, which is chicken with a red pepper and vegetables. Though marked spicy on the menu, it actually was rather bland. Unless - you bit into a pepper. Which I did, on purpose, and then started snotting (sorry!) and crying uncontrollably for a short while. The peppers are easily avoidable though. I was just curious. The textures were good. Smooth, firm chicken, crunchy celery. Location is the corner store in a strip mall. Chopsticks are metal, not disposable wood. Food 6 + ambiance 6 + value 6 + service 8 = overall 6.3 /10 (decent) read more

Boring food served up at overblown prices. This was our second trip to Cafe Asia and probably our last. Too bad because it means I still have to drive across the valley for good asian food. The food is here is always served clean - and steril of any flavor. Their maki rolls are small, confirming that Wasabi in downtown Roanoke is still the best place in town for sushi. The food here just doesn't have any flavor. Fresh does not mean bland. A good example would be the spicy schezuan beef - fresh and flavorless. Compare it to the same dish at The Schezuan on Rt. 419 Roanoke. Fresh and a delight to the palate. I think the hype over Cafe Asia has more to do with the fact its the only Asian sit down service this side of the valley. read more

I eat here often. The owner is so nice and greets all customers and knows many by name. The sushi bar is GREAT and there is also a varied kitchen menu to back it up, something for everyone at Cafe Asia. The KANI salad is amazing, and if you sit at the sushi bar you will often get it on the house. They have an outdoor seating area, which is a definite plus on a nice afternoon or evening. I wanted to edit my review by saying they have enclosed the outside dining area, and I think that was a great decision, it was always either too hot, too cold or too windy to really enjoy it. Now they have doubled their seating capacity- - helping wait times! We generally order the Sushi Boats, which really fill you up and are a great value. I LOVE THIS PLACE! read more

Is now my favorite asian food restraunt, this place has excellent food, I am still learning about all the items they have on the menu. I look forward to trying everyting over time. The restraunt is well decorated unlike some small places along this line. The have very humble staff, soft spoken and well mannered. read more

Pretty fantastic! We came here for lunch with a bunch of coworkers, and a few of us decided to share some rolls. The presentation was absolutely breathtaking (and unexpected). The rolls were served on a giant boat. One of my coworkers ordered the pho which looked amazing. Strangely, of all the exotic rolls we ordered, the spicy tuna was the best. We'll be back, on days when we have enough time to make the drive. read more

I would not recommend the Pad Thai. I ordered it to pick up and was so sadly disappointed. I am not sure where one can get good Pad Thai in Roanoke. It was a mass of orange noodles with very dry chicken pieces with virtually no flavor, garnished with about one tablespoon of bean sprouts and a wad of shredded carrots. It may be the worst pad thai I have ever had. They were very nice people, the food just wasn't good. However, this is the only thing I have ever ordered there. read more

Cafe Asia - Pad Thai with chicken and shrimp - Sushi Bars Near Me - Roanoke, Virginia

Great spot for LUNCH. -Serves chinese and japanese food like sushi, noodles and classic chinese combination plates with fried rice and soup. -I would rather come here for LUNCH the dinner because their prices are MUCH cheaper for lunch. only $9 for a chicken and brocoli and other combo platters, and comes with soup and fried rice. -has a Lunch special for $9 with 2 california rolls and soupr or salad -the Hot and Sour Soup is Really goooood. -Special sushi rolls are overpriced and is why i ranked cafe asia at 4 stars not 5. Their sushi is fresh and the owner gets if fresh by next day delivering it from Baltimore (and is why they charge so much for it). worth it tho. -I always get the LUNCH BENTO BOX special (it varies every day, like a special, its on the board when you walk in), its delicious and only around $15 comes with some kind of Chicken, crab fried wontons, crab salad. 5 peices of a special roll (like shrimp temp or dragon roll), 1 or 2 pieces of nigeri sushi, a large scoop of white rice, and a cup of soup or salad! (get the hot and sour). -but they really tried charging me $1.25 for a little bit of spicy mayo.....i could probably buy a jar of mayo and chinese hot pepper and make a quarter gallon for $6........terrible food cost computation for a tablespoon of spicy mayo... read more

Cafe Asia - Lunch Bento Box Special.... A must try - Sushi Bars Near Me - Roanoke, Virginia

Stopped in here for lunch. Service was excellent, they even provided moistened towels before and after the meal. There were three kids and three adults in our party. We were seated promptly and quickly attended to. Prices were reasonable and the menu was extensive. Always happy to see bean curd on the menu. We enjoyed the Shitake mushroom sushi roll and the shrimp cucumber sushi roll. My husband liked the chicken with cashew nuts and side of rice. My two year old happily munched on the house salad with ginger dressing. The lettuce looked like green leaf rather than romaine and also had thin slices of carrots. We also ordered a side of broccoli with garlic sauce that was crunchy and deliciously seasoned. One adult in our party had a soup I don't remember the name of, it had shrimp, lemongrass, and cilantro in it in a tomato broth base. Spicy and very good. We dipped our sushi in the broth. Two kids in our party got the chicken nuggets and fries, they looked like typical chicken and fries. They weren't McDonald's (flat and wide in shape and the kids swore it was fish, probably fried in the same oil as tempura items so it very well could have had a fish taste) so the kids didn't like the chicken. I didn't know these particular kids didn't like Asian food. Who doesn't like Asian food? If we are out this way again, we'd definitely come back (not with the anti-Asian food kids of course). As I looked around the dining area most people had typical items you'd find on a Chinese take out. They also had pad Thai on the menu...so many choices! read more

My favorite date night location. Great food. Great atmosphere I love the atmosphere and outdoor space. Good service every time read more

Very good food but a little high. Small seating for families 5 or 6 may wait. 2nd time Did the takeout and was packed great with everything you need. read more

Cafe Asia is my favorite Asian cuisine restaurant. My husband and I enjoy both locations. I usually order the chicken fried rice and he enjoys most of the shrimp dishes. The service is fast and pleasant and the food is always delicious. I would recommend this restaurant to everyone. read more

Cafe Asia - My favorite from Cafe Asia-Chicken Fried Rice - Sushi Bars Near Me - Roanoke, Virginia

This is the first time we ate here, but we will definitely be back. Great atmosphere, very nice staff, and even better food. It is outside our "let's-go-to-downtown-Roanoke-for-a-bite" meal, but it was definitely worth leaving our comfort zone. One of the sushi chefs shared some spicy crab salad, which was a great starter, as were the pot stickers. Next up were the entrées: Chicken Pad Thai and Orange Chicken. They both had large portions and tasted fantastic. The orange chicken was spicy, but not punch-you-in-the-face-orangy like I've had in the past; it was just right. To finish it off, we shared the tempura ice cream, topped with whipped cream and chocolate syrup. What a delightful way to end a wonderful lunch. read more

Consistency, the food here is always on point. I've only had their lunch specials, will have to try dinner soon. Oh yeah the flavor...the flavor!!!? read more

Cafe Asia - Chicken with garlic sauce. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Roanoke, Virginia

Super yummy! Very attentive staff. Loved the Pad Thai, General Tsao Chicken and Lo Mien Noodles. read more

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Their sushi (the little I have tried) is fantastic, the entrees are come or go--the tempura chicken was so dry, but my mom loved the Buddhist Delight. The chicken pad Thai was pretty good, just wish it had more veggies. (Cafe de Bangkok in Blacksburg is beyond compare in my opinion). The bento boxes are usually pretty good, but sometimes the teriyaki dishes are overwhelmingly sweet. read more

I can't believe I haven't written a review sooner. I've been going to Cafe Asia since they opened and have never been disappointed. The most recent meal was Chirashi with a side of fresh Uni sushi. Made my day. Authentic Japanese: no. Great food: yes. Terrific service; I've never had anyone be less than thrilled to see me there. I get take-out often and they do great packaging. read more

I've been going since they first opened. Always good service and best made sushi in roanoke! read more

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My wife and I ate used to come here all the time for date night. After our last experience, we prefer not to visit this location. The food was subpar and had no flavor, which made us sad. We prefer going to Cafe Asia 2. read more

Mostly inedible, will never go back - wasted $72.00! Do not get anything cooked as it will be soaked in, or swimming in oil. Sushi is no better than at the mall, just more expensive. Threw most of it out for the raccoons. read more

Alright, an update. My family was insistent that we try the restaurant again. I knew that they had good service, so I thought I'd see if the food was any better. I must admit, I was very pleased by my experience on the 2nd try. I was not willing to try the General Tso's again. However, we did get the Chicken with cashews. It was great! The meat was tender and tasty. There were vegetables, but not too many; it was a balanced mix. We also got the Singapore noodles, and it was very good. A good mixture of vegetables and meat (I ordered shrimp). The flavor was very good as well. I guess the cook was off on the General Tso's the last time I was here, because the food was much better this visit. As usual the service was excellent. The wait staff was very attentive and pleasant. I'm increasing the number of stars, because I was very pleased with the food this round (and the service was excellent as during my last visit). read more

Great customer service! And an awesome staff! Of course the food was good... would recommend the sashimi deluxe!

Jose our server was great and our food was delicious. First time here and we loved it. I am coming back for sure. I heard they also have a bar. Yeyeye read more

I am editing this review. Earlier today I stopped by and was denied entry due to my service dog. I had been there before with the same dog without issue. I made a negative yelp review. Within about an hour I received a response from upper management, they had informed the location manager know about the laws regarding service animals. He had not had previous experience with them. I was given a thorough and genuine apology and invited to return. I accepted their apology and came for dinner. It was a great meal! We got free spring rolls in apology and had good service. All in all, I will return for the good sushi! read more

Accessibility is the best way to describe Café Asia which offers a menu that appeals to adventurous eaters (a plethora of sushi and sashimi selections) and conservative eaters (Chinese/American favorites) alike, boasts a hassle-free, shopping center location that belies the sophisticated, cosmopolitan interior and features friendly servers who educate rather than intimidate diners on the myriad cuisines the restaurant serves. Café Asia, which opened last December, presents an expansive, "best-of" selection of dishes from China, Japan, Thailand, Korea and Vietnam. Forget about the adage of "Jack of all trades, master of none." Rather, the kitchen successfully turns out delicious classics such as Szechuan stir-fries, sushi, panko-crusted tempuras, teriyaki, noodles including pad thai and Vietnamese pho, and Korean grilled short-ribs. Sushi, because of its many nuances, takes on a somewhat dominant role at Café Asia, as evidenced by both the smart little sushi bar that is tucked to the right of the entrance, providing diners a front-row vantage of both the fresh fish and sushi chef as well as the amount of real estate the selections occupy on the menu. The fish is fresh, the portions (i.e., the size of the rolls and the thickness of the slices of fish) mercifully don't overwhelm and the presentation - particularly the sashimi - is very attractive. Café Asia does the usual suspects like California, shrimp tempura and spicy tuna rolls very well. Nigiri (with the fish on top) selections with escolar and conch are also very tasty. And, as proof that it's the details that count, the ginger (gari), which is typically eaten to cleanse the palate between bites, tasted fresh and lacked that obnoxious taste associated with supermarket sushi. Of course, Café Asia is not all about sushi. Take pho, for instance... Since moving from Northern Virginia, I have longed for the Vietnamese noodle soup. Café Asia does a solid job. They serve a basic pho with thinly-sliced raw beef (for more daring versions with tendon, meatballs or tripe, plan on a three-hour drive to DC), rice noodles and broth. Café Asia's broth is fragrant with hints of star anise, ginger and cloves. By spiking the pho with hoisin and sriracha, adding torn thai basil leaves and bean curds and squeezing the lime wedges, I was in hog heaven. There's something wonderful about hunching over a steaming bowl and slurping up noodles! The décor is absolutely delightful and inviting with light-colored floors, a pergola structure suspended over the two- and four-top tables that flank the left side of the restaurant, high-backed banquet booths on the right and funky pendant lights above each table. There's also outside seating available when the mercury permits. The owner, Feng Chen, who is a managing partner at the three nearby Szechuan restaurants, clearly believes that the setting is as important as the food. The effect is an unpretentious space that is comfortable yet sophisticated, and manages to transport diners away from the fact that the restaurant is in a suburban strip mall. Rounding out the dining trifecta at Café Asia is the affable service. If there is anything worse than a sushi snob, it's a snobby sushi server. The waiters at Café Asia don't sneer at sushi newbies or look down upon those who fumble with the chopsticks or, godforbid, request a fork. On the contrary, they are gracious hosts and are adept at explaining the dishes, flavors and food consistencies. The next time someone in your party wants a volcano roll, another has a hankering for pho and yet another craves summer rolls, Café Asia should be your destination. read more

Quality and flavor of food has changed. Very disappointed, in the past the food and quality sushi served was outstanding! This visit, the Tuna was a deep dark red this tells me it isn't as fresh. I also like the sushi cold. Last time I was here, I told the owner of a few things that were different and not as good. I hoped this feedback would be taken seriously. I gave up on the sushi here and ordered the Kimchi Seafood Pancake this time. It was lacking the nice mix of seafood that offered not only a delicious flavor but also a nice texture. My pancake was mushy and flavorless! I suppose I won't be going back again. I'm sorry to give this review, because the place is clean, beautiful atmosphere. Most of the staff are friendly (except one waiter) and the new owner seems to be a really good guy! I use to eat here numerous times a week. So sad, I will miss Café Asia, but for the expensive sushi prices, it has to be great! I use Yelp to choose my dining establishments, when traveling and I have to be honest here. I might also add, my expectations are very high and to some, this new dining may certainly be fine for their pallet. Come on C.A. Get it together. I miss you! read more

Cafe Asia - Maybe it was undercooked? - Sushi Bars Near Me - Roanoke, Virginia

This place had the worst service I have ever experienced. We were promptly seated and drink orders taken, food order taken maybe 25 min later, 1 hour later FOOD HAD NOT ARRIVED, waiter was unconcerned so we left and will probably never go back read more

Cafe Asia offers pseudo-Asian food which is lacking in both authenticity and quality. We had cold Japanese soba (buckwheat) noodles once which were pre-soaked with the dipping sauce. The noodles came with condiments like imitation crab meat and green onions. This is a disappointment because the dipping sauce should come in a separate bowl and the noodles not pre-soaked in the sauce. Imitation crab is also not a condiment that should come with this dish. The soba noodles dish is very different from what we had ever experienced at any Japanese restaurant. On a separate visit we ordered take outs of shumai, general tso style chicken and bean curd home style vegetables. The flavor of general tso chicken was way too sweet and the chicken was heavily breaded. A white onion which was only roughly cut in huge chunks made up the bulk of the bean curd vegetables. Cafe Asia charges higher than average prices for Asian food in Roanoke Valley but does not deliver good Asian food. read more

Where do I begin? I know...this place is still as AWESOME as ever! It gets better everytime we come here. Feng runs one of the best Restaurants in Roanoke and I highly advise going to Cafe Asia to everyone. Food is always fresh and we have never had bad service. You can't say that about many places these days. They are also very accommodating and friendly to small children. I highly recommend the Spicy Kani salad as a starter to anyone that goes there. We also had the special Sunflower roll...excellent as is everything else on the menu. If you are not in a sushi mood then I would recommend the Pad Thai (with extra lime) or the General Tso's chicken! There are so many great options on their menu...I guarantee you will be satisfied if you stop in for a meal! read more

This is one of those times that location plays a huge part in how I rate a restaurant. If this place were in Northern Virginia, it would be a 2 or 3. But since we're in Roanoke, it gets upgraded to a 4. If you don't like the way I just did that, please forward complaints... directly to the trash can. I saw Mike C's review which mentioned pho and I knew I had to scout out my options here. I grew up on the stuff and I think it's in my DNA to crave it. The pho here wasn't as horrible as I thought it would be. It was actually semi-decent. Is it as good as what you can get in the DC area? Not even close. But will it satisfy your need for a quick fix? Possibly. The broth wasn't bad and had ok flavor. The standard veggies (bean sprouts, basil, and lime) were all there as well as the hoisin sauce and sriracha. However, the weird thing was the use of what I can only assume was bulgogi meat instead of the eye round steak. Bulgogi tends to be fattier than regular eye round steak. I guess it's a more Korean version of pho. I also got some summer rolls (goi cuon, for those of you in the know). I was also pleasantly surprised with how these turned out. They got it down with the rice noodles, shrimp, and vegetables. I can make these at home, but I'm handicapped by my laziness. These are worth trying here. I washed it all down with a Vietnamese coffee. Not bad. Now for the negative. I'm still trying to process the fact that I paid 12 dollars (including tax) for a bowl of pho. Yes, you read that correctly. I've been known to do some ridiculous things such as drive 4 hours for a pizza...or even drive an hour or two for a bowl of pho. Given the cost, I will have to reserve indulging my pho cravings for when I've got uncontrollable shakes. The summer rolls were a little pricey at 5 bucks for two medium sized rolls. Price is definitely a factor that will limit my visits here. Service was excellent. They start off by giving you a hot towel and they also ended by giving you a hot towel. Nice touch. If you have any questions regarding the menu, they explain everything pretty well. Also, the sushi chef came out and gave everyone a complimentary volcano roll. Good stuff. Parking is pretty easy as this is in a shopping center. Just look for the new looking Kroger shopping center to find this place. The decor is pretty nice and you have the option of sitting up at the sushi bar. They also have a patio area if sitting out in 90 degree heat is your cup of tea. I will definitely have to try the sushi here since many of the other reviews mentioned it. Overall, a good option for something different in Roanoke. read more

All about the presentation and quality sushi here. I really enjoyed their peach sangria. It was strong and delicious. The tuna tataki was excellent. read more

Stopped in on a road trip with my lawyer to be seated quickly and greeted by our cheerful server ashly. Food was prompt and delicious not to mention the hot towels were fun. Price was reasonable and I would certainly frequent here on the regular if I lived around here. read more

Off the beaten path for me but SO worth the trip!!! The service and food is impeccable! Went with a group of 8 and we tried everything.

Great place and good atmosphere. If I ever come back to Roanoke this place is the spot.

Service wasn't so great, but food makes up for it. I recommend the pad thai without meat, just tofu. Good god. Sushi was good too. Some kind of roll with shrimp tempura in the middle and spicy tuna on top is the best. Dunno what it's called. Totally worth the irritating drive out of the way. read more

I have nothing to add to all those who say that the food is good and well-prepared, and that the service is definitely a step above. I've sampled several different areas of the menu, from the sushi to the soba, and found all to be of very good quality and mostly worth the price charged. The only thing I have to add is that the Hot and Sour soup is absolutely the best I've ever had. Bar none. I think it says something about a place when such an overlooked Asian restaurant staple like that isn't just phoned in, even when they know that the average diner in this area probably has a very low expectation of the dish to start with. So often in the restaurant business, it's the little things that make the most difference. And that little bowl of soup completely transformed my dining experience and left me with a newfound appreciation of the place. read more

This is one of the best places to get Asian food in the Roanoke Valley. The food is delicious. The staff is wonderful and the owner never fails to come say hi to my family when we are there. If you haven't tried this place you need to and if you are lucky they will have the Black and white roll... yeah that was undoubtedly one of the best things I've ever eaten. read more

This restaurant is just a mile from our house and is our go-to place for dates or entertaining friends. Food is always good and service is excellent. Owner takes great care to make sure everything is done well. Never had a bad dish. read more

Went for the lunch special & not only did we have great salmon & deep fried rolls but it was happy hour too! Throw in a few spring rolls and we left stuffed! Great service was the cherry on top, delicious food!! read more