Cute little breakfast place in Downtown Blacksburg. Went here for a brunch with my family on a visit for gameday, so even though it was a little crowded, our server was very kind and attentive. We all enjoyed our food, however some of us found it to be a bit plain, particularly the savory dishes. I got the smoked salmon hash, and wasn't a huge fan, but I'll chalk that up to my personal taste. Another member of the family got the Belgian waffle and I had a taste, and it was delicious and crispy, which is just how I like my waffles. We will definitely be returning to try more of the sweet options. read more

This place is immediately adjacent to the university and feels like it. During peak hours, it has been packed in my experience, and seems a popular place to take the "parental units" for college students. This is notable given that the menu is mostly (if not entirely) vegetarian, which is not the norm for a Southern brunch but does not seem to preclude the locals from packing in. I stopped in early to beat the rush. They had a breakfast special that yielded a substantial bowl with quinoa, beans, herbed tofu, and a few other ingredients brought together by a zingy salsa. An orange juice was the right compliment for a high protein and fiber bowl which definitely started the day off right. Plenty of pancakes and toasts were available for those seeking more conventional brunch. The ambiance is a bit tired and the menu not as varied as I might hope, but I can certainly see why the locals view this as an easy spot to agree on. read more

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This was probably the best breakfast here in Blacksburg! The service was alright, and the food came out at a reasonable time considering the busy Sunday morning rush. We ordered the: Short stack pancakes 1 buckwheat and 1 regular with bananas 10/10 Cheese, jalapeño, onion, green pepper omelette 8/10 Breakfast potatoes 9/10 Biscuits (homemade) 10/10 Gillies special 8/10 Casual spot with indoor and outdoor seating. Good for groups. I will be back next time!!! read more

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I'm shocked that in all my time going to VT, I had never eaten here. My girlfriend and I came here for breakfast last weekend after visiting siblings and were happy with the experience. The food was really good. I ordered the Gillie's Special and she ordered the omelette. The potatoes here are really good and I'm still trying to figure out how they make them so good so I can make them at home. The biscuits are also clearly made fresh and are so soft and delicious. I also ordered a pancake and she ordered a buckwheat pancake with banana. The regular pancake was the winner of the two. Soft and fluffy and delicious. The service was a little slow but I'll chalk that up to it being a new school year and staff likely still learning the ropes. They were all kind and helpful whenever something was needed. Food also came out relatively quick considering it was still busy around 11 am. The ambiance is very casual. They have a bit older feel inside but it adds to the charm of the restaurant. It feels like an original piece of Blacksburg. And with the way they keep replacing all of the old buildings, it's refreshing to have a little rustic left downtown. They have vegan options here including a tofu scramble and the buckwheat pancakes. They also don't have a sign that says the restaurant name on the building but it's near Top of the Stairs on the other side of the alley. Definitely try this place out for breakfast. read more

Gillie's Cuisine - Gillie's special - Seafood Near Me - Blacksburg, Virginia

Great breakfasts, numerous vegetarian options, and big portions. Funky, grungy vibe in a great location downtown and the service is always excellent. read more

Excellent food and service. Unique place. A must go to. Healthy food. Nice friendly staff. Great coffee too. Check it out. Ambiance is good vibes read more

Came by for lunch on a weekday and it was pretty quiet and had a good time! I have absolutely no complaints at all except that it was really cold and had to keep my jacket on the whole time. Maybe their heating is broken? The food, on the other hand, was really good. I went with the crabcake sandwich, which was made with jackfruit. It kind of fell apart, but tasted really good! Service was also good. I'd definitely come back, maybe when it's warmer. read more

Gillie's Cuisine - Jackfruit crabcake sandwich - Seafood Near Me - Blacksburg, Virginia

Huuuuuge pancakes and french toast .get here early if you want a fresh biscuit. Brunch is satisfactory even though you don't go to a vegetarian restaurant expecting pork,it holds its own. read more

Absolutely the best breakfast place in Blacksburg. Amazing staff, and great food.. The ambiance is old school and being in a college town, it is quite relaxed. One cannot possibly expect immediate service and fast response.. it is a relaxed environment. If you want fast service, may be you should try Burger King.. this is not the place for you. I have been going to Gillies for over 20 years and it is my weekend breakfast place. Absolutely great & fun staff. read more

Gillie's Cuisine - Seafood Near Me - Blacksburg, Virginia

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Came in for my Daughter's 21st Birthday Brunch. A major plus is their vegan and gluten free options that were through the menu. We did not feel restricted with our choices. Our waitress and the full staff were attentive and hoping. I appreciated the amount of check in we got to refill coffee and waters. Our meals were solid. The grits were a hit, both creamy and tasty! I admit the gravy for my biscuits and gravy were different than expected with a mushroom gravy. It was flavorful. The biscuits were outstanding! The juice bar is authentic. I never would have planned to get a Maroon Effect (beets, carrot, apple, lemon juice) but when I saw it go to someone else, I needed to try and glad I did. The environment is very comfy and welcoming. I could see this as a stop in at random times. The mimosa flight was a nice birthday sampling too. Would recommend a visit for locals and visitors! read more

Food is typically excellent, service is hit or miss, wait times vary, atmosphere is relaxed- best to go in with no set expectations and extra time in your schedule. Most recently I had a craving for Gillie's salmon hash and wanted to take advantage of this time before students are back and things get busy... Ordered online for takeout, supposed to be ready at 10:15. When I arrived they were not busy...I was told they were "working on it" at 10:45. Once I finally got home with my hash I dug in only to get a mouthful of shrimp! I called and was told they were out of salmon. I asked why it wasn't mentioned to me all that time I sat inside waiting- the person on the phone wasn't sure. I get that- but all I could think of was what if they had done that with someone with a shellfish allergy? There should always be a discussion before any substitutions, giving customers their choice of options or the opportunity to change their order. In particular, the restaurant needs to be aware you cannot just randomly substitute shellfish without making people aware. *update- The owner did reach out and I have some confidence that this won't happen again. In hindsight, ordering online was probably not the best method. Should just call or stop in. Adding a star. read more

This place is the go to place for brunch for vegetarians. Food: Breakfast burrito - very large and sizable amount of food in the burrito. Service: Super friendly and fast service. Ambiance: Smaller place with it getting crowded during peak times. Extra: Worth the price for the food you get. read more

Cool local restaurant with a lot of gluten-free options. Service and food were great and huge portions.

Incredible experience! We had salmon and catfish both gluten free and the catfish was deep fried. Great service and incredible food.

It was a busy morning at Gillie's. The service was fairly good and the food came out relatively quickly. Menu is pretty varied, typical breakfast menu with a twist. There was something for everyone. Paying the bill was frustrating. We were told to pay at the counter. There was a long wait because the person at the counter was taking names for tables and helping paying customers. Finally a second person stepped up to help paying customers. All in all it was OK. read more

So...we went for brunch Saturday at noon and it was ok, not bad...but we would not go back. We had the - "Avocado Toast" (winner, best item) (was actually on hash brown patty, not toast) - "Juevos Rancheros" (not good enough. maybe because we have had these at Mexican restaurants. I am not a chef, so I don't know why these were not good, as they had the components. Eggs, chips, beans) - "Chocolate Chip Pancakes" (not good on their own. barely any chips. what kind of chocolate chip pancakes require syrup to be close to acceptable? Syrup should enhance, not be a requirement. Cardboard with syrup tastes good--we could have literally eaten cardboard and had a similar taste with fewer calories haha) - Grits with Beans (good) The food was ok. Lovely that it was vegetarian. Avocado Toast and Grits with beans were best. Pancakes were nowhere near worth the calories and not even close to chocolate. Zero chocolate flavor. I don't know how that is even possible. haha The food was not the deal breaker, though. It was two things, the terrible service and the noise level. The waitress in all black was neither attentive nor anticipatory to our needs. We literally had food in front of us, but still no silverware. (!) The lady behind the bar, wrapping silverware, was great and had to help us several times. We asked for things like silverware, coffee, extra plates. The server came to our table, we were obviously done with empty plates, we asked for coffee and she just left the plates there. Wait staff training 101, don't leave dirty dishes in front of the customers. Clear the space--maybe then they'll order dessert or coffee. But the noise is the real deal-breaker. This place is just noisy. Like you cannot hear the person sitting right next to you, even when you are looking at the mouth to try and read their lips. You know when your teenagers cannot hear each other (as they have perfect, youthful hearing) there is a problem. Providing sound insulation doesn't have to be expensive. Training staff and supervising staff so they provide good service is actually not hard. Oh, well. read more

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We managed to get in for their last seating for brunch- first time we were able to get in and we were so happy! Food was FANTASTIC. The staff were warm, friendly and very attentive. Everyone in our party of 6 was so happy! Can't wait to go back! read more

"Free Palestine" sign on counter. Styrofoam to go boxes. Food was mid. Still great location. Deflated memory lane visit.

My family tried Gillies for brunch yesterday. We arrived around 11:30 am and when we put our name on the waiting list, we were told it was about a 30-40 minute wait and they would call us. The wait was expected for a Sunday so we decided to walk around. We headed back after 30 minutes only to find the host has abandoned the waiting list and taking people as they walked in. When we mentioned the waiting list, we were seated immediately. The waiter was nice and brought coffee immediately. Then went on to take another tables order. A table was sat after us and he took their order. Finally after swinging by a few times to say he'd would take our order, he finally did. The food took forever to come out. In fact, the table that had sat after us, got their food, ate and left before we even got ours. At this point, we had been in the restaurant over an hour, which for breakfast seemed unusually long. Finally, our orders came, but with an apology that they had run out of biscuits. I felt like crying as I was starving and really looking forward to the biscuit. Who runs out of biscuits on a Sunday morning? Anyway, the "famous" potatoes were ok. Nicely seasoned but just potatoes. I could have made better pancakes at home. Not fluffy as I would expect at a restaurant. And definitely not worth the long wait. I normally don't write bad reviews as I know things happen. This is a college town, I'm not expecting Michelin star experience. And if it was just one thing, I would have overlooked it. But unnecessarily long wait for mediocre food warranted this review. read more

I was totally disappointed. Took me a little over an hour to get there. Was totally disappointed about the food as well as the service.

Our group of four and a baby went here for breakfast/lunch on a late Sunday morning, around 11 am. They were extremely busy with about a 25 minute wait. Since we weren't allowed to wait inside, we ventured over to nearby Squires Student center to stay warm on this freezing March day. Once seated, we were still pretty chilly as our table was right by the door, allowing the cold wind to blow right in. Our server was friendly and attentive. We had the Chappy's Choice and Gillies Special entrees with a side of a stack of pancakes. The food came out piping hot and very good. The biscuits were a bit cold, though. And, the coffee could have been a bit warmer. Overall, a good experience and we'll be back. read more

Gillie's Cuisine - Stack of three pancakes - Seafood Near Me - Blacksburg, Virginia

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I think this is a good place for brunch food if you're a student here because... It's Blacksburg. I really don't expect anything amazing food wise around campus but this is a good place to eat if you're sick of dining hall food. Lol. I think if you're visiting Blacksburg from somewhere else, this might be considered average food. I definitely loved this place as a student but after being out of the area for a while, it's not as great as I remembered probably because I was eating cup of noodles every day during college and this was considered peak dining in Blacksburg! The French toast and waffles they have here are pretty standard but they're still good! Not too sweet either. I also like their egg and potato dishes but also standard. Good level of saltiness and pepper. It's a good enough quality to enjoy and have a good time with family and friends. This is a good place for vegetarian options, but that might be the reason why I've only truly been here for brunch. Not sure how their regular meals are but their brunch is good! Staff are usually attentive and friendly. The portions are definitely filling and reasonably priced! Also you may have to wait for a table on weekends - waits are typically 30 min or less in my experience. But I like coming here whenever the Farmers Market is happening! read more

I first came here with my friends a little over a year ago (before COVID), and I loved how unique their menu options were, especially given that they're vegetarian/pescatarian. I had the smoked salmon hash, which was different from anything I had ever had before for a breakfast meal. So naturally, I was excited to bring my little here this year. They have great, temperature-controlled outdoor seating areas which were safe and comfortable during these COVID times. This time, I had the El Dorado omelette, which was unfortunately not as memorable as my first time. All in all, I'd recommend ordering one of their more unique menu items because their basic ones won't thrill you anymore than IHOP could. read more

Gillie's Cuisine - Smoked salmon hash - Seafood Near Me - Blacksburg, Virginia

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Great experience. We were traveling for the first time since Covid and wanted to find a place with outdoor seating and heaters, so we chose Gillie's. I emailed to ask some questions in advance and they were super responsive and helpful. What I was pleasantly surprised by was how good the food was. I had a salmon burger on brioche with their "famous potatoes" - wow, so much flavor, loved it. My daughter had a Belgian waffle, which was also perfectly done. As a bonus, they had a 1/2 price wine bottle special (Complicated Red) and that was good too. Service was fast and friendly and prices were reasonably. Can't ask for much more. read more

Gillie's Cuisine was a delight! While looking for things to do in Blacksburg we discovered a lovely donut shop near the Virginia Tech campus. So utterly pleased were we with our discovery that we decided to cruise the area to see what else we could find. It was a lovely Saturday morning and to our amazing luck a farmers market was setting up shop for the day. Here we had the pleasure of speaking with a local police officer who was like a walking yelp app when it came to great places to eat nearby. One particular place of interest was Gillies because of their rich menu of vegetarian/vegan/Gluten free items. I, like most good husbands, desire to please my bride. However, this is a tricky task when it comes to eating, since she eats more like a rabbit and I more like a T-REX. So places like this offering a better than average menu for her while also having items that please me is a truly treasured and sacred space! Add to that good fellowship amongst friends on a large outdoor sitting area well suited for the current Covid-19 pandemic and somehow all seems right with the universe again. THE FOOD UNFORTUNATELY they ran out of grits, so I was not able to take advantage of the SHRIMP & GRITS special of the day. However, this caused me to order the SMOKED SALMON HASH and it did not disappoint (5+ stars). My son and I split this dish along with the BANANA WALNUT FRENCH TOAST (4.5 stars) while my wife and her bestie tried the HUEVOS NACHOS (4 stars). The hash was so enjoyable that I conceded the lions share to my son, who devoured every bite with joy. While it is satisfying to get what you want how you want it, for a parent it is even more satisfying to see your seedlings satisfaction as well. Overall it was a fantastic experience. The staff was great, the food was delicious, the morning weather was absolutely perfect to eat outdoors and the crowds were low. Couldn't have asked for a better visit except maybe to not run out of grits so early in the day! 2020 / 35 read more

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Just had dinner at Gillies and it was really good. I had the blackened catfish sandwich with their roasted potatoes and it was terrific. Good amount of fish with decent amount of heat from the blackening seasoning. Also shared the spinach and quinoa salad which I would order again. Will be back. read more

As an alum, I'm embarrassed to say I never had Gillie's before a recent trip back but glad to check it off the Blacksburg restaurant list. The little cafe is perfect for locals, students, and visiting families. We arrived shortly after 11 am on a Saturday, so we expected a wait given its size. Our party of four was quoted 30 minutes and we happily waited outside in the sun for our table. They had open tables outside in the shade, but it was a little brisk while out of the sun so we opted to wait inside. The host was personable and did a great job managing the waiting list. We were seated within our quoted time and immediately given waters. Our waiter walked over shortly after to get any other drink orders. When he returned, we were ready to order (& very hungry). I picked the Chappie's choice, which was two scrambled eggs over potatoes with white cheddar, and a biscuit. The menu is vegan and vegetarian and has great labeling so that choices are clear. Gluten-free friends would like this place too! My friends also ordered the banana walnut French toast which looked great. Fun tip- they offer French toast both the traditional way with honey wheat bread or sliced baguette. Service was pretty quick and staff was friendly. After our meal, we were given a check to pay up front before leaving - super great way to avoid the hassle of splitting checks at the table. Definitely check out this for breakfast - just know that good things sometimes come with a short wait! read more

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Tried multiple times. While the food is good, most times the servers cannot even be bothered enough to stop by your table. If the service improves I might return. read more

Alright place, it's good in Blacksburg if you want a local place but their breakfast food is mid tier. Its because you can make all this food at home so it's not spectacular. Service took a little while but it wasn't bad. Inside the restaurant was pretty good like a local spot. Overall I'd go here again but for dinner not breakfast read more

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Affordable dining! My friends and I ordered a lot of different breakfast items. We highly recommend their southwestern grits! Their grits are creamy and the toppings are tangy and savory. Also recommend their waffles AND (not pictured) the banana walnut French toast. Delicious food and not exactly the $$ price range listed here. Each breakfast item was a great portion and around $10 or less (: read more

Gillie's Cuisine - Brunch Spread - Seafood Near Me - Blacksburg, Virginia

Really disappointed. Was looking forward to a good pancake however it was dry, salty and bland. DO NOT GET THE PANCAKES! The syrup didn't help either considering it was bland as well. It tasted like water and water only. The potatoes were good though I've had better. What I recommend for good potatoes and pancakes is the garbage plate from thunderbirds cafe. If you have a chance go. read more

Gillie's Cuisine - Added jam, syrup, blueberries to the pancake and it was still flavorless. - Seafood Near Me - Blacksburg, Virginia

Went here hungover with my girlfriend and her bestie and food was pretty good but they didn't have any coke so that was kinda weird but pretty good overall read more

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The food was awesome. The service was fantastic. We came by on a Friday night and wanted to sit outside. They set us up and checked on us regularly. All our meals were great! read more

Always delicious, creative menu, large portions, great ambience and service. Best spot in Blacksburg

What a nice place to stop and relax and have a bit to eat. They are very welcoming and have delicious food. The server was knowledgeable with their food as to what was in it due to food allergies. He brought out a dog water dish for my Sweet Tea. We sat outside and I think the server even order a little breeze just for us. I had a very tasty Vegan frittata with no cheese. The tofu was cooked perfectly, not over cooked or too soft. I could taste the flavors and nothing over powering. What a great spot too. Next time I hope to come back when the town is open. Great place to eat and relax. Thank you. read more

Gillie's Cuisine - Seafood Near Me - Blacksburg, Virginia

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We love Gillies! The food is great. The service is friendly. In the heart of Va Tech it's our weekend brunch go to. Try it you won't be disappointed. read more

Another Blacksburg Gem! Gillies is a mostly vegetarian restaurant (they serve fish) in the heart of downtown Blacksburg. They started out as an ice cream store in the 1970s and then gradually expanded into a full restaurant and then added a coffee shop (Bollos) two stores down. Gillies is hands down the best place for brunch in Blacksburg. They have a variety of delightful entrees; my favorite being the 122 Special (Eggs, Grits or homefries, biscuit or toast and coffee or tea). It is named for its original price $1.22, but now costs $6.50. Other entrees that I adore are... French Toast, Biscuits and vegetarian gravy, and for lunch, Pacos Taco Pound. Gillies has so much history for me and my family, my husband and I had our rehearsal dinner there. We used the whole restaurant and had our own menu. It was lovely. read more

Country family themed brunch spot. One of the hidden gems of Blacksburg. Food is very good.

I went here 3 separate times for 3 separate meals over this week I've visited my friends in VA, so I've broken my review up by meal. The dinner option of pacos is also on the lunch menu too!! DINNER: The vegan pacos is SO good. That's an entree in and of itself honestly. I ordered the Tofu Gado Gado subbed seitan and brown rice, it was a nice spicy peanut sauce. The bite of Korean bbq tempeh and broccoli I had was really good too, like a beefy steak. I didn't get to try the Gillie's and Mushroom burger, but they looked /really/ good. My friend wasn't enthused with the Gillie's burger herself but i didn't get to grab a bite personally. The only issues we had with a party of 8 was a glass with a lip print on it (although my friend was too shy to speak up) and the waitress misheard us and brought us a nonvegan pacos at first. Luckily my group was suspicious of how melty the cheese was so we caught it! Service was very nic The mousse is vegan and DIVINE. SO RICH. Seriously, you're going to want to split it, it's the best. My cheeks tingled with happiness as I ate it. If you're unfamiliar with mousse it's like a dark chocolate aerated pudding, must try. BREAKFAST: came for Sunday brunch and got a Veganized Red Earth. It was really yummy, they did try to upsell with vegan cheese which would be even more yummy but I didn't feel like spending the extra $2 at the time. The tofu sub was $1.50 more which was a bit of a bummer but understandable. The tofu was cubed and tasted pretty nice! I wonder if they've ever tried to crumble it for texture. Overall I'm really happy I chose the Vegan Red Earth. I chose the honey wheat bread because I don't mind honey and don't like white breads. I think next time I'll try buckwheat pancakes with blueberries, although I'm not sure if they have real maple syrup or vegan butter... LUNCH: I tried their seitan bbq wrap and it was godly. I didn't know if I would like it because I hadn't had coleslaw in a long time (being vegan and all) but it was definitely the right decision. I would recommend the BBQ Seitan Wrap or Pacos for lunch based on my personal experience. Overall this is definitely a great place to come eat, and I can see myself going back here for sure when I'm in town. read more

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Comments from the members of our party: - "It can accurately be described as food." - "I ate it because I was hungry." - "You have to consider that their main competition is college dining halls." read more