Corbin's Confections may not be anything special to many, but to others, it's like finding the pot…read moreof gold at the end of the rainbow. 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 Corbin's Confections, in Salem, Virginia is the perfect example. I don't know you but to me, I love sweet treats and bakery items. A dinner is not complete if I don't have a sweet dessert. Yet we have people with food allergies that can't afford this luxury. Corbin's Confections was born out of the motherly love of a mother for her son, Corbin, who is anaphylactic to peanuts and all tree-nuts. She wanted to create a bakery that her son and other's with similar allergies, can experience the joy of eating baked goods without having to worry that something would happen to them, because of some ingredient that the food contained. Her mission was "To provide a place where anyone with gluten, peanut, or tree-nut allergies can get tasty treats." Today, I had the opportunity to visit this bakery and meet with Shana, the owner of this women-owned business. She was so friendly and welcoming and realized the service she was providing the community was a very special one. She told me that all bakery items there were gluten free, peanut free, and tree-nut free. It is also mentioned on the store window, right under the name of the bakery. Even though it was almost closing time, she still had some delicious and safe treat on display in the display cases, like cupcakes, donuts, and other savory items. We were interrupted by a customer who wanted to find out information about placing an large order for a gathering of some sort. Listening in was how I found out that she also provides custom options for special occasions and dietary needs, She also provides custom options for special occasions and dietary needs, including lactose intolerance. I thought to myself, how in the past some kids with food allergies might not want to attend birthday parties of their friends in order not to embarrassed by being the one one who didn't have a piece of the birthday cake. Well now, if the parents are aware that their sons and daughters have friends with food allergies, they can have the cake and other sweet treats made here, and that way, everyone can enjoy the party without any concern. Definitely see how this business can provide better quality of life to many in our community and therefore give it my total support and urge you to do the same.

I live five hours away, but every time I work here I make an effort to stop in. This place is…read moreconsistently good with great service. And everything is gluten free. A celiacs dream come true. My favorite today was the Danish and the oatmeal cookie. Yum!

I LOVED BROOD. The chique bar area was our first nights dinner. The bartenders was FANTASTIC. His…read moreknowledge of cocktails and the menu made it a true experience. The food was well made and tasted like home. Rich, delicious, and unique. Highly Recommend

Sometimes in the smallest of places one finds the most exquisite food and the most precious of…read moredining experiences. After having been selected as number 4 of Yelp's Top 50 most prolific Elites of 2025, a year when I was also 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 Brood Restaurant and Bar in the heart of Salem, Virginia is a perfect example. Hidden in a small but cozy spot with a small but beautiful bar of only a few chairs, off East Main Street in Salem, Virginia, is one of my favorites fine dining restaurants: Brood Restaurant & Bar. The name means: "the children of a family," or "the chicks of a hen." It is meant to describe a warm place where people gather and feel just like in the best of homes: safe, cared for with unconditional love, and well fed with food that is made from the heart. A simple wood framed glass door with the restaurant's name written on it in capital letters with a classical font, is all one sees from the outside. But once you open the door and enter you encounter a space with lots of character coming from an exposed red brick wall and lovely dark wood hardwood floors. The furniture is elegant but comfortable. And the people treat you like if you were right at home; practically one of the family. On this occasion I arrived 15 minutes early to my five o'clock reservation time, yet I was greeted and received with open arms by a hospitable gentleman who seemed to be the bartender but with the distinction of the manager of the place. I was taken to my table in a perfect location in the wall facing the middle of the restaurant. The bartender prepared me a Guason Mocktail that all I can say is that it tasted devine. To dine I ordered their Sea Scallops appetizer with a roasted garlic emulsion and a bacon and fried onion crumb. Followed by an Arugula Salad. And the main entrée being the Steak and Frites. Everything was amazingly delicious and served in the appropriate timing. The scallops tasted out of this world in its unique sauce. The salad was wonderful. And the steak, an 8oz CAB Manhattan cut New York Strip cooked medium-rare and served with vaudouvan compound butter was one of the tastiest steaks of this nature that I have ever had, along with some fries with a cut that brought out the best of them. My server and bartender visited my table at the right times to see that everything was to my satisfaction and see if I needed anything and when he was busy made sure to send one of the other servers who all worked very efficiently as a team. Even at the end of my meal when the restaurant was almost completely full. For dessert which I consider the "Grand Finale" of a great meal, I had their Belgian Waffle Bread Pudding. It was amazing. I invite you to view my photographs accompanying this review to get a better sense of the place and the high-quality food. Needless to say I highly recommend this restaurant which has become one of my favorites for its delightful ambiance, exquisite food, and excellent customer service, together leading towards an extraordinary dining experience.

Want to know why the pizza is so good at Mama Maria's? Because the owner/chef is from South Jersey!…read moreAnd Jersey knows it's pizza! Mama Maria's is the pinnacle of Italian food in Roanoke County. The pizza is great. The bakery is great. The service is great. Anytime I find myself driving down I-81. I always stop at Mama Maria's. And you should too.

Dinner one night while we were in town. We were greeted walking in and seated within the same…read moreinteraction. An old school eatery, pretty basic on the inside, nothing fancy just good food and kind service. We started with the Burschetta Napoletana appetizer. It was a traditional style serving. With a slice of toasted bread, fresh diced tomato, onion and chopped basil, with a little evoo drizzle. Very simple and good. Refreshing and tasty a good start. They had Oysters Rockerfeller on the special menu the night of our visit, so we had to give them a try. They were again very traditional, well made and flavorful. For my entree I went for the Salmon Portofino. A beautiful portion, vibrant and full of flavor. A large bowl, with a nice piece of salmon cooked in a wonderful broth. Line caught fish, pan seared and cooked with cherry tomatoes, capers and artichoke hearts. It was a very good meal. 3.5 Stars rounded up for the kind staff. 01266

Amazing food. We got three different types of biscuits and they were all amazing. Definitely worth…read morea stop.

We were in town overnight and a friend said "you HAVE to go to Scratch Biscuit!" And we are so glad…read morewe did...it was the perfect breakfast after a late night at the Avett Brothers concert at Elmwood Amphitheater. The service was incredible fast, accurate, and friendly. The biscuits were delicious with the perfect amount of crunch, flavor, and yumminess. And the grits, well they were some the best I've had in a long time. The coffee was also spot on.

This place is a treasure! We brought our standard poodles and sat on the shaded patio…read more Our server Dylan was the absolute best! He welcomed us and offered water for the pups. He also told us about their rewards program, which we promptly signed up for. My hubby had shrimp and grits which was everything he hoped for! I had corned beef hash with eggs and it was delicious! The patio was clean and had large umbrella coverings to keep us comfortable. 100% recommend! And if you are lucky enough to get Dylan for a server, all the better!

First time and was extremely impressed with the menu and bites. The service was the weaker link,…read morebut still a strong 4 stars in my book and will look forward to returning with now having a Roanoke connection. The business is just outside of Roanoke in a nicer strip. Parking may be challenging on brunch weekends, however my weekday visit no problem. Our party of three was greeted and seated immediately with menus. The vibe feels First Watch chain, but all good. They do have a bar which sets them apart from other brunch joints. I assume Famous Toastery is also chain, how big no idea. Everything presented nicely and was clean. Even the men's room was spotless. The menu was strong with lots of variety. You can find anything you're looking for on any type of diet. They do offer a healthier, protein forward section. Our waitress was good upfront, but then fizzled out with sharing bar duties and was absent. I dialed in on a loaded omelette. Included a side of roasted veggies and sourdough bread with black coffee. My wife a breakfast sandwich and my son chocolate chip pancakes with scrambled eggs. Food pushed out quick, like within 15 minutes. Everything was served hot and yummy. My omelette was packed with flavor, the roasted veggies were fresh and cooked up perfectly. Even the coffee was tasty. The manager dropped by to say hello which made us feel special and secured a strong 4 stars. I look forward to returning later this Summer.

For Nowheresville USA, the pizza was pretty dang good. I was in town bustin a few lips and needed…read morea large pepperoni to seal the deal. Not bad for a one horse town. I was highly satisfied. But the old timer who left a crappy review cuz it wasn't like his Baston' pizza back home, needs a straighten out. When you leave a review that's a small novel and include where you parked your car and the hours of said parking lot, then you apparently got nothin but time on your hands to say you didn't like the food cuz it wasn't like "back home". Well this ain't back home. This is the South. And Frank is a good man.

I was really looking forward to dining at this pizza place, especially because I was led to believe…read morethey had the best New York Pizza in the area. But what I discovered was it was nothing like a New York style pizza, and not at all the best pizza around. The fact is I lived for over 25 years in Boston, Massachusetts, and frequented the Italian neighborhood of Boston which is called the North End, that it is also widely known as Boston's Little Italy, due to its rich Italian-American heritage and abundance of Italian restaurants and bakeries. There, at the pizza place next to the Little Italy Market, I've had the best genuine New York style pizza ever. And I also visited New York frequently, and have actually eaten a New York style pizza in New York City often, so I guess you can say I know first hand the look and taste of a New York Style pizza. I arrived at Franks Pizza on East Main Street, Salem on a Saturday early evening, and parked at the City of Salem Farmer's Market Parking lot, conveniently located across the street, and where you get 2 hours of free parking, Monday - Saturday, 6AM-6PM. As I entered the place I saw an open window on the wall with one of the cooks making a pizza, I stopped there on the way to the main counter to ask to be seated. The person making the pizza was kind of rude and asked me to move on, not allowing me to see how he was making the pizza. When I arrived to the main counter, the server, who was a very nice gentleman, greeted and welcomed me and asked me to sit in any booth available. Practically all the booths were empty except one where two older ladies were dining at. I found this a bit odd, on a Saturday early evening, when good restaurant are already beginning to get full. The gentleman treated me well, handed me the menu, got me my softdrink, and took my order. I ordered a House Salad with Balsamic vinaigrette dressing, and a Special 12" hand tossed NY Style Pizza. As I was waiting I noticed there was no music in the background to make for a relaxing ambiance. Instead you could here the cooks back in the kitchen talking loud in Spanish, which I guess they didn't know I was understanding all the nonsense they were saying. That loudness coming out of the kitchen didn't create a relaxing ambiance. The salad arrived shortly, inside a plastic black bowl, and it was the highlight of the meal. I invite you to watch and listen to my video clip and photographs accompanying this review to get a better sense of the place and its food. Then the pizza arrived. My servered delivered it by placing it on a stand. At first it looked good, but a bit too white on top. It hardly had any sauce at all, and thus hardly any flavor from the lack of sauce and quality meats. The Italian sausage and pepperoni lacked flavor probably due to the low quality. It was full of cheese, that's for sure, but also lacking flavor. The dough of the crust was bland and burnt, not at all tasty. Some customers, for whatever reason, might like their pizza this way, and might not mind the loud noise coming from the kitchen, and the lack of music creating a relaxed environment, and I respect that. But in my opinion, with so many other good pizza places around, even in the least expected alleyways, I would not waste my time and money here.

This is a tiny second location in Roanoke for Inka Grill. The larger business is their downtown…read morespot. They do offer a few other cities such as Greensboro which I've dined at. Parking is challenging when capacity, but do drive around back and try. The lot was clear of debris. Our party was immediately placed on a wait and asked to move to the two seat bar, ha! Yep two seats. No one asked for drink orders which was disappointing. They were slammed! The atmosphere is blah, hole in the wall joint. But if the food is good it will make up. Within 10 minutes we were seated in a booth and provided menus including traditional Peruvian cocktails by a friendly staff. A short time later drink orders were taken and my son got a Passion Sour, a OJ concoction with egg that he enjoyed. The entire menu is traditional Peruvian. So you're sure to find a favorite. My wife and I ordered the Bistec and my son Lomo. Orders took around 25 minutes to push out, but they all came out correctly and same time. Also looked yummy! My medium well Bistec was cooked to perfection and delicious. The plantains were like candy, it's been a long time since I've had them. My son enjoyed his meal as well and has had it a few times at other places. A follow up to our entrees was not preformed, but luckily not needed. Much later a follow up to refill waters. I'm a soft 4 stars on Inka Brambleton location. The food was all very strong which propped them up. However, service was slow to lacking. 3.5 rounding up.

Best lunch deal in town. Delicious and yet healthy! We eat at the Brambleton Ave location and look…read moreforward to trying their downtown location

70th birthday celebration catered by Mission Barbecue was superb! Sylvia and staff were…read moreprofessional and very attentive to all our needs. The setup and display looked like you were in their restaurant and the food quality was excellent. Would highly recommend. WER

I'm a huge Mission BBQ fan. They ate one of the most consistent restraunt chains out there…read more This was my first trip, but will not be my last. Super and friendly service at the counter to kick off my visit. The dining room was spic and span. My order was a two meat platter of, pulled pork and lean brisket w/ side of green beans. It comes with cornbread. My son moist brisket, pulled pork w/ side of macaroni and cheese. Also cornbread. The manager expedited the food and was awesome! Then he came out to bring slices of smoked sausage samples. After learning we had a new customer/ to the store the desert flowed out by the manager. A cherry cheesecake. Our meals were amazing, especially our fave the pulled pork. Upon departing staff came by to take our trays. Otherwise it's self bussing. No reason to not elevate to full 5 stars.

All of their food is great, AND they have the best wings in Salem. They are big, juicy, and…read moreflavorful. And they are LESS than the other wing spots in town. Better and less expensive. What more reason do you need to give them a try!

We wanted a little snack after the Ridge Yaks game and a friend suggested Gusto's and WOW it was…read moreperfect! We did the pizza dumplings as an app and split the pizza flight and it was perfect! We have a 2 year old plus a wine, cider and IPA drinker and everyone had options. Our server was friendly and attentive, we enjoyed sitting outside and we highly recommend!

What a delight to sit for a delicious meal with a delicious dessert or not! You will leave full and…read morehappy. My favorite is their quiche!! They have sandwiches and salads, too. Fabulous desserts and lots of bread to purchase. Everything is fresh.

First time at this location. The downtown location closed and they consolidated…read more As their name implies they do a lot with bread. So lot of options with bakery items during my weekend visit. They have a strong brunch menu and also a fun coffee menu. Ordering is at the counter and was extremely friendly and helpful. The dining atmosphere is casual and comfortable. The area was clean. They also have outdoor dining. My party of three all ordered different items from chocolate chip packed, oh my that cake is huge! Scrambled eggs, quiche and I had an omelette. I was not in love with my omelette unfortunately. It lacked flavor. My pancake latte was amazing! 3.5, rounding up. I will be back.