Saturday May 23rd a friend & I visited the Drive-thru location. Since this location on Commonwealth…read morehas been open, I have failed to go into the estab- lishment. My visit yesterday was a very PLEASANT experience. If U too have never gone into this location, it would be well worth your visit. Seeing all the fresh pastries & ice cream displayed gives a much needed boost!! Stop by S O O N

Bristol, Va. This bakery was our go to place for breakfast…read moreduring our week in Bristol. At first I was skeptical because of the long line that didn't seem to be moving. As it turns out there are a couple of ladies who really know how to run the show here. The line does move along efficiently and the lead lady communicates with the staff quite efficiently. There is also another lady who is a wizard of the espresso machine, it is a good thing they have her. On our first day there she came in late and this other lady took FOREVER to make our lattes, which turned out weak and milky. On follow up visits the wizard swiftly prepared our caffeinated beverages with great skill. The bean they use here has a good flavor but the espresso lacks boldness. The end product is just not rich enough, but it will do. The quiches are excellent, we always went with bacon Swiss or Loraine. They are a good size with a nice flakey crust, The granola yogurt parfaits are pretty good, the granola has a nice crunch to it. The yogurt was a bit sweet, it may be Chobani, but it went very well with the extra cup of berries you can purchase on the side. These berries by the way were fresh and beautiful. All the cookies we tried were great. They make a perfect affogato here, very addicting. I'm not sure if it's on the menu, but ask and you shall receive. The ice cream here is of a great quality, very creamy. The lemon berry tarts are way too sweet, they missed the boat on this one. I could not eat more than half of one. They did give us 15% off on the tarts because they were a couple days old. The candied pecans look good but the nuts are a bit rancid. All that sugar can't hide that.

This cafe is about halfway down the Creeper Trail, which is located in Damascus VA. You bicycle 17…read moremiles down a mountain. Highly recommended. I thought a cafe halfway down a mountain with difficult access to fresh food and drink would be pretty weak but the Chicken Tenders, Fries, and atmosphere kicked butt (I think I have to say 'butt' on Yelp). The Chocolate Cake was a little dry but still maintained a great taste. The wait time was pretty long but that's no big deal because you're chillin' on a mountain. Where else would you rather be? The people were also friendly--a big plus. It should be noted that on another review platform, customers seemed to favor the desserts. I never really ate much Chicken Tenders as a kid, so I have been making up for that over the last three years. Now, no matter where I go--even if a Japanese restaurant--I order Chicken Tenders.

Amazing Trail Side Cafe. They could serve bad food and people would still go but this is not the…read morecase w/ them. You can tell they care about their product. Try the chicken salad and bbq Sandwhich.

I was in Abingdon for a workshop last summer and had time every evening afterwards to do a little…read moreexploring. Abingdon is a little town with a lot of fast food outlets and doesn't exactly have a vibrant cafe society or third spaces for people living outside of the nuclear family unit constellation. So I was delighted to find this little cafe/ bookshop (The Book Cellar) which even has a tiny garden as well where you can get a cuppa tea, browse the books, sit down and maybe just get some writing done or just collect your thoughts. Folks were very friendly and I had no problems here whatsoever. It's small, very cozy but for little Abingdon, it's just right. I was so happy to find this corner of Abingdon. I may come back to Abingdon in the future for other workshops and if I do, I sure hope this little shop and cafe are still here.

Great Coffee, able to make my mocha, sweet and delicious as requested. Local art on the walls for…read moresale which I absolutely loved.

What a fun brewery! I met friends here and it was awesome guessing at stories told by Appalachian…read moretrail hikers as they shared their adventures around us! The beer was delicious! I tried an IPA and a fruity sour that made my face curl up. So fantastic! The bartender was helpful in expanding the various beers available and helping our party of four make our selections. It was fun to be in a small brewery that was connected to a sense of community and sharing that fits the hiking/backpacker vibe!

Great selections with also a great staff. Inside and outside seating area with cornhole outside as…read morewell. Darts and a small pool table inside. Hats and shirts available for purchase.

We happened to be lucky enough to be spending a couple of days close to this gem of a coffee shop…read more We stopped in the first day because I heard someone in the lobby of hotel mention she was enjoying a Peanut Butter & Jelly Latte from the shop nearby. We walked over and we were so glad we did! By PB&J Iced Latte was so good! The cold foam on top was so yummy and the drink really did taste like a PB&J. The Iced Chai was also delish! It was spicy and not overly sweet. We stopped by before we left town the next day - for one more PB&J Latte, another Chai as well as the Blackberry Lemonade and a few baked treats for the road. The Blackberry Lemonade was a fun drink - icey and refreshing! (It was pretty sweet, but also tart - really good) The staff were SO welcoming (especially the sweetest baby ever at the register ) Everyone behind the counter was smiling and actively working which is why our drinks were ready fairly quickly both days despite the crowd. The shop had fun little gifts and stickers which tempted us while we waited. We were happy to see so many Gluten Free treat options - they were all individually wrapped which made them even safer for our son with celiac. This is a great place - we will definitely stop in next time we are in the area!

This is one of our favorite breakfast cafes in the Banner Elk area. We make it a point to stop here…read moreat least once when we're in high country. The husband and wife team do a fantastic job from top to bottom here. Coffees, teas and drinks galore with tons of variety. Every drink we've had has been fantastic. And the food options are plentiful as well. Not just your typical bakery items, but a full menu with savory options, wraps, bagels, sandwiches, you name it. My all time favorite here...the piled high turkey club on an everything bagel. You can't take small bites on this one. Full of flavor, fresh and delicious. If you have time, make a morning pit stop here. You won't regret it.

Amazing dessert creations that are works of art! We went just before closing and received great…read moreservice from a friendly and helpful young woman. The dine-in area is spacious and pleasant. We tried chocolate gelato, an ube chai latte, and an Oreo cheesecake cube. All were delicious!

Rendezvous International Cafe is a quaint cafe in downtown Abingdon, VA. The cafe offers a little…read moreof everything: crepes, breakfast sandwiches, omelettes, coffee, boba, and lots more! When searching for breakfast options in Abingdon, the crepes are what drew my attention! They had sooo many options that I opted for an omelette and a sweet treat. For our beverages, I ordered the Frankenstein special (taro & matcha latte) for myself and a Spanish latte for my husband. The omelette and Spanish latte were delicious! The Frankenstein and Cactus sweet treat could've been better.

Damascus Diner -- Damascus, VA…read more I'll admit it--I'm not usually a diner person, and I actually debated driving back to Abingdon for breakfast. But we were staying in a cabin along the Virginia Creeper Trail, and walking the trail into town for a traditional Southern breakfast sounded like the more authentic mountain-town experience. I'm so glad we did. The portions were huge, the prices were incredibly reasonable, and everything we tried was good. My husband ordered "The Hog"--2 eggs, country potatoes, sausage, bacon and pork loin. The sausage was his favorite of the meats. I had the Mt. Rogers with 3 eggs, hash brown casserole, and upgraded to the 8-oz sirloin. Both meals came with toast or a biscuit, grits, and peppered sausage gravy. They were out of biscuits, so we had white and sourdough toast instead, and it was all good. The food was hearty, traditional, and exactly what I was craving. But what really made the experience was the Southern hospitality. The young woman serving and the host were both so kind and cheerful. Sometimes the best travel experiences aren't the trendy places--they're the local spots where you walk in hungry, leave completely stuffed, and feel genuinely welcomed. Damascus Diner was one of those places.

What a wonderful meal we had here! The servers were so friendly and efficient!…read more Hubby had the white fish with cabbage, collards, hush puppies and tots for $16-he ate every last bite! It was tasty. I had the hamburger steak, the lunch portion, $11 with collards and mashed potatoes and I, too, ate every bite! It hit the spot. The food was home cooked style and worth every penny!

We came in close to closing for a quick snack. Reclaimed older home with a lot of local art-…read morereminded me of restaurants in Charleston. The coffee we had was very good- latte and flat white. They had run out of cold brew. Cinnamon bun was very sweet but good. The gluten free brownie was ok and chocolate chip cookie was airy (interesting) and enjoyed. If we had more time would have liked to have a full lunch.

If Michelin star talent, incredible food, and a side of Native American folklore sound like an odd…read morecombination, trust me..:it works. The Girl & The Raven has such a cool story behind it, and learning about the meaning of the raven in Native American folklore made the experience feel even more special. Then the food arrived... and suddenly conversation stopped because everyone was too busy saying, "You have to try this!" We ordered the breakfast bowl with sweet potatoes, arugula, and the famous hippy sauce, a gooey cinnamon bun, and the homemade daily biscuit sandwiches. Every single bite was phenomenal. The hippy sauce deserves its own fan club, the biscuit was flaky perfection, and the cinnamon bun disappeared so fast it should probably qualify as magic. Every dish was cooked to absolute perfection. You can tell it's crafted by Michelin trained chefs who know exactly what they're doing. Sarah Grace took amazing care of us. She was friendly, attentive, and somehow managed to make us feel like regulars even though we were just passing through. The restaurant itself is adorable, and the artwork covering the walls is stunning. We seriously considered playing a game of "How much luggage can we leave behind to make room for a painting?" If we hadn't packed the car for vacation, one of those paintings would have been riding shotgun all the way home. Come hungry, stay curious about the story, and don't be surprised if you leave wishing your vehicle had just a little more cargo space.

Nothing like the rest! We're spending a few days in Bristol, and this coffee shop stands out from…read moreeverywhere else. Sure, we came to enjoy BBQ and the classic country vibe, but this place is a hidden gem. The coffee is excellent, the food is delicious, and the atmosphere is something completely different, in the best way. Definitely worth a visit!

Staff was super friendly and coffee was excellent! We got iced mochas and an iced Dulce de leche…read morewhich were perfect for our crazy hot weather. Took our coffee to go but wish we had time to enjoy the super cute interior! Highly tecommend

We were passing through on our way to NC and stopped for dinner. So glad we did!…read more The service was great and the food was delicious. And the food tho! I ordered the shrimp and grits, my husband got the maple shrimp. Both were good, but the grits really stole the show. My daughter got butter noodles. Pro tip - dump the noodles into the empty grits bowl, mop up the remnants of the cream sauce. Mmmmmm. My son ordered the chicken sandwich with the Alabama BBQ sauce. Also so good. Place was clean and well done inside. The RHCP playlist really topped everything off.

Not at all what we expecting, and we were pleasantly surprised! Passing through Damascus and…read morelooking for a dinner option, we came upon this place. Went in and immediately were impressed with the atmosphere. Menu was pretty extensive too, and for great prices! I ended up with the teriyaki salmon, which came with coconut rice, mixed summer veggies and a side salad. Even the salad was elevated with spinach, dried cranberries, pumpkins seeds, and a yummy balsamic dressing. My boyfriend had the 8 oz NY strip steak, which he said was cooked to perfection. Our waitress Julia was super friendly and prompt. Great experience this evening!