A friend of mine recommended this Deli to me and since this is one of the most effective ways of…read morediscovering interesting places to eat, I decided this morning to go check it out for breakfast. The only New York City Deli in Roanoke, Virginia; located almost in the corner of Jefferson Street and Campbell Avenue SE, it is centrally located with on street parking as well as a parking garage nearby. When I arrived to the building where the restaurant was located, it had a small restaurant front with windows on the two sides of the restaurant's door. It had its name painted in the window, as well as a black stand out sign with golden letter fonts: "R.T. Smith's Delicatessen EST. 2011." From outside it seemed like all small restaurant, but once inside, I found that its was actually a long space with an infinite amount of food products and many menus for breakfast and lunch. The restaurant was decorated with many interesting items, menu signs, and a collection items of Star Trek figurines. The owner greeted me with a friendly hello and asked me to pick a table, serve myself coffee, and take a seat. After reviewing the menu while sseated, I ordered the Hot Mess Omelette. It was one of the largest omelettes in the Breakfast menu. Later I found out that they also had Breakfast Add Ons to the Omelette at an extra price. But the Omelette I ordered already had 4 eggs, ham, bacon, sausage, and American & Gouda cheese. When the Omelette was cooked and served on the counter, I went to pick it up and pay the bill on the cashier counter. When I took it to my.table and opened up the container where it was served; I was amazed at the size of it. It was cooked perfectly. I put salt and pepper on it from the antique Coca Cola bottle shackers and began eating it. It was one of the best Omelettes that I have ever eaten! And I have eaten the best of the best. Another of my best was one I ate at the Boston Marriott Hotel that had Lobster meat, mushrooms, and brie cheese. Afterwards, I stayed for a while drinking my coffee and talking to the owner and his wife. They both have wonderful personalities and we talked about the business, their move from New York to here. How they import their fresh bagels from New York and soon they will be importing other items as well. Their hobby of collecting Star Trek figurines and other items. Before I left I made sure to tell them that they had just gained not only a new customer, but also a friend. I highly recommend this restaurant for breakfast or lunch. They serve quality food in generous portions and cooked extraordinary well. And provide with their wonderful customer service an amazing dining experience!

After a miss at the New Yorker and trashing my lunch I headed to RT Smith's for a better outcome. I…read moreordered a corned beef reuben. Great marble rye, loaded with quality Swiss cheese and the sauerkraut was outstanding. The corned beef was a mid, just missing any flavor. Tasted like a horseradish sauce was also added which gave the sandwich a bit more life. Very so-so overall....nice owners, very friendly. Look for street parking. Lot at the corner next to the restaurant is $8/hr to park.

OK, I feel like everyone in town loves this place, including myself. They finally accept debit…read morecards, which is amazing. The amount of food you get for your dollar they are feels like we are still in the 1990s. You can totally fill up on less than 10 bucks. I love the Kosher Klub German potato salad. It's always been my toe but recently, I've tried the submarine. And my oh my it is phenomenal.

At one time this restaurant may have been "the place for submarine sandwiches", but sadly not…read moreanymore. Ordered a pastrami and Swiss sub and a ham and cheese sub. Wrapped in paper to go, we were anxious to try them. Foot long seeded roll was this side of stale, lean on the meat and cheese on both and fixings for a subs this size. Sadly $40 for 2 sandwiches and 3/4a went in the trash. Good concept...poor execution.

One of the best sandwich shops I've been to. Our cashier and sandwich maker was working solo today…read moreand did a fantastic job. He's a vet who served 20 years in the Army, and you could tell, cannot say enough about him. Plenty of meat and good ingredients on both sandwiches we got, struggled to finish both with how big they were. 10/10 recommend

They seemed to have closed their business. I hope that it is just temporary. It had some great…read morereviews.

Delis are a dime a dozen, but sometimes in those rare moments in life, like finding a needle in a…read morehaystack, one encounters a priceless one, and that is precisely what happened to me when I discovered Mike's Deli. This very popular American deli in the Hollins area of Roanoke, Virginia came to my attention through word of mouth, and I couldn't resist to put aside some time to go have lunch there, and experience first hand what a one-of-a-kind deli is all about. When I arrived, I parked my Lexus in a parking space right in front of the deli. Even though it was established in 2012, its physical building looked like new with clean red bricks and a beautiful French window on the right of its freshly painted blue door, and an equally beautiful Bay window on the left, leading to the dining room. Inside, the owner Mike personally greeted and welcomed me with open arms. His friendly and cheerful personality made me feel at home right away. The place had a basic, clean, and unpretentious environment. It's dining room had blue tables with comfortable chairs, and positive, noble words on its wall like: "Thankful," "Blessed," and "Love conquers all things." The menu featured a wonderful, unique variety of hot and cold submarines, sandwiches, and homemade sides. Such as "The Farmhouse," a house specialty with chicken salad, crispy bacon, and creamy Russian dressing. Their homemade desserts such as Baklava and Banana Pudding looked delicious as they were displayed next to a variety of others. After looking at their menu, I ordered a Lemonade to drink, a Ruben Sandwich to eat, and a homemade Banana Pudding for dessert. The sandwich was exquisite, the drink was refreshing, and the dessert was truly amazing. And the service by the owner himself was extraordinary. I invite you to view my photographs accompanying this review to get a better sense of the place and its food, and highly recommend you give them a visit. I can assure you, you'll be forever grateful you did. I can't wait to return and try one of their other unique sandwiches on the menu.

Delicious sub at a reasonable price! The Bacon Cheeser Pleaser hit the spot and the Baklava was…read morefresh & delicious. The owner was friendly and down to earth. A welcoming environment and clean dining space. This place is a Roanoke original under the current ownership for 20 years. Was a short walk or shuttle ride from Southern Team where I was waiting on an oil change.

He thinks everyone loves meat... I mean, you can almost take his sandwiches home and make another…read moresandwich out of the meat that is on the sandwich. It is fabulous.

Nothing presumptuous about this hole in the wall deli located in a clean, small space, with hardly…read moreany decorations at all. Just a brochure menu with this saying on the cover: "Generous portions, made fresh, specifically for you." 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 Joe's Deli, in Salem, Virginia, is a perfect example. Located right next to the City of Salem Farmer's Market and its parking lot, where you can conveniently park for up to two hours, enough time to park and walk across the street to Joe's Deli to have something to eat.While I was walking, I noticed a mural with a rendition of people eating at Joe's Deli painted on the side of the building, which I found very interesting. Once inside, during around lunch time, the restaurant was modern and clean with a minimalist decor. The dining area had both regular size and high tables and chairs, and also a small bar counter with a large screen TV and a framed American Flag under it. On the wall leading to the ordering counter there was a poster with a QR code to be able to skip the line by ordering online on their website. Next to this there was another poster with the Roanoke College Wrestling schedule for the season. The atmosphere here was incredibly warm and inviting, making for a really comfortable experience. On top of that, this was by far one of the cleanest delis I've ever visited; it's clear they take take great take great pride in their space. I waited in line as a lady in front of me was making her order at the ordering counter and a gentleman was waiting standing up for his take-out order. While I waited I took a menu brochure from the counter and planned what to order. When it was my turn to order, a friendly lady greated me at the ordering counter and answered some questions that I had about what I was planning to order. I ordered a Reuben Pastrami that came on a white rye bread, and included a bag of chips. To drink I ordered a Pepsi since they carried Pepsi products. When my order was ready they called my name and I went to pick it up. The sandwich came wrapped in a nice, heavyweight waxed sandwich paper. When I opened it at my table, the sandwich was humongous, filled with a generous amount of quality Pastrami, Swiss cheese, Sauerkraut, and Thousand Island on a white rye bread, and was toasted. It was amazingly delicious! So much so that I went back and complimented the owner and chef of the restaurant, in person through the window that led to the kitchen. I highly recommend this deli for breakfast or lunch. For they have the qualities of a great Delicatessen, focusing on quality ingredients, generous portions, and excellent service.

If you don't want to fuss with parking downtown but still want a more upscale menu, Montano's is…read morethe place! Their seafood dishes are my favorite like the shrimp alla rios over angel hair pasta or their crab and shrimp dip appetizer. Their avocado caesar salad dressing is also a must. You can tell they make everything from scratch which is incredible considering the large selection they offer! Bonus points too from my husband too for allowing you to choose either draft beer from the bar or a specialty can from their shop out front. His philly cheesesteak paired nicely with a beer from one of his favorite breweries, The Alchemist. Service is also friendly every time. The atmosphere is unique since you enter by the bakery and gelato counter, pass the small wine and beer shop and then reach the hostess stand for the restaurant. The decor may also be a bit dated but, trust me, these things are easily overlooked when you taste your meal! Going out to eat is expensive these days but Montano's offers a good value for exceptional quality.

Recently visited Montano's for the second time and I've enjoyed both of my meals here. Came here…read morewith my family for a meal and everyone enjoyed what they had (with the exception of the oyster salad). I loved the pimento cheese bread I started with and my shrimp and salmon with pasta was very tasty. Standout here was the fried artichoke appetizer...that was delicious. Service was friendly and prices were reasonable. Overall, a very nice evening at Montano's. They handle big parties well (there were six of us) and everyone left happy and with leftovers!

Get the steak Stromboli with ricotta and mozz. Great side marinara dipping sauce. I'd highly…read morerecommend if you like marinated beef cooked perfectly.

Great food fast! Owner is very friendly and has been a staple in my community for years.read more

Strolling through the market I ran across Roanoke Natural Foods…read more I browsed a bit and found them pricey. A manager was stocking shelves and struck up a conversation. He was friendly and I appreciated the assistance. I ended up grabbing an apple for my walk. Checkout was friendly and smooth. I would return.

The Roanoke Co+op is Southwest Virginia's largest food co-op. And this year they are celebrating…read moretheir 50th year anniversary. Since 1975 they have been serving the Roanoke Valley community. Located in Center In The Square, in the heart of Downtown Roanoke, it's a Market featuring natural grocery staples and organic-focused produce, along with prepared foods and grab-and-go options. It also accepts SNAP/EBT for its prepared foods. Besides this Roanoke Downtown location, it has another much larger community-owned grocery store in Grandin Village. This co-op has over 6,200 owners. They welcome everyone in the community as well as visiting tourists to shop there. And if you wish you too can become an owner by filling out an application and by making a one-time purchase of 8 ownership shares at $200 or paying for your shares one at a time in 8 installments of $25 each within an 8 year period. Owners receive benefits such as Owner Rewards, Patronage Rebates, Vote in their annual Board of Directors elections, eligibility to run for an open seat on the Board of Directors, and an invitation to the Annual Co-op Meeting. Today, I visited their Downtown Roanoke location. The employee on duty allowed me to explore the grocery store and take photographs to accompany my review. The store was very clean and organized, and although it was a bit late, early in the morning its suppliers bring in fresh merchandise, and make sure to fill up all its shelves spaces. In the past, I had purchased many items from this store. In the Summer, I would sometimes get a grab-and-go salad and either go sit at one of the tables that they put out in the Center In The Square or to the ones in the Market Building, and eat it with the salad dressing that it includes inside. Their hot Soup of the day is also very tasty and popular, and I've enjoyed a bowl many times. A while ago they experimented by selling Roanoke t-shirts and due to popular demand they now carry a nice variety of them for both locals and tourists who like taking one home with them as a souvenirof the Star City of Roanoke. I invite you to view my photographs accompanying this review to get a better sense of the place and the quality merchandise they sell here. I definitely highly recommend this grocery store to all who want to eat healthy and support locally sourced products.

I have not been to a McAllister in forever! But I've always liked and when I saw wanted to try…read more No issues with parking by the building and the area was clean. Upon walking in on a Saturday afternoon it was surprisingly dead. The dining room was clean. Service is by counter and was friendly. I got a veggie with side of cup of chili. My order came out within 10 minutes, or so. Everything was really good! Definitely recommend checking them out.

Sometimes during these cold Winter nights one feels like staying home and ordering out food…read moredelivery. While on DoorDash the other night I felt like having a sandwich, so I looked under the Sandwiches category and McAlister Deli came up. This called to mind one time they had in their menu one of the most delicious sandwiches that I have ever had at a deli: The Cuban Sandwich 12". It had tangy Pulled Pork, Black Forest Ham, and Swiss Cheese with Yellow Mustard and Pickles served on a Toasted Baguette. It was so good that every time I ordered out, I kept on ordering this sandwich at McAlister Deli. Then all of a sudden one day when I went to their website at DoorDash I noticed it was missing from the menu there. I contacted the restaurant manager to inquire as to why it was missing. She agreed with me that this was one of their most delicious sandwiches, but told me that sometimes Corporate changes the menu and removes some items, and that in the future they can also bring it back. So I thanked her for her feedback and told her to look at her records and see all the times that I had purchased this sandwich from their Deli, since actions speak louder than words. I then contacted their corporate office to inquire as well and they gave me the same answer. So I had to resign myself to be without that sandwich anymore and stay just with the memories of how good it had tasted when I was fortunate enough to have tried it. Tonight, when I was looking for sandwich places to order a sandwich delivered. I said to myself (since I'm a person of high Hope), let me look at the McAlister Deli site and see if by any chance (although many of times I had repeated this action with no results) they had brought it back. After all, in this Holiday Season anything is possible for those who believe. And you wouldn't guess what happened next. Right there, in their menu, was my favorite sandwich, that I had wished for for so long. Needless to say, I went and ordered it right away through DoorDash without even thinking to go to their website and ordering it from there like I used to. As I waited, I thought of how some things in life are priceless, without being expensive. And how maybe a simple request from one person can make a big difference in an important decision as if to bring it back. But for whatever reason it was back, and once again, McAlister Deli's became one of my favorites restaurants because of this. I followed the progression of the DoorDasher through their app until "headed your way." Then very soon the doorbell rang and the DoorDasher delivered my sandwich, which arrived well-wrapped and in perfect condition. I invite you to view my photographs accompanying this review to get a better sense of the quality of McAlister food. Needless to say that when I've eaten at their restaurant they have had friendly and welcoming employees who have provided me with excellent customer service, in a clean and cozy environment. The Cuban Sandwich 12" was amazingly delicious, just like always. The combination of all of its fresh ingredients and the baguette made it delicious. The only thing missing was that it wasn't toasted. As you all know, part of the secret of a successful Cuban Sandwich is this. Which involves using a sandwich press or a heavy skillet to compress and grill the sandwich until the bread is crispy and the cheese is melted. It's a distinctive step that gives the sandwich its signature crust and is essential to what makes it a true Cuban sandwich. I truly hope that when the management of the restaurant reads this review, they take steps to see that this doesn't happen again. And knowing them, I'm sure it won't. Because this is the attention to detail that makes the big difference.

One of my favorite treats, especially for breakfast, is a freshly made New York Style Bagel with…read morecream cheese. It not only tastes good but it seems to energize me. Years ago, on Saturday mornings, before I went to teach my College Psychology class, I would stop at a bakery and had a bagel with cream cheese. They were so good. Today, after hearing so much about this place, I decided to go and try their Bagels out. After being awarded the Triad Yelper of the Year 2024 Award at the Yelpies Award Ceremony last year, an event that honored the highest-performing Yelp Elites, 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 Donnie D's Bagels & Deli in Daleville, Virginia, is the perfect example. When I arrived I was aware that their Roanoke, Virginia location had been through a fire and was in the process of renovation. When they first opened I was one of the first ones there trying out their bagels and watching them make them. I invite you to go read my review and see my photographs accompanying it. Their bagels were so good that I missed them and that is why I came to this location to see if they also made them here. I was under the impression that they also made their own bagels here. But it seems that their bagel operation was done in their Roanoke location and they were sent here. Because one of the things they had here was a sign that said that while they were renovating their other location in Roanoke, they were having their bagels shipped from a bakery in New Jersey. What they were making here were their biscuits. When I arrived, I was very impressed with this small but cozy, little deli and bagel shop. The fist thing you see is a display case with lots of bagels of all kinds. The bagels looked big and plumpy. I walked over to the ordering counter and a friendly young lady greeted me and when I asked her about the bagels, told me the story I just wrote about above. Since I was here already I ordered a Plain Bagel with Cream Cheese and a bottle of Starbucks Cold Caffè Mocha. The bagel was good but not as good as Donnie D's, which I still remember when I had one at their Roanoke location. It was warm, crispy on the outside and nice and soft in the inside. I also had an opportunity of seeing the trays of their biscuits made on the premises and they also looked good. I definitely recommend this place to stop for breakfast or lunch. They have quality products, a warm and cozy ambiance, an excellent customer service.

Solid bagel sandwiches, but our 3 basic egg and cheeses were not worth a 30 minute wait.read more