It is said that valuable things come in small boxes, but never in my wildest imagination did I…read moreconceive of a place like Stellina. After having been selected as number 4 of Yelp's Top 50 most prolific Elites of 2025, a year when I also was 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 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 Stellina, in Downtown Roanoke, is a perfect example. Stellina (which means "Little Star" in Italian) is a secretly hidden little bar within the very popular Italian Restaurant Fortunato, but with its own entrance through a door on the right of the restaurant. Its only indication of its name is a small letter board behind one of its front windows, stating its name and hours of operation. This bar was constructed with reclaimed wood from the Old Crow distillery and opened in December of 2016. Since then its gain a reputation as the ideal spot for hand-crafted cocktails in a cozy and intimate atmosphere. It seats only about 20 people, with 7 at the bar. Not that long ago it gained recognition by being featured in the New York Post as one of the world's best small bars. All that I can tell you about this place doesn't do justice to the experience of visiting the place for the very first time. After stepping inside, I was mesmerized by the simple yet effective, elegance of the establishment, complimented by the beautifully dressed young lady, server/bartender. Her elegant style and mysterious personality contributed to the character and ambiance of this one-of-a-kind relaxing place. The very hospitable young lady welcomed me and handed me the drink menu, while asking me if I also planned to dine there. I answered in the affirmative and asked her if they had any Mocktails. To my surprise, she pointed out that one side of the Drinks Menu were all non-alcoholic drinks, including mocktails, bottled mocktails, wine by the glass, and beers. I ordered one of the mocktails and by the end of my meal, I think I must have tried a few. She then brought me Fortunato's menu, and I ordered the Fritto Misto as appetizer and the Pork Milanese as my main entrée. I enjoyed both course immensely. A lady employee brought me the food from Fortunato's Restaurant through a door that led to the restroom area of Fortunato's Restaurant, pass the kitchen. For dessert, that Which I consider the "Grand Finale" of a wonderful fine dining experience, I ordered their Tiramisu and Hot Chocolate. They were absolutely mouthwatering. I highly recommend this place and can't wait to return in the near future.

Tried to get reservations at Fortuna, but could not. Stellina offers their menu and is right beside…read morethem. Stellina is small and on a Friday they were packed in. Scored at the bar which worked fine for me. Service was lukewarm, but still ok. Service started out slow and improved. However, no check-ins were performed at all. I was given a cocktail and food menu. I knew I wanted an Old Fashioned and dropped an order for their lamb meatballs. Shortly after I decided on the eggplant Parmesan main. My drink with Rittenhouse Rye bourbon was tasty, just not much of it price at $17 steep too! I also ordered a specialty hot rum drink with pumpkin spice at $10 that was amazing! The meatballs hit quickly and were devoured! So yummy! About 15 minutes later the main dropped and was huge! Really quality and flavorful for a vegetarian dish. Overall the food was better than the service and prices were stretched. 3.5 rounding down due to service.

Cool place, great service, amazing cocktails and delicious food. I'm a fan. We stopped here for…read moredinner one night while visiting Roanoke and were not too hungry, so we ordered a few appetizers. The shrimp cocktail was a generous portion and very good. Cocktail sauce was particularly tasty. We also had Devils on Horseback and they were soooo good. I love dates any way but wrap them in bacon and stuff with goat cheese???? Yes, please. We finished up with crab dipped stuffed mushrooms. Again, just outstanding. Oh...and my Smore's Old Fashioned was really good too. The toasted marshmallow and the caramel coconut rim were perfect. Service was top notch from start to finish. We are fans.

We walked here but seemed like there was some street parking. Didn't realize that this was a hotel…read morebut the restaurant was small and didn't have as large of a menu as we thought. There are a handful of two top tables, a couple lounging areas, and then there are some high tops but not too much seating. They adieu have the bar seats as well. We had a server in training and both our servers were very attentive and friendly. I can't recall what cocktail we ordered but it was delicious. For dinner, we ordered the Khachapuri and the Japanese Tsukene Meatballs. They only had 2 main entrees but everything else was more small plates. The Meatballs were delicious. They were full of flavor and moist. The Khachapuri was also good but the bread was stuck to the parchment paper it was baked on pretty hard. In my opinion, it needed a touch of garlic but still good. It was nice to drop by for a little to have some cocktails but wish there was more on the menu.

Stayed at the hotel so came in for dinner one night. The lobby bar is excellent, spent some time…read morethere as well, make a mean old fashioned For dinner I had the onion soup and the shrimp and grits. Dessert was a berry pie French onion soup was very tasty. Little too much bread for the small bowl for me. Soaked up all the broth! Could have used a little while longer in the broiler as well, cheese wasn't nearly brown enough for me. Was very good though Shrimp and grits was very good. Was far more than it looks. I was stuffed after I ate it. Shrimp cooked perfectly over creamy grits Pie was very good, was full but really wanted to try it, comes with ice cream and I ate as much as I could Service was good, drinks come from the lobby bar and were excellent Nice inside, felt like back in time vibes Overall a nice meal

Great casual restaurant in the Hotel Roanoke. The lobby bar is also great and I had a terrific…read morecocktail there (Virginia Vardier, maybe?) with super service and a very chill vibe. This review will focus on the actual restaurant, where I had lunch with my husband and our friend. It was quiet the day we were there so we got a lot of personal attention. We started with unsweetened iced teas and then since we weren't starved, we ordered some appetizers to share. We had: -deviled eggs (good but the filling was too solid and cold...I like the yellow to be a little creamier and light); -fried cauliflower-the star of the show; it tasted almost like a sweet Korean fried chicken; -Butternut squash salad- also delicious, with nicely roasted butternut squash chunks and a really good dressing; -Pimento cheese dip- excellent dip served with toast. Pimento cheese isn't much of a thing in NYC where I live so I've been trying it every time I see it in Roanoke. We really liked everything we had and the service was so nice. The room itself is gorgeous and feels historic. I'm a fan.

Outstanding experience. Food was 5 star. Best tuna ever! Group had shrimp & grits, Margarita…read moreSalmon, Pasta with chicken and sausage and shared Short rib quesadilla appetizer. All fantastic with very generous portions, beautifully prepared and scrumptious! Group shared bottle of tasty pinot grigio and chocolate caramel cheesecake that was eaten to the last yummy bite! Highly recommend for food, wine and pro service!

My server Lidia was so attentive and sweet!! She was enthusiastic and it really made it a very…read morespecial birthday for me! We got the Shrimp and Grits and the Chicken and Waffles. Highly recommend. I liked how sugary the waffles are. We'll be back again soon.

Stopped in for a nightcap. Busy place most of the time so be prepared to wait a bit. Just had a…read morewhiskey neat so can't say much about my drink but Deb tried to get an expresso martini. They were out of the things to make it and the one they tried was not too good. A cool hotel bar to chill.

Our group spent plenty of time here. The bartenders were great. A special shout out to to Bethany…read more(I believe they was her name). They after party to the wedding we attended was held here and she did a great job in taking care of us. Foodwise, I recommend the crispy cauliflower. Perfect with the Get Bent IPA on draft.

First time trying Lucky and I'd give it a 4.5 rounded up to a 5. The menu is local farm based so it…read morechanges seasonally and is a bit limited. I was disappointed because I was hoping to try a soup or scallops I'd seen in Yelp pics but they weren't in the menu this time. Which is the roll of the dice you pay for fresh creative menus. Dining area and bar have a nice vibe with attractive art work. Dim lighting and smaller tables make it cute for a date or a solo business diner like myself. The lucky cube drink was creative and tasty. Brussel sprouts were also unique with a tahini sauce on top and perfectly crispy chickpeas. I'd seen "Smoke in Chimneys Trout" on a few menus in Roanoke this trip but never heard of that before. Looked it up and learned something new. They are trout that are local and prized for living in a lime stone aquifer rather than a river. Giving them a clean light slightly sweet taste, no essence of mud that can come with other river fish. I've never ordered trout in a restaurant, But when in Rome... Lol. The fish itself and the portion was really good. Wish I could remember my waitress' name. She was knowledgeable and just had a really warm, friendly energy.

I came in for the fried chicken because other reviews were very positive .. the coating was v…read morecrunchy , plus , however it was really burnt ! Ir was really over cooked ; plus had little flavor . Needs a little salt and pepper .... Better chicken at Popeyes or Bojangles .. Mashed potatoes were excellent . I wa not impressed with the Kale and still think there may be fatback in it ... even though the server swore there was no pork on the dish .. anyway you can try for yourself .. maybe I just came on an off night . My server was very nice ( Alyssa ) BTW.

This spot was fantastic! Brought friends for a celebration meal and it was great. Pregnant friend…read morehad attentive accommodations made for temp of food and mocktails without having to ask, there was tons of variety on the menu and everything was absolutely delicious. Prices were great for the quality, definitely do lots of plates to share. The tomahawk was so tender and flavorful, dipping sauces for frites were plentiful. Only complaint was on the mussels themselves being quite tiny. Nice cozy vibe and not too loud.

Sidecar in Roanoke is a great spot with a unique, creative menu and tons of tasty options. Sitting…read moreat the bar was the highlight for me though. Service was excellent and the staff were fun and knowledgeable to talk with. The bourbon selection is fantastic, with a wide range for any level of interest. I travel to this area for work frequently and have a hard time wanting to go anywhere else for dinner.

A very strong experience at Fortunato for a celebration dinner. The restaurant accommodated a group…read moreof 7 with a few days notice. The business is located downtown Roanoke. Parking is free off street, or paid at nearby garage. The entry way was clear of debris. Our party was immediately seated and we quickly decided to move table from a smaller private, but loud room to the main room. I found the atmosphere and decor of the room to be nice. The waitress was on top of things with drink orders. They have one of the strongest bourbon selections in town. So I had to get an Old Fashioned. Drinks pushed out within 10 minutes as we finished browsing menus.my Old Fashioned was quality and completely authentic. Super tasty! There were a few orders of pizza and I ordered a house salad with Egg Plant Parmesan. Our waitress kept glasses full of waters. She was upbeat and energetic. Food pushed out for the entire table around the same time in less than 30 minutes. Everyone was pleased with their entrees. The Egg Plant is a vegetarian dish. I'm not a vegetarian, but appreciate the dish. It was huge and so good! When time for desert multiple items were ordered. The waitress prepared a special dish of ice-cream with candle for my son. That was totally not expected and very thoughtful of the staff. I had the Salame chocolate and others had tiramisu. Both excellent, I tried. The bill was dropped in a timely manner. The amount was family affordable in my opinion. I would absolutely return and recommend.

Always a favorite and this trip did not disappoint. We weren't sure what time we would finish up…read moreour work on this particular Thursday evening so I waited to check for a table last minute. Thankfully we were able to get it with just a 30 minute wait or so. I had dreamed of arancini all day long only to find it was not on the menu any longer unfortunately! Heartbroken. All of our dishes were still delicious of course but please bring back the arancini! Service was impeccable, lighting and cocktails on point, still on my short list of all-time faves! Can't wait for our next visit!

Stopped by Table 50 with a coworker and had a really enjoyable experience. We started with a couple…read moreof appetizers, and they were excellen and a great way to kick off the meal. The entrées were right on par with some unique dishes. One of the biggest highlights was the bar. They have a fantastic bourbon and cocktail selection, and the atmosphere around the bar was even better than the dining room. It had a lively, comfortable vibe that made the whole experience even better. Overall, we really enjoyed our visit and would definitely come back.

Since a few years ago I've been celebrating my Birthday's Eve by dining at one of my favorite…read morerestaurants. This year I happened to go to Table 50, located on Market Street in the heart of Downtown Roanoke. Table 50 is one of those fine-dining restaurants in all the sense of the word. It is known for its upscale, progressive American cuisine that uses locally sourced ingredients from the nearby farmers' market. It offers an elegant atmosphere with features like copper tables and brick walls. Exquisite food like filet mignon. And exceptional customer service. After making my reservation through the OpenTable app, I showed up the following day right on time. A young lady hostess greeted me at the Host's station and after confirming my reservation took me to my table at a corner of the restaurant. My eloquent server Trent came by soon after to give me a warm welcome and take my drink order. I asked him to see if the bartender could make me a Pina Colada Mocktail. When he brought me the Mocktail, he took my food order. As a starter, I ordered the Seared Jumbo Sea Scallops served with a Parmigiano-Reggiano & Brandy Cream Sauce. Followed by a Mixed Green House Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing. And as my main course the Bienville Filet, a Certified Angus Beef 8oz Filet Mignon served with Fried Shrimps, Asparagus, Mashed Potatoes, and a New Orleans style parmesan cream sauce. My server then went to place the order and came back with a rectangular shape plate filled with a sliced baguette and little bowl of whipped butter. I always say that the quality of a restaurant's bread and water is an indication of the quality of its cuisine. My server did an exceptional job at bringing out all my items at the proper pace. And all was amazingly delicious. For the Grand Finale dessert, I asked for the Chocolate Mousse Torte. This is one of my favorites desserts out of all the restaurants around. My server brought it out on.a white plate with the words Happy Birthday written with a chocolate dip. It was delicious, even though this year they didn't include a candle on top. As if this wasn't enough, after paying and going to the restroom to wash my hands, as I was headed towards the door, my server runs by me and opens the door, thanking me for my visit on this special occasion and wishing that I come back soon. What a way to end an outstanding dining experience!

In town for work and staying at the Fire Station One boutique hotel. Stock is located on the first…read morefloor so of course I had to try them. WOW! This place is a win for flavor and atmosphere. Kaitlin was the bartender and she also waited on me. She was friendly and knowledgeable about the menu. The bird-watcher drink she made me was SO delicious. I had the Kapsalon appetizer as my meal. It's kind of like a chicken shawarma salad over hand cut fries with a creamy herb dressing. Seating was flexible, I had the choice of outside back patio, inside at a table, or inside on a couch in the studio. I picked the couch and felt comfortable like at home. The whole place is very cool. I plan on staying here again for future work trips and will definitely try a lunch here sometime this week.

So much more than a cafe! If you're feeling fancy, Stock is a fantastic choice for food and drinks…read moreof incredible quality at a great price point. Set inside an old firehouse, at the back of a high end furniture store, this place made me feel like I was having a night out in a big city. My husband and I at sat at the bar and ordered pork schnitzel with warm potato salad and hanger steak with frites smothered in gouda cheese sauce. The pork and steak were cooked perfectly! The hanger steak tasted like a much more expensive cut of meat so clearly this is not the chef's first rodeo. And that cheese sauce was ridiculous. My husband enjoyed their $9 happy hour old fashioned and I loved my glass of cab sauv from Fableist. Our server gave us the perfect amount of attention as well. I neglected to take more pictures of the space but, it's gorgeous. This is a Roanoke gem for sure!