The River and Rail

We swung by for lunch on a road trip on the strength of the reviews and boy were we glad we did. We had a new puppy and the waitress immediately brought water for us and the puppy… nice touch in service. Waitress and hostess were friendly, polite and helpful. We started with a summer squash soup that had layers and layers of wonderful flavor. Ordered pimento cheese next. Lots of hipster places now serve this delight that I grew up eating but at River and Rail it was simply wonderful… Texture, flavor, portion size. We split the hot fried chicken sandwich and all we can say is YUM!
The roll, the spice, the cook on the chicken… even the chow chow just great stuff. The house pickle jar and house chips were top notch. The beer selection was spectacular! Many spots overwhelm you with 50 beers hoping you’ll like one, here the 10 – 12 offered were chosen well and just showed how good things can be when a place cared about their guests in the way River and Rail does. Great lunch beginning to end!

well past what I would expect in this area. it was my first time today. the staff was very open to explaining the menu and didn’t talk down to me and my girlfriend. I had the special for the day which was a very impressive charcuterie. then I had a pork loin, while my girlfriend got the chicken. she made the better choice but my meal was great too, the chicken was just so tasty, soft, and tender I loved it. I loved the banana pudding that followed after, highly recommended so creamy and sweet but not too sweet! love this place, I’ll be back!

Last day in Roanoke before my next assignment town. It is a beautiful Saturday — sunny, light breeze, and in the 80s. I was hungry and went to my trusty Unilocal app for guidance to a local, non chain restaurant. I settled on this one not too far from my hotel.
Situated in a lovely neighborhood of residences and small shops, I opted to eat outside. I was the only one doing so.
The young hostess/​server was very pleasant and offered drinks.
I started with a half dozen oysters on the half shell. They were superb, as was the mignonette! I do not normally like mignonettes; however, this one was quite delightful and like non I’ve ever tried. It seemed to have finely diced carrots, a sweet red pepper of some sort and a mild vinegar — maybe a bit of onion. It was the perfect accompaniment to the oysters, which were gone too soon.
Because the deviled eggs had been given good reviews, I also opted for one of those. It, too, was delicious — creamy yolk filling and very flavorful. Icertainly recommend.
Since pimento cheese is a regional favorite, I chose the the grilled pimento cheese sandwich with a bit of southern ham. I selected the salad from side choices of chips, fries, or salad. The cheese was tasty but not melted enough for my tastes. Also, I did not care for the baguette as the bread choice — too much bread for me. I would have preferred a type of sliced bread. The bread and butter pickles on the sandwich added a nice bit of crunch and flavor. The ham was smoky and just enough to impart additional flavor — almost like bacon. The salad? Nothing special and the greens were kind of wilted. I just thought I’d be «good».
I didn’t give 5 stars because I thought the service was a bit slow. I would definitely give 4 ½. I only think there was one server, so it could have been an off day.
I think there menu changes frequently according to seasonal availability. I really like that. Surprise me!
If you pass through Roanoke and want a nice meal from a local provider, stop in and enjoy. If you’re local and haven’t been, check it out. I will come back if I’m in the area. I may even check it out for Sunday Brunch as I leave tomorrow.
I appreciate the nice encounter on my travels. It makes traveling a bit more bearable.

The food was really good. service was good and the atmosphere was nice. Had the pimento cheese plate and deviled eggs to start. Then I had the burger which was great and my lady had the ribeye which was great also. Now, the banana pudding for dessert was amazing! I see why it was voted best dessert in Virginia!

Definitely more than just a meal– it’s more of an experience. Love trying new things on both the dinner and brunch menu. It was here that I discovered my deep love for celery root and haven’t looked back since! The environment can sometimes be a bit stuffy and the beer selection is lacking a bit, but overall good food and good fun!

Let me start out by saying this restaurant is phenomenal in terms of quality of food, service, and delicious beverages. Lunch, dinner, and brunch are all fantastic options and I would consider this place one of the top three in roanoke. Their seafood options are always great, their burger is incredible, and any option for brunch I’ve had has been great. I highly recommend the Bentons ham board with pimento cheese. Knowledgable, friendly servers and bartenders too! Also their manager Devon is extremely welcoming and professional. Thanks for never letting me down R&R!

I have never had chicken cooked so wonderfully! My husband got shrimp and grits which was also very good. The pickle jar and the deviled eggs were great starters. Awesome unique drink selection. Really great experience overall!

I’m speechless. Every restaurant screws something up. OK… their wine portions were a little small. That’s it. That’s the worst I could say. This is run and staffed by people who care about food and service and it shows. The short ribs were amazing. The Brussels sprouts salad was amazing. The service was amazing (when was the last time wait staff refolded your napkin for you when you went to the rest room?) The bar service was amazing. They even prepared oysters Rockefeller for my wife on request without batting an eye. Go to this restaurant. You owe it to yourself.

My husband and I stopped here for dinner on a cross country trip and, man, what a find! Everything we had was amazing (the pork rinds with pimento cheese and the ham board are the stuff of dreams). The staff was so welcoming and friendly and left us with a dining experience we’ll remember for a long timr. Fantastic food, fantastic restaurant.

Once again a great find in a small town thanks to Unilocal.
This hip, modern twist on an industrial look is quite cool and was aesthetically pleasing the second you walk in the door. The light cool music coming out of the speakers in the slightly darker surroundings immediately calms the nerves. We came for lunch and the only reason this isn’t a five star review was because of the abbreviated menu. The food is all fresh and the service was spot on. I had the onion soup and although it wasn’t your traditional onion soup I am used to, it was very fresh a little strong for my liking, but I can see how onion lovers would enjoy it. The R&R burger was the highlight of lunch. The combination of fresh ground beef, with a burger sauce that combines BBQ with a hint of spice was perfect and the onion straws and crunchy pickles made this a fantastic burger.
I wish I was in town this evening because the dinner menu, the bar and ambiance would make this a must. Unfortunately I can only comment on the lunch which was very good. Good find in little Roanoke.

What an incredible experience. Great food, expertly crafted, and served with charm. What more could you want?
If you think a good value is getting fresh ingredients in unique flavor combinations, then this is the place for you.
If you think value is getting the most amount of meat for a dollar — go someplace else.

So I travel a lot i.e. Every week by nature of my job. I therefore make it a point as a foodie to always hit up any 4 star or higher rated restaurant location recommended by Unilocal in any city I visit.
I had the deviled eggs which were great. Then a downer the chopped green salad with fennel and mustard dressing; took 2 bites and had to stop eating it. I complained about this but I was still charged :-(
The The monkfish, clams were good but I waited almost 30 minutes for it even though I was 1 of 3 people in the restaurant. Needless to say the restaurant was not busy.
The banana pudding was the highlight of my entire experience this was pretty darn awesome.

There’s not enough good things to say about this place. The food is amazing. The beer selection is on point. The quality of the ingredients and many being locally sourced is a great reason to spend your money there!

I don’t live in Roanoke and I’ve been wanting to go to R&R since it opened. We finally made it a reality last night. I needed to push my reservation out 30 minutes and was pleased that I got a call back and that it had already been done.
Walking in, I loved the industrial atmosphere, and was greeted by a very friendly server. It’s group service here, and I appreciate that. I can’t tell you how refreshing it is to see a menu with only a few items on it. What does it mean to me? That you’ve mastered those few dishes and I’m about to have my socks blown off. We ordered two delicious drinks from the bar, and enjoyed some legit french bread (from Bread Craft downtown, see my review of BC!). We started off with the ribs and summer greens salad. WOW! Ribs were fork and knife super tender. I was impressed that our lovely server knew that they were prepared sous vide, and then coated in spices and deep fried. Yum! And the greens were spectacular and fresh. I’d probably eat more greens if I could replicate that at home! For our main course we opted for the scallops and hanger steak. Both were amazingly well composed and delicious. Sadly we left no room for dessert. I certainly hope to be back soon. One small regret — not getting the fried pork rinds. Ah well, next time!

This place is really cool. Local cool, which is the best kind. I just got turned on to this place, and will be returning often!
Make a reservation just to be on the safe side. Depends on the night and the crowd, of course, but there are worse things than waiting at the bar for the duration of a local craft beer or two.
Get whatever the Server suggests — you know they know what’s good. There are some signature items that are «don’t miss» — but depending on your mood and what you’re craving, River and Rail has a number of dishes that hit the spot.

WOW! This is a prime example of why GREAT restaurants don’t need to carry useless mediocre items. They have a simple; yet perfect menu, and all dishes are done to perfection. Even the simplest items like ketchup are made from scratch, which makes this my new favorite place, and definitely worth a two hour drive.
Also, first establishment ever to bring wrong side item and correct it before I even had a chance to ask. Speaks highly of management, staff and of course cook… Thank you Unilocalers for leading me to this place!

River and Rail is fine restaurant located in South Roanoke. They serve quality food and the décor is subtle and comfortable. It looks like a well run establishment.
I have been here on numerous occasions with family and friends. The food is delicious. Funny thing is, the best item on the menu is the burger. It is SPECTACULAR! I believe they prepare the meat in house (a mixture of beef and pork) and the result is out of this world. Best burger in Roanoke (sorry Burger in the Square).
They also have a brunch menu on Sunday’s that is belly-​pleasing.
I can’t give River and Rail 5 stars because there can be a long wait for your food. I mean, don’t even expect getting out of this place under 90 minutes. Even at lunch. Even if the place is half-​full. But like Miracle Max says, «Rush a miracle man, you get lousy miracles.» And the food there is truly that.

I am a sucker for Southern food, so I brought my team here for a work dinner while in Roanoke for some meetings. The restaurant is really nicely decorated and the food was great! We tried the following:
–Heritage Pork– Tenderloin & Crispy Rib, Baked Red Field Peas, Collard Greens
–Wild Striped Bass– Blackening Spice, Sweet Potatoes, Brussel Sprouts, Citrus Butter
–Dark Chocolate Cremeux– Burnt Caramel Ice Cream, Hazelnuts, Cocoa Krispie
–Fuji Apple Cake– Apple Jam, Candied Pecans, Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
The pork was really delightful– I especially liked that it was prepared two ways, and the field peas were very tasty. The Cremeux was creamy and decadent, whereas the fuji apple cake was light and sweet by contrast.
Our only complaint was that we really wanted to try the banana pudding, which is served with a coconut jalapeño sorbet, but my colleague does not like coconut so requested a substitution of vanilla ice cream– and they refused to make the substitution. They claimed that then they wouldn’t have enough vanilla for the desserts that included vanilla. This seemed pretty ridiculous, as the restaurant was not very full that night and… it’s vanilla ice cream…

The place is very cute and a pretty good find in the Roanoke area.
5 of us went for brunch, and since they were «booked all day» had to sit at the bar.
I called in a head of time and the hostess said that my group would have a table, but once we were there (Sunday @11am) there was «no room» for us, even though half the dining room was empty (and a few tables were still empty when we left at 12:30). The hostess was a little rude, but everyone else was very friendly and attentive.
The prices were a little high for brunch, but the food was tasty. Don’t order the home fries as a side. I paid $ 4 for 5 fries — the portion is way too small for the price. The french toast was very good. Eggs were too salty.
I suggest making a reservation well in advance if you want to sit at a table.

Still TRUE — been here 8 times in the past 2 years! My FAVE restaurant in Roanoke.