The River and Rail Restaurant - Roanoke

The River and Rail is a local neighborhood treasure. We thoroughly enjoyed the recent wine dinner which featured a Virginia Winery Ankida Ridge. The pairings were fantastic including the Foie Gras Gougeres,Turnips in Dijon Cream,the RainbowTrout,Quail and Pumpkin Cake with Honey Comb and Whipped Cheesecake/pecans.

My wife and I dined here for our anniversary dinner. The waiter was friendly and attentive. The food and cocktails were excellent. We started with the butcher's board, a fine choice. We both had the Blackened catfish and shared a side of grits.Everything was delicious. Reservations are recommended.

This restaurant has excellent atmosphere and service. I love patronizing a place where it's obvious that the staff knows exactly how delicious and wonderful everything is. Leigha, our waitress, animatedly described the dishes, helping us decide our orders.She was a joy! Definitely recommend having a reservation, the place is small but quaint and with the weather getting cooler,they will lose those outdoor tables and make seating a little more challenging. We all recommend the oysters, they were perfect,the pickle jar was fun and delicious, the hanger steak was cooked to my request. Scallops were tender and juicy, oh,, thechicken liver mousse is heavenly goodness. Try one of their unique cocktails and save room for dessert. So glad this place is ashort trip down the mountain from us!

I don't write reviews often, and it takes a lot to stand out in my eye's... especially as this is what I do for a living. River and rail was exceptional, period. The quality of the food was without compare, the service? Not a clink of a glass let alone adrop of wine on the table, plus our waitress Ivy did a exceptional wine service (caught me off guard). The flavors are creativeand exiting for not just the drinks but the food. The open kitchen runs clean, quiet and smooth. They balance the size of thevenue well with the capability of a small kitchen and balance their menu with a insane depth of forethought. Kudos to the staffand management for providing a experience I've only enjoyed in a restaurant with a Michelin star. 110% underrated spot.

I would currently call this the over all best restaurant in Roanoke. Tasteful decor, attentive servers, and impeccably produced food and flavors from starters through to dessert. The neighborhood is comfy cozy, though there's not much in easy walking to goto afterward. Some outdoor seating is present, and the decor inside runs towards finished raw wood and cozy lighting. Southernfusion with a variety of inspirations (see the Spanish octopus? makes it an appealing dining option for picky family as well.The price point is on the higher end but portion sizes were good, with my fried chicken including several pieces and mygirlfriend getting a whole fried snapper. Execution was impeccable, absolutely perfect work by the chef running the fryerstation in particular. Imo what sets them above Lucky was a better dessert selection, what I felt was Lucky's biggest weaknesswhen I went. No bad spots the whole time. Try it.