Local Roots Restaurant

We found our way in from I 81 using GPS and found ourselves in a charming neighborhood enjoying the Sunday special. Family style fresh vegetables and salad, 3 entrees to choose from (one was vegetarian) organic and GMO free but that doesn’t mean puritanical. There were still ingredients such as butter and bacon. My husbands excellent fish stew contained tomatoes the restaurant canned this summer! My pork shoulder and grits topped with roasted scallions was a pleasure. The restaurant is softly lit with lots of natural wood surfaces — inviting, clean and smart.

Good, not great. Closer to 3.5 stars.
We had no problems with the service.
The sides of creamed kale and turnip-​potato purée with the steak were far better then the protein. The Brussel sprouts and the pork belly on the pork duo were the only things that were worth mentioning.
The the beets and scallions were the best part of the Carolina gold rice.
The wines, especially by the glass, were not of the quality that I’d expect from a restaurant of this type.
On the plus side the sweet potato bisque and bread pudding were great and the only things I may remember about this restaurant.
All in all I had higher expectations.
The prices also seemed about 20% higher than they should have been.

They’ve made our transition/​move to Roanoke an easy one. The girlfriend and I were looking for a new bar/​restaurant to fill the void for our regular spot back in Arlington; a «Cheers» if you will. We stumbled upon Local Roots in our neighborhood and from first meal/​drink knew it’d be our homebase.
Y’all are awesome!

Michelin star restaurant without the Michelin star prices.
My husband and I came here because their idea of using all locally sourced ingredients was very interesting for us. We are so happy we did!
The food: wow! I asked our server, Caleb, if the chef could make me a vegan dish since there wasn’t an option for that on the menu. He said of course and that he’d ask the chef what the plate would be. He came back and told me and I thought it sounded amazing so I ordered it. My husband ordered the lamb two different ways. The food came out and we were both very impressed.
The lamb was braised and grilled and both ways, cooked to perfection. The grilled lamb was good and the braised lamb was phenomenal — perfectly seasoned, you could still taste the lamb and the seasoning enhanced the flavor. They used corn nuts to give the braised lamb a nice texture and it definitely worked. *note: that was what my husband said about the lamb*
My dish was just… Wow. On my plate was Butternut squash, crispy kale, farrow, watermelon radish, smoked apples, and pickled tomatoes. The smoked apples definitely was the «meat» of the dish and tasted absolutely wonderful. They pickle their own tomatoes and the spicy, tangy tomatoes played with the smokey apples so well with the radish bringing that flavor down to a nice clean finish. It was absolutely amazing. My husband was jealous of my meal if that says anything.
Our waiter, Caleb, was very friendly and knowledgeable about the entire menu. He was able to answer every question and was very nice, pleasant, and professional. We couldn’t have asked for better service.
The drinks. Husband ordered a cherry rye and we loved it. I’ve never used this word to describe a drink before but it was very developed drink with a long, smooth finish and you could smell the spice on the top of the glass. It was a very well put together beverage. I had the red wine flight. Usually you get to choose the flight of wine. Not here, alas… they just give you a flight of all the wine they sell by the glass. You can do red or white and you get all of it. I was very surprised. And loved it.
I’d definitely recommend this place to everyone and everyone. If you’re in the area and want an amazing all around experience, stop in and be ready to be amazed.

I will make two significant statements about this review. The first is that I give out very, very few 5 star reviews so you know when I give one, the place deserves it. The second is, I have not been a restaurant more accommodating to dietary restrictions, and that part of their service is one reason that Local Roots truly deserves this 5 star rating.
The décor of the restaurant is very earthy and woodsy — with lacquered wood tables that don’t cut sharp edges, but retain a more natural aura to them. Books of recipes or by contemporary food writers line the walls and crisp, cream colored weighted paper menus lie on the tables. The bar fits about 10 people and is along the right side of the restaurant.
Another great aspect of Local Roots is that the ingredients are, of course, local! The restaurant uses a garden just a few blocks away for many of their vegetables, giving gravitas to their «Farm-​to-​Table» subscript of their restaurant’s name. All of this along with the entire menu are well-​known facts to each and every one of the servers I’ve worked with. They give great suggestions and always aim to please.
The menu changes frequently, so my choices may not be on the menu when you make it to Local Roots, but any of the grits dishes they’ve had recently are excellent for vegetarians. Additionally, there have been incredible salads on the menu recently. There is also a vegetarian sandwich at lunch, rife with confit sweet potato, curtin’s chevre, a tasty jalapeño-​BBQ sauce, and pickled radish with a side of crisp house chips. Something I’d always push people to try is the cheese plate, which comes with 3 or 5 cheeses that are altered throughout the year. They come with sides of jams, pickled vegetables, crunchy crackers, and different fruits depending on the season. A definite go-​to at Local Roots. Finally, as a vegetarian, I have even simply told the waiter/​ess my dietary restrictions and had the chef make a dish unique for me — it’s exciting for the eater and lets the chef get a little creative with his ingredients. A win-​win for all!
If you’re planning your first visit to Local Roots, I would highly encourage you to go on a Sunday evening. Their Sunday Supper is only $ 18/​person with salad for the table, your choice of entrée (always one vegetarian option), and two choices of sides. It’s a wonderful deal and you get to try out a few more dishes than you might otherwise. Sundays in the summer are also a chance to sit outside, enjoy the weather, and most likely get some live music out of it too — either from street artists or the drum circle across the street every Sunday.
On to drinks — the cocktails at Local Roots and fresh and innovative, with seasonal specials. The wine menu is finely chosen and just extensive enough not to overwhelm the occasional oenophile. With my particular love for beers, I joined the beer club here — an incredibly worthwhile $ 5 for the entire year’s membership! Not only do you receive an extra 4oz for EVERY draft beer you order, you get both the option of all 8 beers on draft as a flight and discounts on growlers and refills! If you love beer, you better join! Speaking of great deals, all of Local Roots’ VA beers in bottle or can are an astounding $ 2.50 each — it really shows you how much more you’re charged at other bars in the area.
I can’t recommend Local Roots enough to anyone coming through Roanoke. If you’re just here to visit or planning a special dinner, Local Roots is in my opinion, the absolute top choice in this area for flavor, service, and décor — if you haven’t been get on the phone and make a reservation today!