Where to eat
Hand-picked places within a short drive.
From farm-to-table fine dining to the best biscuit within ten minutes, here are the spots we recommend. All are within a short drive; most take reservations.
Where we'd eat tonight
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Food
Family TreeTs Café & Catering
Breakfast, lunch and dinner spot featuring a menu of casual dishes alongside coffee, beer, cocktails and wine.
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2815 Douthat Rd, Clifton Forge, VA 24422
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Food
Michael's New York Style Pizza
Family-run pizzeria serving New York-style specialty pizzas plus turnovers, sandwiches, salads and appetizers. This is the downtown Clifton Forge location; the original is in Covington.
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435 E. Ridgeway Street, Clifton Forge, VA 24422
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Food
Jack Masons Tavern and Brewery
Convivial joint featuring burgers & other familiar bar fare, plus billiards, pinball & sports on TV.
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402 E Ridgeway St, Clifton Forge, VA 24422
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Food
Creekside Bar and Grill
Great eats, beer and cocktails
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110 Karnes Road, Low Moor, VA
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Wineries
Great Valley Farm Brewery & Winery
Farm brewery and winery near Natural Bridge Station serving its own beer and wine, made with grapes and some ingredients grown on the farm. The tap list changes often, and it hosts food trucks and music.
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60 Great Valley Lane
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Wed–Thu noon–7:30pm; Fri–Sat noon–8pm; Sun noon–6pm; closed Mon–Tue
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Food
Blue Sky Bakery and Café
Cozy corner cafe preparing artisan baked goods, plus homemade soups & sandwiches on fresh foccacia.
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125 W Nelson St, Lexington, VA 24450
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Drink
Heliotrope Brewery
Family-owned craft brewery and kitchen on South Main Street in downtown Lexington, serving its own beers alongside food. It is dog-friendly and hosts community events.
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128 South Main Street
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Mon & Wed 4–8pm; Thu–Fri 4–9pm; Sat noon–9pm; Sun noon–8pm; closed Tue (kitchen closes an hour early in Jan–Feb)
Photo: Artaxerxes / CC BY-SA 4.0
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Drink
Juniper Lounge at The Gin Hotel
A second-floor lounge in The Gin Hotel serving original cocktails, craft beer and wine with seasonal small and large plates. Its outdoor veranda overlooks Main Street.
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30 S Main St
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Wed-Thu 4-9pm, Fri 4-10pm, Sat 11am-10pm, Sun 11am-9pm; closed Mon-Tue
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Food
Pure Eats
Retro, counter-serve nook doling out house made donuts, locally sourced burgers & craft beers on tap.
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107 N Main St, Lexington, VA 24450
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Drink
Halcyon Days Cider Co.
Cidery making hard cider from apples grown in its own labyrinth-shaped orchard of 2,000+ trees, with tastings in an 1860 log cabin. Visitors can walk the labyrinth, and it is family- and dog-friendly.
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4135 S Lee Hwy
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Seasonal Apr–Dec: Thu–Fri 2–7pm; Sat noon–7pm; Sun noon–6pm; closed Mon–Wed
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Drink
Devils Backbone Outpost Tap Room & Kitchen
Taproom and full kitchen at Devils Backbone's Lexington brewing facility just off Route 11 near I-81/I-64, with a deck looking toward the Blue Ridge. Serves lunch and dinner, plus weekend brunch.
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50 Northwind Lane
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Sun–Thu 11:30am–8pm; Fri–Sat 11:30am–9pm; brunch Sat–Sun 11:30am–2pm
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Wineries
Jump Mountain Vineyard
Small farm winery on Walkers Creek Road below Jump Mountain, a short drive from Rockbridge Baths on Route 39. The owners lead the tastings themselves, and there is a modest tasting fee.
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1493 Walkers Creek Rd
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Weekends only: Sat–Sun 12:30–5pm (call ahead)
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Wineries
Ecco Adesso Vineyards
Family-owned farm winery on a large estate near Fairfield, planted starting in 2021. It serves wine with pizza and cheese boards, has hiking trails and occasional live music, and rents cottages.
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340 Ecco Adesso Ln
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Thu 1–5pm; Fri–Sat noon–6pm; Sun noon–5pm
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Wineries
Rockbridge Vineyard & Brewery
Family-owned winery founded in 1992 in the northern end of the county near Raphine, with an on-site brewery. Its wines have won awards, including the Virginia Governor's Cup.
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35 Hill View Lane
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Tasting room: Tue–Thu 10am–6pm; Fri–Sat 11am–7pm; Sun–Mon noon–5pm. Brewery: Tue–Thu noon–6pm; Fri–Sat noon–7pm; Sun–Mon noon–5pm