Restaurants in Blacksburg

Energetic live music pulsates across the spacious quarters of Growler’s American Grill and Venue—once known as Awful Arthur’s Towers—as barkeeps fill mugs and growlers with local pale and brown ales, porters, and a slew of bottled favorites. Platefuls of hearty American and Southern favorites, from meatloaf sandwiches to fish 'n' chips, energize diners to take the stage for a round of karaoke, with the background music supplied by a DJ, live band, or brownnosing date.

A bubble slowly makes its way to the liquid’s surface, bursting as the hot air within escapes from the pot of soup. Near the stove, a brigade of cubed brownies cools on a rack awaiting its grand entrance into Cafe on Franklin’s dining area. The eatery’s kitchen bustles each day as chefs prepare meals for the lunch rush: wraps, specialty salads, and sandwiches that include a portobello burger and turkey Reuben. Cafe on Franklin also caters events with hot lunches and trays piled high with meat and cheese, like the bed of the princess who could famously feel a pea through 40 layers of cold cuts, thereby earning the right to open her own delicatessen.

Sicilian and New York-style pizzas—topped with a choice of more than 15 toppings such as sausage, bacon, and pineapple—headline the culinary show at Frank’s Place, but chefs complement the Italian staples with other food from around the globe. Beyond calzones and baked ziti, the kitchen team prepares tortillas, rice dishes, burgers, and hot dogs. It’s not just their Mexican, Italian, and American foods that draw in visitors; the casual, family-friendly neighborhood eatery proffers a big-screen TV, a pool table, and arcade games—entertainment more reliable than teaching a hen and her chicks not to put their wings on the table.