Restaurants in Martinsville

Tony, the owner of Bandido’s Mexican Cafe, learned the tricks of the trade while working at his family’s Mexican restaurant as a teenager. Today, he and his wife own and operate three Bandido’s locations, which serve sizzling fajitas, crisp tacos, and burritos stuffed with beef, chicken, pork, or sautéed spinach. The Herald-Sun's readers praised Bandido's as the Best Mexican Restaurant in 2009, and the restaurant returns the favor by awarding individuals who finish the El Gigante burrito—a massive compilation of steak and chicken fajitas, rice, black beans, and shredded cheese—with a T-shirt and gentle pats on the back. The restaurant often hosts live entertainment, and the Durham location supplements its selection of lunch and dinner fare with a Sunday brunch menu served from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Hailed as one of Winston-Salem’s best restaurants by 10Best, Noble’s Grille whips up fine French and Mediterranean dishes alongside scrumptiously simple Southern bites amid an elegant, wood-furnished setting. For a main course, sup on a Dixie delight such as the shrimp and grits ($23) with bacon and midnight moon tomato, or opt for a succulent slab of USDA prime beef in the form of a 14-ounce rib eye ($29) served seared and sizzling with meaty deliciousness. Enjoy a meal as light as a globetrotting eccentric's hot air balloon by noshing on a crème fraîche-festooned white pizza ($6) bedecked with bacon and caramelized onions, or a fried-oyster salad ($14) with egg, bacon, and balsamic. Patrons can also rev appetite engines with an elegant, Southern–style appetizer such as hushpuppy-dusted fried shrimp, accompanied by a zesty dijonaise ($12)

After ascending a steel stairway through rock walls, diners are ushered to an intimate, white-linen-decked table or private booth and handed a menu of elegant, gourmet fare. Preheat your appetite with a finely crafted appetizer such as calamari fries with honey-chipotle sauce ($11), and then make a bold excursion into the meaty flavors of a cowboy steak (a 16-ounce rib chop with tempura onion rings and garlic mashed potatoes, $29) or a Kobe beef burger with fresh mozzarella and homemade fries ($10). The tri-colored tortellini in an order of Rasta pasta (a Caribbean-infused dish with andouille sausage, mushrooms, and chicken, $13) satisfy carb cravings and can be used as pillows for fingers tired from cutting out letters for ransom notes.

Ryan's intimate, upscale surf-and-turfery lures fine diners with its gourmet starters, hearty soups, succulent steaks, fresh seafood, and other carnivorous delights. Signature menu offerings include the bemonocled oysters Rockefeller ($11.95), grouper Key West, with roasted new potatoes and fresh asparagus ($28.75), and the steak au poivre, a pan-sautéed pedestal of bovine decadence with classic cognac cream sauce ($32.95). Meal toppers include a gooey, delectable slice of Southern-style pecan pie ($6.25) and caffeinated pick-me-ups such as Ryan's cappuccino (with cocoa and cinnamon, $4.95) or the sprightlier Irish coffee (with Old Bushmill's Irish whiskey, $6.95).

Each Bagel Station bagel is formed by hand from scratch using fresh ingredients, then cooked the authentic Brooklyn way: first boiled, then baked. The original Bagel Station offers 18 varieties, while Bagel Station II stocks 16 flavors. Accompany a cinnamon raisin, poppy seed, or chocolate chip circlebread ($.89 each/$8.81 for a baker's dozen) with sweet and savory toppings such as honey butter ($1.60 including bagel), scallion cream cheese ($2.60), or breakfasty melted cheese ($2.65). Bagelccessories include bagel chips ($1.99 per bag), muffins ($1.50), and scones ($1.69).

New Town Bistro’s menu changes monthly to accommodate fresh, seasonal ingredients. Kick-start your appetite with freshly fished fare such as an oven-caught bistro flatbread ($9.50). Vegetarians can chomp chlorophyll-enriched 421 penne pasta, tossed with mascarpone, roasted grape tomatoes, fresh spinach, and asiago ($14.99), while people who feed fish can savor something in return with an order of pan-seared salmon, garnished with an avocado citrus sauce and served with sautéed Spanish rice and crispy tortilla strips ($19.95). For a lighter meal, peruse sandwich selections such as the Tribecca: sliced turkey, cucumber, red peppers, spinach, and havarti with herb mayonnaise, crushed between monolithic halves of a light, fluffy French roll ($8.75).