Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire SW VA must-stop bars/restaurants?

Some buddies & I are heading over next week to ride the Back o' the Dragon.

Preliminary routes will send us from Bluefield down Rte 52 to Wytheville, then rte 21 down to Sparta, NC. We're planning to head back on NC Rte 18 to Jefferson, then Rte 16 back up to Tazewell.

We'll be riding 3 1/2 days, so we can cover lots of other ground, if anyone recommends it for good riding.

Are there any food places &/or bars you'd recommend?

Thanks,

FC

Galax

https://www.cbbrews.com/lil-bottom/

Wytheville

7 Dogs Brewpub

You might consider a slight detour to West Jefferson, NC.

There are a couple of brew pubs that do a nice job with their beer/local hard cider and pub food menu.

> New River Brewing Taproom @ 833 US Hwy 221 Business, West Jefferson, NC 28694 (The actual brewery w/ Food Truck)

> New River Brewing Smokehouse & Eatery @ 108 South 3rd Ave., West Jefferson, NC 28694

> Boondocks Brewing - Taproom & Restaurant @ 108 S. Jefferson Ave., West Jefferson, NC 28694

And after lunch, there's a local gunshop worth a visit.

> ETG Guns @ 1836 US Hwy. 221 N., Jefferson, NC 28640

StarchedCover

Years ago there was a steak place called Cuz’s that was really good somewhere around Cedar Bluff. If it’s still around it would be worth a look. Haven’t been down that way in almost 20 years, so it may not still be around.

Old70

Freeborne’s at the intersection of Blue Ridge & Hwy 18

https://www.freebornes.com/

Mainly a Saturday & Sunday stop/hangout for bikers. On a pretty spring weekend day the parking lot may be full of various Harleys and some others. Decent food, cold beer.

family has been in and around Wytheville for over 250 years. I can't recall any 'must eat at' joints around there though. That VA 16 from Marion to Tazwell though is one heck of a ride. an even better ride in the same area is to get on US 52 south at Bland (off I-77) and turn south on State road 42 just before Big Walker Mt. Look for little 623 (I think that's called Sharon Springs) up over the mountains into Burke's Garden. Tour that, then exit on the north side and get on back on 623 to exit Burke's. Turn left on VA 61 to Tazwell, then get on VA16 down to Marion. It's a better ride than the Tail of the Dragon.

Dip Dog Stand near Marion.

http://www.dipdogs.net/homeofthefamousdipdog.html

Check out the Back of the Dragon welcome center in Tazewell, VA! They have superb pizza now! The beer is great too! And it is owned by an awesome veteran! Larry was my mentor growing up.

Cuz's is still pretty good too. My dad's siblings ate there for almost every special occasion for most of their lives. They had my aunt's remembrance there last week and my dad says it is as good as ever.

There's another place in Tazewell called The Front Porch or something like that. My dad says it is good, but I have not eaten there. I prefer to cook for myself 99.9% of the time. But for excellent pizza, it's hard to beat the Back of the Dragon welcome center. Even Yankees like it.

When you are at the Back of the Dragon welcome center, check out the blurb about the engineer who built those roads. I'm one of his descendants.

For other fun roads, you can get off 77 at exit 52 and take Grapefield Road over the mountain down to Rt 61. Or get off at the 61 exit and take 61 down to Tazewell. Very pretty roads. As a college student, I used to drive them at night at like 75 mph. I was only concerned about being able to see other headlights coming. The thought of hitting a deer never crossed my pre-frontal lobe mind. Makes me shudder a bit these days.

Oh, there's also a decent German restaurant in Wytheville - Wohlfahrt House or something like that.

https://www.wohlfahrthaus.com/

And High Plains BBQ is also supposed to be really good. I always mean to stop, but it never lines up on my drive.

https://highplainsbarbecue.com/

If you're going to be passing through Withvull, you're only 20 minutes or so from Pulaski up 81, and if you're wanting excellent Mexican and a cold beer stop at Compadre's on rt 99. Outdoor dining tables there too.

Ironically, they make the BEST seafood plate short of going down to the coast. Fajita Delmar, damn good stuff.

Also, in Wytheville, this place is pretty cool.

Haven't been in there since before the big fire but I can only imagine it's been rebuilt even better.

https://www.loghouse1776restaurant.com/

GREAT barbecue at Little Richard's on 52 heading south out of Mt. Airy NC......

https://www.littlerichardsbarbeque.com/

Great info, fellas. Keep it comin'!

FC

Little Richards is actually on the northern end of Mt. Airy headed north towards Cana/Fancy Gap, VA on 52.

Anyway, if I were going to go to Mt. Airy I'd skip Little Richards and hit Snappy Lunch in downtown Mt. Airy for their pork chop sandwich:

https://thesnappylunch.com/menu/


or I'd go on out Rt. 601 to Dobson and eat supper at The Depot at Cody Creek.

https://www.codycreek.org/



Another one worth visiting for a good hot dog is Skeeters in Wytheville.

http://www.skeetershotdogs.com/welcome.html


Shatley Springs in Crumpler, NC (just a few miles south of Mouth of Wilson, VA) used to be a great place to eat. It is under new ownership now and is closed. Last year the rumor was they wanted to open Spring of 2024.

Sounds like.......

You may need a DD...........

(dedicated driver)

We made it back Sunday, tired, but intact. Much obliged to all for the suggestions.


We made a stop there, and saw them hawking their brew over at BOTD, as well.



Good stuff there (I'm a sucker for fried okra). Alas, we didn't go check out the gun store.



Rte 16 was a workout, for sure. I was jonesin' to give your 623 ride a go, but some in our party were runnin' outa steam, so we opted for less vigorous routes as the trip progressed.



Great folks there! The beer was delicious - I wish I'd have felt better so I could have enjoyed more of it. My guts weren't up to pizza (or food of any kind, for that matter) during our visit, but they had a small band there that was just excellent. My buddies availed themselves of the food trucks outside, & pronounced it to be fine fare.



That was an excellent ride! Aside from dodging wood chips (they were trimming back the limbs along 10+ miles of it), ground hogs, & stray dogs, it was excellent. We enjoyed a reprieve from the rain, & took it at a leisurely clip.



I'd wanted to give both of those a whirl, but we ran out of days to get there. The whole crew is eager to go back, though.


We did head over to Blacksburg one day on Rte 460, as the group was looking to recoup from the Rte 16 twisties. Spectacular views & easy roads made for a beautiful ride. We returned west on various back roads, winding up on Rte 100 & Rte 601. The weather was largely cooperative, & it was just stunning country.

Sure, there was more rain (a LOT more rain) during our stay than what might have been optimal, but it's the tough stuff that makes for great stories. In the end, we made it down & back safely, & shared a great time.


FC

I'm 5 miles south of Blacksburg[Christiansburg].

Sounds like you took Eggelston rd over to Rt100.

All of that country is beautiful!

Yeah well I don't have any reason to stray far from 52 passing through there so just south of Little Richard's is headed out of town for me. That little stretch through there is all the Mt. Airy I care to know about.