7 classic roadside diners in Virginia that are worth a detour
Pump the brakes! These classic roadside diners in Virginia serve up great food and even better ambiance.
When you’re on a road trip, it’s usually easiest to grab a bite to eat at a fast food restaurant so you can make it to your destination more or less on time. While this is appealing for obvious reasons, sometimes it’s nice to slow down and enjoy the experience of traveling through a new area. Even better than taking in the scenery? Being able to stop for an hour or two at a roadside diner to stretch your legs and eat more of a traditional meal.
Thankfully for those of you planning to make your way through or around Virginia, there’s no shortage of classic diners offering the perfect blend of comforting food and unique atmosphere. And hey, you don’t even really need to go on a road trip to enjoy these locations. Diners are my favorite kind of restaurant (mainly because breakfast is, to me, the superior mealtime, and I like that diners make omelets and home fries pretty much all day), and I’m always up for trying somewhere new on a random Tuesday.
If you’re also a big breakfast fan, or you’re planning an upcoming trip, these seven classic roadside diners in Virginia are sure to please.
1.The Pink Cadillac Diner, Natural Bridge
The Pink Cadillac Diner in Natural Bridge is well worth a detour. The restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert, and its menu features diner staples like pancakes, grits, milkshakes, hamburgers, and more. You can browse the full selection here.
The Pink Cadillac is open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. seven days a week. Walking in the front door feels like taking a step back in time. From the black-and-white checkerboard floor and the jukebox to the plastic baskets the food is served in, everything about the Pink Cadillac will make you feel nostalgic.
2. Walker’s Roadside Grill, Danville
Walker’s Roadside Grill in Danville is open Tuesday through Sunday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., and it’s often praised for its large portions on Google. The menu features classic items like biscuits and gravy, omelets, fried chicken, club sandwiches, and wings. There’s indoor and outdoor seating, depending on the time of year. Walker’s is one of those quintessential places that provide you with a good, hearty meal before you hit the road again.
3. Damascus Diner, Damascus
If you’re looking for charm, look no further than the Damascus Diner. Reviewers frequently mention how sweet the staff is, and one visitor wrote, “Never had a bad meal from this place and all for a decent price.” I don’t know about you, but getting a good meal for a decent price in this economy sounds like a dream!
The diner is open on Sunday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., and on Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. The hours are extended slightly on Friday and Saturday, when the Damascus is open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Menu items include French toast, burgers, fish sandwiches, salads, and fruit cobbler.
4. Virginia Diner, Wakefield
The Virginia Diner in Wakefield bills itself as “An iconic Virginia landmark offering home-cooked meals & world-famous peanuts.” Since the diner opened in 1929, it has been serving seasoned Virginia peanuts, which are available to purchase in-store and online. The restaurant is open Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Friday through Sunday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
The menu features Southern staples like chicken and waffles, chess pie, fried green tomatoes, pimento puppies, and fried steak. When you think of classic roadside diners in Virginia, you’re probably picturing exactly what this location has to offer: Piles of freshly prepared food, a spacious seating area, and the perfect amount of history.
5. Kathy’s Restaurant, Staunton
Open Monday through Sunday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Kathy’s Restaurant in Staunton has been voted the “Best Breakfast in Shenandoah Valley Region” for the last 11 years. Serving up classic American cuisine and all-day breakfast (my kind of place!), Kathy’s has something for everyone. There’s eggs benedict, country ham biscuits, tuna melts, reubens, and cream pies. The full menu can be found here.
Kathy’s Restaurant features a traditional diner ambience complete with booths and countertop seating. When you’re here, you’ll feel like you’re having a plate of pancakes with your grandmother, which is one of the best feelings I can possibly imagine.
6. Weasie’s Kitchen, Waynesboro
Weasie’s Kitchen in Waynesboro states on its website that it’s “A cozy mom and pop restaurant serving delicious home-cooked meals.” Open Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturdays from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. (Weasie’s is closed on Sundays), the restaurant serves boneless pork chops, scrapple, steak and cheese subs, baked potatoes, and spaghetti with meat sauce. Breakfast is served all day, and desserts include chocolate, lemon, and coconut meringue, as well as cinnamon rolls.
To take a look at the complete menu at Weasie’s Kitchen, click here.
7. Metro 29 Diner, Arlington
Arlington’s Metro 29 Diner had a moment in the spotlight in 2010 when famed Food Network star Guy Fieri paid the restaurant a visit. You can check out Fieri’s segment on Metro 29 here, but the most important takeaway is that he loved the food, especially the leg of lamb and the French toast. The diner has been operating in Arlington since 1995 and features an extensive menu.
In addition to the French toast and leg of lamb that Fieri enjoyed during his visit, Metro 29 serves omelets, breakfast sandwiches, jumbo burgers, chicken salad, rib-eye steaks, eggplant parm, cheesecake, and much, much more. Former President Joe Biden has eaten here, but despite Metro 29’s celebrity element, it really is just a classic diner serving up comforting meals and a casual atmosphere.
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