Eating out in Virginia doesn’t mean breaking the bank if you eat at these mom-and-pop restaurants.
While eating at a chain restaurant may be the go-to option, they aren’t always the easiest on the wallet and aren’t reflective of the communities they serve. If you’re looking to eat out on a budget in Virginia, consider dining at one of these mom-and-pop restaurants where you can get a full meal for under $10.
Hampton Roads
Angie’s Restaurant
Location: 335 S Centerville Turnpike, Suite C, Chesapeake
Angie’s Restaurant, a family-owned and operated establishment, has been bringing people together over flavorful dishes since 1994.
Try the freshly made crab cake sandwich that comes served with lettuce, tomato, and mayonnaise, along with a side of French fries, soup, or baked potato for $9.99.
If you’re looking for something lighter, go for the house salad for $4.29 and a cup of the soup of the day for $3.99.
Central Virginia
Tip Top Restaurant
Location: 1420 Richmond Rd., Charlottesville
Tip Top Restaurant is a community restaurant that offers its fair share of reasonably priced platter specials, like the BBQ platter and tuna salad platter. Both cost $9.95 and come served with French fries, lettuce, tomato, onion, and pickle.
If you’d prefer a sandwich, try the roast beef, which comes with lettuce, tomato, pickle, and chips, for $8.95.
Those who prefer breakfast food are in luck because it’s served all day. The two eggs with corned beef hash comes with home fries and a choice of toast or biscuit, and for $9.80, it’s a solid choice.
Weasie’s Kitchen
Location: 130 E Broad St., Waynesboro
Weasie’s Kitchen has been serving home-style food since 1985. It specializes in hearty meals that are made with love, according to its website.
Many of its burgers are under $10, such as the Weasie’s Burger, which comes with cheese and a special sauce. The Weasie’s Burger comes with potato chips for $8.59. If you’d prefer a sandwich, try the pork BBQ with slaw, which also comes with chips, for $6.39.
The kitchen even offers dinner options for under $10, like the country-fried steak for $9.59. It comes with two vegetables and a roll.
The Amherst Corner Restaurant
Location: 1441 N Amherst Hwy., Amherst
The Amherst Corner Restaurant is the go-to place in Amherst County for classic southern comfort food. Find it on the corner of Highway 29 and 151.
The best bang for your buck is the all-beef jumbo hot dog, which comes on a steamed bun and with toppings of your choice for $3.99. You can make it a combo, including a side and a drink, for an extra $6. Try the cowboy beans, made with a secret recipe of beans, beef, onions, and peppers.
Shenandoah Valley
Hometown Grill
Location: 30 Sangers Ln., Staunton
For home-style cooking for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, visit Hometown Grill. It’s been around since 2013.
If you’re looking to have breakfast on a budget, go for the hometown platter, which comes with two eggs, a choice of toast or biscuits, a choice of home fries or grits, and a choice of bacon, sausage, or ham for $8.
For a lunch or dinner entrée, go for the smothered liver-n-onions. For $10, you’ll get a tender beef liver smothered in grilled sweet onions.
Kathy’s Restaurant
Location: 705 Greenville Ave., Staunton
Opened in 1986, Kathy’s Restaurant nods to the home cooking that influenced Kathy’s mid-century upbringing in the Shenandoah Valley, according to her daughter, Amy Wease.
For an affordable lunch that’s a bit on the unique side, go for Aunt Joyce’s Favorite, a grilled pimento cheese with sliced corned beef on pumpernickel, for $9.95.
If you’d prefer breakfast, which is served all day, go for the buttermilk pancakes, served with western ham, for $8.95.
Southwest Virginia
Skeeter’s World Famous Hotdogs
Location: 165 East Main St., Wytheville
There’s a reason why Skeepter’s World Famous Hotdogs sold more than nine million “Skeeterdogs” between 1925 and 2025—the establishment knows how to serve tasty hotdogs for cheap. The beloved Wytheville institution may have evolved past its humble origin as a lunch counter, but it still knows how to serve small-town charm to its loyal customers.
Try The Big Matt Footlong, a 12-inch beef frank with Skeeter sauce, chili, onion, and cheddar jack for $4.85. You can make it a combo with a side of coleslaw or French fries, plus a fountain drink, for an additional $4.50.
Those who can complete “The Double Dog Dare” by finishing their hot dog in under 30 seconds get their picture on the wall of fame and their meal for free.
Country Kitchen Restaurant & Catering
Location: 1080 Radford St., Christiansburg
Country Kitchen Restaurant & Catering certainly lives up to its name. The restaurant has served home-style food in a casual environment since 1978.
Luckily, a trip to the restaurant won’t break the bank. It offers an omlette for only $8.50, with bacon or sausage or ham omelet with cheese, served with a biscuit or toast.
The dinner specials, which start at 4 p.m. every day, are also reasonably priced. For example, on Thursdays, a chuck wagon special with gravy, green beans, and a baked potato costs only $7.40. Lunch specials are also available.
The Hillsville Diner
Location: 525 North Main St., Hillsville
The Hillsville Diner is the oldest continuously operating streetcar diner in the commonwealth, established in 1946.
Try the stewed beef plate, which is a diner specialty, for $9.59. It comes with a choice of two vegetables, like pickled beets and coleslaw, and a choice of roll or cornbread.
Dairy Bar
Location: 609 S Main St., Galax
A stop at the Dairy Bar is good for both your wallet and taste buds.
The cheeseburger and hot dog baskets, which come with French fries, will only set you back $6.95. You can even add a brownie sundae to your order for $3, keeping the entire meal under $10.
Boyd’s Restaurant
Location: 5110 Ararat Hwy., Ararat
Boyd’s Restaurant has been locally owned and operated since the 1970s. Today, it serves home-style breakfast and lunch options.
You can’t go wrong with the country ham platter with two eggs for $7.35. Breakfast platters come with a choice of biscuit or toast and gravy or grits.
A ground steak plate, with a choice of two sides and a choice of bread, costs $7.65.
Mee Maw’s Country Kitchen
Location: 5445 Figsboro Rd., Martinsville
Mee Maw’s Country Kitchen knows how to do southern cuisine the right way.
Enjoy the pork chop platter for $7.99 for lunch. It comes with two sides, like pinto beans and slaw, and a choice of bread. The hamburger steak for $8.99 is another good lunch option.
Skip’s Restaurant
Location: 900 Starling Ave., Martinsville
You can’t go wrong with lunch plate specials at Skip’s Restaurant. For just $9.99, you can get a meat and three vegetables.
If you’d prefer breakfast, try the three-piece fat back plate for $9.99, which comes with two eggs, toast or biscuit, and gravy, and a side item.
The family-owned and operated restaurant has been in business for more than 20 years.
Checkered Pig BBQ & Ribs
Location: 1014 Liberty St., Martinsville
If you like barbecue and southern-style sides, then Checkered Pig BBQ & Ribs is for you. The restaurant was founded in 1997 by Tommy, a firefighter who honed his roasting skills during firehouse roasting events.
While the dinner plates cost a bit more, go for the small plates to keep your meal under $10. For example, the chopped chicken BBQ plate, which comes with hushpuppies and a side, is only $7. You should give the southern green beans a try.
Simply Suzanne’s Café
Location: 525 Airport Rd., Spencer
Simply Suzanne’s Café is uniquely located inside the Blue Ridge Airport. Owned by Suzanne Shemro, it operates using the motto: “When you’re here, you’re home.”
Affordable menu options include the pulled pork BBQ sandwich with slaw and the veggie sandwich with grilled squash, pepper, lettuce, tomato, and crème cheese on toasted wheat bread. All sandwiches come with chips and a pickle.
Texas Tavern
Location: 114 W Church Ave., Roanoke
The Texas Tavern has been operated by the Bullington family since 1930. The 10-stool establishment is the go-to place in Roanoke for an affordable meal.
If you stop by for breakfast, you can get three eggs, a choice of bacon, sausage, or ham, and either toast or an English muffin for $5.40.
If you go for lunch, the Cheesy Western is what the joint is known for. It’s a cheeseburger with an egg for $3.95. For $2.85, you can add a side of chili, which is still made using the same secret recipe from 1930.
North Star Restaurant
Location: 15898 Lee Hwy., Buchanan
After spending the day exploring the James River in Buchanan, stop by North Star Restaurant, a locally owned and operated establishment.
For $10, you can get a catfish dinner that comes with two vegetables and a choice of roll or cornbread. You can’t go wrong with the pinto beans and cabbage.
