Ciro's New York Style Pizza at 558 W Main St, Stanley, VA 22851 is a family-owned Italian pizzeria operated by Mike—a 100% Italian owner—and his wife, bringing authentic NY/NJ-style thin-crust pizza to the Shenandoah Valley for well over a decade with reviews dating back to 2011. This budget-friendly pizzeria earns a 4.4-star Google rating from 162 reviews and 4.8 stars on Facebook, ranking as the #2 restaurant in Stanley on TripAdvisor where it has received a Travelers' Choice Award. The menu showcases hand-tossed, foldable NY-style pizza alongside their newer thick Sicilian style, with standouts including the Mediterranean Pizza, Ciro's Special, and fresh homemade pasta dishes like manicotti (proclaimed the "best in Page & Rockingham County"), shrimp alfredo, and lasagna—all at prices averaging $8-12 per person with two extra-large pizzas available for under $25. Reviewers consistently rave that Ciro's delivers "better than any NY-style pizza in the DC metro area," with particular praise for their Philly cheesesteaks, spicy wing dings, Goofy Stix appetizer drizzled with garlic-herb butter, and creamy cannoli and house-made cakes for dessert. The casual dining room features Italian murals, cozy booth seating with warm lighting, free WiFi, and a welcoming atmosphere where server Mary and the friendly staff provide legendary customer service—plus the restaurant sponsors local youth sports leagues, cementing its role as a community staple. Located just four minutes from Luray Caverns in Page County, Virginia, Ciro's offers dine-in, takeout, and afternoon delivery at (540) 778-1112, open Tuesday through Sunday (closed Mondays) with Friday hours extending to 11 PM.
Triple Crown BBQ sits at 1079 US Highway 211 West in Luray, Virginia, just minutes from Luray Caverns, and it's honestly one of those spots that makes you wonder why more roadside BBQ isn't this good. John and Joanne Coleman have run this family operation for over 15 years, smoking everything on-site with a wood-fired Southern Pride smoker using traditional methods and recipes passed down from their years living in Virginia and the Carolinas. The menu covers all the essentials: pulled pork, baby back ribs, sliced sirloin tri-tip pit beef, smoked half chickens, brisket, and sausage. Their homemade baked beans with apple chunks are honestly better than most people's main dishes. You also get potato salad, coleslaw, warm corn muffins, and gluten-free options. Rated 4.7 out of 5 on Tripadvisor (442 reviews), ranked #1 of 33 restaurants in Luray, with titles like Best BBQ in Virginia, Best BBQ in the Shenandoah Valley, and Top 4 BBQ in Virginia. The meats are tender enough that you don't need sauce, but there's a full sauce bar anyway with their signature Crown Sauce, Carolina vinegar, mustard, and sweet and spicy varieties. The Smoky Sampler gives you ribs, pulled pork, brisket, chicken, and sausage if you can't decide. Smoked turkey appears in November. The banana cream pie? Don't skip it. Open seasonally from mid-April through Thanksgiving: Friday and Saturday 11:30 AM-6:30 PM, Sunday 11:30 AM-3:30 PM. Outdoor seating at umbrella-covered picnic tables. Price range is $ with big portions. John personally greets customers and the southern hospitality is real. They do catering too.
The Chop House Bistro Luray Virginia opened in October 2023 as the second location of the acclaimed LOCAL Chop & Grill House restaurant group that has been serving farm-to-table cuisine since 2009 in Harrisonburg, bringing upscale dining and seasonal menus to downtown Luray's historic Main Street district. Executive Chef Ryan Zale, who trained at the Michelin-starred Inn at Little Washington and was featured in the prestigious Best Chefs America 2013 book (representing the top 1% of culinary professionals), leads the kitchen at this beautifully renovated historic house located at 132 E Main St, Luray, VA 22835, offering progressive farm-to-table dishes with fresh, hand-selected local and seasonal ingredients. The Chop House Bistro menu prices range from $7-$14 for lunch small plates and salads, $14-$17 for burgers and bowls, and $16-$34 for dinner entrees including premium steaks with house-made sauces and one side, plus desserts for $3-$8, with specialty cocktails priced at $8-$11 and an extensive wine selection. Customer reviews across platforms consistently rate this fine dining establishment at 4.5-4.8 stars out of 5, with OpenTable showing 4.8 stars from 296 reviews and TripAdvisor ranking it #9 of 33 Luray restaurants, with diners praising signature dishes like the phenomenal Cajun crab dip, "out of this world" Jamaican jerk chicken wings that may be "the best wings ever," crispy duck-fat fries with house-made ketchup, perfectly seared ribeye steaks, and "perfection" Canadian salmon. The restaurant features multiple dining areas including a wrap-around porch overlooking Main Street, an outdoor back patio, intimate indoor dining rooms in the historic house, and a full bar area, with lunch service Monday-Saturday 11 AM-3 PM and dinner Monday-Saturday 4 PM-8:30 PM (closed Sundays), and reservations via OpenTable are strongly recommended as this popular Luray fine dining destination fills quickly. For contact and reservations at The Chop House Bistro, call (540) 860-5605 or visit chopbistro.com, where you'll discover why locals and Shenandoah Valley visitors call this farm-to-table restaurant serving locally-sourced Virginia ingredients "the gem of Luray" and a must-visit culinary destination for date nights, special occasions, and exceptional farm-fresh cuisine in the Blue Ridge Mountains region.
Ollie Cat Cafe Luray Virginia, despite its name, is not a traditional cat cafe with live animals but rather a family-owned American restaurant established in June 2021 (4+ years in business) by husband-and-wife team Tim and Shannon Lindner, who relocated from Palm Beach County, Florida, to pursue their culinary dream in downtown Luray in a century-old former pharmacy building, naming the establishment after their beloved rescue cat Oliver at 219 W Main St, Luray, VA 22835. Chef Tim Lindner, a University of Florida culinary graduate with classical French cooking training who managed multiple kitchens in Palm Beach, brings his expertise to an extensive menu featuring house-made sauces and dressings, fresh ingredients, and creative comfort food at moderate prices with appetizers ranging $8.95-$16.95 (including highly-praised fried cheese curds at $12.95), sandwiches $14.95-$17.95, and inventive cat-themed cocktails like the Ollie Cat Iced Tea, Wicked Kitten, and Meowie Wowie priced at $8.95-$12.95, plus daily specials including Meatless Mondays, Taco Tuesdays, and 10-oz Prime Rib Saturdays. Customer reviews show mixed ratings averaging 4.0-4.5 stars across platforms with 163 Yelp reviews, 75+ TripAdvisor reviews ranking it #11 of 33 Luray restaurants, and 772 Restaurant Guru reviews, with positive feedback highlighting the "best food in Virginia," phenomenal homemade ranch dressing that the restaurant makes in-house, "cooked to perfection" country fried steak with cheddar bacon fries and chili garlic beans, excellent apple caramel cheesecake and blueberry flapjack cake desserts, and blackened Mahi dinner, though some reviews mention inconsistent service and occasional food quality variations. The restaurant's unique features include a distinctive animal adoption partnership with Page County Animal Shelter where Ollie Cat Cafe pays all adoption fees for any animal adopted from photos displayed on the restaurant wall, full liquor bar with local beers on tap, cat-themed decor and quirky atmosphere with multiple TVs and music system, and vegetarian-friendly and vegan menu options with Impossible burgers. Operating hours are Sunday 11 AM-6 PM, Monday and Thursday-Saturday 11 AM-8 PM (Friday-Saturday until 9 PM), and closed Tuesday-Wednesday, with breakfast served all day on weekdays and until noon on weekends, offering dine-in, takeout, and delivery options with wheelchair accessibility and free off-street parking. Contact Ollie Cat Cafe at (540) 669-5981 or olliecatcafe@yahoo.com to experience this quirky Luray dining destination that strives to bring "comforting, yet fine foods in a non-pretentious atmosphere" while supporting local pet charities and continuing the culinary tradition of fresh, homemade American comfort food with an owner-operated personal touch in downtown Luray's historic district near Luray Caverns and Shenandoah National Park.
West Main Market & Beer Garden is a beloved downtown Luray delicatessen and outdoor beer garden located at 123 W Main St, Luray, VA 22835, established in December 2019 by owner Eric Smith and now celebrating over five years serving the Shenandoah Valley community. This casual quick-service eatery holds an impressive 4.6-star rating on Google and ranks #3 of 32 restaurants in Luray on TripAdvisor, where it has earned a Travelers' Choice Award with 294 reviews praising its gourmet sandwiches and relaxed atmosphere. The menu features artisanal grilled panini sandwiches including the signature Cuban Pork (voted "best Cuban I've had" by reviewers), the Roast Beef & Bleu Cheese with horseradish cream, and the Asiago Chicken with prosciutto—all made with quality deli meats and cheeses at market prices, with half-sandwich combos starting around $6 and full sandwiches typically $14-15. The outdoor beer garden boasts a large covered pavilion with ceiling fans, picnic table seating overlooking Mary's Rock, and a curated selection of Virginia craft beers from local breweries like Blue Mountain, Parkway Brewing, and South Street Brewery. Live music performances occur regularly from noon-3 PM and 6-8 PM on multiple days, making it a vibrant entertainment destination in Page County. This dog-friendly restaurant welcomes pets with treats and even prepares food for canine companions, while also offering gluten-free bread options and vegetarian paninis like the Roasted Portobello with feta cheese. Popular as a post-Luray Caverns dining spot for tourists exploring Shenandoah National Park and as a convenient source for Skyline Drive picnic supplies, West Main Market can be reached at (540) 743-1125 and is closed Wednesdays.
Il Vesuvio Italian Restaurant and Pizzeria at 402 W Main St, Luray, VA 22835 brings authentic Neapolitan Italian cuisine to downtown Luray, purchased in January 2020 by owners Monica Algarme—whose mother was born and raised in Naples, Italy—and Byron Munoz, who together bring over 25 years of restaurant experience. The restaurant's name honors Mt. Vesuvius in Naples, and formerly known as Gennaro's, the restaurant was rebranded after the owners discovered it during a 2019 weekend trip and subsequently transformed the former Tastee Freeze location into a family-run Italian destination now boasting 938 Google reviews at 4.3 stars and TripAdvisor Travelers' Choice recognition with 467 reviews. The kitchen prides itself on making everything from scratch—"nothing out of a box or bag"—using Monica's grandmother's recipes from Naples for dishes like their acclaimed lasagna (described as "better than five-star restaurants"), house-made meatballs, and eggplant parmesan that "passes the authentic Italian test." Their NY-style pizza features Byron's signature dough recipe producing a light, airy, foldable crust, while the legendary garlic knots are a must-try appetizer that "melt in your mouth" according to reviewers. Budget-friendly pricing makes this casual Italian eatery a tremendous value for families, with small cheese pizzas at $9, large specialty pies up to $22, chicken parmigiana at $16, and lasagna at $15, with reviewers consistently noting affordable prices and generous portions across their menu of pasta, calzones, stromboli, and wings. The simple interior features lime-green walls, a pizza counter, and an enclosed patio with outdoor seating, and while the ambiance is basic and unassuming, the establishment is frequently packed—a testament to its reputation for delicious, authentic food staffed by friendly servers like Pamela and Chasidy who earn frequent praise. Il Vesuvio offers dine-in, takeout, curbside pickup, and free delivery within 10 miles at (540) 743-2200, serving lunch through late night daily from 11 AM to 10 PM.
Rancho Mexican Grill & Cantina (some people call it Rancho Viejo Mexican Restaurant) serves authentic Mexican food at 709 E Main St in Luray, and yes, it's in a converted McDonald's building. Customers actually find that charming. The restaurant comes from a multi-generational family business that started in 1990 when Pablo Aguirre immigrated from Jalisco, Mexico. His son Rogelio later expanded the family's reach by opening the Luray location using those same family recipes and fresh ingredients. They've been serving the Luray community for around 8-11 years now, with current management taking over sometime between 2021-2023. Ratings sit at 3.9 stars on Google, 3.7 on TripAdvisor (273 reviews, ranked #13 of 32 in Luray), and they've got an A+ Better Business Bureau rating. Not flashy numbers, but respectable. The value here is legit: lunch specials Monday through Thursday run $5.99-7.95, with $4.99 lunches and $3.99 margaritas as a popular combo. Dinner entrees and combo plates go $7-15 with consistently huge portions. Customer favorites include the chile relleno with sizzling cheese oozing out, the Pina Loca (fajitas served in a grilled pineapple, which is more fun than it probably needs to be), California burritos, fresh tableside guacamole served in an edible tortilla bowl, that white cheese dip everyone talks about, tacos carnitas, and various fajita options. Reviewers call it the best TexMex outside Texas. Bold claim but the chile relleno I had there last year was genuinely excellent... that first bite when the cheese strings out? Yeah. Casual festive vibe with colorful Mexican decor, booth seating, and staff that hands out large bouncy balls for kids (which either sounds fun or chaotic depending on your tolerance). Just 7 minutes from Luray Caverns, making it a solid post-cave dinner stop. Outdoor patio seating with mountain views, open until 10-10:30 PM most nights, which matters since not many Luray restaurants stay open late. They've got a customizable salsa bar with multiple fresh options including salsa verde, full bar with excellent margaritas and frozen specialty drinks, vegetarian and vegan and gluten-free options (6 vegetarian combos on the menu), plus dine-in, takeout, delivery, curbside pickup, and reservations. Free WiFi, wheelchair accessible, plenty of parking.
Porch & Vine is set to open in 2025 at 211 West Main Street in downtown Luray, Virginia, and honestly the buzz around this place has been building for months. The restaurant will be housed in the historic Chapman House building, which I've walked past dozens of times wondering what someone would finally do with it. Tony Villa and Isaac George (operating as Madeline Farms LLC) are behind the concept, bringing in Executive Chef Mathew Chapman, an Art Institute of Dallas graduate who trained at Barcelona Wine Bar and other acclaimed spots before developing his signature style of seasonal cooking with live-fire techniques and global-meets-American regional flavors. Here's what makes it interesting... they're doing both a themed fixed-course Supper Club experience (multiple nights weekly with curated wine and cocktail pairings) and refined à la carte options, with menus that shift seasonally and are basically designed around wine pairing from the ground up. Expect craft cocktails, fine wines, house-baked breads, scratch-made desserts, and a full wine bar in a space inspired by the Blue Ridge Mountains, with indoor seating plus outdoor garden dining. Guest chefs and pop-up experiences are planned too. Reservations will likely be required given the intimate vibe. Their sister properties Madeline Farms and Carriage Stone Farm offer farm stays just minutes away if you want the full experience. Pricing isn't announced yet but expect mid-to-high range, typical for destination restaurants in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley. No reviews yet obviously, but they're actively hiring and the Luray community is genuinely excited about this one.
The Miller Grille is the newest spot at the historic Shenvalee Golf Resort (been around since 1927), located at 57 Fairway Dr behind the Pro Shop in New Market, Virginia. Casual American food, family-friendly sports bar vibe, and views of the mountains and golf course that honestly make it worth sitting by the window. They serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily from 6 AM to 9 PM with prices running $10-20 per person, which is pretty solid value whether you're a golfer or just someone who wandered in hungry. The place has earned 4.4 stars on Google (somewhere between 326-413 reviews depending when you look) and 4.0 on TripAdvisor from 45 reviews, ranking #6 of 12 restaurants in New Market. What people keep coming back for: the award-winning fried haddock, sweet potato fries with balsamic sauce, tuna bites, and the specialty burgers on Tuesday Burger Night for just $6.95. That Tuesday deal alone is worth planning around. Two dining areas with multiple big-screen TVs for sports, wheelchair accessible, free parking, and a menu that runs from buffalo wings and Philly cheesesteaks to prime rib (Saturday night special), blackened tuna, and Monterey chicken sandwiches. Vegetarian options and a kids menu too. They do live entertainment and trivia nights. The service tends to be friendly and they'll remember you if you come back a few times. I grabbed breakfast there once after an early tee time and the coffee was fresh and hot, which sounds basic but you'd be surprised how many places mess that up. Reservations accepted, plus dine-in, takeout, curbside pickup, and delivery through DoorDash. Pretty convenient stop for locals or I-81 travelers passing through the Shenandoah Valley.
Southern Kitchen at 9576 US-11, New Market, VA 22844 is a historic Shenandoah Valley landmark established on April 1, 1955, by Lloyd and Ruby Newland—now approaching its 70th anniversary and currently operated by Jimmy and Angie Shifflett, local residents who grew up dining there before purchasing the restaurant in 2019 to preserve its legacy. This classic American diner holds the distinction of being #1 of 11 restaurants in New Market on TripAdvisor with 717 reviews, a Travelers' Choice Award, and a 4.2-star rating, drawing both loyal locals and I-81 travelers with its preserved 1950s flair featuring wood paneling, vintage Formica tables, boomerang-design vinyl counters, iconic red and green neon signage, and country hams hanging at the entrance. The menu showcases legendary Southern comfort food headlined by Lloyd's original award-winning fried chicken recipe—their #1 seller with a crispy golden crust that's "not greasy at all" and "moist"—alongside Virginia specialties like their signature peanut soup (a velvety, butter-rich regional delicacy) and salty-smoky Virginia country ham sourced from Kite's in Luray. The homemade meringue pies—chocolate, coconut cream, lemon, and apple—were perfected by Juanita Durrett, a remarkable employee who worked there for 69 years until age 99 and created approximately 50% of the recipes still served today. BBQ ribs using a recipe from Lloyd's Steak House are available Friday through Sunday, while breakfast favorites include biscuits and sausage gravy with house-made sausage from Gore's Meats in Edinburg, and home-style dinners like roast beef with real homemade gravy. With over 150 seats across multiple dining rooms including a lunch counter with stools, the nostalgic dining experience recalls "small-town diner charm" and "lovingly maintained" roadside hospitality where regulars and staff know each other by name. Moderately priced at $9-25 per entrée with generous portions at reasonable prices, Southern Kitchen serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner seven days a week (7 AM-8 PM weekdays, until 9 PM Friday-Saturday) and can be reached at (540) 740-3514—a must-stop destination near the New Market Battlefield, Endless Caverns, and Luray Caverns.
