Roanoke, Virginia boasts three local, independently owned branches of the Wildflour Café. If you’re in the area and decide you would like to try something deliciously new instead of going to a chain restaurant, try the Wildflour! Jeff and Teal Batson own the Wildflour located on the top level of Towers Shopping Center, just off of route 581. The second location is in downtown Roanoke on Fourth Street, owned by Doug and Evie Robison. The newest location, owned by Mark Henderson, is on Williamson Road near Hollins University.
Though the three Wildflour locations are independently owned, their menus offer the same basic gourmet café-style of food. The Fourth Street location has been open for ten years while the Towers Shopping Center location has been open for thirteen years; both, however, employ friendly waiters and waitresses. I just found out about the Hollins branch opening, so I have not been there yet. I have read, however, that the owner offers more “home-cooking” selections than the original two locations. I’m not sure what I think about this change because it seems like “home cooking” is an attempt to make the Wildflour like other Roanoke area restaurants. The rest of this article will be based on the original two Wildflour locations since those are the two with which I am more familiar.
Usually a consistent flow of customers dines at both restaurant locations during suppertime, but lunch time is usually the busiest for this popular local restaurant. At all times of the day, however, the Wildflour has gained a fair share of “regulars,” with whom the Wildflour employees can chat further than a cordial, protocol conversation.
The Wildflour welcomes hungry customers with alluring scents of gourmet food; they make their own desserts and bake their own delicious bread. Gentle lighting and flowers on the clean tables are some of the aspects that contribute to the pleasing décor and friendly atmosphere. The food at the Wildflour is gourmet café style-so good and so varied that it’s difficult to even categorize the restaurant.
To all you vegetarians: come one, come all, and let’s hope your appetite isn’t small! While many restaurants gear their menu selection toward meat-eaters, the Wildflour menu proudly lists numerous options to satisfy the vegetarian palate. My mother was a rather embittered vegetarian Roanoker because of the very few local restaurants that cater to vegetarians; Wildflour is one that brings a warm, thankful smile to her face. The Wildflour is even listed on a website for vegetarians: www.vegetarianusa.com/city/Virginia.html. At the same time, the Wildflour offers a variety of items that will make any meat-lover’s stomach growl. The Wildflour easily makes it onto my family’s list of top five restaurant choices when we have our weekly family dine-out night.
If you have difficulty making decisions like me, be sure to give yourself time to look at the Wildflour’s generous menu selection. Besides a basic garden salad, Wildflour offers pleasing alternatives such as a Spinach Garden Salad, a Surimi Salad, and a Bozeman Tostada Salad. Though I’ve never tried one, I’ve heard the Wildflour soups are just as appetizing as the salads. The vegetarians can delight in choices that include more than just a garden patch. Neglect all meat to try entrees such as Portabella Mushroom, Veggie Lasagna, Portabella Pasta, and the newly added Sundried Tomato and Sweet Pepper Pasta. Choose between veggie sandwiches such as the Incredibella Portabella, the Parthenon Wrap, and the Tempeh Burger. My mother would personally like to recommend the Portabella Pasta or Incredibella Portabella sandwich.
Meat-lovers, have no fear! A scrumptious selection awaits you as well. Of course, if you are in a veggie mood, any of the vegetarian dishes will satisfy you too. Among the meaty sandwiches include the Reuben, Chicken Salad Sandwich, and Tuna Melt. If you prefer the Subway-method, you can also make your own sandwich. The Wildflour always has a list of daily specials, though many of them are regularly on the list. Some of the veggie entrees are listed under “Daily Specials,” as are many entrees for meat-eaters. Try Mexican with the Blackened Chicken Quesadilla, or American style with the Santa Fe Burger. My father’s regular order is The Original Wildflour Crab Cake, which he claims to be a delectable substitute for crab cakes from ocean-side restaurants. Of course, I have to give my meat-and-cheese-lover recommendation: the Blue Moon Wrap is one of the most delicious pitas you can ask for if you like steak and blue cheese! Oh, and by the way, I have also decided that the Greek Pasta Salad is the best side to go along with the Blue Moon Wrap.
Though I visit the Wildflour at Towers Shopping Center more than the Fourth Street location, I know that both locations contain a mouth-watering assortment of homemade desserts, which they display openly to entice each passerby. I would have to recommend trying all of them, including the mint parfait brownies, peanut butter fudge brownies, chocolate raspberry mousse brownie, triple fudge brownies, cheesecake brownies, and pumpkin cheesecake brownies. If the names are not enough to entice you, then know this fact: Wildflour won the gold award for “Best Desserts” in The Roanoker magazine for 2005.
Not an alcohol-provider, Wildflour offers drinks such as coffee, tea, juices, soft drinks, and milk. This local restaurant provides fairly reasonable prices, ranging from $4.25 to $7.25 for sandwiches, $7.25 – $16.95 for specials, $6.25 – $7.50 for salads, about $3.50 for soups, and $8 for veggie entrees. As a side note, Wildflour also provides catering for those of you who may be planning a larger event.
I would like to thank Nora Ford and Robert Pilot, employees of the Wildflour at Towers; with their help, I was able to gather information for this article. With their friendly smiles, our family can always enjoy our visit to this quaint local restaurant.
