The restaurant scene at Smith Mountain Lake is deliciously dynamic with dozens of spots to grab breakfast, lunch and dinner both off and on the water.
At Smith Mountain Lake, you’ll discover cuisines ranging from American grill to Asian fusion to Mexican and Italian, plus quirky food trucks, mom-and-pop ice cream shops and farmer’s markets, each with its own unique character and style.
Bigger & Better in 2021
In the new year, we may still be learning to cope with COVID-19 restrictions, but numerous restaurants have moved to bigger and better locations, expanding to serve our community and our visitors better.
Beacon Pub at The Virginia Dare Cruise & Marina in Moneta was finally able to open its doors in January after recovering from a fire two years ago, followed by the pandemic. The restaurant has been doing exceptionally well since its grand re-opening, owners say.
The Landing Restaurant made a shift from Bernard’s Landing to Mariners Landing in Huddleston and has recently reopened inside The Pointe with takeout only as they finish up the new renovations to their new home.
Owners Bruno and Tiffany Silva didn’t stop there. The couple also re-opened Bruno’s Gastrotruck, moving it to the Clubhouse in Mariners Landing and offering a similar cuisine to the restaurant.
Mariners Landing is getting quite the makeover with so much more coming to the neighborhood, including Bottles & Bites. This wine shop and gourmet market is open to the public will also feature craft beer, grab-an-go food items, and gifts.
Everybody loves some good old-fashioned barbecue. Buddy’s BBQ in Rocky Mount has had quite the year feeding not only the Franklin County community, but folks from all over. In fact, they are doing so well that they’ve decided to relocate to a larger space.
This new location in the old Hardee’s building at 480 Tanyard Road, Rocky Mount, will allow Allen “Buddy” Hancock to bring his dream to life of having a place for locals to gather with friends and family for live bluegrass music and Franklin County High School Eagle football just a stone’s throw away from the stadium.
The “new” Buddy’s BBQ will offer a full-service experience with 160 seats both in and outdoors with covered patios, as well as the expanded offering of mixed drinks. We can’t wait to see the newly renovated space open in June of 2021.
Wondering what’s happening over at Bernard’s Landing with the space that was left empty by The Landing Restaurant’s move to the other side of the lake? That’s where Napoli Cowboy comes in.
The flagship restaurant, located in Wirtz, Virginia, has been all the rage with locals and visitors since opening. With options ranging from Firecracker Shrimp to their Napoli Chicken dish, it’s no wonder Napoli Cowboy has been so popular.
With such a booming business, the owners have decided to expand. Napoli by the Lake will be taking over the space at Bernard’s Landing and is set to open in the summer of 2021. This location will allow guests to not only travel to the establishment by vehicle, but also by boat! With a similar menu and some added twists, we can’t wait to try it out.
Nothing is impossible when it comes to the Smith Mountain Lake community. Individuals who are all going through the same pandemic, yet completely opposite journeys can come together and make the unthinkable a reality. These incredible establishments we have mentioned are only just a few in our community that have risen to the top. There’s so much more to discover, so much more to experience, so much more to taste.
Cover photo: The Pointe at Mariners Landing, photo courtesy of Mariners Landing
