What do Muhammad Ali, Debbie Reynolds, George Jones and former Virginia Governor George Allen have in common?
They’ve all eaten at The Roanoker Restaurant, an appetizing star attraction in the Star City of the South: Roanoke, Va.
"The Roanoker is a total, complete institution in this city," according to Ann Pope, a regular customer who’s been dining at the eatery since just after moving to Roanoke in 1967. "What keeps me coming back is the good food and the people. They’re like family."
That’s how restaurant regulars feel about Renee Craft, who’s been running The Roanoker since 2006. But, none of them call her Renee.
"No one knows me by anything but Butch," Craft said. "One day, someone called the restaurant and asked for Renee, and the cashier didn’t know who Renee was. My brother gave me the nickname, Butch when we were young, and it stuck."
Like her nickname, Craft came to The Roanoker and stuck. E. Crafton Warren, who first opened the historic restaurant in 1941, hired Butch in 1970. She’s been here ever since.
"I was 19 then," Craft giggled. "But, truly, Crafton Warren was like a father to me. His son, E.C., was like my family."
When the Warrens hung up their spatulas and retired, it was a no brainer for Butch to buy the business.
"It truly feels like my family business," Craft said. "It just gets in your blood. My customers are friends and not just customers."
I could sure see that the whole time I visited with Butch Craft. If she said, "Hi y’all" once, she said it a hundred times to every person who passed by our table.
"I think the Warrens left The Roanoker in the hands of someone who has a genuine passion for it," Craft said. "I haven’t changed anything here and won’t."
The Roanoker recipe has always called for affordable, down home, Southern food served in a sit-down, full-service, everybody gets waited on atmosphere. And that hasn’t changed in seven decades.
"Well, the biggest thing we’re known for is our breakfast," Craft said. "Food like our sausage gravy, biscuits and Virginia country ham are our staples."
Yes, if The Roanoker was a car, breakfast would be what drives it. Southern Living magazine named The Roanoker as one of the five best places to eat breakfast in Virginia.
"Really, I’ve tried about everything and it’s all good," Pope said. "And it’s not just good food, it’s just a good place to be. I’m a real estate agent, and I’ve written a lot of contracts here. Probably half of my listings are a result of people I’ve met here."
I turned to Butch Craft and suggested to her that The Roanoker was all about traditional, Southern, mountain hospitality.
"That pretty much nails it," she agreed.
I could sure see that with what happened next in the booth across from us when a customer spilled her drink.
Quick as a wink, Butch jumped up and grabbed a few towels to help clean it up.
"You’re not the first to do that," she laughed and said to the grateful diner. "It’s usually me that does it."
For more information, visit The Roanoker website at www.theroanokerrestaurant.com.
CABLE COUNTRY is on every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 5:55 p.m. on 11 Connects. Tim Cable welcomes story ideas and can be contacted at tcable@11connects.com or (423) 434-4545.
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