The Mountain Empire may not be known for its cuisine – but it’s only because many out-of-towners haven’t tried some of the best the region has to offer.
Downhome cooking is a specialty here.
Here’s a look at a few of the region’s most popular with locals and tourists alike.
Burger Bar
Some believe Hank Williams spoke his last public words at this downtown Bristol diner before he died during a car trip to West Virginia in 1952.
While that controversial claim to fame can’t be verified, one thing is certain – the diner has been serving up the same American fare since it opened in 1952 and remains a virtually unchanged favorite.
The restaurant is at 8 Piedmont St. in Bristol, Va. The telephone number is (276) 466-6200.
Corner Dog House
The oldest hot dog restaurant in Bristol has served up the same famous chili dogs since 1963, sometimes as many as 600 per day. Owner Steve Willinger says his hot dog stand is the only place where folks can get the locally famous Buntings Drug Store chili or their Original Dixie Dog. He also boasts to have “the best Philly cheesesteak in town.”
Willinger said he and his wife bought the place about 18 months ago and have maintained its tradition for good eats at a cheap price.
They have two locations – 102 East Mary St.
in Bristol, Va., (276) 669-2231, and in Whites Shopping Center, 5674 Highway 11E in Piney Flats, Tenn., (423) 391-7602.
The Troutdale Dining Room
The Tri-Cities’ only five-star restaurant serves award-winning food and wine in a historic Victorian house built in the 1850s.
The menu changes monthly and the specials change daily. It is at 412 6th St. in Bristol, Tenn. The telephone number is (423) 968-9099
Ridgewood Barbecue
Many people say this unassuming restaurant tucked at the base of the Appalachian Mountains serves up some of the best pork barbecue in the country. This family-run restaurant has defined excellence for pork since it opened in 1948, and today it’s not uncommon to stand in line outside for a table. Ridgewood has been featured in magazines and television shows and is more than worth a visit.
It is at 900 Elizabethton Highway in Bluff City, Tenn. For more information, call (423) 538-7543.
Cuz’s Uptown Barbecue
This barbecue restaurant, housed in a renovated dairy barn, has been serving up best-selling cuisine since 1979. Located on an otherwise empty strip of U.S. Highway 460 in Pounding Mill, Va., owners Mike and Yvonne Thompson serve 2-inch-thick steaks, fresh fish flown in twice weekly and pit-smoked barbecue. The restaurant was the winner of the 1996 Virginia B&B Beef Cookoff. Cuz’s is closed for the season, but will reopen March 5. The number is (276) 964-9014.
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