If you are in the Roanoke, Virginia area, I suggest you take time to enjoy the drive up #322 to Catawba. At the top of the old, worn-down mountain sits
The Homeplace Restaurant in an enormous two-story antebellum home. Their placemats state, " . . . built by the John Morgan Family in 1907, it sat on 600 acres. The family raised purebred horses, beef cattle, and later ran a dairy farm. The house sat unoccupied for several years before going up for auction October 7, 1978, when 63 acres, including the farmhouse and dairy barn, were purchased by Harold C. Wingate. Renovation on the structure began in July 1981. It
opened for business on September 17, 1982. The Wingate Family currently owns 150 of the original 600 acres."
The average wait-time is an hour. As you can see, no one is in a rush. There was a light breeze, and it was just warm enough to not need a sweater. I sat on the porch and watched all ages come and go.
Meals are served family-style, or spoon-style, as it's called. All-you-can-eat. The chicken was outstanding. It had been fried, but wasn't exactly crispy. It seemed steamed. Our other meat was roast beef. Bowls of mashed potatoes and gravy, fresh green beans, coleslaw and cornbread filled the table twice. Warm blackberry cobbler was served with ice cream once. We could have eaten another one. Outstanding!
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The Homeplace Restaurant Catawba, VA.
P.S. The Appalachian Trail is near enough for hikers to hike over for dinner.
P.S. P.S. Audie Murphy, America's most decorated WWII soldier, was killed in a plane crash in this area in 1971.
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