Southwest Virginia, Home away from home

If there is one thing about Southwest Virginia to love, it’s the rural countryside. Rather you’re driving down Interstate 81 or a winding country road, you’ll pass by beautiful farmlands, mountain ranges, and some of the best scenery in the state. We live in small, close-knit communities, where everybody knows your name. In Southwest Virginia, no one is a stranger, because we’re always eager to greet ya. If you’re looking for the perfect home away from home experience, you’ve come to the right place.

Home away from home would not be complete without some delicious cooking. 

The Harvest Table

Located in a small community named Meadowview, The Harvest Table Restaurant is a staple of locally owned. This farm to table restaurant features local farmers, artisans, musicians, and goods from the Southwest Virginia region.

The Harvest Table uses seasonal produce and meats from local and regional sources. Shopping from local and regional vendors and farmers markets to provide the highest quality foods. Each meal is perfectly crafted and made from scratch by Chef Charles and his kitchen staff.

“We favor real foods prepared in a healthy way; nothing on our menu is deep fat fried.” – The Harvest Table

The Dining Experience

Prepare yourself to step back in time from the moment you pull into the town square parking lot. The vintage-styled buildings both inside and out reflect that of the days centered around the railroad, general stores, and dirt roads.

Once inside, you’ll be delighted to see a modern-day general store. Within the store are products from local businesses from all across the region. You’ll find goods for cooking, home decor, art, music, and so much more. It’s a great way to not only find unique keepsakes but also learn more about small businesses from Southwest Virginia.

On our recent Friday night dinner, we began with some ice-cold water in a Mason Jar and a delicious sampling of scratch-baked bread by Harvest Table Baker: Willie Bordwine. Words cannot begin to express how mouth-watering this bread basket was. It was hard to not eat every last bite, however, we had to save plenty of room for the entire five-course meal.

Another great thing about The Harvest Table is the fine selections of menu items for vegetarians, carnivores, and those who have a gluten allergy. For couples who have a vegetarian and meat eater in the relationship, dining options can often be difficult. My soup was a wonderful vegetable and beef mix, while my fiancé had a  bowl of sweet potato curry soup.

Whoever thought of sweet salads had the right idea. My salad was completed with mixed leafy greens, apple slices, chopped pecans, onions, and topped with a sweet and tangy cranberry drizzle.

The main course was nothing short of our expectations. On the left is a vegetarian-friendly dish including; broccoli, sweet potatoes, microgreens, cooked with white wine. The meat-lovers dish was a new york strip steak from Laural Springs Farm on top of a bed of local grits. The dish was topped off with caramelized onions, broccoli, and microgreens.

To wrap up an already fine evening, Chef Charles surprised us with fan favorite, Chocolate Tort, and homemade ice cream. Made in house, the vanilla ice cream was infused with fresh raspberries which complemented the rich chocolate tort.