A new Amish flavor in Roanoke
Picture a crisp Blue Ridge morning as you drive into Roanoke’s industrial‑turned‑arts fringe, where warehouses meet mountain views. Tucked off a quiet side road sits Blue Ridge Amish Market, imagined at 2145 Harvest Lane, Roanoke, VA 24012. The building is simple—a low cream‑sided structure with a green metal roof, hitching rail near the edge of the lot, and a hand‑painted sign swinging gently in the breeze.
Inside, fluorescent glare is replaced by soft, warm lighting and the scent of yeast, cinnamon, and smoked meats. Wooden shelves line the walls, laden with bulk staples, jars of jams and pickles, and paper‑wrapped loaves of fresh‑baked bread. The hum of conversation is low, punctuated by the occasional laugh and the quiet rustle of brown paper bags being filled. It feels less like a “store concept” and more like a country pantry scaled up for the city.
What’s on the shelves and in the cases
Blue Ridge Amish Market is built around three pillars: bulk foods, fresh baked goods, and a small hot‑and‑cold deli that quickly becomes the talk of the valley.
Typical offerings include:
- Large tubs and bins of flour, oats, sugars, rice, beans, pastas, and baking mixes—sold by weight, scooped into clear bags.
- Shelves of jams, fruit butters, relishes, chow‑chow, and pickled beets, all with simple labels listing short ingredient lists.
- Refrigerated cases of farm‑style cheeses, ring bologna, smoked sausage, butter, and local milk and eggs.
- A corner stocked with baking supplies: chocolate chips, cocoa, spices, sprinkles, and Amish‑made extracts.
The bakery counter is unavoidable. Stacked racks show off:
- Cinnamon rolls coiled with generous amounts of brown sugar and icing.
- Whoopie pies in classic chocolate, peanut butter, and seasonal flavors like pumpkin.
- Fruit pies—apple, cherry, peach, and blackberry—some whole, some by the slice.
- Sticky buns, fry pies, and loaves of white, wheat, and cinnamon raisin bread.
It is the kind of place where a “quick stop” easily becomes a full‑basket situation.
Deli favorites and simple hot meals
For many visitors, the deli is the real hook. Behind the glass, you see stacks of meats and cheeses, tubs of potato salad and macaroni salad, and big bowls of coleslaw. At lunchtime, a short, steady line forms as Roanoke workers and day‑trippers step up to the counter, order forms in hand…