Virginia has lost another longtime neighborhood institution, joining other beloved restaurants that recently closed across the state. Burger in the Square in Roanoke County served its final customers on October 13 after selling out of food, ending a run that stretched back nearly four decades.
The restaurant had originally announced October 14 as its final operating day, with the closure effective October 15, but demand for one last meal emptied the kitchen early. The owners did not give a specific reason for closing, thanking customers, employees and the community instead.
A burger stand born in Roanoke’s City Market
A contemporaneous Roanoke Times anniversary story dates Burger in the Square’s opening to 1986. Founders Bill and Dremma Gaul started it in the City Market Building, and the “Square” in the name referred to Market Square, tying the restaurant’s identity directly to downtown Roanoke…