9 of the Best Restaurants In & Around Massanutten in the Shenandoah Valley
Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley is one of the heraldic physical and cultural landscapes of the United States. Its pastoral splendor, epic history (from Shawnee, Tuscarora, and other Native heritage to the bloody raids and battles of the American Civil War), and deep agricultural roots create a vacation destination of year-round—and multidimensional—appeal.
Partly split by the linear loom of Massanutten Mountain, which parallels the Blue Ridge heights of Shenandoah National Park to the near east, the Shenandoah Valley happens to lay claim to some of the best restaurants in VA.
What follows is a roundup of just some of the top-rated eateries in and near this long, broad, flat-out gorgeous glen!
Joshua Wilton House
412 S. Main St., Harrisonburg, VA
At the southern edge of Harrisonburg’s downtown, the Joshua Wilton House stands as both a standout regional historical landmark and a highly respected destination for fine dining. Also serving as an inn, the 1888-built house offers a seasonally shifting, French-influenced farm-to-fork menu that nods as well to Virginia’s potent culinary heritage and proudly features many local and regional ingredients. Examples of the exquisitely prepared, exquisitely presented dishes include, on the appetizer end of things, Wagyu Meatballs and P.E.I. Mussels and such upscale entrées as Pan-Seared Sea Scallops, Filet Mignon, and Duck Breast. The wine list is a showstopper, too.
Hosting seasonal outdoor dining on the garden patio and a cheery fireplace in the lounge, the Joshua Wilton House is one of the best restaurants in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley—and definitely a top contender for romantic dining: Every week, the restaurant offers a special “Date Night Tuesday” menu sure to delight you and your main squeeze!
LOCAL Chop & Grill House
56 W. Gay St., Harrisonburg, VA
An admirable dedication to local sourcing and presenting diners with “the best of what the Shenandoah Valley has to offer” in terms of foodshed sets the LOCAL Chop & Grill House apart from your average steakhouse/chophouse. The location itself is a lesson in history and heritage: The eatery occupies part of the sprawling brick City Produce Exchange Building, built in the early 20th century along the Southern & Chesapeake-Western Railway tracks.
From the steaks and chops themselves to organically raised poultry and produce and some really knockout pastries and cakes, the LOCAL Chop & Grill House menu very much celebrates regional growers and artisans. You get to choose among multiple delectable sauces—from Demi-Glace, Chop House Steak Sauce, and Asparagus Cream to Horseradish Crème Fraîche and Cajun Lime Crema—in a version of create-your-own entrée.
A whole battery of draft beers on tap and wine by the glass, meanwhile, complements the fine list of seasonal craft cocktails. Add regular live music and typically outstanding service, and you’ve got another genuine jewel of Shenandoah Valley dining-out in the LOCAL.
Ciro’s Italian Eatery
101 Downey Knolls Dr, Elkton, VA
A long-running staple of the dining scene in the little hamlet of Elkton (“The First Permanent Settlement West of the Blue Ridge Mountains,” set along the South Fork of the Shenandoah), Ciro’s Italian Eatery offers affordably priced but thoughtfully made Italian and Italian-American fare and warm-hearted service.
The Ciro’s menu is so delightfully sprawling as to basically guarantee everyone in your party will find something to satisfy their cravings. From starters such as various salads, fried calamari, mussels, bruschetta, and Mozzarella Garlic Bread to New York-style pizzas of both Neapolitan and Sicilian influence, calzones, strombolis, Italian sandwiches, and a truly epic spread of pastas, this place has crowd-pleasing written all over it!
Campfire Grill
4156 Del Webb Dr, Massanutten, VA 22840
A culinary linchpin of the 6,000-acre Massahutten Resort, Campfire Grill takes its name seriously. The great outdoors informs the playful aesthetic of this popular casual-dining Massanutten restaurant, not least with regard to the signature Skillet S’mores dessert.
Campfire Grill is an all-day destination, given the breakfast buffet and the wide-ranging lunch and dinner menus, which include everything from pizzas, burgers, streaks, and pastas to Campstove Chili, Campfire Rotisserie Chicken, and Wild Game Skillet. Live music and firepits enhance the atmosphere.
New Market Taproom
Big Meadows Lodge—2, Mile 51, Skyline Dr, Stanley, VA 22851
Some of the top restaurants near Shenandoah Valley are those strung along the Blue Ridge heights of Shenandoah National Park. At Big Meadows Lodge, for instance—built with Massanutten Mountain-quarried stone and within shouting distance of the namesake high-elevation glade that’s a highlight of the park—you can enjoy casual pub grub and refreshing libations at New Market Taproom.
Plenty of draft brews—including sampler flights—are a centerpiece, but you’ve also specialty cocktails to enjoy and such friendly eats as nachos, wings, sandwiches, pizzas (including the build-your-own option), charcuterie, and (for your health) salads rolling out of the kitchen.
The Thunderbird Cafe
42-A Island Ford Rd, McGaheysville, VA
Classic Southern cookery fuses with some strands of Southwestern influence at the Thunderbird Cafe, one of the go-to diners in the Shenandoah Valley. The all-day breakfast menu is a big draw—French toast, breakfast burritos, omelets, pancakes, etc.—as are the Southern standbys for lunch and dinner, from Chicken & Waffles and Country Fried Steak to Mama’s Meatloaf and Shrimp & Grits. Sandwiches, burgers, chili dogs, and the like help round out the offerings.
Besides adult beverages such as wine, beer, and cocktails, the joint serves local Crazy Fox coffee: well worth sampling for a pick-me-up anytime of day.
The 100 Collection: Your Connection for a Luxurious Stay in the Shenandoah Valley
Upscale log cabins, lavish slope-side chalets, grand rustic lodges: Look no further than The 100 Collection’s local lodging partner, Vacation Properties Made Simple, for the perfect upscale retreat in the Massanutten area and other corners of the Shenandoah Valley.
Co-owner Jeremy Litwiller, who fell under the considerable spell of this valley when he came here for college, can link you to the perfect vacation rental for your needs and wants.
