People Drive From All Over Virginia To Eat At This Legendary Country Ham Restaurant
Hikers arrive with tired legs and leave wondering how another biscuit found its way onto the table. Fried chicken, country ham, roast beef, creamy potatoes, and bowls of Southern sides keep coming until everyone finally admits defeat.
How many trail stops can turn one hungry afternoon into an all-you-can-eat feast inside a century-old home? Virginia has brought back a farmhouse tradition people feared was gone for good.
The rules are refreshingly simple. Choose the meat, pass the bowls, and speak up when more food is needed.
Nothing arrives in tiny portions. Biscuits disappear fast, gravy finds everything, and saying “just one more piece” becomes very easy.
The Legend Is Back Open
Picture this: a white farmhouse sitting on a Virginia hillside, surrounded by mountains and open pastures. That is exactly what greets you when you pull into The Homeplace in Catawba, Virginia.
The moment you see it, something about it just feels right.
The Homeplace officially opened on September 17, 1982, inside a beautifully restored farmhouse originally built in 1907 by the John Morgan family on a 600-acre farm. Harold C.
Wingate purchased the property in 1981 and, with his son Kevin, transformed it into one of Virginia’s most beloved dining destinations.
Then came 2020, and the pandemic forced the doors to close. For years, loyal fans held onto the memory of those heaping family-style platters.
The good news? The Homeplace reopened in April 2026 under new ownership, with a firm commitment to keeping the original name, the original recipes, and that warm, unhurried spirit.
New ownership, same soul. That is the promise.
And from the looks of the crowds already lining up on the front porch, people believe it. If you have been waiting for the right moment to finally make the trip, that moment is now.
The legend is back, and it is ready to feed you.
Country Ham Worth The Trip
Virginia country ham has a reputation that precedes itself, and The Homeplace serves it in a way that reminds you exactly why. Thinly sliced, salty, savory, and rich, each bite carries a flavor that is deeply rooted in Southern tradition.
This is not the kind of ham you find at a grocery store deli counter.
Guests choose between one, two, or three meat options. Country ham is one of the three stars on the menu, alongside crispy fried chicken and tender, juicy roast beef.
Every combination lands on your table in generous, family-style portions that keep coming until you say stop.
The sides are just as serious as the mains. Mashed potatoes and white gravy, green beans, pinto beans, coleslaw, corn, and those legendary buttermilk biscuits all arrive together.
The biscuits disappear fast, fair warning.
Pricing starts at around $23.99 for one meat, with a small upcharge for each additional meat. Desserts like fruit cobbler are available for an extra charge and are not included in the base meal.
Leftovers from your original order can be boxed up to take home, which is a bonus when portions are this generous. Come hungry, and come ready to sit back and truly enjoy the meal.
A Farmhouse With Real History
Not every restaurant gets to eat inside a piece of living history. The building that houses this beloved spot was constructed in 1907 by the John Morgan family, who used the surrounding 600 acres to raise purebred horses and beef cattle.
Later, the land became a dairy farm before eventually sitting empty for years.
When Harold C. Wingate bought the farmhouse and 150 acres in 1981, he saw something special in those old walls.
He and his son transformed it into a dining destination, and the character of the original structure was preserved throughout. Wooden floors, simple tables, walls filled with charm, and sunlight filtering through old windows, none of that was manufactured for effect.
It was already there.
There are five dining rooms inside, with seating for around 150 guests. Each room has its own personality, but the overall feel is consistent: warm, unhurried, and completely unpretentious.
No fancy lighting rigs or trendy decor here.
Walking through those rooms, you get a real sense of how many families, road trippers, and hungry hikers have sat in those same seats over the decades. That kind of history is rare, and it makes every meal feel like more than just lunch.
Appalachian Trail Hikers Swear By It
Ask any serious Appalachian Trail hiker about The Homeplace and watch their face light up. Among the hiking community, this restaurant holds near-legendary status as the best meal on the entire trail.
That is not a small claim given how many states the AT passes through.
The restaurant sits about a mile from where the Appalachian Trail crosses Catawba Valley Drive. That proximity is no accident to hikers who plan their route carefully.
Think about what an all-you-can-eat spread of fried chicken, country ham, roast beef, mashed potatoes, biscuits, and green beans means to someone who has been living off trail mix for weeks. It means everything.
It means sitting down, slowing down, and eating until the world feels right again.
The Homeplace is famously hiker-friendly, and that welcoming attitude is part of what makes it so special. Trail culture and farm culture collide here in the best possible way.
If you are planning a trip along the AT or just road-tripping through the Shenandoah Valley region, this stop deserves a spot on your itinerary. Your body and your appetite will thank you.
Virginia Tech Students Love It
For Virginia Tech students and families, a trip to The Homeplace is practically a rite of passage. Blacksburg is not far from Catawba, and the all-you-can-eat format has made this restaurant a natural magnet for college appetites that have no business being underestimated.
Graduation weekends, orientation visits, family trips to campus, The Homeplace has quietly become part of the Virginia Tech experience for countless people over the decades. Parents want to treat their students.
Students want to bring their friends. Everyone ends up eating way more than they planned, and nobody regrets it.
There is something about the family-style setup that works perfectly for groups. Food keeps arriving at the table.
Conversations keep flowing. Nobody is staring at a sad individual plate wondering if they ordered enough.
The whole experience encourages sharing, laughing, and lingering, which is exactly what a great meal should do.
Whether it is a first visit or a nostalgic return, the energy at the table always feels celebratory. Big groups are welcome here, and the space can handle them.
If you are visiting someone at Virginia Tech or passing through the New River Valley area, make the short drive to Catawba. A meal at The Homeplace is the kind of thing people talk about for years after the diploma is framed on the wall.
The Outdoor Experience Matters
Yes, there can be a wait for a table. And honestly?
That wait is part of the charm. The outdoor areas at The Homeplace are genuinely lovely, set on a hill with sweeping views of the surrounding mountains and pastoral Virginia countryside.
The front porch has rocking chairs, and that alone is reason enough to arrive a little early. There is a gazebo on the grounds, a private pond, and cornhole boards set up for guests who want to stay active while waiting.
Families with kids will find plenty of space to roam without anyone feeling cooped up or impatient.
Guests have also spotted Highland cows on the property, the fluffy, long-haired kind that tend to cause a lot of excitement and photo opportunities. Several reviewers specifically mentioned running down to the fence to visit them after the meal.
That is not something most restaurants can offer.
When the light starts to dip toward the mountains and the smell of home cooking drifts out from the kitchen, the wait stops feeling like a wait at all. It starts feeling like the beginning of something memorable.
Bring a jacket for cooler evenings, wear comfortable shoes, and just enjoy being somewhere genuinely beautiful before the food even arrives. The setting alone earns its own visit.
Plan Your Visit Right
A little planning goes a long way with a restaurant this popular. The Homeplace is currently open Wednesday through Friday evenings, and Saturday and Sunday for both lunch and dinner.
Always check their current hours before heading out, as times may vary and the restaurant is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Seating is primarily walk-in, with a waiting list system. When you arrive, head straight inside to add your name to the list, do not just wait outside assuming a line will form naturally.
Several guests have mentioned missing their spot by not knowing this, so go straight to the lobby first.
Weekday evenings tend to be calmer than weekend rushes. Sunday afternoons can bring waits of an hour or more, especially during peak seasons.
Arriving close to opening time gives you the best shot at a shorter wait. There is also a limited reservation option for larger groups, so if you are bringing a party of eight or more, it is worth reaching out in advance.
Parking is available on the property, and the grounds offer plenty of space to spread out while waiting. The restaurant is family-friendly and accessible, making it a solid choice for multigenerational groups.
Come with a flexible attitude, comfortable shoes, and a genuinely empty stomach. This meal rewards patience in the best possible way.
A Meal Worth Every Mile
People do not drive from across Virginia to eat at just any restaurant. They drive for food that feels personal, for a setting that feels real, and for an experience that sticks with them long after the last biscuit is gone.
The Homeplace delivers all three in one sitting.
The all-you-can-eat format means nobody leaves hungry. The family-style service means food keeps arriving at the table without anyone having to flag down a server repeatedly.
It is a relaxed, generous way to eat that feels increasingly rare in a world of tiny portions and rushed service.
Fried chicken that is hot and crispy, country ham that is rich and savory, roast beef that is tender, these are not complicated flavors. They are honest flavors, made with care and served with pride.
That combination is what keeps people coming back, sometimes for decades, sometimes across generations.
Treat yourself to a real adventure. Load up the car, take the scenic drive through the Virginia mountains, and make a reservation or plan to arrive early.
The full address is 4968 Catawba Valley Drive, Catawba, VA 24070, plug it in, hit the road, and get ready for a meal that earns every single mile of the journey. Some experiences are simply worth showing up for, and this is absolutely one of them.