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BEST OF BLACKSBURG
Blacksburg does breakfast well, from a 1974 vegetarian institution downtown to a donut shop people line up at before a game. Here's where we'd send a friend, depending on what kind of morning it is.
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Updated October 2026 · By Michael Arthur, Blacksburg Connect
A classic diner plate: Joe's Diner (North Main, downtown)
Vegetarian or vegan breakfast: Gillie's (College Ave, downtown)
A sit-down bakery breakfast: Our Daily Bread (South Main)
A big menu for a group: Eggs Up Grill (South Main)
Donuts for the tailgate: Carol Lee Donuts (North Main)
A bagel and coffee on foot: Bollo's (Draper Rd, downtown)
153 College Ave, downtown · gilliesrestaurant.com
Gillie's has been feeding Blacksburg since 1974, when Jan Gillie turned an old antique furniture store into an ice cream shop and then started serving vegetarian food. It's still plant-forward, with vegan and gluten-free options throughout the menu. Breakfast classics come with honey wheat toast or a buttermilk biscuit, and griddle items come with whipped cream (blueberries, banana or chocolate chips are extra).
Good for: mixed groups with vegetarians or vegans, and an easy walk from campus
Hours (from Gillie's website): breakfast and brunch Mon–Fri 8 a.m.–2 p.m.; weekend brunch Sat–Sun 8 a.m.–3 p.m.
221 N Main St, downtown · joesdinerva.com
This is the no-nonsense diner breakfast. The "Big Joe's" is two eggs, bacon, country ham or sausage, grits or hashbrowns, plus biscuits and gravy, a pancake, a waffle or French toast. There are also omelettes, chicken and waffles, a breakfast burrito and breakfast sandwiches (upgrade to a biscuit).
Good for: a hungry crew, a country-ham fix, and a quick sit-down downtown
Hours (from Joe's website): daily 8 a.m.–2 p.m. Hours can change, so check before you go.
1329 S Main St · odbb.com
A bakery and bistro in one, so you can sit down for omelets, crepes or French toast and take a pastry box home. Reviewers regularly mention the almond croissants and eggs Benedict.
Good for: a slower sit-down breakfast, brunch with parents, and pastries for later
Hours (from Our Daily Bread's website): Mon–Sat 7 a.m.–8 p.m., Sun 9 a.m.–2 p.m. Breakfast ends at 11 a.m. on weekdays and 2 p.m. on weekends.
1342-1 S Main St
A Southern breakfast chain with a long menu: crème brûlée French toast, shrimp and grits bowls, chicken and waffles, Benedicts, omelets and breakfast sandwiches. It's right across South Main from Our Daily Bread, so this stretch is basically Blacksburg's breakfast row.
Good for: big groups, picky eaters and families
Hours: listed as daily 6 a.m.–2 p.m. Check current hours before you go.
1414 N Main St · carolleedonuts.com
A Blacksburg institution. Get a dozen on the way in and you've fed the whole tailgate.
Good for: game mornings and office treats
Hours (from Carol Lee's website): Tue–Sun 6:30 a.m.–1 p.m., closed Mondays. They can sell out, so go early, especially on home-game Saturdays.
206 Draper Rd NW, just off College Ave
Bagels, pastries and coffee, a quick grab-and-go if you're walking downtown or heading to campus.
460 Turner St NW, Suite 204, downtown
Pastries plus breakfast sandwiches: egg and cheese, bagel sandwiches, or build your own. Good for a pastry run before work or an early lot arrival on game day.
700 N Main St · blacksburgmillmountain.com
A coffee shop with room to sit and a roaster right on the floor (the beans are roasted in-house). Breakfast and lunch are made to order all day, so it's a good spot to regroup and plan the day. Its website lists daily hours of 7 a.m.–6 p.m.
Gillie's (above): weekend brunch Sat–Sun 8 a.m.–3 p.m.
Zeppoli's Restaurant & Wine Shop, 810 University City Blvd #22: Italian restaurant and wine shop with brunch Sat & Sun 10 a.m.–3 p.m. (from Zeppoli's website)
The Loyal (formerly Preston's) at The Inn at Virginia Tech, 901 Prices Fork Rd: on-campus Sunday brunch buffet, listed by the Inn as 11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. Reservations recommended.
A full Best Brunch guide is coming soon.
Downtown (walkable from campus): Gillie's, Joe's Diner, Bollo's, Next Door Bake Shop
North Main: Mill Mountain Coffee & Tea, Carol Lee Donuts
South Main: Our Daily Bread, Eggs Up Grill
University City Blvd: Zeppoli's (weekend brunch)
On campus: The Loyal (formerly Preston's) at The Inn at Virginia Tech
Lots of these open early on game days, so grab donuts or a bagel and go (see our Game Day Guide). Visiting your student? Our Parents Weekend Guide has where to stay and what to do. Looking for more? Browse all our Best Of picks or things to do in Blacksburg.
For a diner plate, Joe's Diner on North Main. For a Blacksburg tradition, Carol Lee Donuts.
Gillie's on College Ave has been vegetarian since 1974, with vegan and gluten-free options throughout the menu.
Gillie's (Sat–Sun from 8 a.m.) and Zeppoli's (Sat–Sun 10 a.m.–3 p.m.) are the easy picks.
Downtown is a short walk from campus. Gillie's, Bollo's, Joe's Diner and Next Door Bake Shop are all downtown.
Hours change, so check before you go. Spot something wrong, or have a favorite we missed? Reply to any issue or use our suggestion box.
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