Christina O'Connor | The Roanoke Times

The Gillie's Special

Long before Roanoke had a Thai restaurant (or three) or a whole handful of spots to satisfy that vindaloo craving, Blacksburg and Christiansburg were offering a whole variety of fare, from Cajun to vegetarian to Indian.

But which restaurants are worth a starving student's last $20 or a 35-minute drive from the 'Noke to the college town?

We asked readers of the Fridge Magnet food blog on roanoke.com to tell us their favorite New River Valley restaurants. Responses ranged from the alleged "best hot dog in the world" to the best place to swear off hot dogs and all other mystery meat forever.

In no particular order...

Gillie's

The Gillie's Special is made with eggs, potatoes, salsa, cheese and a biscuit (or toast). 153 College Ave., Blacksburg (540) 961-2703

"Gillie's is a vegetarian place and they have such an awesome variety of options, none of which have ever disappointed me," wrote Adria Mannon.

Boudreaux's

205 N. Main St., Blacksburg (540) 961-2330

Michele Canterbury says, "Their Cajun food is as good as most anything we had while in New Orleans."

The Cellar

302 N. Main St., Blacksburg (540) 953-0651

"I love their pita pizzas," wrote John Holst. "I like the different touch of using the pita for the crust rather than traditional dough ... it's got a nice crunch to it."

Zeppoli's

810 University City Blvd., Blacksburg (540) 953-2000

"Zeppoli's in Blacksburg has great Italian food and a huge wine selection," Canterbury said.

Added Hank Ingram: "When we eat out like grown-ups, Zeppoli's always gets the first mention."

Starlite Drive-In

305 Starlight Dr., Christiansburg (540) 382-2202

"According to their Web site, the people in New River Valley say 'they have the best hot dogs in the world,' " wrote Michelle Sammons.

Debi Bourne added, "I agree the hot dogs are pretty tasty. They have a good selection of movie foods and the prices are excellent. Definitely worth the drive ... good family atmosphere."