Hometown Eats: Rocky Mount Burger Company

ROCKY MOUNT, Va. (WDBJ) - Rocky Mount is known for a vibrant music scene and for the past 5 years, it’s also been known for some delicious burgers.

“Once we got the name right, everything started clicking,” said owner Brian Hochstein.

Owning a restaurant was a bucket list item for Hochstein, and when he had the chance to set up shop across the street from the Harvester Music Center, the Rocky Mount Burger Company was born in September 2017.

“Always wanted to be in the restaurant business, thought I would give it a try and it’s a lot harder than I thought, but I’ve got great staff, great people, and great customers,” said Hochstein.

“It’s like a family atmosphere, you come in and pretty much everybody knows us,” said regular customer Mike.

The menu was the easy part, specialized burgers and sandwiches, but like every great idea, the hardest part was the name.

“The original name was called B-Sides but unfortunately no one knew what that was and when we changed the name to Rocky Mount Burger Company, sales almost doubled that very month,” said Hochstein.

“They’ve got something for everybody. The food, drinks, music, the environment, they even have outdoor dining now,” added Justin, who is another regular to this joint.

But wait, there’s more! Up the wooden steps, the Barrel Room creates a whole different vibe. Beginning Friday, July 8, they’ll open the space to customers with a different menu than downstairs. They’ll offer this throughout the summer on select Fridays.

“We started thinking speakeasy with high-end bourbons. It wouldn’t be open all the time so it’s special when it is open, and we rent it out for private parties,” said Hochstein.

So, whether it’s a quick lunch break or a long stay with some cold ones, the man in the kitchen tunes up the perfect bite.

Chef Bo Bernard brings over 20 years’ experience and on the day of filming this story, it was his 1-year anniversary at Rocky Mount Burger Company.

“They’re pretty much known for their burgers. They are all hand patted out,” said Mike.

“They want to see what Bo’s putting together in the kitchen!” Exclaimed Hochstein.

Chef Bo cooked up a few different burgers and more for us to try, including the new Triple Beer or Triple B Burger paired with local brewery, Living Proof, and you’ll find a taste of their porter in the cheese and sauce.

Another favorite is the PB & J, pimento cheese, bacon, & jalapeño burger.

Not in the mood for a burger, the Big Smack! is stacked with hot roast beef, jalapeños, bacon, grilled onions, cheddar jack cheeses and a homemade steak sauce.

Then something that might raise an eyebrow but is mighty tasty, a deep fried hot dog with chili, cheese, onion, and mayonnaise. Yes, mayo but it’s definitely worth a try!

“Great burgers, great atmosphere, great service, I love it,” Hochstein said proudly.

Don’t forget to take a selfie with the Virginia LOVE sign above the entrance!

Rocky Mount Burger Company, a lovely hometown eat.

Rocky Mount Burger Company address, 467 Franklin St. Rocky Mount, Virginia 24151.

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