Hometown Eats: Fork in the Alley

ROANOKE, Va. (WDBJ) - Have you ever sat around your favorite restaurant and wondered what you would do if you owned it?

Nic Miller answered that question in 2025 when he was handed the keys to Fork in the Alley in Roanoke and we’ll tell you about it in this week’s Hometown Eats!

“Me and my friends grew up in this neighborhood, and we came down here a lot. To go from that to now owning the place is pretty wild,” explained Fork in the Alley owner Nic Miller.

No doubt, Nic Miller once asked the age-old, late-night question, ‘Should I buy the bar?’ The answer was yes. Welcome to Fork in the Alley on Crystal Spring Avenue in Roanoke.

“It’s just a dream come true,” said Miller.

Nic is no stranger to FITA, as the regulars call it, he said his first legal drink was had inside this ski lodge style bar. Heck, he grew up a few blocks up the street.

“It’s a really special place to me. Me and my friends have been running around the neighborhood forever,” said Miller.

He’s not alone, thousands have come through these doors over the 20 years it’s been open. Owned by David Trinkle all those years until it was time to for him to pass the fork.

“New ownership and there have been a lot of changes but it’s still the same ole, good ole neighborhood bar. It’s still a place you can come in here at 4pm and get a beer and see people from the neighborhood that you know, make some new friends,” said Miller.

“Friends can come here and enjoy each other in the neighborhood. It’s great for south Roanoke,” said regular customer Alice.

“And they’re at my place and it’s Fork in the Alley, it’s really cool,” added Miller.

FITA is much more than just the bar, many would say this place has the best outdoor spaces in all of the Star City. As a matter of fact, Nic wants to bring even more live music out front.

“If you know of a better outdoor beer garden area in Roanoke, tell me because I don’t think one exists,” said Miller.

And if you’re looking for something more private, the white house has been converted into an event space.

“This is what we’ve really been working on, other than our food and service and all that good stuff. We’ve been trying to fix this room and this building up into a good event rental space. So, when people are in here and we’ve got a band outside, stage is right there, music is here and everybody is hanging out it’s really, really fun,” said Miller.

The kitchen may be small, but the flavors coming out are big. Nic and his team have put a focus on fresh and local. They’ve recently started serving several sandwiches and burgers on bread from Roanoke bakery, Bread Craft.

While the menu has been updated as well as the cosmetics around this joint, the one thing has and will remain for the past two decades are the good times.

“Fork in the Alley has been here for 20 years, but we’ve been here for 10 months. Still the good ole friendly, neighborhood spot and that’s not going to change,” said Miller.

Fork in the Alley, a hometown eat for the people, by the people.

Fork in the Alley is located at 2123 Crystal Spring Ave SW, Roanoke, VA 24014 and is open Tuesday through Saturday noon to midnight, Sunday noon to 10pm.