Pimento cheese is a Southern classic, and Virginia cooks love piling it on a burger. Across the state, small roadside grills and casual diners are turning this creamy, tangy spread into the star of the menu.
Whether you are cruising through the Blue Ridge mountains or heading to the coast, these eight stops make a great excuse to pull over and grab a real Virginia burger. Keep this list handy for your next drive, because each spot brings its own take on the pimento cheese burger.
1. Holly Jo’s Creekside Grill, Boones Mill, VA
Sitting right along Virgil H. Goode Highway in the small mountain town of Boones Mill, this casual grill makes its food fresh to order.
The pimento cheese burger is a standout, but the kitchen is also known for a clever twist: homemade pork rinds served with pimento cheese for dipping. If you have never been a pimento cheese fan, that combination has a way of changing minds.
The menu runs deep with sandwiches, hamburgers, fried chicken, meatloaf, and a Southwest chicken salad. Portions come out generous, and there are homemade desserts and ice cream if you save room.
It is an easy family stop with a kids’ menu, high chairs, and plenty of free parking. Hours run Monday and Sunday until 8 PM, Wednesday through Saturday until 9 PM, and the grill is closed on Tuesdays.
Reservations are accepted, and outdoor seating is available when the weather cooperates.
2. Treehouse Tavern, Bent Mountain, VA
Perched on Bent Mountain Road just outside Roanoke, this family-friendly tavern mixes brick oven pizza and house-smoked BBQ with a solid lineup of tavern fare.
The pimento cheese burger pairs nicely with hand-cut fries, and the kitchen also serves a pimento cheese sandwich for folks who want the flavor without the beef. Brownie sundaes round out the dessert side.
Between the wood-fired pizzas, smoked meats, and a menu that covers vegan and vegetarian options, there is a lot of variety here for a rural mountain community.
Live music, dog-friendly outdoor seating, and free Wi-Fi make it a relaxed place to linger. The tavern is open Wednesday and Thursday from 4 to 9 PM, Friday and Saturday from noon to 9 PM, and Sunday from 11 AM to 4 PM.
It is closed Monday and Tuesday, so plan your drive accordingly.
3. Remedy Burger, Staunton, VA
Right in the heart of historic downtown Staunton on East Beverley Street, this burger spot builds its reputation on crisp-edged beef patties and house-made pimento cheese.
The signature Remedy Burger leans into that pimento cheese, roasted garlic mayo, bacon, and a basket of fries with dipping sauce. If you want to branch out, the menu also offers an Oklahoma onion burger, a blue cheese burger, and truffle fries that happen to be vegan.
The smash-style patties get those crispy edges that burger fans chase, and the pimento cheese and bacon combination is a crowd favorite here.
Seating includes a bourbon bar and outdoor spots. Hours stretch late on Friday and Saturday until 11 PM, with 9 PM closings the rest of the week and a Tuesday shutdown.
The place does not take reservations, and street parking downtown can be a little tight, so give yourself a minute to find a spot.
4. Corner Burger, Forest, VA
Out in Forest in Bedford County, along Perrowville Road, this local eatery takes its ingredients seriously, offering grass-fed beef and locally sourced toppings.
The pimento cheese here comes in a healthy serving on the burger, and a popular move is stacking it with a fried green tomato. The beef is juicy enough that you will want extra napkins, and that is a compliment.
Beyond burgers, the menu features Wisconsin cheese curds, Parmesan truffle fries, hand-cut fries, a harvest salad, and a brunch burger. The Crack Burger and the Corner Classic anchor the burger lineup.
The quality does push the price up a bit, but the portions and ingredients back it up. It is a comfortable spot for families and groups, with a kids’ menu and plenty of free parking.
Open daily, with later hours on Friday and Saturday until 10 PM and an earlier 7:30 PM close on Sunday.
5. Hollywood’s Restaurant & Bakery, Roanoke, VA
Along Williamson Road in Roanoke, this warm, Southern-inspired eatery doubles as a bakery, which means the dessert case pulls its weight.
The pimento cheese burger appears right on the menu as Charlie’s Pimento Cheese Burger, and it shares the spotlight with homemade sweets like coconut cake, peanut butter pie, and giant cream puffs.
Comfort food is the theme, from catfish and ribs to shrimp and grits, Cajun meatloaf, and a Cobb salad. The neighborhood diner feel makes it an easy place to settle in for lunch or dinner.
Fresh-baked breads and rotating desserts give the bakery side real weight, so this is a good stop when you want a meal and something sweet to go. Hours are Monday through Saturday from 11 AM to 9 PM, and the restaurant is closed on Sundays.
Reservations are accepted, and there is plenty of on-site parking.
6. Mason-Dixon Cafe, Fredericksburg, VA
Family-run and set on Princess Anne Street in historic Fredericksburg, this cafe serves updated American comfort classics all day long.
The pimento cheese burger with bacon is a favorite, and if you are in the mood for something different, the kitchen also does a pimento cheese steak. Southern-inspired plates like a Monte Cristo sandwich show off the creativity here.
Breakfast runs all day, which is a nice touch. Chicken and waffles with maple bacon syrup, sweet potato tots, a big breakfast burrito, shrimp and grits, and a blackened blue burger keep the menu interesting no matter what time you show up.
The diner is dog-friendly outside, family-friendly inside, and comes with a changing table and kids’ menu. Hours are Monday through Saturday from 8 AM to 9 PM and Sunday from 8 AM to 2 PM.
No reservations, but parking is easy to find.
7. Craft Burger Bar, Virginia Beach, VA
Down on Shore Drive near the coast in Virginia Beach, this laid-back bar does something clever with pimento cheese: it fries it.
The signature burger is loaded with fried pimento cheese, bacon, onion straws, and BBQ sauce, a combination that wins over even folks who normally skip pimento cheese. Fried pimento cheese balls also show up as an appetizer for anyone who wants to go all in.
The rest of the menu leans coastal and fun, with a blackened ahi tuna burger, she-crab soup, Wagyu nachos, fried pickles, and chili cheese fries.
It is a good spot for groups and sports, with a full bar and both free and paid parking nearby. The bar is closed Mondays, open Tuesday through Saturday until 9:30 PM, and runs a shorter Sunday shift until 5 PM.
Saturday evenings get busy, so time your visit if you want a quieter table.
8. Beauvine Burger Concept, Richmond, VA
Housed in a historic building on West Main Street in Richmond, this craft burger spot turns pimento cheese into a signature move called the Magnolia burger.
The Magnolia pimento cheese burger pairs beautifully with onion rings, and the duck fat pimento fries are a fan favorite all on their own. The kitchen also builds creative options like the Lafayette burger with brie and caramelized onions, plus a build-your-own burger setup.
Vegans and vegetarians get real attention here, with veggie patties on gluten-free rolls and homemade pimento cheese working across the menu.
Milkshakes are part of the draw too, from a Tahitian vanilla bean shake to a dark chocolate version. The stylish, rustic space is open daily and keeps late hours, closing at 2 AM every night, so it works for a late dinner.
Prices run a touch higher here, and parking in the area can take a minute to sort out.
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