New Pub, Beer Tours Will Tempt Local Palates

Ed Walker introduces West Robison (left) and head chef Shane Dorry of Henry’s Public House.
Ed Walker introduces West Robison (left) and head chef Shane Dorry of Henry’s Public House.

The space vacated by the First & Sixth upscale restaurant several months ago will be vacant no more by the middle of November: Henry’s Public House is on the way. It’s the latest venture by the Robison family, which owns Wildflour on 4th Street and the Wasena Tap House in the Riverhouse redevelopment project owned by Ed Walker – also the landlord at the Patrick Henry, where the Public House will debut next month.

Second-generation restaurateur West Robison (26) is coming over from the Tap House to run Henry’s; his father Doug calls the younger Robison a “co-owner.” The Robisons used to own the Wildflour at Towers and Hollywood’s Restaurant in Hollins before spinning those off to new operators.

West Robison said “being a business tenant of [Walker’s] is always a pleasure. It’s great to work with him. It’s a great location, a beautiful building – it’s a cool project.” Robison is looking to offer a diverse menu that “appeals to everybody.” If it’s like Wildflour or the Wasena Tap House expect slightly eclectic, well-prepared food with moderate price points. “A lot of good pub fare along with some lighter food for the lunch crowd,” said Robison.

The head chef from Wildflour is coming over to Henry’s to oversee the kitchen there. Robison said mid-November is the goal for an opening. “I think West Robison is the best qualified, most professional restaurant operator…among his peer group,” said Walker after announcing the debut of Henry’s Public House. They will also operate the adjacent bar in the lobby, formerly the Penny Deux.

“He is the exact person that I wanted to do this. I think it’s huge for the building, I think it’s huge for downtown, I think it’s huge for West. It represents a young, emerging leader and entrepreneur. It’s time for him.” The younger Robison is already a two-decade veteran of the business: Walker said he started busing tables at the age of 5.

Beer tours: meanwhile the Roanoke Food Tours people are starting to capitalize on an emerging trend in the Roanoke Valley and the surrounding region: the emergence of craft beer brewers, the microbreweries and even a smaller “nano-brewery,” as in the new Big Lick Brewing on Salem Avenue. Starting last weekend, Larry Landolt and company began offering $45 tours that put people on their mini-bus – dubbed “half pint,” bringing them to at least three microbreweries in Roanoke, or as far away as Chaos Mountain (Franklin County), Sunken City (at Smith Mountain Lake) and Flying Mouse (Troutville.)

Landolt, the former executive director of Event Zone in Roanoke, said his food tours for starters “are going really, really well. We have a lot of tourists here. They are shocked and blown away by our history.” Now comes the craft beer tours. With Parkway Brewing, Soaring Ridge, Big Lick Brewing Company and Roanoke Railhouse all popping up in recent years, not to mention other brewers located less than an hour away, its now feasible to offer such a tour, which includes tasting tickets so patrons can sample those beers. (see roanokefoodtours.com for details on the craft beer tours – and the food jaunts.)

“It just seems like this is the right time,” said Landolt, “tourism is up …Roanoke is booming.” The coming Amtrak passenger train several years away will bring even more people – and possible tour takers – to town, he noted. “Things are good here from a tourism standpoint.”

The craft beer tours also offer some history on the recent trend. Microbreweries are a “recent phenomenon” that Landolt is ready to take advantage of, sampling “the hard work and passion of these local brewers. These guys are really passionate about it …there’s some award winning beers here.” Landolt plans to offer the craft beer tours on weekends; the bus will pick up patrons at the first stop on the tour or at several other venues. Coming soon said Landolt: tours of local vineyards.

By Gene Marrano

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