Star City Cafe Returns to Roanoke’s Noel C. Taylor Municipal Building, but Faces Health Department Hurdles

Roanoke’s Noel C. Taylor Municipal Building has welcomed back the grill, with Star City Cafe now serving breakfast and lunch on weekdays. The basement restaurant space had been vacant for almost a year before the cafe, owned by the city government and managed by the Berglund Center, took over.

Robyn Schon Smith, the General Manager of the Berglund Center, oversees operations at the cafe. The restaurant offers a variety of “hot lunch baskets” that include fries, a salad or soup, and a choice of a burger, chicken bacon Swiss sandwich, “ultimate” cheesesteak, or chicken tenderloins. These are the priciest items on the menu, according to an online menu.

Before opening its doors to customers again, Star City Cafe underwent an inspection from Virginia Department of Health (VDH) officials who found it out of compliance regarding staffing requirements related to food safety. Restaurants in Virginia are required to have a certified food protection manager on staff. While the Berglund Center has a food and beverage manager with necessary credentials currently on long-term leave, VDH spokeswoman Christie Wills recommended that Star City Cafe appoint another individual to fulfill this role before resuming operations.