The Best Cellar Restaurant in Blowing Rock, North Carolina was established in 1975. The original location was in a basement on Main Street, where previous owners sold soups, sandwiches and new and used books. The name was derived from the fact that the restaurant sold books in a basement, hence The Best Cellar. Over the years, the menu evolved from sandwiches and soups to the freshest of meats and seafood.
The Best Cellar prides itself on having provided its customers with the finest of food, wine, and service for 30 years. All dishes, including bread and desserts, are prepared each day on site. Many of our dishes have been favorites for years, but we always have daily specials to satisfy those customers looking for something new.
Dinner Menu
(serving year round)
— — Appetizers — —
French Onion Soup
Classic beef broth with carmalized onions; topped with crouton and melted provolone
6.95
Crab Cake
Jumbo lump crab lightly seasoned, sauted and served over a lobster chive cream sauce
9.95
Marinated Brie
Small wheel of Brie marinated in olive oil, roasted red peppers and fresh herbs, grilled and served with gourmet crackers
9.95
Fresh Calamari
Buttermilk fried and served with Cajun remoulade and lemon
10.95
Oysters Rockefeller
1/2 dozen fresh oysters topped with a mixture of spinach, onions, smoked bacon and Parmesan; baked and finished with hollandaise
12.95
Baked Crab au Gratin
A crock of creamy crab dip baked and served with toast points
7.95
Escargot
Escargot sautéed with roasted garlic and basil pesto cream sauce, over grilled French baguette
9.95
Caprese Pizza
Grilled flatbread topped with olive oil roasted tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil; baked and drizzled with a balsamic reduction
9.95
— — Salads — —
Spinach Salad
A bed of baby spinach topped with crispy fried oysters, red onions, hard-boiled egg and smoked bacon; finished with warm vinaigrette.
9.95, served with an entree 6.00
Caesar Salad
Hearts of Romaine tossed with a traditional dressing, served with aged Parmesan and homemade croutons. Topped with anchovies upon request
7.95, served with an entree 4.00
Entrees are served with a house salad, starch and choice on one of our house vegetables.
Your salad dressings choices are creamy horseradish, chunky Bleu cheese, sweet onion and basil vinaigrette, and raspberry vinaigrette.
Our house vegetables are steamed asparagus with hollandaise, baked acorn squash with brown sugar cinnamon butter, and stuffed zucchini boat with three cheeses, breadcrumbs, pecans and herbs.
— — Poultry and Pork — —
Roast Duckling
Half a duckling roasted until crispy, boned and served with red raspberry sauce
28.95
Parmesan and Herb crusted Chicken
Thinly pounded chicken breast, encrusted with fresh herbs and panko breadcrumbs, sauteed and served with herbed sour cream
24.95
Chicken Marsala
Breast of Chicken thinly pounded and sauted with mushrooms, cream and sweet Marsala wine
26.95
Mediterranean Chicken
Herb encrusted Chicken sautéed and served with a rich ragout of red onions, capers, Kalamata olives, and artichoke hearts. Topped and feta crumbles.
27.95
Pork Tenderloin
Pork tenderloin, seasoned and char grilled; served with a Baileys Irish whiskey glaze
26.95
Smoked Duck Pasta
Penne pasta tossed with sliced smoked duck breast, roasted Portobello mushrooms, red onions and tomatoes; in a dark ale cream sauce
25.95
— — From the Sea — —
We strive to serve the freshest of seafood delivered daily, and filleted in house
Crab Cakes
Jumbo lump crab lightly seasoned and sauted; served over a lobster cream
27.95
Best Cellar Tuna Marinade
Yellow Fin Tuna marinated in light soy, olive oil, lemon juice, and fresh ginger; grilled and served with pickled ginger and wasabi
27.95
Shrimp and Grits
Sautéed jumbo shrimp with Andouille sausage over white Cheddar grits; finished with lobster chive cream
28.95
Stuffed Mahi
Mahi stuffed with smoked Gouda cheese; seasoned with lemon pepper; baked in white wine butter sauce and topped with toasted almonds
28.95
Honey and Five spice Glazed Salmon
baked and served over Asian slaw
26.95
Mountain Trout
Corn meal dusted, pan-fried and served with dill aioli and fried capers
25.95
— — From the Land — —
Our beef is aged a minimum of 30 days.
This ensures proper marbling, tenderness and flavor.
**Steaks can be served with mashed new potatoes or Parmesan dusted shoestring fries
Filet Au Poivre
8 oz filet coated with cracked peppercorns and grilled; served on a mirror of brandy peppercorn cream
38.95
Grilled Rib eye
14 oz Angus Ribeye grilled and served with a pan sauce of wild mushrooms, shallots, Dijon, brandy and a touch of cream.
32.95
Filet Oscar
8 oz filet seasoned and grilled; topped with jumbo lump crabmeat, asparagus, and finished with béarnaise
41.95
Stuffed Filet
Eight-ounce filet wrapped in bacon and stuffed with bleu cheese. Char grilled to your liking
40.95
Veal Picatta
Thinly pounded, and sauted with capers; finished in a lemon butter sauce
27.95
Veal Oscar
Scaloppini of veal sautéed and topped with jumbo lump crab, and asparagus; finished with Barnaise sauce
31.95
— — Desserts — —
Please ask your server for tonight’s selections of sweets, specialty coffees, and after dinner drinks
Thank you for refraining from cell phone use in the dining room
A gratuity of 20% may be added to tables of eight persons or more
Lunch Menu
(May thru Oct)
— — Appetizers — —
Smoked duck quesadilla
Grilled and served with seasoned sour cream
8.95
House-made Pimento Cheese
served with Carr’s crackers
7.95
Rockefeller Dip
Everything but the oysters served hot with toasted French bread slices
8.95
Vidalia onion rings
House-made, buttermilk fried and served with roasted red pepper ketchup
6.95
Crab Fritters
Basket of small bite size crab cakes fried and served with cocktail sauce
10.95
Soup of the day
Priced daily
— —Salads — —
Cobb salad
Mixed greens with chopped egg, onion, crumbled bacon, bleu cheese, grape tomatoes and grilled chicken. Served with your choice of dressing
10.95
Fried Oyster Spinach Salad
Spinach served with hard boiled egg, crumbled bacon, thinly sliced red onion topped with crispy fried oysters and warm bacon vinaigrette
10.95
Caesar Salad
Romaine Hearts tossed with traditional dressing served with aged Parmesan and croutons
7.95
with Grilled Chicken 10.95 with grilled Shrimp or Salmon Filet 13.95
Fried green tomatoes
Served on a bed of mixed greens topped with lump crab salad
12.95
— — Sandwiches — —
All sandwiches are served with a choice of side item
Greek Chicken Sandwich
topped with olive tapenade, grilled onion and feta cheese served on olive oil grilled foccacia
10.95
Shrimp Club
Shrimp salad with bacon, avocado and shredded lettuce on a soft French roll
11.95
Open-faced stuffed meatloaf sandwich
served with tomato, onion gravy
9.95
Smoked turkey and Brie melt
served on a croissant with cranberry chutney
9.95
Blackened Steak sandwich
served with grilled red onions, tomato, and bleu cheese spread on a baguette
10.95
Chicken Salad
House Made with apple, celery, and pecans in an herbed mayo served on a croissant
9.95
Fried Fish Sandwich
Served with shredded lettuce, and caper tartar sauce on a soft French roll
10.95
Grilled Vegetable Sandwich
Medley of mushrooms, zucchini, onion, roasted red peppers served with arugula and smoked Gouda cheese
10.95
Marinated Tuna
Grilled and served with an Asian slaw and wasabi aioli on a Kaiser roll
12.95
Fried green tomato BLT
Served on grilled bread with pimento cheese and arugula mayo
9.95
Fried Oyster Po Boy
Served with shredded lettuce, pickled shaved onion and Cajun remoulade
10.95
Best Cellar Burger
Served with choice of cheddar, bleu or Swiss cheeses; grilled and accompanied by lettuce, tomato and grilled onions on a Kaiser roll
10.95
— — Light entrees — —
Served with a house salad or choice of one side
Individual Caprese pizza
Grilled flatbread with roasted tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil drizzled with balsamic reduction
12.95
Pan sautéed Trout
Finished with a caper tomato relish and dill aioli
14.95
Sesame encrusted Sea Scallops
Pan seared and served over a bed of sautéed spinach and wild mushrooms
15.95
Chicken Picatta
Lightly breaded chicken breast sautéed with capers, lemon juice, white wine and butter served over angel hair pasta
13.95
— — Sides — —
Shoestring fries Asian Coleslaw
Mashed new potatoes Macaroni and Cheese
Cucumber, Tomato, Vidalia Salad
Sautéed Garlicky Spinach
Orzo vegetable salad
