I want to start out by saying I am no world-known food critic, nor do I have a degree from a culinary school. But, I am a college student, so I know good pizza. I also have worked in a restaurant for two years so decided to give a sneak peak on this new restaurant we are welcoming in to Blacksburg. Monday Oct. 27 was the grand opening of Mellow Mushroom, a new pizza place downtown on Main Street. My roommates and I ventured out for an early dinner and made our way to Mellow Mushroom to get some pizzas and check out the atmosphere.     

When I first walked into Mellow Mushroom, I was a little overwhelmed, but in a good way. I didn’t know what to expect for the décor or any of the music styles, but I felt both were a nice compliment to the other. The music was modern-pop and the colors used to decorate were bold and electric. After getting to truly look around the restaurant, the overall vibe I received was being in an artsy, downtown city. From the bar layout to the paintings used on the walls, this restaurant made a statement. 

Now to the delicious part: the food and service. Even though it was pizza place, I was also pleased to see soups, salads, wraps and numerous vegan options on the menu to accompany a delicious pizza. Our table, however, simply got the bruschetta, and three different pizza types to try. I can only judge the pizza I personally ate, which was the Maui Wowie, a pesto-based pizza with pineapples, bacon, chicken and cheese. It was a great combination of flavors and I really enjoyed my first choice at Mellow Mushroom. My roommates enjoyed their Buffalo Chicken pizza and Mellowterranean pizza and we all enjoyed the bruschetta. Their pizza’s are hand tossed and gluten-free if requested. Overall, the food was delicious and what I felt is expected from a pizza parlor. The prices for a small personal pizza ranged from about $11–13, so it would be a definite option for date nights, or a girls night out.

As a member of the Blacksburg community, I am excited to welcome Mellow Mushroom to our town and start to enjoy watching games there when they are away, and catching some Sunday football there. This new restaurant seems to be a great place to hangout on the weekends, catch up with sisters during the week or even to just go pick up a pizza to bring home. In the upcoming weeks check out Mellow Mushroom for yourself and let me know what you think! I give it two thumbs up. http://mellowmushroom.com/store/blacksburg