The Roanoker July/August 2023 - 116

Dining
A family-owned
Bent Mountain
eatery proves
that 'delicious
food' and 'kidfriendly'
are
not mutually
exclusive
concepts.
Treehouse Tavern
written by Layla Khoury-Hanold
P
icture this: it's a warm summer evening,
you're sitting on an outdoor
patio while you nibble nachos and
wood-fired pizzas while your kids run
around, alternating between playing
cornhole and coloring with chalk. This dream
dining scenario is exactly what Roanoke natives
Lee and Scott Markham imagined for a family-friendly
restaurant that delivers on both the
food and hospitality fronts. Treehouse Tavern
is now a reality, serving up creative taverninspired
fare, barbecue and more in a familyfriendly
space in Bent Mountain.
The Markhams, who have three children
of their own, first met when Scott hired Lee,
then earning a degree in art education at James
Madison University, as a hostess at his downtown
establishment Trio Bistro. As their family
grew, so did their aspirations to open a restaurant
that provided a welcoming space and
delicious menu for the whole family, a concept
116 JULY/AUGUST 2023
they felt was lacking in the area.
" They might get kids, but they don't get
food. They get food, but they don't get kids, "
Scott says.
The tavern category is well-covered with
a line-up of sandwiches, burgers, salads and
wood-fired pizzas, but with creative twists. To
wit, there's the perennially popular bacon-andBrie
burger with onion marmalade, and chili
cheese nachos topped with beef chili and hatch
chile queso. The Markhams hope to expand
the kids' menu, which is comprised of classics
such as hot dogs, burgers and chicken tenders,
to include mix-and-match options.
" We've noticed with our own kids that
we never want to order full meals, " Lee says.
" Especially if you have multiple kids, we only
need one order of fries, and this one wants fruit
and that one wants a burger. "
Prior to Treehouse Tavern, the building
most recently housed Bent Mountain Bistro.
After sitting dormant during COVID, the
space needed renovation but it had good
bones, including beautiful 100-plus year-old
reclaimed wood beams. The Markhams added
fresh paint, changed out the chandeliers and
sconces, hung airy drapes and tapped local artist
Maggie Perrin-Key to paint a vibrant wall
mural. To add definition to the space, they built
and installed two planter boxes to partition
the bar area and dining room. Next, the pair
will devote more attention to the patio, one of
Treehouse Tavern's main draws.
" We'll be able to focus more on the familyfriendly
aspect when we get more outdoor
space. Most of the time it's easier when you're
outside. And the acoustics in the restaurant are
not favorable for loud kids, " Lee says.
They'll enclose the patio by filling in the
corner gaps with stones and add a couple more
tables, and fully fence in the outdoor play area
that will feature games and activities such as
TheRoanoker.com
COURTESY OF LEE MARKHAM
http://www.TheRoanoker.com
The Roanoker July/August 2023

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