The new Sunday Supper at Local Roots in Roanoke, Virginia, is carving out an additional daypart of business on a night when the restaurant formerly was closed.

Each Sunday evening, executive chef Josh Smith creates a special three-course menu showcasing meats, fish and produce sourced from farms and purveyors in the vicinity. As the restaurant’s name suggests, local foods are the culinary theme.

“We get a good little pop of business at 5 p.m. when we open and by 6:30 p.m. the place is completely full,” says Smith. “We may see 100 people on occasion, but I think our counts will consistently range between 65 and 80.”

The meal usually begins with a salad such as arugula, roasted vegetables and grana padano cheese. Next are main courses like Big Pine Trout with brown butter, Bev’s Chicken with chicken gravy and farro with onion gravy. There are kids’ items like spaghetti and a grilled cheese sandwich. Rounding out the evening are dessert options like poached pears, ice cream and chocolate brownies.

The dishes are prepared and presented more simply, sometimes on family-style platters and bowls, than the cuisine Smith cooks the rest of the week. The prices are more affordable too—Sunday Supper is $15 for adults, $8 for children. However, the same fresh, local ingredients are used. Some of the recipes are suggestions by the kitchen staff. “We talk about the dishes we enjoyed when we were growing up,” says Smith. “We have just been throwing ideas around like crazy.”

As winter progresses, Smith envisions preparing more braised meats and using “hundreds” of jars of preserved vegetables from local farms. The ties with area food producers reflect the connection Local Roots has forged with the larger Roanoke community, Smith says.

“Over the past couple of years we have solidified the relationships we have with our most trusted farmers,” says Smith. “It is the vital inspiration for what we do with food.”