Drive the stretch of Route 40 that cuts through Penhook and you'll pass a marina that's been running since 1966, a burger counter now in its third generation of the same family, a general store with a full bar bolted onto the side of it, and a café that didn't exist five years ago. The dining spots offer a mix of menus and schedules.
Smith Mountain Dock & Lodge, on Locust Lane, is one of the oldest marinas on the lake, run by Todd and Donna Holcomb. Around Penhook, the options range from burgers and breakfast to evening dining.
A Longtime Burger Stop
Carl's Place sits right off Route 40, and it has for a long time. Three generations, same small building, same short menu. You order a Mabel Burger or a Carl's Burger, you get fresh fries, and you don't linger over a decision because there isn't much of one to make. The seating is tight enough that it can help to plan around the rush.
Newer Spots Offer Different Options
The newer spots in Penhook offer more than burgers.
The Little Mule Café opened on Virginia 40. It offers breakfast, wraps, and specialty coffee, along with a rotating Sunday supper: one meal a week, cooked in limited quantities. It sells out often enough that arriving late can mean missing it.
Nick's Penhook General Store is part convenience stop, part kitchen, part bar. Owner Nick Jamison offers burgers, hot dogs, pizza, a full bar, and Homestead Creamery ice cream on the side. It's a place to get gas, a sandwich, and a beer in the same stop.
Mexico Viejo Penhook, tucked off Smith Mountain Road, offers live music and a full bar built around house margaritas, an option when the plan is dinner and staying a while rather than grabbing something fast.
Check the Schedule
The table shows a mix of daily service, set daytime hours, and evening offerings.
| Spot | When it's actually open | What it offers |
|---|---|---|
| Carl's Place | Daily, but tight seating and a rush-hour crowd | Fast, familiar burger, no decisions required |
| The Little Mule Café | Breakfast and lunch daily, plus one Sunday supper a week | Coffee and a wrap on a weekday, a sit-down meal once a week |
| Nick's Penhook General Store | General store hours, full bar attached | Gas, a sandwich, and a drink in one stop |
| Lumpkins Bar and Grill | Wednesday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., closed Monday and Tuesday | A specific daytime window, not an all-day option |
| Mexico Viejo Penhook | Evening-forward, live music nights | Dinner with a reason to stay |
Lumpkins Bar and Grill is listed as open Wednesday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Its listed hours make it a daytime option, unlike Mexico Viejo Penhook's evening-forward dining.
What This Actually Means If You Live Here
If you've ever driven through Penhook wondering why there isn't one obvious "best restaurant," this is why. Each offers a different option depending on what you want and when you want it. There's a mental map instead: Carl's Place if you want something fast and you know to time it around rush hour, Little Mule if you're catching breakfast or you've marked your calendar for Sunday supper, Nick's if you need to fuel up the truck and grab dinner in the same errand, Lumpkins during its Wednesday-through-Saturday daytime hours, and Mexico Viejo if the plan for the night includes staying for a second round.
None of that shows up on a map or a review aggregator sorted by star rating. It shows up after you've lived here long enough to know which door is unlocked at which hour, and that kind of local knowledge is worth more than any ranking. Penhook's dining options vary by menu and schedule, so knowing the hours can help you choose where to stop.
If you're weighing whether a home on this stretch of the south shore fits your life, that rhythm is worth factoring in alongside the shoreline and the square footage. Debbie Shelton has spent more than two decades working this side of Smith Mountain Lake, and she brings the same attention to the small, local details, from dock permits to the familiar burgers at Carl's Place, that make a house here feel like it's actually in Penhook and not just near it. If you're curious what your own property is worth in today's market, Debbie Shelton offers a free home valuation, no obligation attached.
