| New River Gorge Area Dining Guide |
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Twenty years ago Fayetteville was a culinary wasteland. Nary a cup of coffee to be found much less a decent meal. In the intervening years we have gotten really lucky, attracting some creative, talented restaurateurs who have opened well-run restaurants that feature imaginative food and authentic ambiance. We are staking our claim to having absolutely the best assortment of independent restaurants in the state. We wrote the previous paragraph before the Great Restaurant Explosion of 2010. Since then, things are even more impressive and Fayetteville's rep as a restaurant destination is now well-known across the state. Who would have ever predicted that? FayettevilleCathedral Café This comfortable café, creatively done in an old church, complete with stained glass windows, is the traditional place to start your day. Hospitable owner, Wendy Bayes, an ex-raft guide, offers breakfast and lunch in a relaxed, comfortable atmosphere. Check out their terrific soups and salads and leave room for the carrot cake, three time winner of Fayette County’s Best Dessert award. Computers with free high speed internet access are available. Terrific assortment of gifts as well! If you are looking for a climbing partner, just belly up to the bar and start talking. Located just off Court Square. Ask anyone to point you in the right direction. 304-574-0202 Pies and Pints We are going out on a limb here: This is the best pizza on the planet. We know that sounds crazy but we dare you to check it out. You’ll find gourmet pizza on a homemade crust with combinations of ingredients that will redefine your idea of what pizza is all about. (Gorgonzola, grape and rosemary?!) The spinach salad is to die for and the beer aficionados among you will swoon over the beer list. Don’t miss the root beer on tap—dreamy. Eat inside or out. Highly competent servers keep this family-friendly place cranking. Live music and specials offered during the summer. Try All You Can Eat night, Tuesdays during the season, $10.00. Wednesday off-season is open mic night. UPDATE: Owners Kim and Dave have opened a second location in Charleston. They have brought their most popular new menu item to the Fayetteville restaurant as well: Best Wings Ever--baked with a memorable dry rub. Take a right at the only light, on left after three long blocks. 304-574-2200. Sedona Cantina and Tapas Over seventeen years in business, this terrific restaurant is the granddaddy of the local dining scene. A few winters back Sedona closed down for a makeover and reopened with a new identity: Tapas bar! You’ll find many of the old favorites (Don’t miss the crabcakes.) Located just a mile south of town on Rt. 16, this spot offers an eclectic tapas menu, a full bar (rare in these parts) and typically friendly, competent service. Brion and Ginny are restaurateurs to the core and always keep things interesting and fresh. Open for dinner six nights a week and lunch on the weekends. 574-3411 Diogi’s Oscar and Barbara’s dog-themed spot is a blast—and dog friendly, of course. In three short years their friendly, community oriented restaurant has built an impressive local following. And now they have relocated to the old Little General space. The Best Margaritas in town! Not your typical tex-mex food—a definite step up. Don't miss the carnitas. The ahi fish tacos, made with sushi grade tuna, come with wasabi slaw, the guac kicks ass, and you pretty much can’t go wrong on their extensive menu—homemade everything! 304-574-DOGS. The Vandalian Located right on the corner across from the Court House, this newly opened restaurant comes straight from the climbing world, thanks to local climbing icon Porter Jarrard. Here is his description of his venture: "The Vandalian is the only independent restaurant in Fayetteville serving Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner. We have extensive Beer and Wine offerings. We serve delicious food. We are meticulously clean and courteous. In our kitchen we use ingredients and goods from local sourcesto the greatest extent possible: Eggs from John & Kitty Brenemen; Relsih & Jams from the Martel's Red Roof Farm; Honey made in local hives; Tomatoes, Squash, Zuchinni, Basil, Peppers and other Veggies from local farmers like Rick Rutledge, Dick Ramsey and the Fayetteville Farmer's Market." "We support our town and the Arts. Our walls are a gallery where we have openings to exhibit the work of our best local artists, which we change-out every three months. The Vandalian is located on the corner of Court Street and Maple Avenue, by the town's only stoplight, sight distance from WaterStoneOutdoors. Right in the middle of the National Register Historic District. Modern-day Fayetteville was once known as "Vandalia" because of the Inn the original settler -Mr. Abraham Vandal- operated in the early 1800's. There he offered shelter and sustenance to weary travelers. Our name is the personification of an original local: a Vandalian is from Vandalia, just as an American is from America. Wild Flour Bakery Fayetteville finally has a bakery and it is a winner. You won't believe the croissants. Located uptown in the old Subway space next to Ben Franklin, Angie also offers bagels, sour dough bread and an amazing assortment of crag treats. Angie reports that climbers are grabbing pepperoni rolls for the crag. Great lunch deal: sandwich, chips and a drink for $6. Can't beat it. 304-574-0001 Gumbo’s New owner, Susan Jones, is a well-respected local restaurateur who is continuing the Gumbo's tradition of offering terrific Cajun, Creole and Low-Country cuisine. Serving lunch and dinner in cozy space just off Court Square, this spot has become a favorite with locals and tourists alike. According to many locals, they have the best burger in town. Also check out their black and blue shrimp and the awesome crawfish salad. Moderate prices and generous portions make this the best lunch deal around. Beer and wine available. Tuesdays are the night! A revolving cast of some of the best local musicians will be getting after it. Drink and meal specials. 304-574-4704 Secret Sandwich Society The word sandwich can imply a certain pedestrian ordinariness (Subway anyone?) that in no way applies to what is being served at this new restaurant. The bread comes from a bakery in Lewisburg. The pickles, cole slaw, mac-n-cheese are all homemade, as are the potato chips, which just may be the single best thing that has happened to Fayetteville in a long time. All meats are roasted on site. The sandwiches are characterized by imaginative ingredients and combos and presidential names. Eat one of each and you become a member of the Secret Society. The salads are loaded and the soups are hearty. There are no words to adequately describe the Key Lime Pie. The outdoor deck is killer. Don't forget about the amazing breakfast sandwiches, served all day. Open every day from 10-9. Located in the old Diogi's space which used to be the old Pies and Pints space, underneath what used to be New River Bike and Tour. Are you following this? 304-574-4777 WiFi available. All that and the Sunday New York Times too! Oh, and acoustic music throughout the summer. Swirl Finally Fayetteville got an ice cream shop. The Norosky sisters are queens of whimsy and their shop reflects it: colorful wacky fun. Candy, toys and homemade pies round out the offering. Located next to the Historic Fayette Theatre. 304-574-3005
Dirty Ernie’s Rib Pit A popular après-rafting spot, this is the place for meat-lovers—ribs are what they do best. It has a relaxed atmosphere and a menu that offers something for everyone. Kids love it because they can throw peanut shells on the floor; mothers love it because they don’t have to worry about what their kids do. The French Onion soup is a winner. They can accommodate larger groups. Closed Nov-April. Located just off Rt. 19 on Keller Ave. 304-574-4822. Tudor’s Biscuit World Normally we don’t mention chain restaurants with much enthusiasm, but, aside from serving as the landmark for entering Fayetteville, Tudor’s has its place if you need a quick and greasy breakfast. The Dottie is a Fayetteville tradition. 304-574-3820 Rezan’s Restaurant and Lounge - This spot has wasted no time developing a local following. It is the brainchild of young local chef Rezan—pronounced raise-on. A varied menu will keep everyone happy. Full bar, karaoke. Specials every night. Located across Rt. 19 on Laurel Creek Rd. 574-0848 Also available in Fayetteville: Out on Rt. 19 where the sprawl is sprawling, the fast food joints are proliferating like rabbits. Suit yourself. Oak HillOak Hill is five minutes south of Fayetteville. If you continue south on Rt. 19 you will come to a large strip mall, Fayette Square, on your right. K-mart and Kroger anchor this mall. Rio Grande Also located in the above-mentioned strip mall, this family friendly Mexican restaurant offers a sprawling menu, quick service and cheap prices. 304-465-5434 Chico’s Our pick in the Tex-Mex department, this family-run business offers better chips and stronger margaritas as well as an extensive selection of Mexican entrees. A friendly atmosphere and cheerful décor make you more inclined to smile at the goofy donkey mascot. Kids are welcomed with crayons, a coloring sheet and a kids menu. 304-469-6505 OK Chinese Restaurant The name about sums it up—solid Chinese food, nothing to write home about—but it beats the Peking Buffet, also located in this mall. 304-465-8465 Oak Hill also offers the full complement of fast food restaurants if you are so inclined. They are clustered at the Fayette Town Center Mall, the Lochgelly exit, or further south at the Main Street exit. North of the BridgeSmokey’s on the Gorge Located less than a mile off Rt 19, Smokey’s and its more downscale companion, Chetty’s, are Class VI River Runners terrific restaurants. While you are there be sure to check out the overlook which will give you a mind bending view of the New River Gorge Bridge. Smokey’s is housed in a stunning timber framed pavilion with huge decks offering spectacular views of the gorge. They offer a buffet that blends culinary sophistication with down-home West Virginia hospitality. The salad bar will knock your socks off. A full bar and a solid wine list complement the buffet. The buffet isn’t cheap but the experience is well worth it. 304-574-4905Chetty’s Located on the second floor of Class VI’s reception building, this is a more casual, sports bar kind of a place. Hearty sandwiches, wings and appetizers dominate the menu. The atmosphere is lively and fun with the widescreen TVs tuned to sports or rafting videos. A foosball table on the porch will keep the kids occupied until the food arrives, or better yet, they can rage around outside at the playground. During the season, Wing Night is Monday and it is happenin’. Cheap wings and loads of rafters/boaters/climbers make it the social night par excellence. 304-574-4905 or 304-574-0704 The Sub Shack While Ansted is a small town worth checking out, you aren’t ging to find much in the way of restaurants! However, this little spot does offer good, solid homemade sandwiches for the right price. 304-658-4027 Café Cimino. We include this restaurant because it is widely considered to be the best in West Virginia. You will have to drive an hour north to get there but, it is totally worth it--haute cuisine served in BeckleyThere are surprisingly few reasons to head to Beckley to eat—lots of chains…but, sometimes you’ve just gotta have sushi so you have to head south… Fujiyama A typical Japanese Steak House with knife-flippin', shrimp chuckin' chefs and darn good sushi. 250-0288 Delightfully Yours Maybe the most interesting spot in Beckley to grab lunch. Located in the same mall that houses that movie theatre and the Starbucks so no doubt at some point you will find yourself there. 253-6440 Bars and PubsWell, we told you we’d give you the inside scoop so here it is. The bar scene is limited at best and it is sure to give you plenty of local flavor. There are only a few to mention, the others you can explore at your own risk.
Groceries and SnacksKroger Used to be the biggest grocery around and still the local favorite. Oak Hill. 469-2921 Super Walmart Yep, we have one too…Located in a big strip mall on Rt. 19 at Whitewater Avenue. 574-1086 Lansing General Store You’ll pass this packette (as convenience stores are called around these parts) on your way to Endless Wall or Beauty Mountain. This one is stocked with the tourist in mind—think s’mores, cold beer, charcoal and wood. Seems to be open whenever you need it! 574-1654 |