Food

Simplicity is key at Coco’s Kitchen + Cafe

By Candace Nelson

Good food doesn’t have to be complicated.  It doesn’t require intricate cooking techniques or rare ingredients. It doesn’t need classical training or multiple courses.  For one Charleston restaurant, good food just needs fresh, local ingredients, seasonal produce and balanced flavors. That’s according to breakfast and lunch restaurant Coco’s Kitchen +…

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Savoring Success: Chef Christopher Dixon’s Path to Opening Christopher’s Eats

By Dawn Nolan

Before opening his own restaurant, Christopher’s Eats, in Barboursville in January 2013, Chef Christopher Dixon spent several years working in all sorts of kitchens throughout Florida and Louisiana.  “Between privately/family-owned establishments, corporate restaurants, quick-service, full-service, country clubs, an exclusive, seasonal living community and even a barbecue joint — they’ve all…

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Roasting Coffee, Brewing Community: Coal River Coffee Company has grown into true community staple

By Amanda Larch

From hosting open mic nights to book clubs and vinyl record pop up shops, Coal River Coffee Company has woven its way into the very fabric of St. Albans. There’s always a steady stream of customers, and friendly baristas whip up each drink to perfection.  Owners Michael and Rachel Ervin…

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Sergio’s: Blending background experience working in Mexican and Italian restaurants, Sergio Lugo-Mata has created two successful brands 

By Amanda Larch

Sergio Lugo-Mata may not have trained professionally as a chef, but growing up in restaurants, he gained all the experience he needed to open three successful culinary businesses of his own.  A bit unruly in his school days, whenever he’d get in trouble, Lugo-Mata says his mom would pick him…

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Thyme well spent: Wheeling restaurant preps seasonal fall menu

By Candace Nelson

What you see is a crisp, white menu embossed with the restaurant’s logo and dozens of dishes listing mouth-watering combinations of ingredients. What you don’t see is the chef’s countless hours of careful curation, meticulous editing of elements and the hundreds of recipes weeded out along the way to get…

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Gustard’s Bistro: A Chef Returns Home to White Sulphur Springs

By Josh Baldwin

Nestled in downtown White Sulphur Springs, Gustard’s Bistro stands as a testament to Chef Stephen Gustard’s remarkable culinary odyssey. From his roots in Virginia Beach to his influential roles across West Virginia, Chef Gustard and his partner Delphine Houssin have crafted a bistro that combines their rich culinary experiences with…

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One Sip at a Time: Freefolk Brewery Continues to be a Fayetteville Hotspot

By Josh Baldwin

Along the edges of the New River Gorge National Park, Freefolk Brewery has dedicated itself to crafting exceptional beer here in the Mountain State. Founded by the dynamic husband-and-wife duo Jeff and Sarah Edwards, Freefolk Brewery is more than just a brewing haven—it’s a celebration of Appalachian culture across its…

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Hart of the Kitchen: Clarksburg Chef Crosses Road with New Restaurant

By Candace Nelson

Which came first: the chicken or the egg? At Hart Kitchen in Clarksburg, it’s the “Deviled Eggs of the Moment” first as an appetizer and then the “Oven Roasted Half Chicken with pan sauce, herbs, roasted vegetables and mashed potatoes” second as an entree.  The deviled eggs, which are hard-boiled…

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Bon App-alachia: French Food and Wine Find Home in WV

By Candace Nelson

White linens drape the tables, and champagne-filled flutes line the bar. Soft classical music plays in the background. The featured menu item of the day is escargot – cocoa and chamomile cure, plum compote, chamomile sauternes jelly and toasted brioche.  But this isn’t Paris. Or Marseille. Or Nice. It is…

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Hot Tamale: Chef Brings Authentic Flavors to the Mountains

By Candace Nelson

Authentic tamales in the capital city of West Virginia might seem like a far-off dream for many, but Amanda Ivy has brought them to reality. Some tamale variations Ivy has offered include: Salvadoran chicken; chicken mole; green chile pork; pork chile verde; ham, greens and black-eyed pea cornmeal; chorizo pastor;…

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Spill the Tea: Appalachian Tea Is One of West Virginia’s Only Tea Rooms

By Candace Nelson

When you think of a tea room, you might think of well-to-do women in pearls and large floppy hats sipping from antique china. But, there is much more to them than that. Tea rooms became popular in the 1900s when middle class women opened up a room in their home…

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Of Coffee and Community : The Story of Coal River Coffee

By Brent Burns

Driving west along the banks of the Kanawha River, you can’t help but admire the scenery. No, this wasn’t your plan for the day…getting rerouted off the interstate on your trip west to an afternoon meeting in Kentucky…but the blue skies and shimmering green waters of the river make it…

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