Demus Italian Specialty Foods is a food truck fit for a carnival with its giant lettering and multicolored bulbs. Usually, though, it is stationed in a gas station lot off Exit 125 on I79.



It started as a small neighborhood grocery store where they made their own house Italian sausage, building a loyal following for that signature flavor. Over time, the retail store closed, but the demand for the sausage never went away—so the business pivoted into a trailer/food truck operation. Now, instead of shopping for it in-store, people line up to get those same house-made sausages served hot, with peppers and sauce. Known for a coarse grind and strong seasoning, especially fennel and spices, the sausage is the star - but the steak hoagie is delicious, as well.



It's a foil-wrapped delight that's smoky, messy, and unapologetically old-school.

Grade: A

North-Central West Virginia is not wanting for wonderful Italian restaurants. So, when someone told me that Mama Di Roma in Fairmont is the best of them all, I got in my car and made a trip straight to the friendly city.



Outside, there are red, white and green stripes on the windows. Photos of the food. Lists of menu items. There's no mistaking what you're walking into. Inside, there are red vinyl tablecloths, placemats with a map of Italy, and some hanging baskets. Its decor is firmly rooted in an old-school Italian-American style, with no shortage of patriotic flair.



The menu at Mama Di Roma leans into classic Italian-American comfort, with rich red sauces, baked pastas, and plenty of pizza options. Think chicken parmesan, stuffed shells, hand-tossed pizzas, calzones, and classic starters like garlic knots and wedding soup.



The complimentary bread comes out in the form of those soft, buttery garlic rolls—warm, lightly golden, and packed with enough garlic to make them just as tempting as anything on the menu.



The wedding soup is warm and comforting, with a savory broth, tender bites throughout, and a slight richness.



I ordered the Shrimp & Crabmeat entree - Sautéed Shrimp and Crabmeat in a Creamy Garlic Sauce over Rigatoni. Plump, juicy shrimp and sweet crabmeat are coated in a creamy garlic sauce that clings to every rigatoni tube. The sauce is rich without being heavy, coating the pasta nicely and letting the seafood shine. Every bite hits that comforting, garlicky flavor you want from a dish like this.



Grade: A

La Banca is an Italian restaurant and bar housed in the historic former City Bank of Milton building. The name “La Banca” means “The Bank” in Italian, and the restaurant blends home‑style Italian cooking with craft cocktails. It opened in late 2024 and is locally and veteran‑owned. The menu features a wide variety of classic and elevated Italian fare, including handmade pastas, artisan pizzas, grinders (Italian‑style sandwiches), salads and soups, seafood, and hearty entrées like lasagna, chicken piccata, and steak. I enjoyed a pappardelle bolognese, which had a hearty, comforting feel, with tender noodles that held the sauce well, but the flavor came across a little flat — missing that rich, meaty punch you hope for in a bolognese. The texture was spot-on, though, and a sprinkle of cheese added a nice touch, even if the overall sauce could use a bit more depth. It’s satisfying, just not quite as bold as I expected. Grade: B

"At The Caboose, we embrace the spirit of community and exceptional dining. Nestled in Clarksburg, West Virginia, our story is rooted in delivering warm hospitality alongside a menu brimming with Italian-inspired flavors ... We take pride in offering a welcoming atmosphere, complete with outdoor seating and a full bar, making it perfect for family outings or group gatherings." The train-themed restaurant has changed ownership over the years -- and even locations. And currently, it features many recipes from the manager's mother. The menu features hoagies loaded with fillings, fresh salads, wings, pasta, pizza and more. Plus brunch, drinks and kids' meals. We started with some bread and butter. Warming it up would have made this 1,000 times more enticing. Or any blend of garlic and herbs. So, it was OK as is. The house salad consisted of red onion, tomato, mozzarella and chickpeas? Basic, but fresh. I ordered the cheese sacchetti - Pasta purses filled with a blend of 6 cheeses, topped with marinara sauce. I am always happy with pasta. I gladly gobbled this down. The level of acid in this marinara was fairly high, so I definitely felt it later. A touch of sweetness or creaminess would have put it into my personal favorites territory. Grade: B

Luigi’s is a family-friendly Italian restaurant in Milton, known for classic Italian fare at reasonable prices. It’s a casual dine-in or takeout spot where locals go for hearty pastas, pizzas, subs and more. This is the first Luigi's location I have visited, though there are now 2 additional ones in Huntington. There was a simple, but clean, dining area. I was just passing through, so I chose to place a takeout order. I started with a small house salad with French dressing - my favorite. it had a healthy base of lettuce, and was topped with green pepper, banana pepper, red onion, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, tons of mozzarella cheese and croutons. it was a really solid start to the meal. For my entrée, I chose stuffed shells with marinara sauce. This dish was good - it was baked so there was a layer of melted mozzarella cheese over everything. The stuffed shells did get a bit dried out, but they were swimming in a pool of sauce, which helped balance it a bit. Some more seasoning in the filling would've taken this over the top. Grade: B

The future of Sergio's is a bit up in the air with the recent sale so I wanted to share my thoughts while I still can.



The Italian restaurant has a sister restaurant already established in Hurricane and is connected to the Guadalajara restaurant family. The one thing that differs here from the sister restaurant is that there's a focus on pizzas, as opposed to steaks.



Sergio's is located in Elk City - with some historical charm and minimal decor. Tall tin ceilings and a combo of booths and tables line the dining room.



Soft, warm breadsticks sprinkled with parm set the tone for the meal. These were gloriously simple.



I had to try their house pepperoni roll, which was a long, flat roll filled with lots of cheese and pepperoni and scored in the center. It was somewhere between a calzone and a classic pepperoni roll—soft, hearty, and satisfying, though it didn’t quite stand out as remarkable.



My main entree was a hearty seafood pasta dish featuring jumbo lobster-stuffed ravioli paired with succulent jumbo sautéed shrimp, all enveloped in their rich, house-made Alfredo sauce. The ravioli are generously filled, providing a substantial bite. The Alfredo sauce delivers a creamy and flavorful coating. Rich, and right up my alley.



Grade: A

Chef Paul Smith, West Virginia's first James Beard Award winner, has opened his newest restaurant in Charleston: Paulie's Fine Italian. Located just across from his restaurant 1010 Bridge, Paulie's Fine Italian focuses on authentic Italian cusine with an Appalachian flare. Smith draws inspiration from his childhood memories spent in the kitchen with his grandfather, and the dishes at Paulie's each tell a story. I was super fortunate to check out the soft opening of the restaurant; I expected a few kinks considering it's brand new. But, I was blown away and want to share some of the incredibly tasty dishes we were able to try. I went with friends Evan & Heather Osborn, Erin & Eric Conner, and Jamie Ferrell. With such a big party, we were able to order a little bit of everything and share. Even doing that, we only ended up sampling a portion of the menu - but everything was amazing. First up was a round of oyster shooters. This was the first time I've ever had an oyster shooter. My question was: do you chew? I think the answer is no. But, I kinda wanted to savor the flavor of it? I chewed it a bit, enjoying the slimy, briny oyster with a touch of sweet acid from the limoncello mignonette. Next up was the appetizer I ordered: artichoke & potato with rosemary, garlic aioli. We received some complimentary bread and oil with parmesan. Brussels sprouts with guanciale, hot honey and farmhouse cheese. Fried Oysters with fire-roasted Calabrian chili. Fried mozzarella cheese curds wit hfire-roasted tomato sauce and parm snow. PARM SNOW. Fried anchoby stuffed olives, marcona almonds and lemon zest. Folks at the table seemed to love this one the most. Lobsters & Bowties - poached lobster, langoustine cream, and tarragon breadcrumbs. Just from this description alone, you know it's good. I had a hard time deciding because I also still really want to try the Sunday Ribbons, the Sausage and Pea, the Rigatoni alla Vodka, the Carbonara --- literally, everything. I want to try everything. But, wait, there's more. DESSERT. And, I know you're surprised, but I loved every single dessert. The cannoli chip & dip featured sweet ricotta and housemade pizzelles. Tiramisu cheesecake had espresso, mascarpone and a lady finger. The panna cotta had lemon and mascerated berries. The budino was like a chocolate pudding with salted caramel. Finally, the last one of the evening was bread pudding with panettone and rum anglaise. And, this may have been my most favorite of all. Grade: A