One of West Virginia's most iconic restaurants has reopened.



Secret Sandwich Society, located in Fayetteville, experienced a devastating fire several years ago that required rebuilding from the ground up. And now, they're back and better than ever.



Known for their creative takes on sandwiches and salads named after presidents and first ladies, Secret Sandwich Society has increased its space inside and outside to accommodate even more folks. It's a pretty popular place, so that is welcome news.



While this is my first visit to the restaurant since it has rebuilt, I had been to the previous restaurant many times. So, I have a good idea of some of my favorites on the menu. Though, truly, you can't go wrong.



I ordered the TRUMAN - turkey, peach jam, blue cheese spread & crispy onions on a toasted potato roll. The turkey was tender and flavorful, perfectly balanced by the unexpected sweetness of the peach jam. That little hit of fruitiness played so well with the blue cheese spread, which added a tangy, creamy bite without overpowering. And let’s talk about those crispy onions - they brought the perfect crunch and just the right amount of savory to round everything out. All of it came together on a potato roll that was soft yet sturdy enough to hold up to the layers of flavor. It’s sweet, salty, creamy, and crunchy all in one bite - definitely not your average turkey sandwich. I’d order it again in a heartbeat.



Plus a side of parmesan truffle fries with a trio of dipping sauces: Roasted Garlic Mayo, Homemade spiced Ketchup and some pimento cheese for good measure. The roasted garlic mayo was rich and velvety with a mellow garlicky kick, the homemade spiced ketchup had just the right amount of heat and sweetness, and the pimento cheese - as always - was creamy, tangy, and totally perfect. If you’re a fry lover, this is the kind of side that makes the meal.



If you haven't been, what are you waiting for?



Grade: A

Erbert & Gerbert's Sandwich Shop is a chain eatery that offers sandwiches and soups counter-service style in the midwest, usually near college campuses.



The store and sandwiches are named after characters in stories one of the owner's father used to tell him.

"Our blastoff began with a series of bedtime stories told by a father to his 10 grandchildren. The stories were known as, The Adventures of Erbert & Gerbert Herbert. He created these stories to teach his children about science, history, adventure, and the importance of being a good friend... All the names of the sandwiches on the original stores’ menu were named after the characters in those stories his father used to tell," according to the website.



Erbert and Gerbert has 16 sandwiches on the menu, with names like Girf, Tullius, Tappy, Narmer and more. But that may not be the most unique part of the sandwiches. When they prepare the sandwiches, they cut out the soft white dough inside so there is more room for the fillings. And they plop that little extra hunk of bread right on top of the sandwich.



I ordered a half "quatro," which is "a zesty sandwich crafted with sliced chicken breast, a tangy cranberry sauce, cherrywood smoked bacon and sharp cheddar cheese. It's finished with fresh cucumbers, lettuce, tomato and a layer of Hellman's mayo."





The sandwich was tasty; I'm always partial to a Thanksgiving-esque sandwich so this was an easy win for me. A nice balance of tangy and creamy and sweet. I'm on the fence about the hunk of bread being taken out - because then I just have a plain piece of bread to eat.



The mac & cheese was surprisingly a bit too sweet for me with the BBQ. Maybe because it was all concentrated right on top, so it was hard to get a bite of both the mac & the BBQ, which really concentrated all that sweetness.



On the other hand, the peanut butter bar was like a Rice Krispie and Reese cup had a baby, and that's where I was looking for the sweetness - and found it.

Grade: B

The Springs Soup & Sandwich is a lovely name for a lunch spot in Webster Springs. It's simple, straightforward, but "springs" is also pleasantly bucolic.



This restaurant is a little funky, with bright paint colors and various art pieces on the walls. The menu is heavier on sandwiches than soups, with about a dozen paninis and one soup of the day.



I ordered the Springs Special, which was peppered turkey, lettuce, tomato, purple onion, mayo and cheddar cheese on sourdough bread - plus a side of chips, mini dill pickles and a chocolate mint.



There's nothing too out-of-the-box here. It's a basic sandwich, but it is well done. Each ingredient was solid, and it was all in good proportion to one another. The mint with the meal is a sweet touch.



Grade: A

Worth Takeaway is a small craft sandwich and coffee shop that is like the perfect neighborhood spot. It's cool, cozy and ultra local. They feature tons of other local businesses, like: Huss Brewing Co | Iconic Cocktail Co. | Myke’s Pizza | Noble Bread | Park St. Studios | Provision Coffee | Steadfast Farm | Stonegrindz Chocolate | SunUp | Simple Soda Co. | The Simple Farm | Think | Wild Tonic Kombucha | Wren House Brewing Co



There was a bit of a wait when we walked in the door, but, to me, that's just a good sign. As we stood in line to order at the counter, I took a minute to peruse the menu, which consisted of super craveable options.



Buffalo chicken dip, grilled cheese, spicy candied BLT, mac & cheese, and so much more. And to drink: They have local milk from Danzeisen Dairy. I ordered one of the mini glass strawberry bottles, which was so cute and delicious.



I ordered the roast beef sandwich with horseradish crema, giardineira, greens and cheddar on ciabatta. Plus mac & cheese.



The sandwich was great. It has the creamy, tangy and crunchy components down pat. I think some pickled red onions could've added a touch of sweetness. But, still, I loved the tangy crema. The mac & cheese was solid - extra points for the chives to give it a little freshness.



Good food, nice atmosphere and a great experience.



Grade: A

LJ's Hoagie King in Wheeling serves up - surprise - hoagies.



Heroes, grinders, subs, hoagies - whatever you may call these sandwiches- LJ's has them. For me personally, I tend to think of "hoagies" as the cold sandwiches you pick up to go in a convenience store. And subs are the ones you get from restaurants. But that's just my brain.



Either way, LJ's is an old-school restaurant with a U-shaped counter full of regulars who looked toward the door when I walked in. I looked over the menu and ordered an Italian hoagie, which is layered with capicola, ham, lettuce, tomato, onion, dressing, and provolone cheese. This was nicely stacked and had a great proportion of ingredients. The bread was just slightly a bit crunchy, which likely helps with the moisture of the sandwich. But I wouldn't have hated it to be a bit softer. Still a tasty, simple sandwich.

Grade: B

The Corner Hoagies & Hops in downtown Huntington draws inspiration from classic Huntington landmarks. 



While it's in a nice modern space with large windows, greenery and long bar, it is serving up some classic sandwiches with cool local names and beer from local breweries. 



The restaurant is located in the former Highway 55 Burgers & Shakes space, but has a fresh vibe.



I ordered a few different things so I could get a good taste. To start, I tried the spicy feta, which was my favorite item I ordered. It has the little bit of creamy funkiness from the feta with a good bit of heat. And it is a very generous portion.



Next up: Let's try the sandwich. I ordered the "scoreboard," which has turkey, swiss, greens, tomato, onion, avocado, and garlic aioli on a hoagie. I was really hoping the garlic aioli would pack a bit of a punch of flavor, because without that, it's just kind of a standard sandwich. Nothing wrong, but nothing super exciting either. And thick white raw onion was a bit overpowering. There are a lot of yummy things I want to try next though - like maybe a hoagie with pork belly, spicy curry mayo, and balsamic glaze. Yum.



Both the potato salad and the pickles were fine for me. I think the potato salad needs more seasoning, and the pickles maybe a bit more time to absorb flavor. 



Grade: B

Philly cheesesteak & side of onion rings. Yum!

 




Grilled cheese


Chicken & dumpling soup


Brownie