Enter into the delightful scent of freshly baked treats, sandwiches brimming with local flair, and indulge in irresistible pastries... That's the intro to Happy & More Bakery & Cafe in Thomas. This bakery offers some pastries, muffins, brownies, cakes and cookies in the countertop case. They also have coffee, soda and tea for drinks. Finally, they also have some made-to-order items in their café, such as biscuits and gravy, omelettes, breakfast sandwiches and hotdogs. Their offerings are pretty simple, but they do have a second portion to the business, which is retail. There are a number of food products, local art and plenty of gifts for purchase. I took two goodies home with me: a spinach and parmesan pastry, as well as a caramel apple cookie. i'm not sure the pastries are made in house, as this particular one looks very familiar to me. But, that did not mean that it's not delicious. It's rich and savory and all the best ways. The cookie was nice and chewy, which is my preferred cookie texture. Plus I love when there's that pull of caramel inside. A nice little shop that has some tasty treats and unique finds. Grade: B

Mt Top Convenience in Thomas is known for gas, soda and having some of the best pepperoni rolls in the state.



While the store offers traditional convenience store essentials, its largest draw may be the homecooking.



From burgers and meatball subs to General Tso's Chicken and surf & turf, the store stays churning out tasty meals. The pepperoni rolls are no exception.



They offer a variety: bacon & cheddar, American cheese & mustard, sauce & jalapeno... Some really interesting combos here! I tried every single one in the case over the course of a weekend, and there wasn't a bad one in the bunch. I appreciate the creative liberties. They've taken here, and it's fun to taste new takes on the pepperoni roll. The sauce with jalapeños especially was a nice play on both texture and spice.



Grade: A

TipTop, arguably West Virginia's premier coffee shop, recently moved just a few spots down the block in Thomas. And, I figured now was as good a time as any to visit.



I say premier coffee shop because it set the mold in the Mountain State for good, consistent, simple coffee in a trendy - yet comfy - space. This all remains true in their new space.



There are clean, modern spaces, local art, warm tones and a standard menu that includes cold brew, pour over, espresso, americano, cortado, cappuccino, latte, hot chocolate, cider and more.



I ordered a spiced cider and one of their strawberries & cream pastries. I loved the warming flavors of the drink paired with the light, fresh pastry. Neither too sweet, but enough to satisfy the craving. You really can't go wrong with any item here. The coffees are bold, the pepperoni rolls were solid and the pastries are classic, yet inventive.



Have you been?



Grade: A

The Davis/Thomas area is one of my favorites in the state. But it is small, so there isn't a ton of new business there often. So, when I saw the Riverfront Wood Fired Pizza open, I wasted no time placing an order.



The space is lovely and cozy, but I took mine to go so I could spend some time outside. They offer crowd, favorite pizzas, like pepperoni, margherita, buffalo, chicken, veggie, and the one that instantly caught my attention: the spaghetti pizza.



"Fresh house made spaghetti red sauce, meatballs, spaghetti pasta and mozzarella cheese." Listen, I don't disagree with you that it's a little bit gimmicky. But, explain to me why this is actually delicious. There's overlap between pizza and spaghetti as it is, so just doubling up on the carbs made this and even more delicious pie to me. Kind of fun, kind of different, and definitely a new texture. But still, really tasty red sauce good quality mozzarella = a pretty tasty pie.



Grade: A

Who doesn't love a good caramel apple?



In Thomas, they know what's up. Macy Lou's Gourmet Apple Company is crafting delicious caramel apples with a twist.



Strawberry, M&M, Twix, sprinkles, dark chocolate, tiger butter - and so many more flavors.



I went with a Snickers because caramel, nuts, and chocolate - it just doesn't get any better than that.



These apples are a perfect balance of tart with sweet decadence. If it was sweet on sweet on sweet, it would be too much. These are huge, delicious and so sayisfying.



Grade: A

I can't think of anything than better than a book store-coffee roaster-patisserie-printing press.



Thomas-based Ghost Palace Books is all of that - and maybe more. They have a small, but impressive, pastry and drink menu.



"we offer a rotating selection of hand-crafted, carefully made-by-us pastries, as well as house-roasted coffee and tea.when we say made from scratch, we mean it. all of our pastry dough and croissants are laminated by us, right here in our kitchen. sit upstairs with a book and enjoy a tea and a treat, or take some baked goods home for breakfast or dessert later. our kitchen uses locally sourced ingredients from Charm Farm and Backbone Food Farm. we use organic flours from Frankferd Farms in Pennsylvania."



I purchased a bag of roasted coffee beans (love local roasters!) and a maple pecan scone (don't mind my mangling - it was secured in my pocket until ready to munch).



Both were lovely in the end, and I loved this sweet space. The coffee was robust, the pastry was simple and tasty. And I could spend a whole day here.

Grade: A

Thomas has a handful of really great eateries, so I was excited to add yet another to my list: Picnic in Thomas - a takeout taco shop with a big lawn. 



This spot is the last on the main stretch of town and shares a building with a lovely book store called Ghost Palace Books. 



After placing an order outside at the walk-up window, my friend Sam and I actually went inside to warm up and check out the books. Once our order was ready, they let us know in the book store and handed us our orders there.



I went with a carnitas taco, which was topped with avocado salsa, pickled slaw and queso fresco. Not only was it beautiful, but it was so tasty. It was creamy, funky, acidic and very flavorful. Refreshing but comforting - a difficult balance to strike. Next, I want to try the breakfast tacos! PS: Bring cash.



Grade: A

When I travel, I like to plan things out. Not just for my sanity, but because it's a way I show love to my friends and family. I like help make things easy and pick things I think people would like. When I planned a trip to Farm Up Table, I was sure it was going to be a crowd-pleaser.



I had tried their food truck in the past, and I enjoyed it. But I had done my research on the place to make sure they had a menu with a variety of things for everyone to enjoy: fried rice balls, crab dip, salads, sandwiches, shrimp & grits, and more. 



After a long day, I was starving, so I started with Nona's Fried Rice Balls, which are parmesan risotto with baby peas surrounding fresh mozzarella rolled in breadcrumbs and fried crunchy. They were served with fresh tomato sauce. 



These were pretty dense - I wouldn't have minded some more creaminess inside. It was a pretty thick bite. But the flavor was there, and those peas were crucial. It was salty and unctuous in the best way.



For my main entree, I went with a muffuletta. It's not an option you see often in West Virginia, so I was super excited to try it. 



It may be an unfair benchmark that the only other traditional one I've had was at the original in New Orleans. First of all, this sandwich was huuuge. And it had the standard components - all of which were tasty! I just think the bread needed a little work; it felt apart and struggled to stand up to the pile of ingredients. I couldn't finish it in one sitting, but I definitely enjoyed leftovers.



Friends enjoy some other offerings - like these fries topped in cheese and a cuban sandwich. Which they enjoyed. 



I finished the meal with banana dessert that was delish.



Have you been?

Grade: B