The Find in Kanawha City is a shop that features clothing, shoes, jewelry and more. Inside of The Find is The Flavor Cave, which is a small candy room with homemade sweets, jerky, jams, jellies and more. So here's some of what I got to check out! There are containers will all sorts of mini candy bars: Snickers, Whoppers, Reese's, Paydays, you name it. The have their own "The Flavor Cave" line of freeze-dried goodies, like Skittles, Lemonheads, Gummy Rings and Chocolate Cheesecake. Happy Holler Homestead had a a variety of cookies, like white chocolate chip and chocolate chip. They also have dog treats, as well. The Jerky Hut has a section for various flavors of beef jerky. Plus, there are pickles in a pouch, make-your-own dirty sodas, and even some ramen. At the bakery case in front, there are several vendors featured: Mamma's Best No Bake Cookies, Mountain Mama Mercantile with homemade cookie butter cake and plenty from Missy's Makings. You'll even find chocolates from Coblentz, which is based in Walnut Creek, Ohio. Fudge from Misty Sinistore. Have you been?

Rainelle Deli & Marketplace is a family-owned deli and specialty food market at 707 Main St. in Rainelle. It opened in April 2023 with a focus on making local food more accessible to the community. The business grew out of owner Beth Smailes’ work selling beef and produce from her family’s farm. Her goal was to give people in Rainelle more consistent access to local food, while keeping more food spending in the community. The market also sells beef and pork from the family farm. It’s part sandwich shop, part small grocery, and part market for regional and specialty products. Made-to-order sandwiches: The deli offers custom sandwiches, including options such as the Loaded Italian, Farmhouse Club and Frontier. A 2024 newspaper profile reported that the shop was making around 100 hoagies a day. Breakfast and hot foods: Breakfast sandwiches, paninis, pizza, soups, salads and rotating lunch specials give you options beyond cold deli sandwiches. The daily specials change, so check their current menu before visiting. Local and specialty groceries: Shop for local meats, cheeses, raw and pasteurized milk, Amish-style jams and jellies, honey, pickled goods, bulk candy, baked goods and pantry items. Like "Knead the Living Bread." Sweets and baked goods: The market also carries cakes, pies, pastries and other treats, along with coffee. The selection can rotate depending on what's available. The very generous Farmhouse Club includes: Sliced Honey Ham, Colby Jack Cheese, Lettuce, Tomato, Onion, Bacon, Mayo and Mustard on 3 pieces of toasted Sourdough bread. It's huge, fresh and very satisfying. Grade: A

I was fortunate to have experienced a special dine-around event that brought together four talented culinary teams for a good cause. Ristorante Abruzzi, Coco’s, Chef Ke and Nomada Bakery each brought something unique to the table, showcasing the creativity and talent within our local food scene. It was a wonderful reminder of what can happen when great chefs come together around a shared purpose, using their skills to support something bigger than themselves.

The Chef Ke Experience
Chef Ke

Classic Deviled Eggs (V) Seasonal Roasted Crudités (V) Honey Cornbread with Chive Butter (V) Black Eyed Pea Hummus & Crispy Wontons (V) Ristorante Abruzzi
Chef Chase Collier

Pinto Bean Hummus (V)
Ramp pesto, corn chow chow, cornmeal crackers, baby vegetables, DiTrapano olive oil Squash Harvest (V)
Butternut squash focaccia, roasted delicata squash, brûléed acorn squash, squash salsa, fall squash agrodolce, JQ Dickinson smoked salt (local) Trout Cake
Aioli, green tomato and bacon jam, buttermilk foam Coco's Kitchen
Chef Chasity Thomas

Spinach & Artichoke Tartlets (V) Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms Mini Crab Cakes Nomada Bakery
Chef Ariel Barcenas

Empanadas - Chicken Curry, Ground Beef, or Spinach & Ricotta (V) Lychee & Heart of Palm Ceviche Mini Cupcakes & Alfajores

The Capital Cocktail Classic brings together downtown Charleston restaurants for an evening of creative cocktails, food pairings and friendly competition, all in support of the local arts community. The annual fundraiser benefits Fund for the Arts, a nonprofit organization that provides financial support to arts organizations throughout the Kanawha Valley. First held in 2019, the Capital Cocktail Classic has become a popular downtown event that combines elements of a cocktail competition and restaurant crawl. The 2026 event took place Saturday, October 24, from 4 to 7 p.m., featuring four participating establishments. Tickets were $60 and included a signature cocktail and appetizer at each stop, with beer and wine substitutions available. The participating restaurants were Ursus Brew Works, Sam’s Uptown Cafe, Prime 101 and Fife Street Brewing. Each establishment created its own cocktail and food pairing for the event, giving attendees an opportunity to sample different flavors while exploring downtown Charleston. At Ursus Brew Works, the featured cocktail was a blackberry margarita, accompanied by a poblano pepper stuffed with cream cheese, cheddar and brisket. The pepper was finished with blackberry barbecue sauce and pico de gallo, combining smoky, savory and sweet flavors. Sam’s Uptown Cafe offered a Tito’s Bloody Bisque alongside potato-crusted cod. The fish was served with chive-lemongrass-leek cream, Gouda, Parmesan, sage butter and balsamic glaze, creating a more elaborate seafood pairing. Prime 101 featured a cocktail inspired by the French 75, a classic drink traditionally made with gin, lemon juice, sugar and sparkling wine. Its accompanying appetizer was a crab cake served over street corn with a blueberry-sriracha-lemon sauce. Fife Street Brewing rounded out the lineup with a pomegranate whiskey maple smash and a grilled cheese sandwich featuring bacon, blue cheese and apple butter. The pairing brought together sweet and savory ingredients in a twist on a familiar comfort food. In addition to sampling the offerings, attendees had the opportunity to vote for their favorite cocktails and appetizers, adding a competitive element to the evening. The event also encouraged participants to visit several downtown businesses in one afternoon. Proceeds benefited Fund for the Arts and its mission of strengthening the local arts community. The organization supports groups such as the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra, Charleston Ballet, Charleston Light Opera Guild and River City Youth Ballet through its annual fundraising efforts.

A haunted carnival has taken over The Hideaway in downtown Charleston for Halloween. MMDI, the group behind previous concepts like the pickle-themed pop-up and Dolly Parton-inspired celebration, has transformed the space into The Spookeasy, an immersive experience combining carnival-inspired decorations, themed cocktails and special events. The haunted carnival concept takes inspiration from vintage circuses, with a darker Halloween twist. MMDI created a handmade, floor-to-ceiling environment intended to immerse guests in the theme. Rather than simply adding a few seasonal decorations, the team transformed the space into a spooky big-top experience, with carnival-inspired details throughout. The theme also carries over to the menu, which features signature cocktails and a selection of food dubbed “Big Top Bites.” Food included:

FREAK SHOW FRIES - Loaded fries with buffalo chicken, bacon, mozzarella, cheddar, jalapeños & chives. Served with ranch.

CARNIE BITES-Crispy chicken tossed in sticky house BBQ, topped with crispy onions & chives. Served with ranch.

THE RINGMASTER - Loaded hot dog with nacho cheese, bacon, crispy onions, jalapeños & spicy mustard.

POPCORN

NACHOS & CHEESE

CORN DOG

FRIED MOZZ

PRETZEL & CHEESE Cocktails included:

THE KILLER CLOWN
Spicy Margarita
Tequila, Lime Juice, Triple Sec, Jalapeno, Grenadine.

THE FREAK SHOW
Purple Vodka Lemonade
Vodka, Lemonade, Blue Curacao, Grenadine.

RINGMASTER'S REVENGE
Green Rum Punch
White Rum, Pineapple Juice, Melon Liqueur, Lime Juice, Sprite.

DEATH DEFYING ACT
Dark Espresso Martini
Vodka, Espresso, Coffee Liqueur, Black Cocoa. The Spookeasy features a lineup of special events. The opening weekend includes a DRAGula Brunch on Oct. 25 featuring Viki Williams, Red Scare, Stephani Michelle Williams and DJEJ. The following week brings a Working Ghouls Happy Hour on October 28, tarot readings with Pluto & Penticles on Oct. 29, and Scream & Sing: Killer Karaoke on Oct. 30. The experience concludes with The Final Fright on Halloween night. Have you been?