Grandpa’s Cheesebarn & Sweeties Chocolates is a longtime roadside attraction in Ashland, Ohio, just off Interstate 71. Part specialty grocery store, part candy shop and part tourist destination, the family-owned business has been drawing travelers since 1978. "The rich history of Grandpa’s Cheesebarn started with Grandpa Yarman, who in the early 1900s sold his only possession (a portable RCA radio) for his first wheel of Ohio Swiss and opened his own Yarman’s cheese house in West Salem, Ohio. Grandpa Yarman smoked his own country hams and bacon. Word of his unique way of smoking meats along with his reputation for quality spread throughout Ohio. His daughter, Vera, met Grandpa Baum and the two of them began to reconstruct Grandpa Yarman's dream. Grandpa Baum followed the same path as Grandpa Yarman and sought out the best cheese makers in Ohio. He explored new areas in Ohio to obtain the best Colby, Swiss, baby Swiss and many other types of local cheeses. In 1978, Grandma and Grandpa Baum, along with their daughter, Ronda, and her husband, Dick Poorbaugh, opened Grandpa’s Cheesebarn in Ashland, Ohio. In 1991, Grandpa Baum sold his store “Wonderland of Food” in West Salem and joined Ronda and Dick working full time at Grandpa’s Cheesebarn. Under the watchful eye of the new Grandpa and Grandma, Grandpa's Cheesebarn has become a favorite among local and traveling customers alike. On the heels of the successful store in Ashland, the family opened a second location, The Best of Grandpa’s Cheesebarn, in 2015 in Norton, offering the same Ohio-made foods. The Best of Grandpa’s Cheesebarn is now the fourth-generation version of this family business. Operated by Mistie Poorbaugh, Ronda and Dick’s daughter, she shares the same passion as her great grandfather to offer the best quality products at affordable prices. Mistie grew up working in the family business while in school and then pursued a degree in business education from Ashland University. She taught business at the high school and collegiate levels and operated several YMCAs before coming back to family business in 2015 to run the new store." The two-story barn specializes in cheeses, including Ohio-made Swiss, aged cheddars, smoked varieties and imported selections. Shelves are also stocked with smoked meats, sausages, jerky, jams, jellies, pickles, maple syrup, honey, baking mixes and other specialty foods. Cheese sampling has long been part of the experience. The lower level houses a café serving casual lunch items, along with homemade ice cream. Sweeties Jumbo Chocolates was added in 1995, expanding the family's food business into homemade chocolates and confections. The neighboring shop features fudge, chocolate-covered pretzels, buckeyes, nut clusters, turtles, truffles, chocolate-covered marshmallows and old-fashioned candies. Its chocolates and fudge include recipes developed by the family, with homemade caramel and cream fillings among its specialties. Sweeties is also a stop on Ohio's Buckeye Candy Trail. Every single cheese I tasted was delicious and unique. Have you ever been? Grade: A

Bask Smokehouse is a relatively new restaurant in downtown Huntington, at 279 9th Street near Pullman Square. It opened in August 2025 in the former Black Sheep Burrito & Brews space. The restaurant is co-owned by Patrick Guthrie, who is also behind Huntington businesses Bahnhof and The Loud and Charleston's Black Sheep. It describes itself as a contemporary take on the barbecue traditions of Texas, the Southwest, Kansas and the Deep South, interpreted through an Appalachian lens. Guthrie said before opening that the idea grew out of smoking meats and fish for specials at his other restaurants and wanting to build an entire restaurant around those techniques. The restaurant itself has a more polished, contemporary feel than the rustic-roadside aesthetic associated with many barbecue places. It has a Southwestern-influenced interior with colorful artwork and a menu that features brisket, ribs, pulled pork, smoked turkey and platters with sides I visited during their soft opening and tried a few different apps. Burnt-End Brisket Rangoon Dip: A deconstructed spin on crab Rangoon, the dip combines smoky chopped brisket burnt ends with a rich, creamy filling and is served with crisp wonton chips for scooping. The brisket adds a savory, smoky element to the sweet-and-creamy profile associated with Rangoon. Fried Deviled Eggs: A Southern-style twist on the classic appetizer, these start with hard-boiled egg whites that are breaded and fried until crisp, then filled with creamy seasoned yolk. The result has the familiar tangy richness of a deviled egg with a crunchy exterior. Grade: A

Gran Robbie’s in Ansted is a locally owned café serving breakfast, lunch, coffee and baked goods along U.S. 60, just a few minutes from Hawks Nest State Park. The café has a casual, homey feel, with plants, local artwork and plenty of seating. The menu features reakfast options like frittata sandwiches, French toast and bagels, while lunch brings sandwiches, salads and rotating specials. "Gran Robbie’s choice for espresso is Coal River Coffee Company’s Almost Heaven, a dark-roasted blend of Tanzanian Peaberry, Nicaraguan, and Sumatran beans. Our very own Hawks Nest Roast, a collaboration between Gran Robbie’s and Coal River, is an amazingly smooth and dark combination of Guatemalan and Nicaraguan beans with notes of walnut, chocolate, and apricot. It’s the coffee that will convince you that you like your coffee black," reads the website. I started with a mango-peach smoothie, which I will order every time I see it. Sweet and cold and refreshing. I tried Tim’s Spicy Rice — jasmine rice with breakfast sausage, peppers and onions, seasoned with Southwest spices and topped with corn and black bean salsa, sour cream, green onions and cilantro. And Banh Mi — dry-rubbed, slow-cooked pork loin, thinly sliced and topped with a spicy Asian slaw.

These were both unexpected, but tasty. Each component in the rice dish tasted fresh. Simple. The sandwich was unlike other banh mi that I've had. It felt more like a regular sandwich based on the size and bread. I did love the pickled veggies. Grade: B

Sips-N-Trips by MTA is a loaded tea shop slash travel agency in Hurricane. I'll be very honest -- I don't really "get" loaded tea. But, I am also not the target demographic. I don't seek out high protein or collagen-boosting or any addidtives in my drinks or food. In fact, it freaks me out a bit. I guess I'd prefer it just be ... pure? But I wanted to try it out. There are a billion different flavor combinations, which seems to be the hallmark of these shops. I went with a concoction of cherry and peach and some other flavors, plus vitamins, minerals and caffeine. No sugar. And that's the one part that threw me a bit - the artificial sweetener taste is not my favorite. Grade: C

400 Degrees is a Nashville hot-chicken restaurant. Owner Aqui Hines, a Nashville native, grew up eating Prince’s Hot Chicken and developed her own version before opening 400 Degrees in 2006. It remains a Black-owned, locally rooted restaurant and is regularly grouped with Prince’s and Bolton’s among Nashville’s essential old-school hot-chicken destinations. The Cheesesteak Eggrolls were packed with chopped sirloin, melted cheese and onions inside a crisp fried wrapper. Though normally served with ketchup and mustard, I opted for a side of the beer cheese for dipping. The eggrolls were crispy, cheesy and packed with savory beef, and the beer cheese was a great addition. Grade: B