If you're looking for one of the most unique places to stay — or simply enjoy a cocktail — in southern West Virginia, The Historic Morris Harvey House combines history, hospitality, and a hidden speakeasy under one roof. Built in 1902 for prominent Fayetteville residents Morris and Rosa Harvey, the three-story Queen Anne Victorian was one of the town's first homes with indoor running water, featuring an innovative rainwater collection system that fed an 800-gallon copper cistern. The 14-room home still showcases many original architectural details, including seven restored oak fireplaces with Italian tile, antique furnishings, and wraparound porches. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. One of the property's coolest attractions is Rosa's Speakeasy, an intimate, reservation-only cocktail bar named in honor of Rosa Harvey. Hidden inside the historic home, the 21-and-over speakeasy is designed to evoke the elegance of the Prohibition era, with vintage décor, candlelit spaces, and a menu of carefully crafted cocktails paired with charcuterie boards and desserts. Seating is intentionally limited to preserve the cozy atmosphere, and reservations are strongly recommended. I enjoyed a charming cocktail with a mini clothespin and Baby's Breath, as well as a slice of pie. Have you ever been? Grade: A

Located in Fayetteville, The Gaines Estate occupies a restored 1920s-era mansion that has been reimagined as a restaurant, cocktail lounge and event venue. The space feels like a private estate dinner party, with historic details, elegant rooms and outdoor patios overlooking the landscaped grounds. The menu features dishes such as seared trout, filet au poivre, Tuscan chicken and gnocchi, burgers, seasonal pasta specials and house-made desserts. Look at my friend Bri! We just loved this space and could have spent all evening here exploring the historic rooms. But, it was dinner time! The first bite was a simple house salad. Fresh and satisfactory. We started with the Caramelized Onion & Goat Cheese Flatbread, topped with sweet caramelized onions, creamy goat cheese, mozzarella, arugula and a balsamic glaze. The tangy goat cheese and sweet onion was nicely balanced with the peppery arugula. The balsamic glaze added some sweetness. It was quite flavorful, without being heavy. I ordered the Tuscan Chicken & Gnocchi, which featured a Tuscan-seasoned chicken thigh served over house-made gnocchi with sun-dried tomatoes, spinach and baby bella mushrooms, all tossed in a white sauce. The dish delivered the kind of cozy flavors that fit the setting — tender chicken, soft gnocchi and a creamy sauce paired with the savory combination of mushrooms, greens and sun-dried tomatoes. The gnocchi added a hearty element to the dish, making it feel like a comforting Italian-inspired entrée while still fitting into The Gaines Estate’s upscale casual style. Grade: A

Cou Cou Rachou is a French bakery in Charlottesville that feels like a little slice of Paris tucked into a Preston Avenue shopping center. The bakery focuses on traditional French breads, pastries, and cakes made with local, organic ingredients. The name itself reflects the bakery’s welcoming spirit. In French, “coucou” is a warm greeting often shared between friends and loved ones, which fits the cozy, neighborhood feel of this bakery. Cou Cou Rachou was founded by pastry chef Rachel De Jong, who trained at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris and spent time working in acclaimed kitchens before opening the bakery in Charlottesville. Her background includes experience alongside chef Patrick O’Connell at The Inn at Little Washington, bringing a fine-dining level of technique to everyday pastries. The bakery case is filled with French classics like croissants, pain au chocolat, and other laminated pastries, along with creative seasonal offerings. The attention to detail is clear in the layers of flaky dough, delicate fillings, and careful presentation. The yellow plum financier is a made with a rich almond cake base, and has a buttery, almost caramelized flavor from browned butter. The slice of yellow plum adds a bright, slightly tart contrast. The texture is what makes a financier special — crisp around the edges, soft and moist in the center, with a delicate almond flavor that pairs beautifully with the fruit. The summer berry danish combines flaky, buttery laminated pastry with bright seasonal berries. The crisp layers and rich dough are balanced by the fruit’s natural sweetness and acidity, creating a pastry that feels fresh, delicate, and perfect for a summer morning. The vegetable galette at featured seasonal vegetables centered into a rustic, flaky crust. The buttery pastry provides a rich base for the savory veggies. Have you been? Grade: A

The Naughty Lobstah is a food truck based in Ohio that specializes in New England-style seafood with a twist.

The truck started as The Wicked Lobstah, but changed its name in 2022 after a trademark dispute. The rebrand to The Naughty Lobstah kept the same owners, recipes and playful personality.

Some of its most popular menu items include:

* Connecticut-style lobster roll – warm lobster tossed in butter on a toasted split-top bun.

* New England-style lobster roll – chilled lobster lightly dressed with mayonnaise. I ordered The High Society Roll - Warm buttered lobster with truck-made black & white truffle mayo on a buttered/toasted New-England Style split top bun. The truffle adds an earthy richness that elevates the sweet lobster, creating an indulgent bite. Grade: A

Lost & Found Pizza & Provisions is located at the entrance to Lost River State Park in Mathias, West Virginia, where it combines a wood-fired pizza restaurant with a provisions shop in the heart of the Lost River Valley. The provisions section includes beverages, snacks, pantry items and local bakery items - including some delicious cookies from Cove Mountain Bakery. Cove Mountain Bakery is a home bakery specializing in cookies, cupcakes, brownies & sugar cookie decorating classes. The restaurant side is fun and funky with a large dining space and unique art. The menu contains hand-tossed wood-fired pizzas, salads, sandwiches, appetizers, and a selection of beer, wine, and cocktails. I ordered the Apple Pizza, which was made to order right in front of me. The wood-fired pizzas feature blistered crusts with lightly charred edges, a crisp exterior, and a chewy interior that provides a sturdy base for all those fresh toppings. The Apple Pizza combines house onion jam, thinly sliced apples, and white cheddar on a wood-fired crust, with the option to add bacon for an extra savory element, creating a balance of sweet fruit, sharp cheese, and smoky flavors. Grade: A

No, you're not seeing double. I went to BOTH locations of Red Truck Bakery -- in Warrenton and Marshall, Virginia. The Marshall location opened in 2015 as the bakery's second location and serves as both a neighborhood café and the hub for Red Truck Bakery's nationwide shipping operation, with the café open daily from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. The interior features a bright bakery counter filled with cakes, pies, pastries, cookies, breads, and other baked goods, while retail shelves display cookbooks, pantry items, gifts, and specialty food products alongside the café. The menu contains breakfast biscuits, breakfast sandwiches, quiche, soups, salads, deli-style sandwiches, cookies, pies, layer cakes, Bundt cakes, muffins, scones, sticky buns, breads, brownies, coffee, espresso drinks, and tea. The jumbo coffee cake slice featured a tender, buttery crumb topped with a thick layer of cinnamon streusel that added a crisp texture and warm spice to each bite, making it a classic bakery-style breakfast pastry. The house-made granola blended toasted oats with nuts, seeds, and dried fruit, creating a crisp texture that worked well as a breakfast option or a snack to take home alongside the bakery's breads, pastries, and desserts. The house-made granola has developed a following of its own and is even praised by Andrew Zimmern, who has called it "the best granola in North America." In addition to bakery items, Red Truck Bakery serves locally roasted specialty coffee, offers catering, accepts custom cake orders, provides pre-order pickup, and ships many of its baked goods throughout the United States and Canada. Everything I had from both locations was great. I'll leave with this: "It all began with a truck – and a few irresistible cakes. A cherry-red 1954 Ford F-100, once owned by designer Tommy Hilfiger, found its way to rural Virginia and parked itself outside of a new bakery housed in an old Esso filling station in the heart of downtown Warrenton. More than just a vintage vehicle, this red truck came to embody the spirit of the bakery: tasteful, hardworking, and full of charm. It quickly became a local icon; a symbol of the love and connection shared between Red Truck Bakery and the communities it serves. Since the beginning, Red Truck Bakery has offered high quality goods rooted in a sense of place—crafted with care, inspired by local flavors, and designed to bring people together. Folks showed up for the tasty treats and stayed for the connection and community they inspired." Have you been? Grade: A