Our House Grill and Pub is is located at the Cantrell Ultimate Rafting base camp just outside Fayetteville, putting the casual grill and pub within walking distance of Cantrell’s cabins, campsites and other lodging. The dining space has a rustic, casual feel, while the outdoor seating area extends into a garden setting with flowers surrounding the patio. The outdoor area also includes the Garden Stage, where Cantrell hosts live entertainment during the rafting season, turning the restaurant into both a dining and music venue. The menu focuses on casual American fare, with burgers, sandwiches, salads, appetizers, wings, West Virginia-style hot dogs, and other pub food alongside beer, cocktails, and other drinks. The "Depot Tomatoes" are seasoned with garlic and basil, and then topped with three cheeses and baked. They would have benefited from some crunch -- lettuce or a crust or something. I also did the pineapple garlic wings, which were much hotter than I'd typically order. But I really enjoyed the sweet heat. Have you been? Grade: B

The Handle Bar + Kitchen sits at Arrowhead Bike Farm just outside Fayetteville. It’s part restaurant, part biergarten and part post-adventure hangout. The restaurant opens into a biergarten with picnic tables and a fire pit, giving it more of a hangout feel than a traditional restaurant and making it particularly well suited for groups. The menu takes a similarly unfussy approach, with everything from burgers and sandwiches to tacos, brats, fried snacks and a few options for people looking for something beyond the usual bar food. The drink list leans heavily into craft beer, with rotating selections and plenty of West Virginia breweries represented, including Freefolk Brewing, Greenbrier Valley Brewing and Hawk Knob. I ordered the SWEET CHIPOTLE BRIE BURGER - 6oz smashed seasoned beef burger, caramelized onions, lettuce, melted brie cheese with a sweet berry chipotle sauce served on a sweet brioche bun. Plus a side of house fries. The brie brings a rich, creamy element, while the berry-chipotle sauce gives the burger sweetness with a little smoky heat, and the caramelized onions reinforce that sweet-savory profile. Have you been? Grade: B

Tequila Taco Bar opened in Fayetteville in 2025 as a casual Mexican restaurant with a bar. The inside is bright, colorful and full of fun Mexican-inspired touches, with artwork and pops of color everywhere you look. It feels festive and lively without being too over-the-top, and definitely adds to the fun of sitting down for tacos and a margarita. The menu features tacos alongside posole, fajitas, burritos, enchiladas, chimichangas, nachos, taco salads, vegetarian options and a kids’ menu. We started with chips & salsa, which were perfectly serviceable. They also serve a creamy white dipping sauce that was tangy and cool. The Camarones Hawaiianos had large shrimp cooked with grilled onions, mushrooms and pineapple topped with cheese dip, served with rice and house salad. Sweet & savory - but a bit one-note texture wise. Grade: B

The Brew Garden is a pretty unique little spot in Fayetteville, West Virginia: it’s a coffee shop and beer garden inside the back of Water Stone Outdoors, the outdoor-gear shop at 101 E. Wiseman Avenue. In the morning, it operates as a coffee shop, with drinks made using locally roasted beans from Cherry River Roasting Company. The menu includes espresso, cappuccinos, lattes, cold brew on tap, chai, matcha, tea and seasonal specialty drinks. Later in the day, the emphasis shifts toward beer. The Brew Garden serves locally crafted beer, including offerings from Bridge Brew Works, and has a deck where people can hang out after hiking, climbing, rafting or exploring the New River Gorge. I ordered a lemonade with strawberry, which was simple and refreshing. It could have used a bit more flavor, but lovely nonetheless. Grade: B

Bella Pizza Pasta and Subs was a pitstop for me while driving through the Clifton Forge, Virginia, area. Opened in 1999, the restaurant is a bit rustic with wooden features. I ordered a "Special" deep-dish pizza, which comes with: cheese, onions, pepperoni, sausage, mushroom, ground beef & green peppers. It's not deep dish in a Chicago style, but it is thicker and square. The toppings overwhelmed the sauce and dough a bit too much for my liking. It’s satisfying if you’re craving a hearty slice Grade: B

SunTan Swine BBQ is a family-owned southern West Virginia barbecue business run by Scott and Amy Barnett. It operates primarily as a mobile BBQ truck and catering company, traveling for events, festivals, weddings, corporate gatherings, and what they call “Meat Ups” — pop-up roadside stops where customers can pick up BBQ dinners. The barbecue style is built around low-and-slow smoking, with Scott Barnett using a signature spice blend and traditional smoking techniques. Their menu focuses on classic BBQ staples like pulled pork, brisket, ribs, pulled chicken, smoked wings, and loaded fries, along with traditional sides.

I enjoyed a pulled pork sandwich with slaw and Sweet Baby Rays sauce. Plus a side of mac & cheese. The sandwich had that classic barbecue balance of smoky, sweet and tangy, while the mac & cheese added a rich, cheesy bite. Grade: B

The Fort Bar & Grill is a restaurant located at 100 Cantley Drive in Charleston's Fort Hill neighborhood.



The restaurant serves dinner Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m., and lunch and dinner Friday through Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., while remaining closed on Tuesdays.



The dining room combines the feel of a neighborhood tavern with a steakhouse and includes a full bar featuring whiskey, wine and craft cocktails.



The menu includes appetizers, salads, hand-cut steaks, seafood, chicken, ribs, smash burgers, sandwiches, desserts, and a selection of classic and signature side dishes.



We started with the buffalo crispy chicken bao buns, which weren't super on the crispy side. But that's not too bad. We had another app and a side of brussels sprouts; neither of which were super impressive.



One of the restaurant's featured menu sections is its lineup of house-made smash burgers, which are served with fresh house-cut fries and include options such as the Black & Bleu, Whiskey Bourbon Smash, Backyard BBQ Smash, Mushroom Swiss Smash, and Firestarter Smash.



I went with the Hot Honey Pimento Smash, which has 2 wquality all-beef patties, deep fried pimento cheese bites, topped with hot honey, jalapeno peppers (or banana peppers), crispy onion ring, lettuce and tomato. This was a lot of fried flavor, so I was hoping to get some more of that honey. But still pretty tasty, regardless. The sticky date pudding for dessert was decent.



Grade: B

Emma's Boba & More in Ripley offers lemonade, tea, dirty sodas, hot dogs, hoagies and wraps. First, I looked over the drinks to see what piqued my interest. "Shark Bait" was the winner: blue raspberry, strawberry and strawberry boba. It reminded me of a bomb pop, with the blue and red. It tasted like one too! Sweet with a tiny bit of sour. Approved. For lunch, I ordered a hot dog: Cowgirl - homemade chili, nacho cheese and crushed Fritos. Not easy to eat, but the hot dog was like a version of a Frito pie. The chili, the cheese, the crunch - a pretty satisfying bite. Grade: B

EDITED TO ADD: Their homestyle meatloaf dinner, which was excellent. Plus mashed potatoes & gravy, green beans, a roll and pasta salad.

I had been hearing great things about Nikki's Bar and Grill, so I had to check it out the first chance I got.



I ordered a pepperoni roll with housemade marinara, as well as buffalo chicken dip.



The peppperoni roll is shareable size, hearty and generously filled. The dough bakes up with a crisp crust that’s soft inside, while the roll is packed with plenty of pepperoni and melted cheese. Served alongside house-made marinara, it is a solid choice.

The buffalo chicken dip is rich, creamy, and loaded with shredded chicken. It carries enough buffalo heat to keep it interesting. Good.



Grade: B