Tapatío Grill & Cantina is a Mexican restaurant in Elkview that opened in 2024. It is a family-owned spot inspired by the flavors of Jalisco, Mexico, and run by a husband-and-wife team with decades of restaurant experience. Atmosphere-wise, it’s casual and welcoming, with a cantina-style vibe, friendly service and generous portions. Of course, you can enjoy a sit-down meal, buy I chose takeout because I was on the go. I started with corn riblets, which is corn on the cob, cut into rib-like strips, cooked until slightly crispy and curled, and eaten like ribs. These are topped with mayo or crema, lime juice, chili powder or Tajín, cotija cheese, and cilantro. A little messy, a lot tasty. Arroz Trio is a solid, filling dish with steak, chicken, and shrimp over rice, all covered in cheese dip. The meats are cooked well enough and give you a mix of textures, while the cheese adds a creamy, salty layer over everything. It’s not anything fancy, but it’s satisfying and does the job if you’re hungry. Grade: B

Elkview Supermarket is the local grocer in Elkview, and they're known for some of their deli items.



To start, the deli has a seating area. So, once you get your goodies, you can dine in.



The supermarket offers homemade potato salads, pepperoni rolls and other pre-made goodies on the shelves, but the real star is the main deli counter.



That menu includes their signature potato wedges - or hillbilly taters. Plus other dinners, like chicken and pulled pork.



First up was breakfast biscuits. There were a handful of sausage and chicken biscuits, so I snagged one of each.



Both of these were OK. I enjoyed the sausage enough, but it ate a bit dry. The chicken wasn't the best quality so the texture was off.



I did also get a pulled pork sandwich with the famous hillbilly tater.



This I enjoyed a good bit more. It was a huge sandwich with a nice sweet, tangy flavor. And the slaw added a nice touch.



The potato wedges - or what I'd call jojo potatoes. A little crispy, a lotta potato.



What's your favorite thing here?

Grade: B

Rise & Grind Cafe is bakery cafe in Pinch, with indoor and outdoor seating and a drive through. I have been wanting to check this place out for a while, and now that they have weekend hours, the stars aligned and I was able to swing by for breakfast today. The shop is fairly small, and this place was hoppin'. I had to wait for someone to leave to find a parking spot, and the line to order was out the door. But not to worry - the line moved quickly and before I knew it, I was in front of a case full of treats. I selected a hot chocolate muffin, pumpkin cream muffin, raspberry white chocolate cookie and strawberry brownie. I also ordered a large hot chocolate - with whipped cream. All in all, the treats here were lovely. I think the brownie was my favorite, though it was a little soggy. The cookie and muffins were both nice, as was my hot chocolate - if not a touch watered down. Grade: B

Made at the Cottage is a cool little shop in Elkview that welcomed coffee shop Bee Box Coffee recently.



The coffee shop has a number of flavor combinations, which is really fun. Whether that is lavender, vanilla, and honey or maple and hickory smoke. I love the Almost Heaven, which is praline and caramel. Bonus points would have been given if I could get it frozen and blended. I ordered a delicious brown sugar boba, which was nicely balanced with sweetness - not too much. I love a chewy tapioca boba.



Grade: A

"We took what many saw as a dilapidated community eyesore, scrubbed away the 2016 flood mud, and turned it into a place that feels like home. We rose like a swine wallowing in the mud on a hot summer’s day to create an authentic BBQ place on the River. The Swine Barrel is your one stop shop to get delicious food and your share of friendly conversation and a few tall tales while you wait," reads the website.



Located in Elkview, this tiny BBQ shop has a really cute interior with bright pops of color, textures and industrial touches.



Seating is pretty minimal, especially if you have a large party. I put in a to-go order and snagged one of those high-top chairs while waiting for my meal.



I ordered a bunch of different things to try out at home, which included the brisket. It was smoky, a bit fattier than I would prefer, but had the appropriate accoutrements with it: pickled onion, pickles, and a barbecue sauce with lots of pepper. All the sides were good, though I think they have the potential to be great.



Mac & Cheese - Velvety and rich macaroni and cheese with a crisp panko topping and the perfect kiss of smoke flavor.



Deviled Eggs - 1/2 dozen of original deviled eggs with a hint of smoke and topped with pulled pork and pickled onions.



Sausage Balls - Homemade cheddar sausage balls served with sweet and sassy raspberry dipping sauce.



Caprese Salad - A generous serving of fresh mozzarella, stuffed in a ripe red tomato. a handful of basil leaves and drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar.



Grade: B

Hens & Heifers in Elkview has had mixed reviews since its opening, so my friend Beth and I were eager to check it out for ourselves.

From the outside, the restaurant looks new and clean and like a good amount of work has been done on it to bring it up-to-date. And, there are some risqué nods to "hard up hens."



The restaurant features, chicken tenders, and wings, as well as burgers, pasta, fish, and steak. The "hard up hens" refers to chicken tenders, which come with a variety of different sauces - like ranch, barbecue, Jamaican jerk, and mango habanero.



I wanted to try the chicken tenders, since it is their signature, but I opted to have them atop white cheddar macaroni and cheese. I got this with a "Hen" sauce, which they bill as tangy and creamy. This dish would've benefited from a lot more of it. The mac & cheese was thick and dense and the chicken was a bit dry. So, that tangy dressing could've added a much needed dimension. As it was, it was just a bit stodgy.



But, I also tried their smashed potatoes. The description says that it starts out as a baked potato that is squashed flat and smash cut on the flat top griddle. I thought that meant a larger surface area would lend itself to crispier bits. But, it was really just a baked potato in a cup with toppings on it. Having melted butter and cheese would have kicked this up a notch. I do like this concept; I think the execution could get better.



Finally, we tried dessert. The slice of Keylime pie was a bit small on the plate, but tasted fine. It was just a bit puny.



The cocktail list looked expensive, and I would definitely check that out next time. Overall, though, not bad, but certainly room for improvement. I do appreciate a good concept and some creative effort.



Grade: B