Little Red Hen Bakery has been on my to-try list ever since I heard they have great pepperoni rolls.



That's always a quick way to rise to the top of my list!



This Fairmont bakery is not necessarily small, but they sure are mighty.



They had all sorts of pastries and freshly baked breads - even later into the afternoon, which was when I was able to visit.



The country chic decor is so cute.



Here's a look at the fluffy little pepperoni roll.



There's sliced pepperoni stuffed in there! Have you tried it?

Noteworthy Sweets, a bakery and sweets shop in Fairmont, has been on my to-try list for a long time. The only problem is they are only open on weekdays during lunch. So, when I had a weekday off and no plans, I headed to Fairmont to get some goodies.

Located along Fairmont Avenue, Noteworthy Sweets has specials for lunch, in addition to tons of pastries and cakes and more. So, you can see what they have for lunch that day right outside the restaurant.

So, I walked in and toward the back bakery case to see what they had left toward the end of the day. Off to the right, there is a large dining space that is basic, but nice.

Noteworthy Sweets is located in the Historic Crawford Building on the corner of Fairmont Ave. and 1st Street. Parking is available on the side of the building in addition to street parking.

We are a limited service restaurant in that we focus on one daily special each day. By doing so we have the flexibility to change our menu every week to keep up with what's fresh and in season.

If for some reason the daily special doesn't interest you we also offer our "Noteworthy Salad" with Sauteed Chicken, Quiche, and Chicken Salad Sandwich. When the weather turns cool we also offer fresh Homemade Soups. 

In July 2014 we had the opportunity to expand so we can now offer in house catering for up to 60-70 people. If you're not familiar with our facilities be sure to check out our pictures. 

There was one giant slice of cake that I took home with me, and I all but begged for a pepperoni roll. Initially, they said they were out, but I told them how I included them in my pepperoni roll book and I've been wanting to try one forever and they had just a few left over!



Let's start with the cake. It was an almond flavor with some very delicious, sugary icing. Pretty tasty! I imagine if I got there a bit earlier in the day, it may have been a bit more moist, too. Alas, that's what I get for being late.

But, let's talk about this pepperoni roll! This is a good pepperoni roll! It is moist, and there is pepperoni in absolutely every bite. It's light and fluffy while still having a good bit of chew. Very good.

Have you been? What's your favorite special?



Grade: A

The hippest new spot in Fairmont just opened: The Rambling Root is a restaurant (and soon-to-be brewery!) with unique dishes, an incredible craft beer list and a really cool vibe.

We believe that “The Rambling Root” will be so much more than just a restaurant or a brewery. It’s a place you can bring your family, where you can meet with friends, and where memories are made. We believe we can help strengthen the steadily growing camaraderie of our community and local pride. We want to showcase the beauty of what Fairmont has to offer- from its agricultural resources to its local art, and native musical talent. We love our state and want to show what it really means to be a West Virginian. We believe that this venue will be able to grow and serve our needs to expand and reach the community even further in the coming years. (Vision)

Located along Fairmont Avenue, The Rambling Root provides plenty of parking, a cool outdoor dining space and an even cooler indoor space complete with two levels with bars.

There are a lot of live plants around - which I totally love. It's a little hipster chic with rocks as placeholders, mason jar decor and mismatched chairs. It's fun and comfy and even has live music in the evenings.


So here's what you do: Walk in, go take a look at the food and beer menu, order at the counter, pay, take your number, find a seat and wait for your food to be delivered.

The menu has some cool options: catfish po'boy, pulled pork sandwich, German dishes like dumplings noodles and kielbasa, and a BLT that was hard for me to pass up. Instead, I went with the classic "Ramble On Burger," which is a beef patty, lettuce, tomato, pickle, and gouda pimento cheese. I got an order of the dumplings on the side -- because how many places can you get dumplings on the side?!

So, I found a seat at the upstairs dining area and peeked around at the place. The downstairs area seems just as cool. And, after a short wait, I had a huge burger and side helping of dumplings right in front of me.

And, even though I am a big fan of the folks running this place and have a good friend working there (hi, Heather!), I can say that regardless of all of that - this place is really good. Like, really good. That is one massive burger on a delicious ciabatta bun and some of the tastiest pimento cheese (man, I just love pimento cheese). I love that this has some southern roots and is just an all-around solid burger. I did add some ketchup because I don't know how to have a burger without ketchup -- which is located just around the corner with the soda fountain.

The dumplings were unreal. Like, where can you get unique food, damn good beer and DUMPLINGS. And, they were so good. I love the soft bite with that slight chew. Not too mooshy, not too stiff. Seriously good. Despite having the heaviest lunch, oh, ever... I ate every last bit of those noodles. I just had to.


After I finished my meal, I went to the bar to try a few drinks. One thing I really love is that they do half pints. So, torn on what to order? No worries - just get two half pints, which is exactly what I did. I started out with the Tamarind Ale from Flying Dog Brewery. This was so solid - smooth, malty, with just a bit of the Tamarine flavor. I trust literally anything these folks put on tap, because they know beer.

Then, I went with the sour cherry gose from Southern Tier. Sour beers are my favorite, so I was super happy to see one on the menu. And, this definitely has the sour going for it. Big fan.

So, should you go? Yes. Take a friend. Go fill your belly with delicious food and amazing beer.

And, keep an eye out for when they start brewing their own. Because I. Can't. Wait.

The Rambling Root is open Tuesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Saturday from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m., and they are closed Sunday and Monday.

Grade: A

Tis the time of year when Oktoberfest is celebrated via elaborate gatherings full of beer, lederhosen and heavy food.

And, I was fortunate to receive an invitation to attend Heston Farm's Oktoberfest and judge its home brewing contest. The judging actually started at 10 a.m. on Saturday, and we went through and tasted a bunch of really cool, delicious craft beers.

There are very strict guidelines for styles of beers, and I did my best to judge each beer by those. Josh, the head brewer at Heston, was patient and taught me lots about beer judging and the flavors I was tasting with each beer.

We had a mushroom beer and a delicious IPA and even a mead. Very cool experience - which actually took us a few hours. Crazy.

After the beer judging, I hung out with my friend Heather for a bit and helped get the place set up for the event. And, as soon as 4 p.m. rolled around, it was on.

There was a buffet full of sauerbraten (German style marinated beef), schnitzel (breaded chicken breast), bratwurst, spaetzel (german pasta), sauerkraut with kielbasa and apples, braised red cabbage, black forest cake and german chocolate cake.

I got a plate full of, well, everything. My favorite was definitely the spaetzel, which is a kind of soft egg noodle found in the cuisines of southern Germany and Austria, Switzerland, Hungary, Alsace, Moselle and South Tyrol. For the buffet, it was just $20.

And in addition to the fun home brew contest, the incredibly delicious buffet, there was also traditional music by Ron and Nancy Utt, and Soup Camel performed later in the evening.

And, games! Keg rolling - which I tried and almost did mildly well before giving up, as well as sack races and other fun things.










This was actually my first time heading down to Heston Farm's pavilion. And, it's a super lovely space. The food was great, the games were fun, and the beer was amazing. It was such a fun time, and I can't wait until the next event they host!