During the pandemic, I made it a mission to try all of the Tudor's Biscuit World locations in West Virginia.

During that time, restaurants were shut down, except for drive-throughs. And, I needed to get out of the house. So, this mission allowed me to try new places and helped feed my need for travel.

But no, whenever there is a new location that opens, I feel the need to visit it so that I can check it off my list, as well. The Inwood location is new and the only in the Eastern Panhandle. I ordered the Politician, which is a thick slice of bologna, American cheese and egg on a biscuit. It’s not fancy, but it’s satisfying. The Politician tastes like a diner breakfast crossed with a childhood bologna sandwich, all wrapped in a big, buttery biscuit. Grade: B

Toasted is a gourmet grilled cheese restaurant in Inwood that puts creative spins on a childhood favorite. In addition to their brick-and-mortar space, they have a food truck -- which seems like it will be the focus for them moving forward. I ordered the Hot Hen, which has Homemade Buffalo Chicken, Homemade Ranch & Pepper Jack on Sourdough. It delivers a satisfying kick, with tender shredded buffalo chicken bringing just the right level of heat balanced by cool, creamy ranch. Pepper jack melts smoothly into the filling, adding a subtle spice while the sourdough provides a crisp, buttery crunch. It’s a bold, messy-in-the-best-way sandwich. Grade: B

Imagine this: A carnival food truck. Minus the carnival.



That's kind of what Jules is like. It's flashy and lit up, but it's all the goodness of carnival indulgence food.






So, of course I had to go with a s'mores option.



What's your favorite?

We're slowly ticking off places on the 101 Most Unique Places to Dine in WV list, and my latest adventures took me over toward the Eastern Panhandle in Inwood, West Virginia. This particular stop was exciting because not only did I get to tick another restaurant off the list, but I got to stop at a locally owned grocery store.

Cider Press Deli is located within Taylor's Farm Market. So, let's talk about Taylor's Farm Market first since you walk through it to get to the restaurant.

The market has a lot of great fresh produce like apples; bakery items like pies and and fudge; dairy items like cheese and milk; honey; meats; sauces; drinks; jams and jellies; West Virginia decor; salsas; mixes; candy and even a wine area. It was this wine room where I found Cox wine, which is the first time I've seen it in person and will write about it a bit later.

It's really a nice market to peruse, and there is a wide range of items to peruse. From fresh food to local merchandise, there's a little bit of something for everyone. It seems to be a mix of locally grown stuff and other stuff that's just relevant to locals.

So, I ended up getting some of that wine, as well as some marked-down Valentine's Day candy (I visited close to the holiday). Perks. And, the caramel-filled chocolates I had were divine.

Here's a little more about the market:

Welcome to the area's newest Farm Market. We invite you to come check out what everyone has been talking about! We carry many West Virginia wines, local honey, different jams and jellies, apple butter, sauces from Oliverio’s Peppers in Clarksburg—in fact, we're so local that some of the honey we will be selling are from the bees that were in our apple orchard for pollinating earlier this spring! We have farm fresh produce, bulk candy, pies, organic ice cream, local meats, baking mixes, organic milk, local free range eggs from Gerrardstown, tomatoes, and much more in season. What we don’t raise ourselves, we are buying from local farmers when available so our customers will have different types of produce to choose from when they walk in our market. This is the best our great area produces, and our family is so happy to bring it all together to share with your family.

And, If you walk through the market and toward the back, you'll find a full-service restaurant in Cider Press Deli.

Our spot right off the highway here in Inwood has been a place for wholesome, local food for a long time. This site was originally developed in the early 1920s to promote cooperation among local farmers at a time when the South Berkeley apple rush proved that prosperity required more than just luck. $100,000 was secured from the government to be used to erect a horticultural school in Inwood. A school might not sound like much of a benefit to struggling orchardists; however, with the funds, a fruit packing plant was built and a school was also conducted inside the packing house. The one-of-a-kind school taught local farmers how to grow fruit profitably. The facility led to a successful fruit grower’s cooperative and helped many apple producers save money on packing fruit before shipping it to market on the railroad. 

On a cold January evening in 1955, the building ignited in flames. Then believed to have been the biggest rural fire in the county’s history, it caused incredible damage. In time, the facility was rebuilt and later became the Inwood Farmer’s Market operated by the West Virginia Department of Agriculture. 

In 2014, Robert & Ryan Taylor took over operation of the farm market realizing an old dream of bringing their locally picked fruits direct to the community. Life-long residents of Berkeley County, the father and son team behind Taylor’s Farm Market farm over 1,350 acres of row crops, orchards and vegetable gardens and operate a water hauling business for swimming pools. The current building allows more than ample space to share the freshest produce, wines, dairy, meat, handmade crafts, and bakery items that West Virginia proudly produces. Where some saw empty warehouse space inside the farm market facility, the Taylor’s saw opportunity to enhance the community. In 2016, the Cider Press Deli & Grill was born with a mission to be a great family place in Inwood serving fresh food, hand-crafted from scratch featuring seasonal market ingredients from local farms when available. 

Amidst the rustic and relaxing atmosphere, the Cider Press Deli & Grill offers amazing housemade specialties including sandwiches, salads, soups, local hand-pattied burgers, Black Dog coffee, heavenly desserts and so much more! Thanks for taking time to visit our spot! The Cider Press Deli & Grill is located inside Taylors Farm Market.

So, I walked in and was greeted immediately. They seated me in a small booth that wouldn't fit more than two people. The restaurant was pretty busy, which was a good sign.

The interior is simple, with some older photos on concrete block walls. A little dark, a little chilly. But, some country touches make it homey. It's comfortable.

The menu features salads, sandwiches, subs, wraps, paninis and burgers - basically lots of variations of sandwiches.

For me, I thought it was fitting to try "The Press Red White & Blue Burger," which was 8 oz. of charbroiled, local ground beef smothered with BBQ sauce, fried Vidalia onion rings and blue cheese crumbles on a brioche bun with fries on the side.

This was one thick burger. It wasn't especially wide, but it was thick. That made for a pretty tall burger that I smooshed down to make it a bit more manageable. Despite it being so thick, it was still juicy and not overcooked (always my worry). The onion ring was nice for some crisp, and the BBQ for some tang, and the cheese for a creamy element. All together, it was a decent burger.

The fries were a sort-of fried & battered almost. Thick, crispy and very good.

Unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to try dessert - but look at this dessert case. Looks phenomenal.

This restaurant + combo market is a nice little gem in the Eastern Panhandle. Good food, a nice market and a good way to spend an afternoon.

Grade: A

"The Dining Room" is such a ... comfortable name for a restaurant. It's a room in your home, so in essence, the restaurant is saying you are part of their family. Welcome to their home. Come eat at The Dining Room.

When I walked inside the restaurant, I stood at the front for a moment. One of the servers said someone will be with me shortly. So, I shifted awkwardly alone while the open restaurant stared at me for what seemed like 15 hours. Another server came up to me and asked if she could help me. I said lunch, for one. And she goes "oh... well... sit anywhere..." OH OK. That would've been good to know three minutes prior.

Then, since there was no bar seating, or even two-person seating, or even FOUR-person seating, I sat at a table for five people. Five people. That was super cool. But, let's talk food. Because food can solve most things in my life.

I ordered their "Special Cheeseburger," which came with grilled onions, sautéed mushrooms and provolone cheese. I noticed immediately the patty was perfectly round and medium width. But, that being said, I thought it tasted decent. I like that the bun was toasted and the mushrooms plentiful. I wish the fries were just a tad crisper. I think this place has some hometown nostalgia, and if you're looking for pretty run of the mill standard country fare, this would do you good. But for something just a tad more exciting, I'd look to the surrounding cities.

Grade: C