Burgers & Bites is a new downtown Morgantown restaurant serving standard burgers and some fried sides. 



Located on Walnut Street, Burgers & Bites is a straightforward burger joint without a lot of frills. The space has been a number of businesses in the past, and it's sandwiches among college bars and nightclubs so its hours into the late weekend nights reflect that. 



Inside, there's a counter area and a dozen or so tables with chairs. It's a bit haphazard, but fine. The menu has a "build your own" burger section that includes options for burger (beef, turkey, beyond), cheese (American, cheddar, pepper jack and swiss), and toppings (lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle, jalapeno, ketchup, mustard, mayo, bbq, buffalo). Then, there are some extra like sauteed mushrooms or fried egg. 



The other menu items include fried appetizers, wings, tender and ice cream. 



I happened to win a "Free Burger Friday" so my basic burger was free - I added American, tomato, onion, ketchup and mayo to it. And a strawberry milkshake - really, this is a perfect lunch. 



The burger was good - more on the well-done side and a thinner patty. But good! I would love to see some "signature" burgers that the restaurant creates that are especially good combos. There are a lot of good places to get burgers in the area, so it's nice to have something that makes you stand out. 



My friend Lisa also ordered hot pepper cheese balls, and mmm they were good. Overall, a decent burger, a good shake and very tasty hot pepper cheese balls.

Grade: B

There are many different kinds of bakeries - some that focus on homemade breads, some that offer donuts until they sell out, and then there are some over-the-top experiences that bringing out the sweet tooth in everyone. 



Sugar Bar in Morgantown is the latter. Located in the Suncrest Towne Centre, the shop focusing on sweets and coffee has dozens of different sweet options that change up by the day and offer something for everyone.



First of all, the space is absolutely lovely. It's trendy with a living wall and neon sign.



They have lots of green plants, gold accents and chandeliers. 



Let's start with the coffee: They have a full espresso bar, plus specialty drinks and teas. 



And then for food - they have things like savory scones, croissants and more.



And then the desserts - oh my goodness. There's everything from macarons and cake to cannolis and cupcakes.



I wanted to try a little bit of everything, so let's get to it.



First, I had a quick bite of a birthday cake macaron. I have had quite a few macarons in my day from some very talented bakers. I wouldn't say this is the best, but it wasn't bad. And, I'm happy to see Morgantown have some options for them.



Then, there was a mini key lime pie. I just love anything in mini form. I'm not a big key lime pie person - the sour sweets have their place, but it's not what I would typically gravitate toward. this had a beautiful, flavorful crust and a dollop of meringue that was a perfect balance to the sour filling.



Cupcakes are prevalent throughout ... the country ... but the strawberry cream cheese cupcake just looked like it would hit different so I ordered one of those, as well.



I saved my absolute favorites for last. This tres leches cake is ... beyond. It's so moist and creamy and sweet and just like the equivalent of being all snuggled up in a cozy blanket - but for your tastebuds.



And this scone - rosemary, thyme, parmesan. I could eat this for breakfast every day. It is savory but slightly sweet and just perfectly balanced.



I did not get a quiche, though that's another favorite. I love a savory pastry. But if you get one, let me know how it goes.



Grade: A

El Pollon is a new restaurant in Morgantown - but not new to West Virginia. In fact, they have an original location in Ranson, West Virginia - all the way over in the Eastern Panhandle.



This restaurant features Peruvian-style rotisserie chicken, but has a variety of different options - from breakfast to wings.



"The Charcoal Rotisserie chicken "Pollo a la Brasa" is a cultural icon of Peruvian cuisine, which originates in the 1950s in the city of Lima. In October 2004, The National Institute of Cultural declare "Pollo a la Brasa" as " Cultural Heritage of the Nation." On June 23, 2010 is setting the "Day of Charcoal Rotisserie Chicken" "Dia del Pollo a la Brasa" to pay tribute to a cultural icon of Peruvian cuisine, the third Sunday of July each year. The Peruvian chicken coals has become part of the national cultural heritage."



I ordered lomo saltado - tender steak sautéed with onion and tomatoes, served with french fries and a side of white rice. This popular Peruvian dish is not found in many places around the Mountain State, so I was excited to check it out. 



The stir fry had delicious tender strips of steak and a nice sweetness from the sauteed red onion. I dipped my fries in the delicious, savory juice and it was tasty. It's really a straightforward dish, but the attention to seasonings and spices make it shine.

Grade: A

I love a good pairing. It's fun to think through flavors and see how they mix with others. In Morgantown, The Cupcakerie hosts a cupcake and craft beer festival - and this year was the fourth annual celebration. Because of COVID-19, it was held in a different way: drive-through.



We were guided through an area in the Wharf District where we drove right up and received our order - whether it was a 6-pack or 12-pack. Go big or go home, right?



The cupcakes included: red velvet, very vanilla, peanut butter chocolate, lemon shandy, blackberry beer, chocolate coffee beer, lemon filled, apple butter, triple chocolate, sweet & salty Irish red, orange wheat beer and strawberry ale. 



I was really hoping to get some Morgantown Brewing Company beers, but the selection was lovely: Parkersburg Brewing Company, Screech Owl Brewing, Big Timber Brewing Company, and Berkeley Springs Brewing Company. 



It was a fun little treat that I actually enjoyed with my parents. Did you try it out this year?

Marilyn's of Morgantown is a new restaurant in Morgantown - but it's not a new restaurant concept completely. 



"Marilyn’s of Morgantown is the second location for John, Jim, & Allen. The space has been completely redesigned with a warm inviting décor, an expanded larger kitchen with fresh pasta stations, beautiful new event space, & a new patio with a built-in fire pit off of the original glass room. The Morgantown location boasts a gorgeous stone & granite bar. The warm cherry wood of the back bar perfectly accentuates the many top shelf libations that sit upon it. The bar is surrounded by high definition sound & 75” HDtvs from every seat making it the perfect location to catch the Mountaineers on game day. The Fireplace Room is cozy & inviting & always a little warmer in winter when the fire is burning. The Glass Room is a favorite for personal events or a quiet evening under the stars especially when the doors open to the new patio & the flames are lit in the stunning 10 foot fire feature. While the food at both locations is amazingly delicious the vibe at the second location was made just for Morgantown." SOURCE



Located in Northpointe Plaza, the restaurant decor seems upscale, but it still has a sports bar feel to it. There is a beautiful bar and outdoor dining, but there are also large TVs with whatever sporting event is on. 



The menu is creative, with options like buffalo chicken arancini, blackened shrimp burger, strawberry basil scallops, and more. I would love to have each and every one of those items, but I went with a delicious pasta dish:



Imported pici pasta from Florence, Italy, tossed in a rich D.O.P. dolce gorgonzola porcini mushroom cream with roasted cremini mushrooms. Topped with shaved Parmesan reggiano, cracked black pepper, black truffle oil drizzle, & then finished with fresh parsley. This was rich but tangy and so satisfying. It's one of those dishes that makes me think I could be a vegetarian, no problem. Because it's so flavorful. With a side of fresh garlic bread, the meal was complete.



Grade: A

This past year has been the "year of the coffee shop" in Morgantown. There have been a handful that have popped up, and they're all lovely. The latest in that series for me is Annie's Coffee and Creamery. 



Located on Fort Pierpont Drive, this coffee shop comes from the same folks who brought us Apple Annie's, San Marzano Italian Market and more. 



The cofffee shop is located in the plaza on Fort Pierpont Drive along with a handful of other new (well, new to me) restaurants, shops and other businesses. There's plenty of parking, and the buildings are completely new.



The space has high ceilings with some cozy areas flanking the large counter space. Again, when circumstances change, I can see this being a lovely spot to have a coffee or ice cream, get some work done (or catch up on blogging in my case) and relax. 



I love that they support the community. Their coffee beans are roasted by Stone Tower Joe in Fairmont, loose-leaf teas come from The Tea Shoppe at The Seneca Center, and fresh-baked goods are rom Apple Annie’s.



They offer espresso and coffee drinks like lattes, flat whites and macchiatos, teas, and hot cocoa. You can have them hot or iced. Then there's ice cream - bowl, cone, sundae or try the Annie-Lanche, which is soft-serve blended with a mix-in. And, there's a variety of muffins, scones, cookies, cupcakes, cake, pies, pepperoni rolls. sandwiches and wraps.



On this day, I went with a red velvet cookie, a pepperoni roll and a latte to go. The cookie, dotted with white chocolate chips, was large, perfectly chewy and delish. The pepperoni roll is unique in that they use both slices and sticks. And, they're pretty fresh, which is crucial for fluffy dough. And the drink was great. It had a great balance of bitter and sweet and was all-around comforting.



Have you been?

Grade: A

In Cheat Lake where there has been some rapid development, there's a new coffee shop called Hillside Cafe and Taproom. Right now, they're focused on coffee, but "taproom" sounds promising. 



I was only passing through the area, but I really wanted to check this place out. So, I made haste to get here and arrived a little over an hour before they closed. Perfect ... I thought. 



The space is lovely - it always has been. It's a good size and has lovely wooden floor, modern lighting and some nice nook areas to study or relax. They also have their own branded mugs and coffee from Mountaineer Roasting Co. 



On this day, I think maybe they closed at 3 p.m. (don't quote me on that), and I strolled up to the counter, waited a few moments, and the woman working came over. I inquired about the paninis on the menu, and she said they stop serving food one hour before they close. I looked down at my phone and saw it click over to 2 p.m. on the dot. I looked at her and said - ah man, are you sure? Maybe just something small real quick? And she was unwavering - "nope." 



She probably didn't see it, but my heart sank in that moment. I understand closing the kitchen a bit early - sometimes that takes time. But, we're talking paninis and salads here. She probably didn't know - or care - that I just drove 3 hours to get there in the nick of time. But, that's neither here nor there. I went for a coffee drink and a pastry instead.



The frozen coffee drink with caramel was fine; flavors were a bit muddied - too much ice maybe? The pastry I had was pretty good. It was super rich, sweet and a nice crunch from walnuts.

Yet, I still had a sour taste in my mouth. I didn't exactly feel welcome there - and with so many good coffee options in Morgantown - I might go to one that has a bit more of a warmer welcome. 

Grade: B