While in Oak Hill, my tummy was rumbling and I saw the Heart of Gold Diner open. It wasn't until I walked inside that it all felt familiar. I had been here before - when it was Delfino's.



The prior restaurant seemed to have more of an Italian influence, whereas the diner has classic diner dishes - from pork chops and country fried steak to hot dogs and patty melts.



I'm not an eggs and bacon kinda person. If I get eggs with a dish, I'm usually trying to mask the flavor with lots of cheese or onions or hollandaise. So when I saw they had an egg, bacon, lettuce, tomato sandwich... it appealed to me because this could easily be a BLT. I ordered a BLT, plus a custom order of hash browns topped with a delicious mix of toppings: ham, onion, cheese and mushrooms.



You know how Waffle House hash browns are really the star? Same deal here. The BLT was fine (watery tomatoes kill me), but the hash browns were bangin'. They were nice and crispy, plus had all kinds of tasty toppings. I used an ungodly amount of ketchup for a sinfully crunchy, greasy dish that was comforting.

Grade: B

There's a cluster of Tudor's Biscuit World locations around Beckley. Some I had been to before while passing through, others I hadn't. The Oak Hill location was next on my list to knock out. They were hoppin' when I stopped by, so I got in the drive-thru line.



Next on my list of biscuits was ...  The Duke, which is a biscuit with bacon, egg, cheese and hash brown. Think of it as a Mary B, with the hash brown IN the sandwich. So, this sandwich is not playing around. It is packed.



So, my choice of meat is not bacon. And, I've learned I like the hash brown on the side (inside, it gets mushy). So this is an eh on my scale.


Grade: B

There are a few different dining options at ACE Adventure Resort, but I was excited to try Woody's Patio Grill.


It features pizzas! I ordered a plain personal cheese pizza, though they have specialties in the larger sizes.

Yum!

I also of course had to get some ice cream.

Tom's is well-known in the Oak Hill area for having tasty hot dogs.

I had to go try my hand. I went for a Tom's Hot Dog on an English bun topped with slaw, mustard and onions - with the shugar chili.

Now that I've had this kind of chili, I don't think I could ever go back.

The Red Oak Grill is a new restaurant in Oak Hill boasting "Fine Appalachian Meals."

The interior was clean and modern, and I had the whole space to myself.

The menu isn't huge, but it covers a variety: sandwiches, steaks, smoked pork, chicken, etc.

I went for the stuffed chicken breast, which was filled with housemade spinach dip and roasted. For sides, I went for mashed potatoes and macaroni & cheese.

Have you ever been here?

I'm continually amazed at all the incredible food in West Virginia - even in some of the most unexpected places.

I recently went to ACE Adventure Resort and, of course, had to get a bite to eat while there. Look at that margherita pizza!

And these nachos have kicked off a never-ending hunt for amazing nachos. Look at all that queso.

And boozy slushies are the perfect dessert for any lunch.


Have you been here before?

Have you ever been to an alpaca-themed coffee shop?



If you haven't, you need to get yourself to Top Knot Coffee in Oak Hill.



The owners raise alpacas and have some related products in the shop.



They event have a "paccacino," which is simply their cute take on a cappuccino. And, of course, I had to try it.



And do some shopping while I waited!



How cute are these?



Plus, they have lots of tasty pastries and other goodies.



If you're looking for a cute gift, quick bite or a tasty coffee, look no further.



Have you been?

OK, one more quick stop in Oak Hill: Los Vaqueros.

Something quick and easy was necessary, so I just ordered an order of queso, salsa and chips. I waited inside and noted how cute the inside was. A few bright colors popped on the walls. Otherwise, kind of typical Mexican restaurant.

After I paid for my chips, I headed out and dug in. I liked the salsa, though I do think it could've used some more spice. And the queso ... was not the best. It needed some actual flavor. I did like the thickness - sometimes it's too runny. But the flavor just wasn't there for me. It was almost a bit bland. So... eh.

Grade: C
 

I may have restaurant hopped a bit in Oak Hill ... there were a few on my 101 Most Unique Places to Dine in WV list in this town, and I wanted to be super efficient. Cafe One Ten was next on the list.

And I preface this post with that because now it may make sense why I got macaroni and cheese, and a piece of peanut butter pie.

Yep, I walked up to the counter and placed an order for macaroni and cheese and a piece of peanut butter pie. It was met with some funny faces, but you know what? I'm an adult. And there are very few perks of being an adult. But ordering whatever I damn well please is one of them. Give me my mac and pie.

They obliged. My macaroni and cheese came out first, and wow. It is really, really good. It's made with smoked gouda cheese, so it really has a nice smokey flavor, and the cavatappi noodles have those cheese trap grooves that make every bite cheesy deliciousness.

The peanut butter pie was delicious. I first requested caramel pie, but they were out. The peanut butter pie was still a great option, though. It was light, fluffy, so decadent. Really, if I could order just macaroni and cheese and pie every day for lunch, I would do it.


Grade: A

Delfino's Pizza & Ice Cream was listed on the 101 Unique Places to Dine in WV list, and I'm trying desperately to finish the list. I made a special stop through Oak Hill to check it out.

Delfino's has a drive-up window, and it also has a dining room. There are a lot of little decorations all over the place - really a homey, small town restaurant feel.

I ordered a personal pizza with mushrooms and a strawberry shake. I felt like I needed both pizza and ice cream to fulfill the mission (you know, Delfino's Pizza AND Ice Cream).

The pizza was not my favorite. I feel like I've been saying this a lot lately, but the crust just wasn't crispy at all. Like, not even a little bit. I had a hard time pulling my piece of pizza up in one piece. Not ideal. Good bit of mushrooms and cheese, though.

However, one of the best strawberry shakes ever. Absolutely delicious. And a cherry on top! Yass.

Grade: B