I heard from some reliable sources that the Suncrest Pub / Nickel has a damn good burger. Their sign on the outside claims "Best Burger in Town."

It was formerly called the "Wooden Nickel," I think. And now I hear it sometimes referred to as the Nickel. Any way you slice it, it's more of a townie bar. I didn't even realize this place served food, because from the outside, it just seems like a hotspot. Located at 3192 Collins Ferry Road, it's right in Suncrest.

But as soon as you walk inside, there definitely is a bar area. The food options are pretty limited, though. I walked in, sat at the bar and asked for a menu. The server kind of laughed and said it was really outdated and they're out of a lot of stuff, so a menu wouldn't really be helpful. She then began to ramble off everything they didn't have.

But I knew I wanted a burger, so I put that order in. With ketchup, mustard, mayo, onion and tomato. Looking around, I could feel eyes on us. We weren't recognized, but that was okay. I was starving and ready for this half-pound burger.

When it came out, I was pleased to see it served on warm grilled Texas toast. That's exciting. It was huge, messy and filled with prime ingredients. And boy was it tasty. Might have to put aside the exterior, the service and some of the unwelcoming eyes, because this burger was one of the best in town. The meat was seasoned with hints of garlic, onion, and salt. The warm, buttered Texas Toast hugs that half-pound patty with your choice of preferred fixins'. Mine had the sweet ketchup, tangy mustard and a crisp, fresh onion on top. For about $5, it's a bargain. I don't think I've ever had a bar burger quite as good.

Grade: A

New Jersey, or more commonly "Jersey," sometimes takes a lot of flack in Morgantown. It seems as though there are a good bit of NJians at WVU, and many times, it seems as though they have a certain "guido" personality. At least that's the reputation. So taking that stereotype and basing a restaurant on it is probably risky. But, Jersey's subs and sandwiches has been around for a little while now, so they must be doing fairly well.


Located on the Mileground, this establishment does eat-in, delivery, and they're often seen with their little truck at fairs and events. In fact, one of the first times I tried them was at a fair. Their specialty is their cheesesteaks - I'm not sure why, because I always associated Philly cheesesteaks with Philadelphia, and not necessarily New Jersey. But that's what they're known for.

So, I wanted to finally check out the brick-and-mortar restaurant. To be honest, it was much nicer inside than I expected. I was expecting a mediocre sandwich shop, but it was clean, well-decorated and had a good bit of seating. The menu on the wall was in the shape of New Jersey, and they had other odes to the state around the shop. They had a case of the meats they use, as well as some desserts right in front.

I ordered their philly cheesesteak. When asked what I wanted on it, I wasn't sure what the options were, so I just said plain. On the menu, it never mentioned what types of toppings they had or what came on it, so I should have inquired further. Oh well. I also ordered a side of fries and a drink and sat down. You get charged more for using a card, which is unfortunate. The workers really didn't seem happy to be there, but I overlooked it. I know what it's like to deal with people, so I can't fault him. But a small smile or a thank you would've helped.

After a little while waiting, my friend and I were presented with our baskets of food. My sandwich was huge - two six inch subs, basically. And the basket of fries. And, it wasn't bad. Good amount of salt, and the seasonings are good, but the quality is more questionable. The steak had some grissly pieces in it that put me off, but for the most part, it was mediocre tasting. The cheese intermingles with the meat, all mixed in together, not just laid on top, and adding some peppers on it would probably do wonders for the texture as well as bit of sweetness. But, I'm not sure how many other places even offer cheesesteaks, so if that's your thing, check it out. Their salads didn't look too bad either.

Grade: C

This looks like a really cool event; just bought my ticket! Hope to see some of you there!

October 5th, 2012
Purchase Tickets

5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m

“Art is Food” is a new event for Arts Walk, which is held every year during WVU Fall Family Weekend. WVU Mountaineer Parents Club and Main Street Morgantown will “kick-off” (5:00 – 7:00 p.m.) this new event “Art is Food” in the Morgantown Market Place located at the corner of Fayette and Spruce Streets. Food will be provided through the partnership of the newly formed “Downtown Morgantown Restaurant Association” cost is $15 per person and will include samplings of food from downtown/Wharf District restaurants. Downtown Dollars will be provided to the first 300 people to register for this event ($10 each) that can be utilized until October 20, 2012.

Plan the perfect Friday night. Enjoy the “Art is Food” from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. then stroll through over forty downtown businesses and see artwork from local artists’ from 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. Enjoy music at numerous locations and a variety of unique dining choices. Also, don’t forget downtown Morgantown’s entertainment venues for your continued enjoyment after 9:00 p.m.

A friend saw Monroe's Deli-Style Eatery while driving through Preston County and was determined to check it out. We ventured out that way until we reached the large, red barn-like building reading "Monroe's steaks, pasta, seafood." I'm not sure exactly what they mean by deli-style eatery, because we just came in, chose a seat, and soon enough, a server handed us a couple menus.

It looked as though it was set up to be a house at one point, but our server assured us it wasn't. There were a ton of dining-room, country-style tables all across the open dining area. They were mismatched, but it was nice in a way. Homey. Lots of little crafty decorations.


They have specials on the wall when you walk in. The menu had sandwiches, pastas and dinners. They had an option to split two dinner meals, so I went with that: the fried fish and crabcake. It came with THREE sides, of which there are a ton of options. But I ultimately went with mashed potatoes and gravy, soup, and broccoli. There are a good bit of options here, but they're all fairly similar. But everything seems homemade, for the most part.

When my dish came out, it was actually kind of smaller than I expected. I paid more to split the two dinners, but I guess I was just paying for the variety. It was more like two half sizes of each dinner. But that was okay. Both things that I had were pretty tasty. The fish was good - fried and greasy. The crabcake wasn't bad either. Though I wish I would have been served with some remoulade. Both were pretty good, homestyle meals. My mashed potatoes were totally killer. Definitely homemade. So tasty. And the soup was homemade chicken noodle - also fantastic. Broccoli was okay - not seasoned much.

But my favorite part was when they brought a dessert tray out. So many cheesecakes, cakes, pies. Gah. There wasn't even another option for me after she said turtle Cheesecake. And I'm not even sure I remember eating it because it was pure euphoria. Caramel, chocolately crust, creamy cheesecake. Heaven. This would have earned them an A, for sure.

... Then I went to Jersey's a day or two later (which I'll be blogging about) and saw they had the exact. same. cheesecake. for sale. My heart broke a little. Not homemade? Total bummer. But, it does taste entirely amazing, regardless.

Grade: B

Jay's Daily Grind is a local favorite amongst my crowd. It has an interesting personality, as it's located right outside of campus, on Willey Street, but it doesn't have that student-drenched feel like some shops near campus. That would be the one downfall for me - no easy parking, save for the metered lot behind the building. That, and they only take cash (but if you forget, they will let you pay them back).


Many (all?) argue that Jay's has the best coffee in Morgantown. While that may be true, I'm not a coffee connoisseur, so I'll take their word for it. But if you want a killer hot chocolate, Jay's is my choice. It's very convenient if you're on campus, so it's a go-to lunch spot.

They have: coffees, espressos, drinks, breakfast sandwiches and lunch sandwiches. I am always hesitant about getting a deli sandwich. Because why would I pay someone to make something I can make just as easily? Well, these are a little different.

Walk up to the counter, browse over the menu briefly and make some quick decisions. They even had small samples on the counter this day. I ordered their "Dagwood" sandwich: turkey, ham, American cheese, lettuce, tomato, red onion, mayonnaise and yellow mustard. I also got a hot chocolate and a water. They give your drinks right to you at the counter, then go find a seat on either side of the ordering area (there are breezeways into the Book Exchange on the side), and someone will bring you your food.

A few things I love about this little lunch place: The service is stellar. They are always super friendly, super helpful, and totally knowledgable. And if you order coffee, they swirl a pretty little drawing in your cup. They do a few things, and they do them well. AND, the view here is kinda cool. They have a barstool area where you can chow down on your sandwich while watching passers-by. I'm a total people-watcher, so I like that, especially if having lunch alone.

The food is good. The ingredients are fresh, simple, but combine for a delicious flavor. It's straight to the point, but also super tasty. And they give you a pickle and side of chips. Check them out next time you want to get a quick lunch downtown. Just make sure you have cash! Here's their Facebook.

Grade: A

From https://foursquare.com/user/468400