The Morgantown Farmers Market is the best thing that happens at 8 a.m. on a Saturday. If you're lucky enough to be awake this early, get the to the Marketplace Pavilion on Spruce Street to enjoy some of the best food Morgantown has to offer.

From fresh veggies and meats to bread and jellies, this place should be an addition to everyone's grocery shopping. It runs from 8:30 a.m. to noon on the corner of Spruce and Fayette streets.

Tons of vendors were there on this particular week, including Backbone Food Farm (ramps, greens, mushrooms); Cheat Hill Farm (ramps, rhubarb, jams); Cheslock Farm (eggs); DeBerry Farm Fresh Produce (greens, hot pepper jelly); Evans Knob Farm (greens, duck, jellies, rugs, yarn); Fiddlehead Woodworking (cutting boards, bowls, spoons); Firefly Farms (cheeses); Forever Greene House (tomatoes, cucumbers, basil); Homestead Farmery (greens, onions, garlic); Hopping Acres/Lady Baa Baa (woolen items); Hawthorne Valley Farms (beef, asparagus, ramp vinegar); Mike's Berry Patch (jams, jellies); Mountain Diamond Longhorns (ground beef, steaks, brisket); Oak Grove Greenhouses (flowers, plants); Perseverance Farms (onions, spinach, peppers); Richardson Farm (asparagus, greens, jams); SFS Farms (flowers, onions); The Sheephearder's Kitchen (breads, sweet treats, desserts); Sickler Farm (flower baskets, vegetables, corn meal);  Stewart's Farm & Greenhouse (greens, herbs, plants); Two Cow Farm (pies, honey); Working H Farms (eggs, pork chops, beef).


On this particular trip, I stocked up on some kale, tomatoes, hot pepper jelly (a coworker at the Charleston Daily Mail made this, and I couldn't pass it up), stuffed ciabatta bread and banana bread.

Awesome. And I went back the following week. And I'll be back this week. Super pumped for strawberries.

They're going to be doing culinary demonstrations - so that's cool. More info on that here.

Pizza Al's may have finally broken the terrible track record of restaurants in this location. The corner of University Avenue and Campus Drive has had a run of various restaurants: Shiftace, Night Owls, Kenyan Cafe, etc. And to be honest, I don't understand why this small corner never does well.

Pizza Al's has, hopefully, changed that. One of the town's most beloved pizza joints has taken up shop on University Avenue - just closer to the Downtown Campus this time. There's a short-term parking lot next to the building, but I'm guessing they're going to be getting a lot more foot traffic anyway.

Pizza Al's IV (the other on University, another in Sabraton, and one in PA) has the same menu: pizza, calzones, sandwiches and salads.


We ordered a large pizza - half pepperoni, half cheese. For the four of us, with drinks, I think it came out to about $5 each.

Same excellent quality. Thin pizza with a layer of melted cheese. Delicious - not too greasy - and piping hot. Definitely the best recipe in town.

It's nice the Downtown Campus has another lunch option - and especially a lunch option that consists of the best pizza in town. It definitely does look a bit more shabby than the other University location with some worn interior and painting - but I don't think the crowd they're catering to minds.

Grade: A

Atomic Grill is a badass - complete with punk-rock attitude, tatted servers and local food. After a few visits, I can confidently call them on of my favorite restaurants in town. And their response to a misogynistic online review has captured my heart.

I visited Kassar Food and Gifts a while ago but never had a chance to eat there. Vicki and I returned recently to try their take on Middle Eastern food and for girl talk, of course.

I mentioned previously about how Kassar's is a shop with produce, trinkets and more - but it also has a small restaurant.


I ordered the lamb kabob, which comes with two sides - I went for the hummus and stuffed grape leaves. You order at the cash register and proceed to the right and back, where there is The Shai House - a place to eat your meal. We headed back that way while we waited for our food to arrive.

The interior was cool - a little shabby, but comforting at the same time. Linens draped the ceiling, and lots of gold and red hues decorated the room. A few tables were floor-level, and along the right wall is a long bench with tables.

At the tables are some spices and condiments. It took a little bit for our food to arrive. Vicki ordered a gyro and a salad plate, which she liked, but it wasn't her favorite.

My kabob was OK. A little chewy - but decent flavoring. The rice was a little on the cooler side, and the grape leaves were solid. The hummus, though, was really quite good. Great flavor and spice - not bland, like many I try. It was tasty.

If I want Middle Eastern food, I'll probably stick to Ali Baba's, but this was a nice change of pace.

Grade: B

I'm not sure if there are better ways to spend warm, sunny days than drinking an alcoholic beverage of choice (for those who are of age, of course) on a dock. Whippoorwill Bar & Grill is located at the Edgewater Marina with lots of boats and boat-loving folks milling about. It has a pretty small menu consisting of a burger, hoagie, grilled cheese, hotdogs and chicken tenders. Not super exciting.


I ordered two hotdogs with chili, onions and mustard (they don't serve slaw). And a strawberry daiquiri.

Let me talk about the drink first. While not really strong, it was definitely tasty, and the bartender blended a good bit, so what didn't fit in my glass, she gave to us in an extra cup. Essentially two whole cups filled for the price of one. That was fun.

The hotdogs were OK, at best. The bun was kind of soggy, the chili and dog were cold, and both had entirely too much mustard on them, which just got everywhere.

The truth is, though, the environment is really what sets this place apart. On a nice day, it's beautiful, relaxing, and you can get a decent drink. If you're looking for food, it may be OK for a quick snack, but I don't know if I'd really order food again. My friend Greer ordered chicken tenders and wasn't too keen on them, either.

But, if a nice view and drink are more important to you, by all means.

Grade: B