The Winchester is a steakhouse located in the Holiday Inn on Pineview Drive in Morgantown. This is actually the second location of the restaurant, with the first in Ashland, Kentucky.



"The Winchester is the newest steak and seafood restaurant in the Appalachia area. Our savory steaks and succulent seafood will please your palate. Enjoy the highest quality steak and seafood in a casual Appalachian Atmosphere no matter which location you dine in. Our Family Owned & Operated business currently has two locations. Our first location was built in 2019 and is located in the Historic Downtown Ashland, KY area on the second floor of the new Delta by Marriott Hotel. Our newest Winchester is in Morgantown, WV conveniently located on the edge of the West Virginia University campus and within walking distance of the WVU Football Stadium. At both locations we offer indoor and outdoor seating with large, full-service restaurants and Bourbon Bar that offers fresh steak, seafood and over 100 of the World’s Finest Bourbons. Whether you visit our Guitar Bar with Live Music on Friday & Saturday or relax in our Signature Bourbon Room in Morgantown, a good time is always to be found at The Winchester!"



Because my visit was during lunchtime, I opted for a cheeseburger, rather than steak, seafood or bourbon. And a side of potato croquettes.



The burger was topped with mushrooms and cheese, which was delish. But the burger itself was bit dry and could use a generous helping of salt. It was thin, so that probably didn't help. The croquettes had a nice crisp on them - though a bit oily - and were served with some sour cream. Overall, both of these were good - just not great. But I'd love to check out the steaks or seafood.

Grade: B

Mountaineer Roasting Co. has been producing coffee for some time, but they recently opened up a cafe where they serve it, along with other tasty treats. 



It's located in a new build along with other businesses. It has large windows that let lots of natural light stream inside. 



The design is lovely - trendy with light wooden shelves, dark metal brackets, chalkboards, marble-esque countertops and a minimalist vibe. 



I kept it simple with a latte and a blueberry muffin - a beautiful pairing.



If I'm getting a stronger coffee, I like to pair it with a sweet treat. If I'm just having a coffee, I'll add cream and sugar to it. 



The coffee is good - robust and strong. And look at that cute latte art! I alternate taking a bite of muffin and siping on the latte for some sweet and bitter flavors together.



The blueberry muffin (always one of my favorites) was extra sweet with an icing topping. But still moist and made for a perfect complement to the coffee.



Grade: A

I was listening to a great podcast from Food52 recently about Italian sandwiches: all the different terms we use for them like hoagie, grinder, sub, etc., as well as what makes them good.  



It had me thinking about my recent trip to Rubin's Deli, a Parkersburg restaurant that has been serving subs, sandwiches and salads for more than 50 years. 



This restaurant offers an Italian sandwich, but I actually ended up going with a Club, which isn't all that different: ham, turkey, bacon, swiss, shredded lettuce, tomato and mayo. But I wanted it cold. I tend to like my hoagies cold. I think of cold cuts with a dressing that I could pick up in a convenience store. I do like warm ones, too, like meatball - but I would call them a sub, not a hoagie. 



Fun fact I learned in that podcast: "Submarine" was given to the sandwich because of its shape. "Grinder" was because you have to gnaw with your teeth to get through it. "Hoagie" is a derivative of "hoggy" - as in, you have to be a hog to finish it. And "Hero" because you have to be a hero to finish it. 



In addition to my club hoagie, I got a bag of Mister Bees chips - a Parkersburg specialty. 



Rubin's has a good, solid hoagie. I liked that it was compact and not unwieldy to eat. It had amply mayo so it wasn't all bread. And the proportions were good. The fresh veggies were maybe a day or two past their prime - not as crisp or as flavorful as they could have been. But still a good sammich. 



Grade: B

When asked what my favorite West Virginia restaurant is, I would always reply: Cafe Cimino. However, the owners have now retired, with just occasional special events scheduled at the restaurant.



But Tim and Melody don't really slow down. While they're not operating the restaurant daily, they do still hawk some delicious baked goods at local farmers markets under the moniker Bop & Nana's Bakery.



I planned a trip recently to the Sutton Farmers Market to get my hands on some. Melody set aside one of their delicious pepperoni rolls, a muffin and a scone so I could get a little sampler pack.



The pepperoni roll is pretty traditional, but every element is executed perfectly. The bread is delicious, but not too thick. The pepperoni is perfectly rolled up, and those spices soak throughout the whole roll. Delish.



The muffin and scone were both also tasty! 



I need to make sure I grab a loaf of their focaccia next time. 



If you haven't been, you should totally check it out.



There are other vendors, as well, including a stand that serves up hot dogs and coffee! 

The Corner Hoagies & Hops in downtown Huntington draws inspiration from classic Huntington landmarks. 



While it's in a nice modern space with large windows, greenery and long bar, it is serving up some classic sandwiches with cool local names and beer from local breweries. 



The restaurant is located in the former Highway 55 Burgers & Shakes space, but has a fresh vibe.



I ordered a few different things so I could get a good taste. To start, I tried the spicy feta, which was my favorite item I ordered. It has the little bit of creamy funkiness from the feta with a good bit of heat. And it is a very generous portion.



Next up: Let's try the sandwich. I ordered the "scoreboard," which has turkey, swiss, greens, tomato, onion, avocado, and garlic aioli on a hoagie. I was really hoping the garlic aioli would pack a bit of a punch of flavor, because without that, it's just kind of a standard sandwich. Nothing wrong, but nothing super exciting either. And thick white raw onion was a bit overpowering. There are a lot of yummy things I want to try next though - like maybe a hoagie with pork belly, spicy curry mayo, and balsamic glaze. Yum.



Both the potato salad and the pickles were fine for me. I think the potato salad needs more seasoning, and the pickles maybe a bit more time to absorb flavor. 



Grade: B