"We took what many saw as a dilapidated community eyesore, scrubbed away the 2016 flood mud, and turned it into a place that feels like home. We rose like a swine wallowing in the mud on a hot summer’s day to create an authentic BBQ place on the River. The Swine Barrel is your one stop shop to get delicious food and your share of friendly conversation and a few tall tales while you wait," reads the website.



Located in Elkview, this tiny BBQ shop has a really cute interior with bright pops of color, textures and industrial touches.



Seating is pretty minimal, especially if you have a large party. I put in a to-go order and snagged one of those high-top chairs while waiting for my meal.



I ordered a bunch of different things to try out at home, which included the brisket. It was smoky, a bit fattier than I would prefer, but had the appropriate accoutrements with it: pickled onion, pickles, and a barbecue sauce with lots of pepper. All the sides were good, though I think they have the potential to be great.



Mac & Cheese - Velvety and rich macaroni and cheese with a crisp panko topping and the perfect kiss of smoke flavor.



Deviled Eggs - 1/2 dozen of original deviled eggs with a hint of smoke and topped with pulled pork and pickled onions.



Sausage Balls - Homemade cheddar sausage balls served with sweet and sassy raspberry dipping sauce.



Caprese Salad - A generous serving of fresh mozzarella, stuffed in a ripe red tomato. a handful of basil leaves and drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar.



Grade: B

Matewan is best known for it historical significance, but it is seeing a resurgence in popularity with ATV tourism, as well. that means small shops like Chit and Chat Coffee are popping up.



The shop has an old-school diner vibe with vinyl seating and checkerboard floors. At the front, there was a case full of sweet treats. And to the side, there was a menu full of coffee options.



And by options, they have approximately 5 million different flavors from cupcake and marshmallow to blue raspberry and honey.



I (shockingly) went with a frozen caramel coffee drink. This was pretty tasty, though the texture was a bit grainy. Maybe it was the iciness, but it wasn't completely smooth.



I do love that this place exists, and I look forward to trying them out again on my next visit.



Grade: B

Tiger's Ice Cream & Grill drew me in with the promise of ice cream and kept me intrigued with the grill portion.



Located in Chapmanville, this restaurant is decked out in orange and serves up all things comfort food: pizza, chicken and dumplings, meatloaf, wings, hotdogs, hamburgers, the list goes on.



Every so often, I get a craving for a "Peanut Buster Parfait," which is the branded Dairy Queen treat that has vanilla, soft serve, hot fudge, and peanuts. When I see a local version, it's difficult for me to pass it up. So I ordered one, and it was every bit as good as Dairy Queen's version. The ice cream was a bit thicker in consistency and icy and texture, but I almost appreciated that textural difference.



I also purchased a hotdog and side of potato salad. But, I really want to try the tiger paw, which is a mini calzone. Next time.



The hotdog was fine; I wish it had a seer or snappier skin. but, no real problems here. Simple, and straightforward.



same goes for the potato salad. It was pretty mild in flavor and texture. but, the trio made me feel like I was in the middle of summer. And that is a great feeling.



Grade: B

"Coffee for doin' mountain stuff," reads the Mountain Folk Coffee website.

"Mountain Folk Coffee provides fresh, locally roasted coffee to folks who work and play here in the beautiful Appalachian mountains."

Based out of Lewisburg, this coffee roaster carries beans from: Brazil, Colombia, Tanzania and Ethiopia in various forms. They have pods, ground coffee, whole beans, etc.

Some area cafés also serve this local coffee at their shops. I love the smell of it and I can't wait to try it out. Have you tried it yet?

Amy's Market in Lewisburg serves up sweets, coffee and lunch, in addition to tons of West Virginia products. I was as excited to check out the food here as I was to shop.



They offer their own cupcakes, cake pops, chocolate-covered pretzels, candies and other pastries -- as well as custom cakes. I tried both a cake pop and pretzel, and they were both tasty.



Coffee options run the gamut of lattes and mochas to cold brew and macchiatos. Plus plenty of flavor options and both hot and cold options.



For lunch, they had a surprisingly long list of salads and sandwiches which included options like a sweet and spicy, BLT and meatloaf sandwich. The only reason I didn't dig into that meatloaf sandwich was because it was too early, so I stuck with sweet treats as breakfast.



As I browsed the shelves of products, one that cut, my eye was Mama Faye's Fudge & Confections. Peanut butter, chocolate, all delicious and in the shape of WVs!



Arbaugh Farms is another local producer I checked out - who had everything from grains to sorghum. From their website: Arbaugh Farm is located in the south east part of WV. Originally purchased by my great-grandfather in 1925. The farm was a small dairy until about 1966, when production refocused on beef cattle and hay production. In 2017, the farm shifted again to include sorghum syrup and an on-farm flour mill. The Mill is a very active part of the farm! Growth in this single area has been tremendous! The Mill produces cornmeal, grits, and various flours for retail and restaurants. All the ground product that we produce is available for sale here on the website as well as several retail shops in southern West Virginia. Sorghum syrup is a personal passion of mine. This is a boutique product that I produce in small quantities. Currently, I produce, at most, 50 gallons of finished sorghum syrup per year. In bad years, it's much less. At this time, I do not have plans to increase production, and wish to keep this a small batch creation. I also raise a small heard of cattle. These are grass fed beef that are provided the best accommodations possible to ensure they live happy, stress free lives. Grass fed cattle take a bit longer to grow into slaughter weight, but that time allows for a well developed muscle and flavor.



Then there was the K2 Motorsports - which as far as I can see is in the motorsport business - but they indeed had sodas, pickled products and sauces. I do not understand. But, I am very curious.



They also had other products that I'm more familiar with - like Mister Bees and Bistro Soup Mix.



Of course, they carry non-food items, too, like goat milk soap and bath fizzies.



Lots of honey from local producers, locally roasted coffee and salsas, too.



Have you been?



Grade: A