Photo Credit: rpavich

Cuisine in West Virginia follows the famous Southern style of cooking, with fried chicken, cornbread, pinto beans, mashed potatoes, and berry cobbler seen throughout the state. The pepperoni roll was once the lunch of miners, but can be bought in bakeries, convenience stores, and small cafes, while the West Virginia countryside is famous for its home canning. Game meat will also be seen on most menus throughout the state. Moonshine, the national beverage of choice, is best sampled in Morgantown and Summersville, while Elkins makes some great beer.

Bars and Pubbing in West Virginia

Morgantown is home to one of the country’s major universities and, as a result, is the center of West Virginia’s nightlife. Most bars and clubs will allow anyone over 18 years of age to enter, although 21 is the legal age to drink. The West Virginia Brewing Company (1291 University Avenue, Morgantown) creates 24 different beers, stouts, lagers, ales, and bitters, and also serves some good pub grub. Lola’s Cocktail Lounge (491 High Street, Morgantown) provides a much more upscale atmosphere, while de Lazy Lizard is more upbeat, with its eight bars and dance floor spread across two levels.

More of West Virginia’s nightlife can be found in the historical city of Lewisburg and its surroundings area. The Irish Pub (109 E Washington Street, Lewisburg) features some great live music and serves top quality liquors and a very extensive selection of beers. Moxie (33 E Main Street, White Sulphur Springs) is the place to be for those wishing to dress up to the nines and dance the night away.

Elkins’ Company (Thomas Avenue, Davis) makes six ales, porters, and stouts, and also serves German and Italian food to accompany the home brews. Summersville’s Kirkwood Winery (45 Winery Road, Summersville), the first winery in the state, offers 30 different varieties, including wines made from mead, red currant, peach, and rhubarb.

Dining and Cuisine in West Virginia

Most of West Virginia’s best dining can be found in Charleston, with Joe Fazio’s (1008 Bullitt Street, Charleston) being arguably the best of the bunch. Authentic southern cuisine is the food of choice here, and everything is homemade from scratch using the best ingredients. Fresh Seafood Co Market & Restaurant is famed for its large fish sandwiches, made with the fresh fish of your choice. This place is a great choice for lunch. For unique flavors, Bluegrass Kitchen offers things such as jalapeño chocolate cake and asparagus and blue cheese sandwiches.

Colasessano’s (506 Pennsylvania Avenue, Fairmont) is the best place to taste the local pepperoni buns, which can be enjoyed with or without cheese. One of the finest restaurants in West Virginia is The Main Dining Room at The Greenbrier (300 W Main Street, White Sulphur Springs). A jacket and tie are required to enter this elegant restaurant, which serves traditional heritage dishes such as chicken liver parfait, five onion soup, lamb, and filet mignon. Also on the property is Prime 44 West (300 W Main Street, White Sulphur Springs), a steakhouse that uses local ingredients.

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