If this is your first trip to WV, then you're in for a treat when it comes to unique local foods. While there are plenty of chain restaurants (Olive Garden, Texas Roadhouse, Chili’s, etc.), we’re providing choices that are unique to the area. There's too much to try if you're only in for the day, but we urge you to try at least one thing from the list and get a taste of West Virginia fare.
Italian Heritage
Before we jump into the list, here’s a quick note about WV
and its great Italian dining. Many
people in North Central West Virginia have Italian lineage, some estimate as
much as 20% of the local population. The reason stems from Italian Americans
relocating to WV for coal mining opportunities in the 1800s. As a result, many
families created their own versions of Italian dishes that have become regional
to North Central West Virginia.
Without further ado, we present our list of the best things to eat and drink in and around Morgantown:
10. Local Upscale Dining
Have a little extra cash to spend? Check out some of Morgantown’ pricier restaurants for great quality and service.
Maxwell’s (Not as pricey, but interesting menu).
9. Varsity Club
The
Varsity Club is a sports bar located close to the stadium that has a large menu and an
even larger selection of beer. Deemed "The Home of the MountainBeers”.
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| Dairy Cream Corner, Fairmont WV |
8. Dairy Cream Corner
Dairy Cream Corner, just down
I-79 in Fairmont, is a little dive that has not only excellent value desserts, but also some very tasty grub (including most of the items on this list that are unique to WV). Stop by
and ask for a large ice cream if you dare. Disclaimer: it will likely melt
before you finish it—yes, it’s that large.
7. The CID-wich
You'll find this monstrosity at
Colasante’s Ristorante. Not for the faint of heart, this ridiculous
“sandwich” is a choice of sirloin steak, grilled chicken, or ham stuffed
between two slices of pizza bread with lettuce, tomato, and mayo served with
fries, all for $6.49. Very unique and very delicious!
6. Colasessano's Pizza
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| Colasessano's Pizza |
Think you’ve had thick pizza? Not if you haven’t tried
Colasessano’s.
We’ve had a lot of pizza, but never any like this. In fact, their boxes say
“The secret is in the dough”. We don’t know the secret, but we know that this
is one unique place you won’t want to pass over. They have locations in
Morgantown and Fairmont. And, there’s another delectable menu item at
Colasessano’s that shows up later on the list…(hint, it starts with "pepper")
5. Black Bear
Black Bear is a very unique local restaurant that serves fresh, affordable food with a
wonderful atmosphere in downtown Morgantown. They also have microbrews. When possible, they use ingredients grown in
WV. From the website:
“We are an innovative small business providing a wide range
of ethnic cuisines prepared using the freshest ingredients served in a unique
Appalachian atmosphere that embraces the cultures, arts and music of West
Virginia as well as Morgantown.”
4. Hot dogs with "sauce"
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| Yann's hot dogs |
It’s not chili; it’s
hot dog sauce. It is native to Fairmont, and the best is at
Yann’s—a small shack in downtown Fairmont that seats about half a dozen people. If you’ve ever been to Geno’s in Philly to order an original cheese steak, then you know there are rules to ordering. Well, there are rules here too, but it’s not that complicated. Just don’t ask for ketchup, slaw, sauerkraut, or cheese--the owner has been compared to the
Soup Nazi, and will kick you out! Southern West Virginians can't believe the absence of coleslaw (a classic WV topping), but this is the way it's done locally in Mountaineer country.
The hotdogs are 85 cents and come with mustard, onions, and sauce. Warning: the sauce is HOT. The sauce is what makes North Central WV hot dogs unique. Other places have chili, but nowhere else has sauce like this. If you can’t make it to Yann’s, there are several other places (like Dairy Cream Corner) that have sauce as well. Wherever you go, make sure to order two hot dogs with chocolate milk to drink—that’s how the locals do it.
3. Beer and drinks.
Morgantown is known for its beer brewing
and drinking. If you want to find a great local brew, have a cold one and wings,
or drink a cocktail or two, check out some of the places below:
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| Mario's Fish Bowl |
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| Morgantown Brewing Company |
Morgantown
Brewing Company. Local beer brewery with a food menu too. This beer is also served in the stadium.
Mario’s Fishbowl:
Beer the size of a fishbowl. ‘Nuff said.
People usually leave notes on the wall when they first visit, including
some local legends…Holgorsen, ahem.
Morgantown Bars.
There are plenty of bars and clubs offering nightlife, beer, and drinks.
2. Italian
You’re not going to find restaurants as
expensive as those in the Little Italy sections of larger cities, but what you
will find is a unique blend of Italian cuisine created by the Italian
population in North Central WV over the past century. Everyone has their
favorite when it comes to Italian, but here is our list of the best:
Muriale’s
Italian Restaurant and Catering, Fairmont, WV. Only about 20 minutes south
of Morgantown, this restaurant is the best of the pack and well worth the
drive. Everything from authenticity to atmosphere and service to value is top
notch. The owner, Rocco Muriale, is almost always on hand. As a total WV
Italian dining experience, it can’t be beat. While everything is great, you’ll be surprised by just how good the
basics are: spaghetti and meatballs, salad with house dressing, Italian bread made in-house.
1. Pepperoni Rolls
The number one, absolute must-try dish
for visiting fans is the Fairmont, WV original pepperoni roll. There’s no food that is more uniquely West
Virginian, and you can’t say you’ve experience a trip to WVU without one. And before you say "been there, done that", many people erroneously mistake a pepperoni roll for a calzone or stromboli. This is a huge mistake! Pepperoni rolls never contain pizza sauce, and they never contain any Italian meat other than pepperoni.
So, what is it then? Well, it’s essentially pepperoni baked
into homemade bread dough with optional toppings including cheese, sauces, and Italian
peppers. Its sounds simple, and it is. But it packs huge flavor and is great
for a practically any type of meal: snack, lunch, or casual dinner. If you opt
for the original with no toppings, it’s a great portable snack that can be
carried with you throughout the day (which by the way is how they got their
start—coal miners needed an easy, long-lasting lunch food). But as simple as it sounds, the pepperoni roll can vary in so many ways from the type of pepperoni (stick, slice, ground) to the toppings and level of spiciness. A little change can make a big difference, and each variation creates a multitude of combinations. Remember the hot dog sauce? Several local restaurants put that on as well.
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| The original |
With so many varieties and places that serve these delights,
it’s hard to say which is the best. Try any you want (this is
all you need to know), but
here’s our suggestion:
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| Birthplace of the pepperoni roll |
The original. Of course, with anything, you should always
try the original. In this case, that’s the
Country Club Bakery
in Fairmont, WV. You can pick these up in area grocery stores, but if you want
to best experience, stop by the bakery and pick up a fresh batch.
Colasessano’s
Pepperoni Roll. On the opposite end of the pepperoni roll spectrum, is
Colasessano’s variety loaded with everything (meat sauce, provolone, and
Italian peppers). This hoagie-sized roll is larger than most, so come hungry.
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Colasessano's with everything
(note the chocolate milk) |
We feel that if you try the two varieties above, you’ll have
a good indication of the kinds of pepperoni rolls that are out there. But don’t
stop there! Check out grocery stores and gas stations for different varieties,
including some that have pepper jack cheese or sourdough bread.
One last tip: try
Oliverio's Italian peppers (made in Clarksburg, WV) on your pepperoni roll to add even more flavor. They are also a very tasty addition to pasta sauce or on a hamburger fresh off the grill.
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