From the inspired menu to the comfortable atmosphere, it’s all relative at Christopher’s Eats.
By Shane Arrington
HQ 96 | WINTER 2017
Tucked in a corner inside Barboursville restaurant Christopher’s Eats is a cozy table lovingly named “The Family Table.” Owner Christopher Dixon placed pictures on the wall above so family members no longer with him could still enjoy a good meal in the restaurant where he puts to delicious use the lessons learned in his mother’s kitchen.
Family is the driving force behind Christopher’s Eats. While Dixon was working in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, he received a call from Jeremy Adkins, his cousin and a Huntington-based contractor, who sold him on the idea of opening his own restaurant in West Virginia. The idea initially was to buy an existing place, but when the prime candidate fell through, they, along with Jeremy’s brother David, decided just to build a new place from scratch.
From top to bottom, Christopher’s Eats gives off a vibe of casual elegance. Dixon says they wanted everything about the restaurant to be heavy on class and comfort, without coming off as pompous.
“We have high-quality fresh food served by an amazing staff wearing a lot of jeans and flannel,” Dixon says. “We just want everyone to enjoy his or her food and have a good time. I’ve actually had a couple of people liken us to Cheers, which is honestly pretty cool.”
While everyone there may not know your name, the homey atmosphere of Christopher’s Eats coupled with a bar placement that allows patrons to sit and drink while looking over their shoulders to talk with others eating at the tables, definitely gives the restaurant that family-friendly feel. Jeremy crafted the atmosphere from a blank slate. Dixon says the restaurant would not be what it is without his cousin’s eye for design. The food and décor go a long way to set Christopher’s Eats apart from other establishments, but Dixon says it’s the restaurant’s signature coal-fired grill that sets it apart and makes Christopher’s Eats such a destination for foodies from Ashland to Charleston.
While the restaurant’s four successful years are cause for celebration, its opening day was shadowed by the death of Dixon’s aunt and grandmother, who passed within weeks of when they should have enjoyed their first meal at the family table. Opening and making it through the first few months was difficult, Dixon says, but was made easier thanks to his girlfriend and two other friends who came with him from Louisiana to help.
“I can’t explain how important it was to have them here,” Dixon says. “It was hard enough opening a restaurant and getting everything flowing smoothly without also having our family losses. Just having people I knew, that I trusted, here made all the difference.”
While the two friends have since left to pursue other endeavors, Dixon’s girlfriend Laura is still around – though now she’s his wife. Before coming to West Virginia Laura had never lived outside Louisiana, but she said she’s happy with her choice.
“Everyone thought I was crazy for coming here in the first place, and I still think maybe I was,” Laura jokes. “It all happened so fast. Obviously, I hoped our relationship would grow, but I also wanted to be a part of all this. He was so excited, and I knew he could succeed. Just look at all that’s been accomplished here.”
It’s certainly an accomplishment: a restaurant run in every aspect by family members, whose focus is providing a place where other families can come to enjoy a good meal and great company. Dixon says he’s grateful to have a place to call his own, to work with his family and to be able to take a break sometimes at the family table and look up knowing even those no longer with him are proud.
