For those who love sunset dinners or savoring their favorite spirits under the stars, the Huntington area delivers.
By Jean Hardiman
HQ 122 | SUMMER 2023
The Market
809 Third Ave.
Huntington, WV 25701
www.themarkethuntington.com
The Market has brought life to the corner of Third Avenue and Eighth Street in the form of several businesses offering great food, shopping and entertainment, including live outdoor music. A good meal can be enjoyed any time of day in The Market’s outdoor dining area. For early risers, there’s Butter It Up, which offers specialty coffee drinks, smoothies and an excellent list of breakfast and lunch options. Fuel Counter opens for lunch and dinner and gives guests a chance to build the perfect salad, sandwich, pizza or wrap out of over 60 ingredient options. If Mexican street food is more your scene, you can head up to the mezzanine and try out Taquiera 84. And for mouthwatering slow-roasted barbecue and all the fixings, there’s Mo Betta BBQ. Austin’s Ice Cream, best enjoyed while relaxing outside, is the perfect way to top off any summertime meal.
Savannah’s Bistro
1208 Sixth Ave.
Huntington, WV 25701
304-529-0919
Fine cuisine from across cultures, an impressive offering of wine and spirits and a tradition of excellence are hallmarks of Savannah’s Bistro, located in a charming home-turned-restaurant on Sixth Avenue in downtown Huntington. Originally founded as Savannah’s by Ava Bicknell in 1996, the restaurant briefly closed in 2020 upon Bicknell’s retirement but was reopened as Savannah’s Bistro by longtime employee Tara Dunn. Savannah’s maintains its steadfast commitment to exquisite and creative culinary experiences and specialty drinks, including daily specials that give foodies a chance to see what’s next in culinary trends. Outdoor dining enthusiasts can relax in the beautifully landscaped area that fronts the restaurant, whether it’s a standard weekday evening, a celebratory outing or a special event like a Murder Mystery Dinner or Around the World Wine Tasting. Either way, Savannah’s delivers that sought-after fine dining experience.
La Famiglia
1327 Sixth Ave.
Huntington, WV 25701
304-523-1008
Authentic Italian cuisine in a setting that feels like home is what you’ll find at La Famiglia, a restaurant owned and operated by the Hagy family. Ralph and Terri and their sons Joseph and Jordan do all the cooking using recipes passed down from Ralph Hagy’s ancestors, who immigrated to America from Calabria in Southern Italy. This Italian American family is serious about food, family and bringing people together, offering a warm atmosphere and fresh Italian meals that Ralph came to love as a child. The menu of Italian favorites — including fresh pasta, savory sauces, meats, cheeses, olives and other ingredients imported from Italy — keeps bringing people back for more. La Famiglia also serves up a mean wood-fired pizza. Its location in a restored historic home, where guests can relax outdoors under large patio umbrellas, provides the feel of getting one of Nonna’s home-cooked meals without lifting a finger.
Bahnhof WVrsthaus & Biergarten
745 Seventh Ave.
Huntington, WV 25701
681-204-3837
A celebration of freshly made German-infused foods and the finest in beer are what set Bahnhof apart from other establishments in Huntington. Founded in 2017 by successful restaurateurs Patrick Guthrie and Jess Bright, who also brought Black Sheep Burrito and Brews to Huntington’s dining scene, Bahnhof was inspired by Guthrie’s years living in Germany. The restaurant brings both the environment and flavors of German restaurants and biergartens to brat and beer lovers in the Tri-State. The menu features a fun variety of bratwurst options that are inspired by cultures around the globe, a second-to-none hot pretzel, an imaginative array of German-inspired entrees and one of Huntington’s finest lists of craft beers. Heading to Bahnhof’s outdoor area is a chance to relax with a fine brew, enjoy some music and conversation and escape to a modern-day German biergarten.
Marshall Hall of Fame Café
857 Third Ave.
Huntington, WV 25701
304-697-9800
Located seven blocks from campus in the heart of downtown Huntington, the Marshall Hall of Fame Café is the perfect place for Thundering Herd fans — and sports fans in general — to catch a game in the sports bar or enjoy outside dining on a mild afternoon or evening. The restaurant opened in 2001 as part of a family of restaurants celebrating local college athletics. Also referred to as the MU Café, the restaurant features a large bison statue inside and celebrates Marshall University with a variety of memorabilia throughout. The menu offers sports bar classics like burgers, sandwiches and pizza with an impressive assortment of appetizers, entrees, salads and more.
Black Sheep Burrito and Brews
279 Ninth St.
Huntington, WV 25701
304-523-1555
If you find yourself at Pullman Square on a gorgeous afternoon or evening, dining outside at Black Sheep Burrito and Brews is a must. The restaurant serves up creative and flavorful specialty burritos, tacos, quesadillas and “ribeye smasher” burgers, with a variety of margaritas and specialty cocktails to go along with them. Founded over a decade ago by the same restaurateur team that created Bahnhof, Patrick Guthrie and Jess Bright, Black Sheep brings to Huntingtonians Tex-Mex with flair, as well as live music events and a Sunday brunch.
Christopher’s Eats
5340 U.S. Route 60 E
Huntington, WV 25705
304-736-5520
The dream of two brothers and the culinary genius of their cousin converge at Christopher’s Eats, located in the rapidly developing area of U.S. Route 60 that blurs the line between Huntington and Barboursville. Originally located in Barboursville’s River Place Plaza, Christopher’s Eats was founded in 2013 by brothers David and Jeremy Adams and their cousin, chef Christopher Dixon, the restaurant’s namesake. Its carefully designed new location, with a relaxing outdoor patio, still offers the unique and sought-after fare that brought Christopher’s Eats its popularity a decade ago. Not to be missed are the artisan flatbreads fresh out of the coal-fired oven, which is powered by clean-burning anthracite coal. The menu, curated by executive chef Jeff Els, also boasts excellent offerings for starters, salads and entrees, as well as cocktails, a popular brunch menu and droolworthy cheesecake creations.
Main St on Central
646 Central Ave.
Barboursville, WV 25504
304-955-5109
The freshest of seafood and finest of wine are two of the main attractions at Main St on Central in Barboursville, though the menu offers a delectable variety of other fresh gourmet options from executive chef Jeff Els — from salads to steaks to pastas to stir fry. The restaurant opened in 2018 as a joint venture between several area professionals: Jeremy Adams of Christopher’s Eats, cosmetic surgeon Dr. Ben Moosavi, Herd Basketball Coach Dan D’Antoni and Mark Cross of 21 at the Frederick. Cross has since parted ways with the restaurant, and Chris Dixon of Christopher’s Eats has stepped in as the culinary expert of the group. For those who like to sample everything from a Mongolian pork chop to lobster mac and cheese, all while enjoying the perfect wine pairing, Main St on Central can deliver. Seasonal wine dinners are among the restaurant’s not-to-miss events, and outdoor seating allows guests to enjoy the historic charm of downtown Barboursville during special events and other occasions.
Oscar’s Breakfast, Burgers & Brews
6007 U.S. Route 60 E, Suite 220
Barboursville, WV 25504
304-948-6916
In coming up with the idea for Oscar’s, Jason Beter wanted to serve up some of the best hand-crafted burgers in Barboursville, along with a great selection of breakfast items and beer. Throw in a sports bar atmosphere with outdoor dining in Barboursville’s River Place Plaza, and you have Oscar’s Breakfast, Burgers & Brews, now in its seventh year of operation — and always hoppin’. Named after the Beter family’s beloved pet boxer, Oscar’s celebrates baseball, music and excellent eats with its playfully named menu items, many of which are inspired by favorite musicians and other folks worthy of the delicious dishes that bear their names.
