Vandall's is a gas station in Meadow Bridge that is also part convenient store, part grocery store and part restaurant. The building has seen better days; it is the oldest building in Summers County, having bern built in 1854, according to its website. They are known for their pizza, but when I tried to place an order for one, I was told they were on a 1.5+ hour wait. I pivotted and asked if I could just do a pepperoni roll instead. The kind woman working at the counter took pity on me and asked the cook if they could find room in the oven for a single pepperoni roll since I was already there and waiting. I don't know that the cook was super happy to oblige, but after about just 20 minutes, I was on my way. Their version of a pepperoni roll is more like a pepperoni and cheese sub. There wasn't any sauce, and it was only lightly baked. Just kinda basic. Next time, I will hold out for the pizza. Grade: B

The Greenbrier Grille and Lodge in Marlinton is a family-friendly restaurant that offers three meals a day overlooking the Greenbrier River. The piece de resistance of this restaurant is the large wooden deck that includes a duck feeding area, which is where I went to dine and duck watch. On this particular day, they were offering a limited menu because of the high volume of guests. there were some breakfast options, some lunch options, but I just wanted a quick snack. So, I ordered the stuffed cheese breadsticks. these aren't fried mozzarella sticks; they are wider breadsticks that have tons of gooey cheese inside. I thought these were pretty tasty. It's hard to beat bread, cheese and sauce. I wouldn't hate some butter on top to help adhere that sprinkling of Parmesan. Have you been? Grade: B

"Y’allternative cuisine. Like momaw made it, but she has tattoos and drinks her whiskey straight," reads Black Circle Bistro's bio on Facebook. Honestly, that is enough to make me a fan of this Beckley restaurant. But, I should also try the food. So while in the area, I placed a to go order and picked up a few items off the menu. A few notes: They don't do ice. They don't do lemon. Their specialty is burgers, but they also have other sandwiches, salads and sides. I went with the Granny, which has cheddar cheese, pimento cheese, bacon and pepper jelly. I picked this one primarily because I love cheese and that salty sweet combo. But every burger was tempting – from adding fried bologna to blue cheese pimento to dippy eggs. I didn't do this burger justice because I didn't get a chance to eat it immediately. I had it later on that evening, and while it was good, I know it would be better hot and fresh. What I did get to enjoy immediately was the deviled egg potato salad, which is perfect Appalachian twist on potato salad. A little kick, which I love. I also tried the pickled eggs, which I know can be divisive, but I love that zippy tang. Finally, I need to give a shoutout to their sauces. I didn't even have fries, but I needed to try the Appalachian Goddess, Jana's Garlic & Onion, Pimento and Hillbilly Holy Trinity. Yes, yes and more yes. Grade: A

Rayetta's Lunch Box is a small Marlinton restaurant that is soon closing its doors. I was fortunate to visit this spot on my last visit to the area. They are typically only open during the weekdays for lunch, so it was nearly impossible for me to make it here. But once I did, I immediately looked to see what sweets were available. It was the pumpkin roll that jumped out to me. Fresh, homemade and full of autumn spice. Grade: A

Sitar of India hosts a Diwali celebration each year. Diwali is a Hindu festival of lights, held in the period October to November. It is particularly associated with Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity, and marks the beginning of the fiscal year in India. Sitar celebrates with their biggest Indian buffet of the year. It included special sweets, a super buffet with over 60 items, and other special offerings. There were many items that were familiar to me, but then there were many that were new to me. I, of course, had to get my standard chicken tikka masala. And I tried for the first time aloo bhaji, which is a potato dish with curry, turmeric and chili. So tasty. For dessert, I enjoyed some kheer and gulab jamun - both fab. There was also a sweet carrot fudge-like that I got seconds of. Mint sauce and onion chutney - perfect on everything.