WV State KCBS BBQ Championship pairs BBQ cooks, ATV riders and WV tourists. Sanctioned by the Kansas City BBQ Society (KCBS), the 4th Annual Coalfields Cookoff featured professional and backyard BBQ cook teams, a prize purse of over $13,000! I was fortunate enough to serve as a judge for the competition. I judge the backyard division on chicken, ribs, and pork. It is a blind competition, with no photos allowed. But, I was able to check out the rest of the festival, too. FOOD VENDORS
Almost Heaven Smokehouse
B&M Wacky Waffles
Bandit BBQ
BroMarsh BBQ
Ole No 3
Shaved Ice - Ayleen Mendez
Southern Sass Boutique & Gifts, LLC
Suntan Swine BBQ
Sweet Street
The Lemonade Lady
The Pepperoni Roll Lady
Tiki's Shaved Ice
My first stop was at The Pepperoni Roll Lady. She had plenty of mini pepperoni rolls and even mini pot pies. I have one in my bag to eat tomorrow. Next up was The Lemonade Lady. I ordered a small strawberry & mango lemonade. Tasty!

So. St. Louis is a new food truck in the area that features fried chicken and fish.



I ordered The Murphy Lee - Cod & Fried Shrimp. The fried fish and shrimp were just okay—nothing special. The breading was basic and lacked any real seasoning, leaving both the fish and shrimp tasting pretty plain. Everything was cooked through, but without any added flavor or standout texture, it felt like a missed opportunity, especially for $20. Not bad, but definitely forgettable.



Grade: C

Los Amigos is a new Mexican restaurant in Kanawha City, which is the third location from this particular local chain.



This space has been home to a number of restaurants over the years, most recently The Pitch. I think the sports bar decor is still evident in the current setup, but it is still general enough to be fitting.



The menu has all the basics: tacos, burritos, quesadillas, fajitas and the like. I saw a couple things that caught my eye, but they were actually out of them. So I ended up with steak, shrimp and chicken tacos.



I was looking for more flavor, more toppings, more garnish. Just more. Onions and cilantro and sauces helped, but not enough. They were pretty streamlined and simple.



The sides of rice and beans were fine; I ended up scooping some of the rice into the taco to fill it out a bit more. Some seasoning and balance would have turned this around for me.



Grade: C

Ridge to Ridge Sips & Treats is a mobile coffee truck that sets up around the Kanawha Valley. They offer espresso, cold brew, energy drinks and even some pastries. I enjoyed a lavender honey bee iced coffee, which was just sweet enough to take the edge off any bitter notes.

Grade: A

Great Harvest is a national bakery franchise known for its fresh, whole grain breads and simple, high-quality ingredients. Founded in 1976 in Great Falls, Montana, the business began with a focus on using freshly milled wheat and baking from scratch daily. It started franchising in 1983 and now includes more than 150 independently owned locations across the U.S. Each bakery sources wheat from family farms and mills it on-site to ensure freshness.



In West Virginia, the company has two locations: Elkins and Bridgeport. The menu includes classic and signature sandwiches like turkey and roast beef, hot options like spicy apple bacon grilled cheese, fresh salads including Cobb and Yard Bird, and breakfast items such as egg sandwiches and biscuits with sausage gravy. They also bake a variety of daily breads, cookies, muffins, scones, and seasonal pies.



I ordered a "Savannah Bar" - an oatmeal cookie crust topped with pieces of fruit, wholesome rolled oats, and shaved coconut. Topped with cookie crumbles, this bar is perfect for breakfast on the go or warmed up with ice cream for dessert.



Plus a bacon, egg & cheese breakfast sandwich on a bacon, cheddar & chive biscuit. Yum.



Grade: A