In Welch, one local ice cream shop combines frozen treats with coal mining history. Coal Town Creamery is a small shop housed in a historic former 76 gas station. "The service station was run by World War 2 veteran and two-time purple heart recipient, Ed Shepard. Shepard’s legacy has been memorialized with the entry room of the shop, letting future generations learn more about this local hero," according to WVVA. I was excited to visit on their first day of reopening for the season. I'm sure they were still working out some of the kinks and dealing with the recent flood, but you wouldn't know that from the ice cream. I enjoyed butter pecan and cashew, as well as chocolate peanut butter. They were certainly a bit difficult for the workers to scoop, but softened my the time they hit my palate. I believe they use Velvet brand ice cream, which is a little unique. But just as good. Grade: A

Page's Sourdough is a home bakery based in Sumerco. I recently placed an order with her to try it out. I ordered a sourdough flight, which contained four mini loaves of different flavored sourdough: original, asiago, Italian herb & cheese, and cinnamon & brown sugar. All that plus a sourdough pizza pinwheel. I dipped this one in marinara! Have you tried any of these baked goods? Grade: A

Located in the Historic Somerwell House (circa 1700), Little York Confectionery is Mobjack Coffee Roasters' commitment to enhancing Main Street in Yorktown. Their charming candy shop features ice cream, house-made chocolates, candies, and treats.



This brick and mortar shop is also home to Yorktown & Co., featuring a full-replica Stanley Steamer Wagon. It's fitting for the Colonial National Historical Park Battlefields.



The shop has a variety of chocolates, but the Yorktown onion bonbon caught my eye. It's chocolate with raspberry.



The name references the Yorktown onion flower, a local plant that blossoms in late spring and early summer across the area—most commonly seen in historic Yorktown landscape.



I also had a berry sorbet, which was so nice on a hot day. Plus, there was a cookie that added a little bit of crunch.



A nice little shop in a historic area with plenty to explore.



Grade: A

If you don't already know, I wrote a book on pepperoni rolls about 7 years ago. As a result, I have a lot of conversations about pepperoni rolls. My favorites, other people's favorites. And a common one that comes up often is the local gas station. That's because a lot of them are homemade. That's the case at E-Z Stop in Pineville. this is a large round roll that is served warm. Usually I do not get hung up on it being warm or cold, but in this case, the cheese gets all melted and makes it perfect. It was a good portion of pepperoni – not too much, not too little. And it was moist inside with a little sauce. Not grease. Not too dry. this is one of the best pepperoni rolls in recent memory.

Grade: A

Borough Market is a historic market in central London with an emphasis on high quality food, sustainable production and social connection.



"Our story began 1,000 years ago, when a market took shape at the foot of London Bridge. Since 1756, we’ve been in our current location, run by a charitable trust on behalf of the community. Today, our mission is to show that food can be made and sold in ways that are better for people, for the planet and for the sheer pleasure of eating," reads its website.



Kappacasein Dairy was my first stop because they're toasted cheese sandwich is legendary. Richly cheesy, impeccably executed, and celebrated by critics and street-food lovers alike—this is London’s grilled cheese elevated to iconic status.



"Kappacasein’s raclette and toasted cheese sandwiches are the stuff of Borough Market legend. Made using a generous helping of owner Bill Oglethorpe’s Bermondsey-made London raclette or Ogleshield cheese piled atop new potatoes, baby gherkins and pickled onions, the result is one of the finest aromas your nostrils could ever hope to savour. The famed toasted cheese toastie, meanwhile, is made with a combination of Montgomery cheddar, Ogleshield, London raclette, comte, onions and leeks sandwiched between slices of sourdough. The shop also sells Bill’s cheeses.



Kappacasein’s toasted cheese sandwich bursts with rich, nutty, and tangy flavors from its blend of aged cheddars and raclette. Finely chopped onions and leeks add a subtle sharpness that cuts through the creamy melt. The crusty sourdough provides a perfectly crisp contrast, creating a deeply satisfying balance of gooey, savory, and crunchy in every bite.



Mrs. King's Pork Pies serves authentic Melton Mowbray pork pies. A Melton Mowbray pork pie is a traditional English meat pie made with coarsely chopped pork, encased in a hand-formed hot water crust pastry, and baked without a mold, which gives it a slightly irregular, domed shape. The pie is typically filled with pork jelly after baking to preserve the meat and add richness. It originates from Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire and holds Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status, meaning only pies made in or around that area using traditional methods can be sold under that name.



When Elizabeth King started making pork pies back in 1853, little did she realise what she was setting in motion. She would probably have been shocked – and more than a little proud – if she knew that her name would be immortalised at one of the world’s most famous markets more than a century and half later. Her Melton Mowbray pies now have dedicated PGI status, meaning they can only be made in a particular way in a specific area of Nottinghamshire. Each pie uses fresh pork and rich jelly, cooked inside golden brown pastry, reads the website.



Mrs. King’s pork pies deliver a robustly savory meatiness with well-seasoned, coarse-cut pork encased in a golden, hot-water crust pastry that strikes the perfect balance between crisp and crumbly. it's a different experience than a pot pie because of this next component: jelly. Rich pork jelly adds a moist, gelatinous layer that enlivens the pie’s flavor profile—even when served cold, as tradition dictates. I ate mine cold, but I do think I would enjoy it better if it were warm. Hearty pork, delicate jelly, and sturdy pastry.



The Natural Smoothie Co. helped lighten up the day with a smoothie. The berry bliss smoothie had strawberry, raspberry, blackberry, apple and orange juice.



"Delicious smoothies made using 100 per cent fresh fruit – no concentrates, dairy products, ice or sorbets. Each cup contains around 300g of pure fruit, the equivalent of seven or eight individual pieces. Owner Liz Guru uses extremely ripe fruit for maximum possible flavour," reads the website.



"Turnips is a fruit and veg wholesaler and retailer run by the Foster family. High quality produce is sourced from a network of independent farms around Britain and, in the instance of some specialist items, Europe and beyond. Whether it be beetroot from Somerset, potatoes from Lincolnshire, rhubarb from Yorkshire, cabbages from Kent or locally foraged wild mushrooms, Turnips is guaranteed to bring the season’s finest offerings to its Borough stall," reads the website.



So I decided to do another drink - a St. Clements juice. This citrus fizz has orange juice and lemon-lime.



Tart, yet refreshing.

Grade: A