I was fortunate to have experienced a special dine-around event that brought together four talented culinary teams for a good cause. Ristorante Abruzzi, Coco’s, Chef Ke and Nomada Bakery each brought something unique to the table, showcasing the creativity and talent within our local food scene. It was a wonderful reminder of what can happen when great chefs come together around a shared purpose, using their skills to support something bigger than themselves.

The Chef Ke Experience
Chef Ke

Classic Deviled Eggs (V) Seasonal Roasted Crudités (V) Honey Cornbread with Chive Butter (V) Black Eyed Pea Hummus & Crispy Wontons (V) Ristorante Abruzzi
Chef Chase Collier

Pinto Bean Hummus (V)
Ramp pesto, corn chow chow, cornmeal crackers, baby vegetables, DiTrapano olive oil Squash Harvest (V)
Butternut squash focaccia, roasted delicata squash, brûléed acorn squash, squash salsa, fall squash agrodolce, JQ Dickinson smoked salt (local) Trout Cake
Aioli, green tomato and bacon jam, buttermilk foam Coco's Kitchen
Chef Chasity Thomas

Spinach & Artichoke Tartlets (V) Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms Mini Crab Cakes Nomada Bakery
Chef Ariel Barcenas

Empanadas - Chicken Curry, Ground Beef, or Spinach & Ricotta (V) Lychee & Heart of Palm Ceviche Mini Cupcakes & Alfajores

The Capital Cocktail Classic brings together downtown Charleston restaurants for an evening of creative cocktails, food pairings and friendly competition, all in support of the local arts community. The annual fundraiser benefits Fund for the Arts, a nonprofit organization that provides financial support to arts organizations throughout the Kanawha Valley. First held in 2019, the Capital Cocktail Classic has become a popular downtown event that combines elements of a cocktail competition and restaurant crawl. The 2026 event took place Saturday, October 24, from 4 to 7 p.m., featuring four participating establishments. Tickets were $60 and included a signature cocktail and appetizer at each stop, with beer and wine substitutions available. The participating restaurants were Ursus Brew Works, Sam’s Uptown Cafe, Prime 101 and Fife Street Brewing. Each establishment created its own cocktail and food pairing for the event, giving attendees an opportunity to sample different flavors while exploring downtown Charleston. At Ursus Brew Works, the featured cocktail was a blackberry margarita, accompanied by a poblano pepper stuffed with cream cheese, cheddar and brisket. The pepper was finished with blackberry barbecue sauce and pico de gallo, combining smoky, savory and sweet flavors. Sam’s Uptown Cafe offered a Tito’s Bloody Bisque alongside potato-crusted cod. The fish was served with chive-lemongrass-leek cream, Gouda, Parmesan, sage butter and balsamic glaze, creating a more elaborate seafood pairing. Prime 101 featured a cocktail inspired by the French 75, a classic drink traditionally made with gin, lemon juice, sugar and sparkling wine. Its accompanying appetizer was a crab cake served over street corn with a blueberry-sriracha-lemon sauce. Fife Street Brewing rounded out the lineup with a pomegranate whiskey maple smash and a grilled cheese sandwich featuring bacon, blue cheese and apple butter. The pairing brought together sweet and savory ingredients in a twist on a familiar comfort food. In addition to sampling the offerings, attendees had the opportunity to vote for their favorite cocktails and appetizers, adding a competitive element to the evening. The event also encouraged participants to visit several downtown businesses in one afternoon. Proceeds benefited Fund for the Arts and its mission of strengthening the local arts community. The organization supports groups such as the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra, Charleston Ballet, Charleston Light Opera Guild and River City Youth Ballet through its annual fundraising efforts.

A haunted carnival has taken over The Hideaway in downtown Charleston for Halloween. MMDI, the group behind previous concepts like the pickle-themed pop-up and Dolly Parton-inspired celebration, has transformed the space into The Spookeasy, an immersive experience combining carnival-inspired decorations, themed cocktails and special events. The haunted carnival concept takes inspiration from vintage circuses, with a darker Halloween twist. MMDI created a handmade, floor-to-ceiling environment intended to immerse guests in the theme. Rather than simply adding a few seasonal decorations, the team transformed the space into a spooky big-top experience, with carnival-inspired details throughout. The theme also carries over to the menu, which features signature cocktails and a selection of food dubbed “Big Top Bites.” Food included:

FREAK SHOW FRIES - Loaded fries with buffalo chicken, bacon, mozzarella, cheddar, jalapeños & chives. Served with ranch.

CARNIE BITES-Crispy chicken tossed in sticky house BBQ, topped with crispy onions & chives. Served with ranch.

THE RINGMASTER - Loaded hot dog with nacho cheese, bacon, crispy onions, jalapeños & spicy mustard.

POPCORN

NACHOS & CHEESE

CORN DOG

FRIED MOZZ

PRETZEL & CHEESE Cocktails included:

THE KILLER CLOWN
Spicy Margarita
Tequila, Lime Juice, Triple Sec, Jalapeno, Grenadine.

THE FREAK SHOW
Purple Vodka Lemonade
Vodka, Lemonade, Blue Curacao, Grenadine.

RINGMASTER'S REVENGE
Green Rum Punch
White Rum, Pineapple Juice, Melon Liqueur, Lime Juice, Sprite.

DEATH DEFYING ACT
Dark Espresso Martini
Vodka, Espresso, Coffee Liqueur, Black Cocoa. The Spookeasy features a lineup of special events. The opening weekend includes a DRAGula Brunch on Oct. 25 featuring Viki Williams, Red Scare, Stephani Michelle Williams and DJEJ. The following week brings a Working Ghouls Happy Hour on October 28, tarot readings with Pluto & Penticles on Oct. 29, and Scream & Sing: Killer Karaoke on Oct. 30. The experience concludes with The Final Fright on Halloween night. Have you been?

Oakleys Bistro is a chef-owned restaurant on the northwest side of Indianapolis known for inventive American cuisine, seasonal ingredients and creative interpretations of familiar dishes.

Inside, the dining room has a polished but approachable atmosphere, with warm lighting and a relatively intimate setting. Chef-owner Steven Oakley opened the restaurant in 2002, establishing a neighborhood dining destination that combines fine-dining techniques with a relatively casual atmosphere.

Oakley is a four-time James Beard Award semifinalist, receiving recognition in 2008, 2011, 2018 and 2019. He also competed on Food Network's Beat Bobby Flay in 2017 and won with his signature shrimp corn dog, which remains one of the restaurant's most recognizable dishes. It's a playful, upscale interpretation of a classic fairground corn dog, replacing the traditional hot dog with shrimp. The shrimp is served in a petite, golden-fried corn dog with a crisp exterior and tender seafood center. It comes with the restaurant's bistro honey mustard, which adds sweetness and tanginess to complement the savory shrimp and cornmeal coating. Unlike a full-sized carnival corn dog, it's a small bite sold individually. Oakleys Bistro's Wild Boar Sloppy Joe puts an upscale twist on the classic sandwich with rich, savory wild boar, creamy Brie, sweet caramelized onions and crunchy sesame red cabbage slaw. Served with house-made potato chips, it balances sweet, tangy and savory flavors with an Asian-inspired touch. Grade: A

The Garage spans more than 35,000 square feet and features more than 20 food and beverage vendors. Options include Venezuelan arepas, Brazilian steak sandwiches, British fish and chips, ramen, sushi, barbecue, lobster rolls and artisan ice cream. Each business operates its own counter, while customers share communal seating throughout the hall. I tried as many as I can! 4 Birds Bakery: Small-batch cookies, muffins and English-muffins made by hand dough-scooped for each one. You can never go wrong with a little sweet treat.
Lick Ice Cream: Unique, imaginative ice cream flavors year-round—ideal for a sweet treat stop. This was Rocky Roads-esque, and that marshmallow was everything.
Azucar Morena: Specializes in arepas (air-fried corn pancakes) with meats, cheeses and vegetables; gluten-free friendly. The arepa was a bit larger than I anticipated, but nicely full of filling.
Twenty-Two Juice Bar: Emphasizes whole, locally sourced ingredients in açaí bowls, smoothies and fresh juices. Give me everything peach-mango.
Hachi Machi: Features a bold, pan-Asian menu of hibachi, wok-fired favorites, and inventive street food. These egg salad sandos are all the rage in larger cities, and when they're perfectly creamy, they are so good.
Lil’ Dumplings Noodle Bar: Handmade noodles, flavorful ingredients, ramen and noodle bowls for a comforting meal. These dumplings were not short on spice - or flavor - but I downed them.
Rolli (Sushi): A fun sushi concept that aims to excite with flavor combinations and a “different” sushi experience. How cute are these rolled up lil sushi?

Others I will need to try next time:

La Chinita Poblana: Asian-fusion taqueria offering tacos with a twist, merging Mexican and Asian influences.

J’s Lobster & Fish Market: Signature lobster rolls (plus crab/shrimp versions) and hearty seafood sides. The Harbour: Traditional British-style fish & chips (battered cod/salmon/catfish etc) in the food hall setting.

Poke Guru: Healthy fast-casual with an Asian-fusion twist on the Hawaiian poke bowl concept. Axle’s Garage Tap: A craft-beer & drink spot—great for a beer after work, or with lunch/dinner at the hall.

Hard Truth Distilling: Features artisan spirits and signature cocktails in their own bar space inside the hall.

Clancy’s Hamburgers: A longstanding burger chain known for thoughtful ingredients and a classic burger-diner feel. Gaucho’s Fire: Brazilian-inspired flavors, including a popular steak sandwich and chimichurri fries, and regional BBQ influence.

Abbiocco Pizzeria: A modern upscale pizzeria offering fresh-to-order pizzas and pastas in a slightly elevated pizza concept. Sal & Pimenta: A Latin America inspired concept centered on skewers and simple ingredients (salt & pepper) done well.

Chapati Beta: Pakistani-Indian inspired fare bringing lively, spicy South Asian flavors to the food hall.

Great Legs Wine + Spirits: A wine (and spirits) bar concept—unwind with a pour, good for a lighter drink stop.

Herculean Meal Prep: A vendor focused on healthier eating—prepared meals made convenient for fast grab-and-go.

Mama Fofo’s: Traditional Greek fare — gyros, falafel, spanakopita, baklava — bringing “old world” Greek traditions to the hall.

Palavana Cubano: Cuban-inspired cuisine in Indy’s go-to spot for the classic Cubano sandwich and related fare.

Pig Pen BBQ: Regional-style barbecue flavors brought together in an honest, heart-centered BBQ concept.