We have a confession.

One of the main reasons we invested in Fayetteville – buying and renovating the building that now houses Lafayette Flats Boutique Vacation Rentals – was because we loved the food. Seriously.

We both have enthusiastic palates. A few of our favorite Fayetteville dishes include Brussel sprouts from Secret Sandwich Society, homemade granola from Wood Iron Eatery, black bean pizza (with pork) from Pies and Pint, and Cathedral Café’s carrot cake.

Of course, it was the awe-inspiring natural beauty that kept bringing us to the New River Gorge, but it was Fayetteville’s food scene that really sealed the deal for our vacation rental plans. We knew this mix of outdoor adventure and good food was a magical combination. We wanted other folks like you to enjoy it, too.

So here’s our advice on some of the best places and dishes to eat and drink in Fayetteville.

Fayetteville, WV Restaurant Superlatives

Most Famous: Secret Sandwich Society

The secret is out, Secret Sandwich Society is one of the most popular restaurants in West Virginia and probably the region. Every year they get mentioned in publications like Southern Living, The Washington Post, USA Today, and for good reason. These aren’t your everyday sandwiches, just ask their cult following. There was a terrible fire at Secret Sandwich Society. The restaurant is being rebuilt but is currently closed. 

Best Restaurant for Vegetarians: Cathedral Café

The vegetarian selections at Cathedral Café are as plentiful as they are delicious. For breakfast, we recommend the Tommy-Cado (grilled tomatoes, eggs, avocado on an English muffin). For lunch, we recommend the Vegetarian Panini (grilled portabella with provolone, veggies, and herb mayo). But there are so many other options to choose from.

Best Restaurant for Families: Pies & Pints

Pizza and a Playground. Need we say more? That’s right, one of the two outdoor dining areas at Pies and Pints has a great playground for the kids to enjoy while grateful parents chow down on gourmet pizza.

Best Outdoor Seating: Arrowhead Bike Farm

After a long hike or ride, there’s nothing better than rolling into Arrowhead Bike Farm’s The Handle Bar + Kitchen for a cold beer and tasty brat. Hanging out on the large deck and outdoor biergarten is super relaxing, but there is nothing laid back about their beer selection. One of Arrowhead’s co-owners is a globe-trotting beer aficionado.

Most Carnivorous: Firecreek BBQ & Steaks

From pork to beef to poultry, Firecreek BBQ & Steaks is a meat lovers’ restaurant. Their generous helpings and casual atmosphere are sure to satisfy the most ravenous carnivores.

Best Vibe: Wood Iron Eatery

Sure, we love the yummy breakfast, lunch, and house-roasted coffee at Wood Iron Eatery, but we especially love the ambiance. Lots of sunshine is always coming through the windows of the historic house and the walls of this little café are covered in local art. Not to mention, their patio is like a perch above the town.

Most Fun: Southside Junction

There seems to always be something fun going on at Southside Junction and Taphouse. Live music, trivia, wing night, holiday parties and more! Of course, with a great selection of beer and yummy noshes like the popular fry board (a combo of every kind of French fry imaginable), it not terribly surprising that everyone there is having a good time.

Most Creative Menu: Wanderlust Creativefoods

They started out as a curry house but have expanded their creative offerings to include European and Latin American favorites. Wanderlust Creativefoods also offers several dishes that include beets (major selling point for Amy) and a juicy lamb burger (making the mere presence of beets much more tolerable for Shawn).

Tastiest Newcomer: The Take Out

There is no shortage of healthy and delicious lunch and early dinner options at The Take Out, Fayetteville’s newest grab-and-go restaurant. Their three-part ordering process allows you to choose your base (salad, sandwich or rice bowl), choose your protein (meats and plant-based), and choose your flavors (a list of individual toppings or curated combos).

Fayetteville Foodie Itinerary

Spending the weekend in the New River Gorge? Here’s a meal itinerary any foodie is sure to love.

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Friday Lunch: The Take Out

Friday Brewery Tastings: Bridge Brew Works

Friday Night Dinner: Don Rizo

Friday Evening Drinks/Snacks: Southside Junction and Taphouse

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Saturday Breakfast: Cathedral Café

Saturday Lunch: Polecat

Saturday Brewery Tastings: The Freefolk Brewery

Saturday Dinner: Pies & Pints

Saturday Evening Drinks/Snacks: Arrowhead Bike Farm’s The Handle Bar + Kitchen

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Sunday Breakfast: Tudor’s Biscuit World

Sunday Lunch: Wood Iron Eatery

Sunday Dinner: Firecreek BBQ & Steaks

Sunday Dessert: The Stache (ice cream parlor)

Beer, Wine and Cocktails

Love beer? Fayetteville is heaven for beer drinkers. You’ll find an impressive, sometimes overwhelming selection of craft beer at Pies & Pints, Arrowhead Bike Farm, Southside Junction and Taphouse, and Secret Sandwich Society.

In addition, there are two breweries in town: Bridge Brew Works and The Freefolk Brewery.

The guys of Bridge Brew Works just added a beautiful outdoor patio and tasting room to their brewery which is on Nick Rahall Greenway inside the industrial park just a few minutes from downtown. Their award-winning beers are worth tasting, and we suspect you’ll want to fill up your growler while you visit.

The Freefolk Brewery is a treat for the eyes, ears, and taste buds. The owners have filled their space with art, they offer live music on the weekends and they serve up some yummy nibbles too. You can even call ahead to schedule a tour of the brewery which is located right outside town on WV Rt. 16.

Many of the same establishments that offer beer offer a small selection of wine, but a nice wine bar is something Fayetteville desperately needs. Any oenophile entrepreneurs out there?

If you enjoy a good cocktail before dinner, we recommend Pies and Pints. They have a full bar and lounge inside the restaurant.

To check out the local bar scene, visit Charlie’s, Elliot’s Whitewater Grill, or Maggie’s Pub.

Yummiest Desserts in the New River Gorge

The best thing about hiking, biking, climbing, and paddling is the easy justification these activities provide to have a decadent dessert.

You’ll find a perfect selection of ice cream at The Stache, where you can enjoy shopping the throw-back candy and toys while you anxiously wait your turn at the counter.

Cathedral Café offers spectacular home-made desserts. We can’t get enough of their carrot cake.

Fayetteville’s Breakfast Options

Just down the street from Lafayette Flats are the two best breakfast spots in town. Cathedral Café has fabulous pancakes, a selection of traditional offerings, and brunch libations. Wood Iron Eatery has a fresh contemporary menu and full coffee service (espresso, cappuccino, etc.).

We can’t talk about breakfast without mentioning Tudor’s Biscuit World. Their biscuits are big, greasy, and sometimes – just what you need. Everybody has a favorite at this WV regional chain. Amy’s is the Mary B and Shawn’s is the Thundering Herd.

Best Seasonal Offerings at Fayetteville, WV Restaurants

We tell our guests at Lafayette Flats that they must travel to Fayetteville at least four times a year to really experience the magic of this place. Watching the seasons change in the New River Gorge is dramatic and beautiful and eating your way through the year is delightful too!

Spring Recommendation: Fish Sandwich at Secret Sandwich Society

Secret Sandwich Society offers fish sandwiches every Friday during Lent. Lewis and his staff know how to make sandwiches and locals of all faiths look forward to this special offering every year.

Summer Recommendation: Heirloom Tomato Pie at Pies and Pints

The first time we had the heirloom tomato pie at Pies and Pints, we thought we’d died and gone to heaven. We went back the next day for another! They start offering it in August when local tomatoes are perfectly ripe.

Fall Recommendation: Beer and Brats at Arrowhead Bike Farm

The biergarten at Arrowhead is the perfect place to be on a warm fall afternoon that turns into cool fall evening. You can enjoy a nice selection of brats and carefully curated craft beer at this kid and pet-friendly farm.

Winter Recommendation: Pancakes at Cathedral Cafe

There’s nothing better on a cold morning than a hot cup of coffee and a stack of buttery pancakes. Cathedral Cafe offers many kinds including whole grain, sweet potato, cinnamon roll, blueberry, and banana-nut!

Little Hidden Gems

Somewhat hidden around Fayetteville are fabulous little gems of deliciousness.

Once housed inside Waterstone Outdoors, Rangefinder Coffee now has its own shop on Court Street. Stop in for seriously good coffee.

Facing U.S. Rt. 19 sits Studio B where you can shop local art, cheese, wine, snacks, and craft beer. Tucked right next door is the cute little Maggie’s Pub. Offering cold drinks and a full bar.

Hidden in Dove’s Village along U.S. Rt. 19 is Aurora Coffee and More. The “more” is primarily sweet treats including a beautiful selection of shaved ice.

Our Guide to All Fayetteville, WV Restaurants

Fayetteville offers an impressive variety of food and drink but deciding where to eat can be overwhelming. We haven’t even mentioned all the restaurants in town yet!

In fact, we get so many questions from our guests that we created a food guide to help them find the perfect place to suit their palate.

Get your up-to-date guide to Fayetteville restaurants, with detailed contact, location, and menu offering info by signing up for our email list.

Fayetteville has the following chain restaurants: Gino’s Pizzeria, Subway, Dunkin Donuts, Daily Queen, Taco Bell, KFC, Wendy’s, Bob Evan’s, Sheets, Long John Silver, Arby’s, Domino’s Pizza, and McDonald’s. While Subway and Dunkin Donuts are downtown, most are located around the shopping plaza on U.S. Rt. 19.