TV shows on channels like Food Network offer viewers a unique opportunity to experience new cultures and cuisines from the comfort of their homes. For many viewers who may not have the chance to visit Appalachia in person, these shows serve as a window into the restaurants, food traditions and cultural heritage of Appalachia.
Check out some of the restaurants throughout Appalachia that have been featured on the small screen:
Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives
Food Network
● Hillbilly Hot Dogs (Lesage, West Virginia)
○ Capitalizing on the kitschy hillbilly stereotype, this hot dog restaurant features various wieners. But the most famous of all is the Home Wrecker, which is a 15-inch hot dog bun filled with a one-pound weenie and two pounds of toppings: jalapenos, sauteed peppers & onions, nacho cheese, habanero, chili sauce, mustard, slaw, lettuce, tomato, and shredded cheese.
● Central City Cafe (Huntington, West Virginia)
○ Guy Fieri found himself in an old-school, traditional cafe that features white bean chili with homemade cornbread, home-style meatloaf, open-face roast beef dinner, fried bologna, and pinto bean soup.
● Kelly O’s Diner (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)
○ “Although Kelly O'Connor opened her diner with no cooking experience, she was armed with a handful of family recipes. Guy swung by for a DDD first: haluski. The Polish dish is made with egg noodles, onions, cabbage and bacon. For another tasty bite, try Kelly's "winner-winner" turkey pot pie soup,” reads the description for the episode.
Best Thing I Ever Ate
Food Network
● Prime 44 West (White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia)
○ Prime 44 West is known for its fine aged steak, but the lobster mashed potatoes steak the show. “Ray Lampe, aka Dr. BBQ, knows Prime 44 West's Lobster Mashed Potatoes are far from road food. A former trucker, he calls it full-blown, splurging vacation food, as they add butter-poached lobster and creamy Boursin cheese,” reads FoodNetwork.com.
● Bottega (Birmingham, Alabama)
○ Owned by celebrity chef Frank Stitt, Bottega is an Italian restaurant that features fresh, locally sourced ingredients. It was featured in the “Southern Charm” episode for its award-winning coconut pecan cake, James Briscione’s pick for “Best Thing I Ever Ate.” The layered round cake has a coconut filling and Chantilly creme anglaise.
Guilty Pleasures
Food Network
● Midway West Drive-In (Huntington, West Virginia)
○ In Season 2, Katie Lee Biegel shares her favorite hot dog, which she describes as “blissful.” Served on a steamed bun, the hot dog is topped with chili and slaw for a nostalgic dish. Paired with a peanut butter-chocolate milkshake and French fries, the Midway meal requires about 20 napkins, Biegel joked.
● Village Tavern (Winston-Salem, North Carolina)
○ Village Tavern began as one location serving burgers and other casual fare. It has since grown in size and menu options. “Jackée Harry is a devotee of the Hot Crab Dip: Tender morsels of crabmeat are added to a rich base made from more than 1 pound of cream cheese,” reads the website.
Restaurant: Impossible
Food Network
● Audia’s Family Restaurant (Nutter Fort, West Virginia)
○ In Season 15, Episode 4, “A Single Dad Sparks His Passion,” Robert Irvine visits a restaurant with a confusing identity - whether American or Italian or barbecue.
Chuck’s Eat The Street
Cooking Channel
● Various restaurants in Lewisburg, West Virginia. In Season 3, Episode 10, Chuck explores Washington Street. “His first stop is at Stella's Tea House where he digs into Chef Samantha Hall's sticky toffee pudding. Next, he visits a historic landmark that dates to 1778, Greenbriar Resort, where Chef Bryan Skelding prepares a 14oz veal chop with cheddar grits and fresh veggies. At The Bakery, Sandy Carter makes a jalapeno bagel that rivals any New York or Montreal bagel. Last, Chuck stops by the Livery where Chef Michel Neutlings prepares an Appalachian-style dish with roasted quail, wild rice, apples and fig,” reads the website.
Food Paradise
Travel Channel
● Dancing Bear Appalachian Bistro (Townsend, Tennessee)
○ This Tennessee restaurant features Southern-style Appalachian cuisine and has been featured on Food Paradise as part of the “Hotel Hotspots” episode. The pork osso bucco consists of braised pork shank that has been rubbed with cayenne, chipotle and smoked paprika, seared in “meat butter” with purple carrots, red onions and green herbs and deglazed with a shot of Tennessee bourbon. It is served with collard greens sautéed in orange juice, salt, pepper, ginger and peanuts, and “dirty rice” made with wild rice, ham bits, sausage, onions and spicy tomato paste.
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