7/14/2009
Charleston, W.Va. – The West Virginia Division of Tourism has teamed up with the Collaborative for 21st Century Appalachia for “People’s Choice – West Virginia’s Unique Places to Dine.” A search was conducted through nominations from anyone and everyone who has experienced that ultimate meal or specialty dish, at one of their favorite West Virginia dinning spots. Nominations were accepted through April 24, by going online at www.wvfarm2u.org. More than 400 nominations were received.
There are a number of great eateries across West Virginia and the search was very successful. “We feel lots of people will be glad to know about restaurants around the state, and a one-stop list of can’t miss places is going to be helpful to travelers and residents alike,” says Allen Arnold, director of the Collaborative for 21st Century Appalachia. “We work hard to promote the use of state grown and raised products and we feel this will help recognize the restaurants that utilize home grown products.” A brochure has been produced by the West Virginia Division of Tourism that highlights the restaurants and regions where they are located. The brochure is being distributed to Welcome Centers and Convention and Visitor Bureaus to help promote the state and the regions. The list can also be found at www.wvtourism.com.
The types of places that were eligible for the top 101 included eateries that have a storefront, are open on scheduled hours to the public and are in-state owned and not part of a national chain. The restaurants were asked to submit any specialty known dish and any historic significance of the property.
“Dining is one of the top activities for all travelers and everyone enjoys the opportunity to try a new restaurant or to visit an old favorite when visiting a particular area,” says Betty Carver, commissioner, West Virginia Division of Tourism. “Our Unique Places list will help us showcase some of our very popular eating establishments that are often well known to locals but not to visitors.”
The Collaborative for 21st Century Appalachia, a “grassroots” nonprofit organization, was formed in 2005 to promote community and economic development by encouraging a new way of Appalachian cooking with a healthier version of traditional foods while emphasizing local ingredients and Ag-Tourism. The Benedum Foundation provided a grant for the survey research.
Contact Information
Tricia Sizemore
304-558-2288 x 319