HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — Huntington is known as a river town, a rail town and a college sports town.
More and more, it’s also becoming known as a food town.
“In West Virginia, I think we’ve always suffered from a diversity of restaurants. Huntington is getting that more and more,” said Bill Bissett, president of the Huntington Regional Chamber of Commerce.
“What’s great is not only do you have traditional restaurants like Jim’s that have been here for nearly 8 decades, but you also have new and exciting restaurants like Backyard Barbecue and the Peddler, and that gives us this very diverse feel.”
Through Aug. 5, it’s Restaurant Week in Huntington.
Those offering special pricing this week include a blend of local flavors and corporate participants, all members of the local chamber:
Buddy’s All American BBQ, Butter It Up, Charlie Graingers, Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites, HoneyBaked Ham, HWY 55, Jim’s Steak & Spaghetti House, Le Bistro, Nawab Indian Cuisine, Panara Bread, Prime on 4th, Pullman Plaza Patio Room, River & Rail Bakery, Savannah’s Restaurant, Sheetz and Taste of Asia.
In many ways, as local options have grown, Huntington now likes to think it’s always Restaurant Week.
“Everyone is helping each other. They don’t see the person next to them as their competitor,” Bissett said.
“They know if there’s more draw to come to Huntington, that helps everyone. We’re getting on the map for being a great place for restaurants, which is causing more restaurants to open.”
During last year’s “Tastiest Town” series in the Charleston-Gazette Mail, food reviewer Steven Keith said Huntington nearly pulled off an upset victory over other destinations in the state.
Morgantown was the winner for its variety of delicious destinations, wrote Keith, also known as The Food Guy.
But Huntington is an up-and-comer.
“Most folks I’ve spoken to seem surprised that Morgantown and Huntington fared so well, but here’s my take on that: They’re both vibrant college towns, which creates a certain amount of energy — a “buzz” if you will.
“Not only do today’s college students have higher standards when it comes to food (seeking out restaurants that are fresh, local, creative, organic), but the professors, academic community and young professionals that graduate and stick around do, too.”
Because it’s been established in Huntington for almost 80 years, the restaurant many people associate with the city is Jim’s Steak & Spaghetti on Fifth Avenue.
Bradley Tweel is a third-generation leader at the restaurant, where he serves as assistant manager. He grew up around the loyal crowds packing into green booths, one of which once seated President John F. Kennedy.
“We have people who come from all over the country,” Tweel said. “We have a lot of people that when they come back to Huntington, they will get off the plane or off of the interstate to their hotel or home, they will come here first.
“We have lots of stories of ‘Oh, I just got off the plane at the airport and I didn’t even make it home. You were my first stop.’ That makes us really happy, makes us know that people really love us.”
Meanwhile, Tweel is seeing more and more alternatives for Huntington diners.
“Lots of new places,” he said, “which is great. We want the city to continue to grow, continue to prosper.”
Just a couple of blocks over are two up-and-coming restaurants owned by husband-and-wife team Drew and Megan Hetzer.
The Peddler and Backyard Pizza and Raw Bar, side-by-side on Third Avenue, have been resurrected after both burned in a fire three summers ago.
The Hetzers bought an old five and dime building that had been vacant for 12 years to give their restaurants new life. They gutted the building, rebuilt with the original ceilings and got back to work.
Soon, they’ll open a microbrew operation in the space between the two restaurants.
“We get new customers all the time, which is really great, and the support is awesome we’ve experienced from the fire to reopening,” Megan Hetzer said.
She said new customers find the restaurants in a variety of ways — including through apps such as Trip Advisor or Yelp.
“I think people are really into food and where their food comes from and new experiences,” Megan Hetzer said. “We kind of have that eclectic menu to offer.”
She can identify, saying the Hetzers plan their own trips around food.
“We like eclectic food. We like to try different things — always local. We like to try local restaurants.”