East End coffee shop plans grand opening

Capitol Common Grounds coffee shop opens this month inside the old Bluegrass Kitchen in Charleston, WV

Plus more on Patsy's, my lunch with AARP and a very surprising honor

An exciting new coffee shop coming to Charleston’s East End has announced its grand opening ribbon-cutting ceremony at 11 a.m. on Nov. 17. 

Capitol Common Grounds will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily inside the refurbished corner storefront that once housed Bluegrass Kitchen at 1600 Washington St. E.

Seating inside Capitol Common Grounds

And when I say “refurbished,” I mean, wow! 

While the interior’s brick walls, wood floors and tin ceiling have been lovingly restored, vibrant new art, furniture, decor and lighting have created a cozy new gathering space that looks like it’s going to offer the ultimate “coffee shop” vibe.

In addition to a variety of hot and cold drinks, the cafe is teasing a menu of items like avocado toast in various combinations, smoked salmon topped with capers and red onions, and a fresh mozzarella sandwich with roasted red peppers, arugula and balsamic glaze.

Stay tuned for more details and menu updates as Capitol Common Grounds inches closer to opening day. 

Good conversation and catering with AARP

I enjoyed a lovely lunch last Thursday when I was invited to speak at AARP West Virginia’s monthly volunteer luncheon at the organization’s offices in downtown Charleston.

Counter inside Capitol Common Grounds

After sharing my story about how I became The Food Guy, the group peppered me with questions about my favorite restaurants, recipes and dining experiences before we all enjoyed a catered buffet lunch from Hidden Creek Catering in Hurricane.

Our conversations continued over plates of roasted chicken with homemade preserves, roasted fall vegetables, thick butternut squash soup topped with toasted pumpkin seeds, fresh salad, fluffy rolls and gooey bread pudding.

You can learn more by checking out Hidden Creek Catering on Facebook.

More love for Patsy’s at Hill Hall Hotel

During my lunch with AARP, one volunteer chimed in to say how much he enjoyed my write-up last week featuring Patsy’s, an elevated Appalachian farm-to-table restaurant inside Hill Hall Hotel, a new boutique property and restaurant inside the old Fayetteville High School built back in the 1920s.

Capitol Common Grounds

That volunteer told me he’d actually just dined there and enjoyed a really delicious meal there, making a point to praise the restaurant’s rolls – a comment I’ve heard from multiple readers.

Chef John Evans visited Patsy’s as well, and as James Beard-winning Chef Paul Smith’s former second in command at 1010 Bridge Restaurant in Charleston, his is a palate I definitely trust.

“It’s amazing,” he told me, after visiting not once – but twice – last weekend. “Holly (his wife) had the trout and I had the meatloaf, which was on point. We missed brunch on Sunday, but went back again for supper and had the pork chop and the quinoa.”

Chef John added that the cocktails were solid and that I should definitely “get the rolls!”

I’m making my own plans to visit ASAP and will report back when I do.

The Food Guy makes the Hall of Fame

I attended another catered affair the very next day, but this one was a dinner in Huntington where I wasn’t really focused on the food at all. That’s because I was one of the guests of honor.

The Food Guy's in the Hall of Fame!

During a big gala on campus Friday night celebrating the 100th year of Marshall University’s School of Journalism and Mass Communications, I was one of 10 graduates inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame.

I was incredibly surprised and deeply grateful to be welcomed into such an elite group of journalism professionals.

During my acceptance speech that night, I shared the childhood dreams I had to one day work at a newspaper and how my career as a news journalist, travel editor and food writer also included my gig as The Food Guy, a weekly column I’ve now been writing for more than (gulp) 30 years.

That’s nearly 1,600 restaurant reviews and food columns for the former Charleston Daily Mail and current Charleston Gazette-Mail alone, plus hundreds more freelance articles for the likes of Bon Appétit, The Food Network, Fodor’s, WV Living, Huntington Quarterly and countless other regional and national publications.

Here’s to sharing hundreds more in the years ahead.

Thanks to Marshall University for this prestigious honor – and thanks to all of you for continuing to be a part of my story.

Steven Keith is a food writer and restaurant critic known as “The Food Guy” who writes a weekly column for the Charleston Gazette-Mail and has appeared in several state, regional and national publications. Follow him online at www.wvfoodguy.com or on Facebook, X, Instagram and Pinterest as “WV Food Guy.” He can be reached at wvfoodguy@aol.com.