Restaurant Week returns, Rock City scales back and many new restaurants opening
- Steven Keith
- 20 minutes ago
- 7 min read
Plus, there's a new "social club" coming to former DT Prime space
Talk about a new year bringing new beginnings. From restaurant openings and bakery changes to announcements of exciting new eats on the way, this past week produced a veritable buffet of local food news.
Charleston Restaurant Week is returning
Rock City Bakery is scaling back
Jersey Mike’s is going into the old Budget Tapes & Records
A new social club is moving into the former DT Prime space
Frank’s Pizza has opened in the old WV Anchor
Hellbender Burritos is reopening in Canaan Valley
Fazio’s has opened its new bar
Prime 101 has opened in the old Bar 101 space
A New York-style bodega and grill is wowing folks in the East End
My head is literally spinning, so let’s get to the dish!
Charleston Restaurant Week returning
Event organizers have confirmed that Charleston Restaurant Week will not only return this month, but will welcome “quite a few first-timers” too. There will be 21 restaurants to choose from this year – one of the biggest lineups ever, including 10 first-time participants.
Now in its 13th year, this annual culinary celebration features a whole bunch of local restaurants offering specially priced three-course menus, giving customers a chance to piece together their own meal and sample dishes they may not have tried before.
“This year’s event will be held from Jan. 26-31,” said Dickinson Gould, president of Restaurant Week sponsor Buzz Products, Inc. “It will follow the same format as recent years, with each participating restaurant choosing a price point that works for them. Every word you print about this event helps small businesses, so thank you again for all the love you’ve shown over the years.”
Oh, it is so my pleasure to help locally owned restaurants when they need it the most. Charleston Restaurant Week is strategically held in late January – between the Christmas holidays and Valentine’s Day – because that is typically one of the slowest periods of the year for most independent restaurants.
Here are this year’s participating restaurants and price points, and I’ll be sharing their full menus next week. Once I do, make those reservations fast since restaurants fill up quickly.
1010 Bridge ($45), Adelphia Sports Bar & Grill ($38), Black Sheep Burritos & Brews ($35), Bourbon Street Bistro ($40), Bricks & Barrels ($45), The Bucket at Eagle View ($30), Fazio’s ($45), Fernbank Public House ($35), The Fort Bar & Grill ($45), Kel’s Tavern ($35), Kita Modern Japanese ($62), Nawab Fine Indian Cuisine ($45), Olive Tree Cafe ($45), Paulie’s Fine Italian ($40), Pies & Pints ($30), Quarrier Diner ($29), RIstorante Aruzzi ($45), Rollin’ Smoke BBQ ($25), Sam’s Uptown Cafe ($45), Sitar of India ($25), Soho’s ($49).
I’ll be dropping the complete list of participating restaurants on my social channels tomorrow, then will be following up to share all of the full menus when they’re released next week. Once I do, make those reservations fast since restaurants fill up quickly.
Rock City Cake Company cutting back
And now for some bittersweet news, but with a nice cherry on top.
After this week, Rock City Cake Company at 205 Capitol St. in Charleston will no longer operate as a daily bakery and will instead focus on cakes and custom orders for holidays and other special events, along with occasional storefront pop-ups.
“We’ve been sitting on this decision for the better part of three years, and it is NOT an easy one to make,” co-owner Morgan Morrison said in a Facebook post on New Year’s Day. “Change is scary.”
In the paragraphs that followed, Morrison talked about how rewarding it’s been to build Rock City and win many awards for those efforts, plus be a part of the connections that happen and the memories that are made when folks sit down and enjoy dessert together.
But she also talks about the grueling work of running a full-time bakery and catering business, especially how that pace of frequent 18-hour days in a hot kitchen keeps her and her staff from enjoying so many of the special occasions they provide treats for.
“Being a small business is hard,” she wrote. “Being a baker is even harder. So after much discussion, we have made our decision to take a leap in 2026. Rock City isn’t going anywhere. The brand is alive and well, it’s just going to look a little different.”
The bakery’s final regular store hours will be 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. through this Friday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. this Saturday.
Jersey Mike’s coming to old Budget Records
An iconic longtime record shop and lifestyle emporium that closed its doors in March of 2024 is getting new life as, well, a Jersey Mike’s.
While the arrival of yet another fast-food franchise isn’t something I’d normally cover, this one is notable due to its location inside the former Budget Tapes & Records location at 3708 MacCorkle Ave. SW in Kanawha City.
Dating back to its first shop on the Jersey Shore back in 1956, the national chain now boasts more than 4,000 locations specializing in freshly made hot and cold subs stuffed with a variety of toppings. Marking the end of an era, Budget Records closed its doors on March 3, 2024, after operating its beloved shop for 52 years.
I’ll never forget the first time I walked inside Budget when I moved to Charleston in 1991 and felt like I had entered a time warp back to the ’70s. That place never lost its original hippy vibe, which is just one of the reasons people adored it so much.
Back to reality, the new Jersey Mike’s will join other regional locations in Southridge, Teays Valley and Barboursville.
A spokesperson from the chain’s corporate offices told me they hope the new Kanawha City location will open on Jan. 14.
Capitol Social coming to DT Prime space
The old DT Prime steakhouse at 201 Capitol St. in Charleston will soon see new life as a local restaurant, bar and entertainment venue.
“Capitol Social will be opening in the city soon,” the new business said in a recent Facebook post. “We will have live entertainment, comedians and great food.” (And since they’re advertising for bartenders, I presume there will be drinks offered as well.)
Three new restaurants coming to West Side
The new Milano’s Italian Restaurant is moving into the old Chris’ Hot Dogs location at 207 W. Washington St. on Charleston’s West Side that has seen restaurants like Gonzoburger, Elk City Bistro, Albuquerque Southwest Grill and Guadalajara Modern Mexican come and go over the past several years.
Although an opening date has not been announced, Milano’s has released a full menu offering a wide variety of New York-style pizzas, pastas and calzones, along with appetizers, salads, burgers, subs, wings, seafood and desserts. Follow the restaurant’s Facebook page for more details.
Meanwhile, just down the street, the new Healthy Bowls Café has scheduled its soft opening for next Monday, Jan. 12, at 123 W. Washington St.
The new café will offer an assortment of fruit bowls, granola bowls, smoothies and more in its bright yellow and green storefront setting.
And finally, a new restaurant called Goldenrod Kitchen has announced it will be opening soon at 611 Tennessee Ave. in the space that formerly housed The Vandalia Co., which closed just over a year ago. You can follow their Facebook page for more details.
Frank's Pizza opens inside the old WV Anchor
The Original Frank’s Pizza in Montgomery has opened a second location in the old WV Anchor building at 3315 Kanawha Blvd. E. in Charleston near the mouth of Campbell’s Creek.
Garnering a passionate following for the popular pizzas, subs and calzones it has served since 1982, the original Montgomery business had planned to open a Charleston location inside The Grill at 117 W. Washington St. back in 2024, but that project fell through and The Grill is now set to become a second location for Larobi’s Pizza of St. Albans.
For more information or to order carryout from Frank’s Pizza in Charleston, call 304-926-2396.
The new location is open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 10 a.m. to midnight Friday-Saturday and 1 p.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday.
Hellbender Burritos reopening in Canaan Valley
Why am I writing about a hole-in-the-wall burrito joint located in another part of the state some three hours away? Because, like so many others, I’m obsessed with Hellbender Burritos in the Canaan Valley area and was crushed when it closed last March after 20 years in business.
Located at 457 Williams Ave. in the mountain town of Davis, Hellbender was widely known for its massive stuffed burritos and craft beers served in a casual roadside joint covered in dark wood-paneled walls and featuring a wood-burning stove.
Even though new owners bought the place, I’ve been told by local sources that they plan to preserve the food and charm of the original, as evidenced by this recent post the restaurant made on Facebook: “Same burritos you love. Same Hellbender vibe. Doors opening soon. Stay tuned for more details.”
As soon as that date is announced, I’m planning my much-anticipated return.
But wait, there’s more!
When I said there was a giant helping of local restaurant news this week, I wasn’t kidding. I couldn’t stuff everything in today, so come back in the coming weeks for more.
The new Prime 101 bar has officially opened inside the spruced-up Bar 101 spot on Capitol Street, with a steakhouse to follow in the old Ichiban location next door.
Fazio’s Italian Restaurant has officially opened its swanky new bar to rave reviews inside the iconic eatery on Bullitt Street.
A new Food in Town bodega and grill is wowing folks on Washington Street East.
And I’ll have those complete Charleston Restaurant Week menus I promised.
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 culinary publications. Follow him online at www.wvfoodguy.com or on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest as “WV Food Guy.” He can be reached at 304-380-6096 or at wvfoodguy@aol.com.