Best of Crete, 816 Beech Ave., ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä is shown in this April 2026 contributed photo.
Courtesy photo
Last week I sprinkled praise on Lewisburg and Fayetteville, two West Virginia small towns receiving recent national honors for strong culinary food scenes that punch above their weight. This week, that national love is a little closer to home.
I’ve mentioned before how much I loathe national rankings provided by a company just trying to get their name in print. But here I am obliging them, because I’ll jump on any chance to shower some love on local restaurants. In this case, a beloved Greek cafe on ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä’s West Side and a few West Virginia buffets are in the spotlight.
Saying “great food doesn’t have to come with a high price tag,†online lender CashNetUSA says Best of Crete at 816 Beech Ave. in the Edgewood neighborhood of ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä ranks #8 in the nation for the best cheap eats, thanks to low-cost menu items and an average of 4.94 stars on Yelp.
A beef kebab platter is shown at Best of Crete in ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä in this April 2026 contributed photo.
Courtesy photo
The company analyzed Yelp ratings for the most inexpensive restaurants in more than 450 U.S. cities to reveal their top budget-friendly food joints in America.
“This spot is a hidden gem for authentic Greek food, with one review saying it’s absolutely on point with the flavors to expect from real Greek cuisine and cooking,†the report said. “Customers also love the friendly service, with one person sharing: Their staff is so great and genuine. It's definitely a one-of-a-kind food joint and it's very hard to find places like this nowadays.â€
And in related news, three West Virginia restaurants made the top 25 in a recent BetUS survey to find the best affordable buffets in America. The online sportsbook’s choices were determined by cross-referencing Google review scores with prices.
Super Buffet in Elkins was ranked the #3 buffet in the country with a strong 4.2 rating and a $14.99 all-you-can-eat (and drink) price. Other top-ranked buffets in the state included China Buffet in Kanawha City, coming in a spot behind at #4, and Kome Buffet & Bar in Morgantown, which capped the list at #25.
I may have to start an ongoing podcast on this matter soon, but the Ray’s Deli saga continues.
After a few weeks of loving on the old Kanawha City restaurant’s signature sandwiches, reader Eric Lutz wrote in last week waxing poetic about the restaurant’s cheesecake, which he fondly remembers from his youth. When I asked readers for help tracking down that recipe, a former employee provided a little intel.
“I worked at Ray’s Deli in the early 70s after first starting out by babysitting [owner] Ray and Gloria’s two children," Linda Miller wrote. "I remember making large amounts of potato salad and Gloria’s delicious carrot cakes in the very small kitchen there, but — at least in the early 70s — there were no cheesecakes being made there.â€
She added that Ray did have a small section in the restaurant with groceries, so she’s wondering if the cheesecake may have been an item that he or Gloria ordered to sell there.
In any event, she said, “I have never been able to find sandwiches like Ray created, even when I have visited New York."
The new Snorkie’s Bar & Grill held its grand opening at 8403 MacCorkle Ave. SE in Marmet this past Saturday, bringing burgers, sandwiches, apps, hot wings and cold brews to Upper Kanawha Valley. Regular business hours have not yet been announced. For more information, visit the restaurant’s Facebook page.
After taking over Belknap Dough Company from its previous owners, Jo’s Belknap has been open since mid-March but held its official grand opening Thursday at 2725 Main St. in Hurricane. Known for wood-fired Neapolitan pizzas fired in a personalized brick oven from Italy, the original restaurant began back in 2017. Jo’s Belknap is open from 4-9 p.m. daily, and until 10 p.m. on weekends. For more information, call 304-678-5531 or visit the restaurant’s Facebook page.
Crepizza at 100 RHL Blvd. next to Qdoba out at Trace Fork in ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä is closed until further notice after a kitchen fire last Tuesday. No one was injured in the fire — and reported damage was minimal — but the Greek-inspired restaurant and pizzeria will remain closed while authorities investigate. Neither of the adjacent businesses in the strip mall location was affected.
And finally, unsubstantiated reports that a Waffle House was finally coming to Kanawha City nearly broke the internet last week, with reaction either praising the news or challenging the veracity of the social post. The announcement was later retracted, although some claim it’s really happening — just not quite yet. While haute cuisine it’s not, your boy can crush on all-day breakfast options like syrup-soaked waffles, biscuit sammies for days and hashbrowns that come either “scattered†on the grill, “smothered†with sauteed onions, “covered†with melted cheese, “chunked†with diced ham, “topped†with chili, or “all the way†with all of those toppings included.
Steven Keith is a food writer and restaurant critic known as “The Food Guy.†Reach him at 304-380-6096 or at wvfoodguy@aol.com.
