Cafe Appalachia
206 D Street
South Charleston, WV 25303
https://cafeappalachia.org/

Farm –to-Table | $

Cafe Appalachia has two locations in Charleston, WV. We visited the south location near our hotel. The two nonprofit cafes are part of a broader organization called Pollen8,  which is dedicated to helping women break the cycle of addiction. Their mission statement is to “inspire West Virginians to change the narrative around Substance Use Disorder. Our goal is the reintegration of women in recovery back into society. We do so through economic development, education, employment training, and teaching basic life skills.”

It’s located in an old church, with a funky vibe throughout the place.

My first cup of coffee for the day was wonderful.

I chose the biscuits and sausage gravy. The gravy had a great consistency and light spice to it that blended well with the sausage’s sweetness.

My wife had what she described as the best breakfast quiche she has had.

They have a large garden next to the restaurant that was mostly bedded down for the winter. The menu is seasonal with much of their ingredients coming from the garden.

During winter months, some growing takes place in the cafe. Here, they are starting greens for salads.

They have a small greenhouse for herbs, microgreens, and some flowers.

Each cafe location is open from 7:30 am to 2 pm, Monday through Saturday. The staff at the Southern Charleston location was wonderful. They were kind and open to telling us all about the cafe and their mission. We got a tour of the greenhouse where the young lady opened the door and said “Good morning, I love you” to the plants. If you’re lucky, you will go about your day, and every once in a while, you’ll meet someone who doesn’t have a job; they have a calling.

The food is fantastic and ridiculously cheap. If you live in or are passing through the Charleston, WV area make a point to stop for lunch or breakfast. You’ll be treating yourself to great food and supporting a worthy cause while getting to meet some great people.

24 Carrot Bistro
578 Briggs St.
Erie, CO 80516
303-828-1392
www.24carrotbistro.com

American | $$$

Wood for days. The inviting space is right in the heart of Erie, CO.

For an appetizer, we ordered the P.E.I. mussels with Corn Maque Choux, Chorizo, Cajun Spice, Scallops, and Homemade Cornbread. These Prince Edward Island mussels were sweet and cooked perfectly.

My wife’s Crab Cakes were served with Mixed Greens and a Spicy Caper Rémoulade.

The Alaskan Halibut was served with Sundried Tomato Farro, Bacon, Seared Chard, Pole Bean, Saffron Beurre Blanc, Tarragon Oil, and Micro Greens.

The Pan Seared Duck Breast came with Savory Bread Pudding, Grilled Peaches, Summer Succotash, Tart Cherry Coulis, and Bravo Radish.

For my entree, I chose the Grilled Petit Filet with Herb Goat Cheese Panisse, Grilled Summer Squash, Serrano Ham, Garlic Scape Persillade, Fennel, and a Red Wine Demi Glace. Prepared to perfection, this steak was super flavorful. The best I have had all year.

Dessert was an Orange Butter Cake with White Chocolate Sauce, Orange Syrup, Creme Chantilly, and Sage Meringue. The cake was moist with a subtle orange flavor making it a great way to end a wonderful meal.

Erie, CO is a charming small town about 20 miles north of Denver. The wait staff was professional and extremely knowledgeable about the menu and their beer and wine selection. During summer, there is some outdoor seating. Reservations are strongly recommended. For added fun, the street is blocked off for a farmers market on Thursday evenings from May to September. There is plenty to see if you get there a little early.

If you are in the Denver/Boulder area, put 24 Carrot Bistro on your fine dining bucket list. You don’t want to miss this gem.

Lucile’s Creole Café
544 Briggs St.
Erie, CO 80516
720-484-5469
https://www.luciles.com/

Creole | $

With seven locations around Denver, chances are you are close to an awesome breakfast. We enjoyed their location in Erie, CO.

My morning started  with an excellent cup of coffee. Full-bodied yet smooth.

Who isn’t going to order Beignets in a Creole restaurant?

Perfect, as good as you will find in New Orleans.

Blueberry Hoe-Cakes griddled in bacon drippings.

Peach Shortcake Pancakes layered with Macerated Palisade Peaches and topped with Marsala Whipped Cream, Pecans, and Peach Syrup. My wife loved the peaches.

I had to go with the Carlin County—Chef Mikey’s Sausage Gravy over a Buttermilk Biscuit with Grits. The dish, off the menu, comes with red beans but I’m not a beans for breakfast kind of person so I got extra grits. The grits were buttery and needed just a hint of salt. The sausage gravy was off the charts. The sausage was super flavorful with just a little spice to it. The biscuit was perfect and reminded me of the ones you find in hole-in-the-wall mom-and-pop restaurants across the South.

Owner Michael Micer, Chef Angelica Bautista, and Sous Chef Quinn are crushing it in the kitchen.

The staff was super friendly and everyone pitched in to get it done. Our hostess cleared, checked on us, poured coffee, and fetched things guests needed all the while keeping a watchful eye on the door. It is pretty clear the staff’s goal is to get you great food in a comfortable setting and get you out talking about coming back.

There is a great outside seating area weather permitting. Come early. We got there around 0800 and were seated right away. Within 15 minutes there was a wait building. I am sure all their locations are great, but I highly recommend the one in Erie.  It’s a great place to start your day.

High Mountain Pies
115 W Fourth St.
Leadville, CO 80461
703-486-5555
https://www.hmpies.com/

$ | Pizza

A block off the main drag in Leadville, CO, is the best pizza around. At 10,154 feet, Leadville is a funky little oasis and the highest incorporated town in the country.

Popular with the locals, they’re not kidding when they say the “line is out the door.” That’s where they put their menu.

It’s not a large space; there are just a couple of tables inside. The staff is awesome. They work well together and are always checking on us.

We ended up with a couple of medium Carnivores—a bit much for four people. One large would do the trick. But the leftovers later that night were great. This pepperoni, ham, bacon, and sausage pie was cooked perfectly. Watching the kitchen, everything coming out—wings, salads, and submarine sandwiches—looked great. The chef told me all the ingredients are fresh, and the dough is made in-house.

If you are anywhere near Leadville and looking for fast casual dinning you want to make sure you drop by High Mountain Pies. You won’t be disappointed.