Terra Alta et al is in my neck of the woods. TA itself only really boasts a pretty decent DQ. To the east of TA on RT 7 is Oakland Maryland and Deep Creek Lake. In the Deep Creek area, along Rt 219, there is Silver Tree Inn which features italian and many all you can eat courses, pretty decently priced and tasting. Also there is a Pizzaria Uno there, if you like that sort of place. I think several other places of good repute have popped up there also, since my last trip through there, so stop and ask a couple of the locals. In Oakland, a couple of miles down the road from Deep Creek is Cornish Manor...the place basically started out as a family/travelers place many years ago and morphed into featuring more high end French fare, but well prepared and a beautiful setting, with moderate prices. To the west on RT 7 is Kingwood, the county seat and Mary's Restaraunt on Price Street used to have pretty decent fare and dirt cheap, but I have not been there in years. 20 miles further West is Morgantown which has a huge variety of cuisines. This covers the Terra Alta metro area itself.
Along 1-68 there are several options. The Park and Dine in Hancock has always been pretty good. Also in downtown Hancock is Weavers which makes the most awesome pies. Further down 68 towards Cumberland on the Bedford Pa/Rt 220 exit is Mason's Barn , a family style dining place with great food and below it is JB's steak cellar, which has become the haunt of Baltimorians heading for Deep Creek Lake and for the members of the Washington Redskins during spring training. They have a superb menu and their prime rib is of the best I've ever tasted, as well as delicious seafood and beautiful desserts. Prices are moderate here also.
Further down 1-68 is Grantsville MD, which is in the heart of Mennonite and some Amish settlements. The first exit for Grantsville features Hilltop Grocery which has a plethora of good produce and hundreds of bins of candy, many of the old time varieties. Also, traveling on old rt 40/National Road west, one of the US designated scenic highwyas, there is Penn Alps Restaraunt, a small compound of buildings overlooking the historic Casselman River and Casselman Bridge. Penn Alps features many amish selections as well as baked goods and a craft shop. Quilts done by local artisans adorn the walls. It also has several buffets at different hours.
Traveling on into Grantsville via RT 40 you will find Casselman's, another Amish influenced restaraunt. It also features a baked goods shop , located in it's basement and regionally famous for it's whoopie pies and shoo fly pie. A bit further up route 40 and a right turn towrds Springs, Pennsylvania is the Yoders Market, which is a big Amish market featuring Yoders meats, bulk goods, maple syrup, baked good, a'la Amish/Mennonite style. Prices are very reasonable and a wonderful place to purchase popcorn, homemade dried noodles and much more. Also they have extensive supplies for those who want to do their own home cured meats such as sausages etc.
I usually stick to RT 40 for awhile when traveling home this way. It runs parallel to 1-68 and a beautiful drive with lots of neat places.
The Youghiogheny River Basin is along here and further up 40 int the town of Markleysburg Pa are two wonderful diners. The first being "The Lone Star" which basically features a meat and three style. The last time I was there, which has been several years, they even had a plate of deep fried Rappahannock Oysters and three sides for 5.00. A couple miles further up is Glissan's Restaraunt which is known far and wide here for their jumbo bread rolls and baked goods from the premises.
Taking a left onto 381 and following it through back into West Virginia, where it changes to RT 26, you will find in the town of Bruceton Mills, the Mill Place(very good grilled steak hoagies), Twila's Restaraunt...tasty family style fare and Little Sandy's Truck Stop..a local small chain of truck stops that serves good food and has a good atmosphere. If you follow RT 26 on over 1-68, it will take you through some beautiful country, past the Cheat River whitewater rafting specialists and some mountain scenery, where you will arrive in Kingwood and onto RT 7 east to Terra Alta.
