Japanese, Indian, Italian, Chinese, Middle Eastern, organic or vegetarian, nouveau and traditional American, restaurants in downtown Morgantown alone offer diners over 40 cafes, pubs and fine dining establishments to choose from.

Start with your morning latte, cappuccino or mug-o-joe at the Blue Moose Cafe (corner of Pleasant and Spruce Streets) or at Jay’s Daily Grind, 168 Willey St. and on the Caperton Trail in the Wharf District. Fresh-baked scones and brick oven-baked breads beckon morning commuters and visitors alike to The Daily Kneads (corner of Kingwood St. and Brockway Ave.).

Hungry for breakfast? Head for Ruby & Ketchy’s (2232 Cheat Road), Little Sandy’s or the Mill Place Restaurant (exit 23, I-68 E, Bruceton Mills) or Mary’s Restaurant (133 S. Price St., Kingwood) for down-home country breakfasts.

Speaking of breakfast, if your visit to the Greater Morgantown Area includes the second Sunday of the month, head to the monthly buckwheat breakfast at the Kingwood Volunteer Fire Department Community Building on Brown Ave.  The firemen and auxilians serve all-you-can-eat Preston County buckwheat cakes, sausage and all the fixin’s 7 a.m.- 1 p.m. for just  $6 for adults – and all proceeds support the department.

Lunch in the Greater Morgantown Area assumes a decidedly international flavor at the Cafe of India (160 Fayette St.), Wings Ole (1125 University Ave. downtown and 725 Chestnut Ridge Rd., Evansdale) and Colasante’s Ristorante and Pub (416 Fairmont Rd., Westover). Downtown diners preferring vegetarian and organic dishes lunch at Maxwell’s (1 Wall St.) and the Mountain People’s Market and Cafe (1400 University Ave.).

 When evening rolls around, sip a libation (pinky aloft), nibble hors d’oeuvres and survey downtown Morgantown from the elegant outdoor terrace perched atop the Historic Clarion Hotel Morgan (127 High St.). Planning a special occasion that calls for fine dining? Reserve a table at Cafe Bacchus (76 High St.) or The Glasshouse Grille in historic Seneca Center (709 Beechurst Ave.) for a memorable dining experience of excellent food and first-rate service. Overlooking Cheat Lake, Reflections-on-the-Lake at Lakeview Resort (Cheat Lake exit 10 of I-68 E.) may be the most romantic dining spot in the area.

Evening diners seeking more casual venues frequent Madeleine’s (140 High St.) for its imaginative menu and nightly features and Crosley’s (704 Richwood Ave.) for authentic Cajun and Creole cuisine. The Flying Fish and Company Seafood Market and Deli (1111 Van Voorhis Rd., Suncrest) specializes in “the freshest fish fast” and offers both dine-in and carry-out lunch and dinner service.

Morgantown’s own micro-brewery, the West Virginia Brewing Company (1291 University Ave., downtown), serves lunch and dinner to complement its extensive selection of commercial and signature ales and pilsners. And if it can be wrapped in a burrito, you’ll find it on the menu at Black Bear Burritos (132 Pleasant St., downtown). Incidentally, both the Brew Pub and Black Bear frequently feature live (and lively) musical entertainment during their week-end dinner hours. 

A venerable tradition among WVU Mountaineer sports fans, pre- and post-game tailgating is a popular sport in itself at both Boston Beanery Morgantown locations (321 High St. and 383 Patteson Dr., Evansdale), the Regatta Bar & Grille at The Radisson (Two Waterfront Place, Wharf District), Mario’s Fishbowl (704 Richwood Ave.) and Pargos (334 Patteson Dr., Evansdale).

Preston County’s country roads lead to some great meals at Monroe’s (110 E. Main St., Kingwood), the Preston Country Club (WV 7 E, Kingwood) and the Preston County Inn (112 W. Main St., Kingwood). Originally built as a private home in 1857, The Inn serves dinner Friday and Saturday evenings only plus an early after-church Sunday dinner.

Diners venturing farther afield into Preston County also find homestyle cooking at the Evergreen Room at Alpine Lake Resort (700 W. Alpine Dr., Terra Alta), B ’n A Country (US 50 & WV 72, Macomber), Bubba’s Bistro (WV 26 & Gibson St., Tunnelton), J&G’s Family Restaurant (US 50, Aurora) and Melanie’s, across from Cathedral State Park, US 50, Aurora.

Greater Morgantown offers national dining favorites as well as its home-grown establishments. Bob Evans, Applebees, the Texas Roadhouse, BW3, Ruby Tuesday, Pizza Hut and other popular eateries all have locations in the area.