Later Alligator has been featured in both WV Living magazine and in InWheeling Magazine!

Later Alligator was featured in both WV LIVING MAGAZINE and in IN Wheeling magazine’s Fall 2009 issues arriving on news stands within days of our 3rd anniversary! Equally exciting was our being awarded one of West Virginia’s ”Most Unique Eateries” Peoples Choice Award by the WV Department of Tourism earlier in July.

101 Unique Eateries

The many Americans who learned everything they know about West Virginia from John Denver probably don’t realize the state is renowned for its chili dogs and pepperoni rolls, two foodstuffs featured prominently in the brand-new brochure “101 Unique Places to Dine in West Virginia.”

The brochure, issued by the West Virginia Departmant of Tourism and the Collaborative for the 21st Century Appalachia, highlights the Mountain State’s momentous culinary achievements that apparently didn’t rhyme with “Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah River,” including horseradish pickles, buckwheat pancakes and beer served in fishbowls (the signature item at Mario’s in Morgantown.)

The listed restaurants were selected via an online vote, in which West Virginians were invited to cast a ballot for any locally owned eatery that had scheduled hours (thus, grandma’s kitchen didn’t count.) The results, though slightly idiosyncratic — steak and shrimp scampi might qualify as unique in Craigsville, but probably wouldn’t have made the cut in more urbane spots — deeply satisfied Department of Tourism staffers.

“We were delighted,” Division of Tourism commissioner Betty Carver reports. “Our goal was to get people off the Interstates and into our communities.”

-Hanna Raskin