Mile 132 – Coleman’s Fish Market, Wheeling, W.Va.

One of the outside entrances to Coleman’s in Wheeling’s Centre Market.

Before I set out for Wheeling, I asked my friends knowledgeable about the Northern Panhandle (one being Wellsburg, W.Va., native and Morgantown food blogger Candace Nelson), “Where should I go for a taste of Wheeling?” The two responses that kept coming up: Coleman’s Fish Market and DiCarlo’s Pizza. Both seem to be honored eateries for the Wheeling area, and both have a long history in the region.

I started with Coleman’s, which is tucked into the revitalized Centre Market district of Wheeling, just a few blocks from the National Road. To me, what makes this 98-year-old establishment really unique is that the name describes exactly what the business is: a fish market that also serves great seafood.

One of the seafood cases at Coleman’s.

There are two ends to Coleman’s: the restaurant part, where you wait in line to order and receive prepared food, and the fish market, which sells a huge variety of fresh, raw seafood. The “traditional” menu item is Coleman’s fish sandwich, which is  several strips of fish put between two slices of white bread. There’s also a version which has a sauce over the fish, but I stuck with the regular sandwich and Coleman’s thick seasoned fries, both of which lived up to my high expectations (since I only had heard great comments).

After the food order is finished,  tables are outside Coleman’s door in Centre Market in a larger, open seating area. When I visited on a Friday evening, both the fish market and restaurant weren’t packed, but definitely had a steady stream of customers. Coleman’s is featured on Roadfood, which provides some other great meal ideas and a little history.

Coleman’s fish sandwich and seasoned fries.

Coleman’s had its start in 1914 by John Coleman, and has remained in the family throughout its history. As far as I know, it has remained in Centre Market for its entire existence. Centre Market is an attraction in itself, with the oldest section dating to 1853.

Coleman’s is open Monday and Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Wednesday, Thursday ad Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. (perhaps to help cater to Wheeling’s Catholic population during Lent?). It is closed Sunday.

To get to Coleman’s from U.S. 40, follow Main Street south through downtown and across Wheeling Creek. Make a left on 22nd Street until it intersects with Market Street. Parking is available on streets surrounding Centre Market. To reach Coleman’s, call 304-232-8510.

The oft-photographed sign above the indoor entrance to Coleman’s.

Mile 45 – Lone Star Restaurant, Markleysburg, Pa.

The Lone Star Restaurant, Markleysburg, Pa.

The stretch of U.S. 40 from the Pennsylvania state line to Uniontown is lined with clusters of both history and decent local restaurants. On the southern side of the road between Markleysburg and Farmington is the Lone Star Restaurant.

The Lone Star was opened in 1922, and has remained open and locally-owned ever since (currently owned by the Simmons family). It’s important to not get this Lone Star confused with the Lone Star Steakhouse chain, which is completely separate. Instead, this Lone Star emphasizes more diner-type food, and patrons can expect to find very reasonably-priced traditional all-American features. In addition, on weekends, the Lone Star also has several buffets during the week, including a Sunday brunch buffet.

The restaurant is split into two different dining areas. The first, and the one into which the main entrance leads, has more the look and feel of a traditional diner, complete with checkerboard flooring and two dining bars. The other dining area is more contemporary and modern-style, and is more used for the buffets.

The "Star Burger" at the Lone Star Restaurant.

For myself, I got the Star burger, which is Lone Star’s featured burger. It’s made up of a half-pound of beef, several slices of tomato, lettuce and onion, cheese, ketchup, mustard and Lone Star’s special “sauce.” Though this sounds somewhat similar to a Big Mac, its not. It was fresh and tasted more like a homemade burger than something at a restaurant. As with every other local restaurant so far, the wait staff was friendly and efficient, making sure the experience was positive – not just with me, but with everyone else in the restaurant.

In addition to the regular menu, Lone Star makes and sells bread and cinnamon rolls to take home. The only negative thing I found about Lone Star is that although credit/debit cards are accepted, tips cannot be paid with the card. Fortunately, I had a few dollars on me, but next time, I would double-check to make sure I have cash.

The Lone Star is located at 4922 National Pike, Markleysburg, Pa. It is open Monday through Saturday from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., and on Sunday from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. To reach the restaurant, call 724-329-7161.