During the Pandemic, Ellen’s has discovered that ice cream really is a comfort food. Their customers are so happy to be able to get ice cream and have been so appreciative of the efforts to serve them safely. They are serving ice cream, gelato, sorbet, sherbet and fabulous seasonal flavors. These are all available in cones or cups, and pints and quarts.
Ellen’s also continues to serve lunch. Again, they are striving to stay safe by limiting the number of customers in the shop, no indoor seating, masks are required, employees wear masks and gloves, and are separated from customers with a plexiglass shield. Touchless payment is always available. They continue to accept phone orders and are happy to deliver curb-side. Their lunch menu includes soup, salads, wraps, grilled cheese, hummus, pita and veggies. If you want a quick, high quality lunch, Ellen’s has that for you.
They are anticipating the arrival of a couple of propane heaters so that if you wish, you may be able to sit outside, at least until it gets bitterly cold!
The highest priority in 2020/21 is to keep customers and employees safe. Ellen’s is happy that they can still offer you delicious ice cream, lunch, coffee, espresso and cookies during this craziest of times. Ice cream really does seem to make people feel happier!! When there is nowhere anyone can go to celebrate, take the celebration home with Ellen’s Ice Cream!!
Ellen’s Homemade Ice Cream is also available at, Drug Emporium in Kanawha City and Patrick Street, and at Tamarack.
Ellen’s Homemade Ice Cream
225 Capitol Street
Charleston, WV
WV Living magazine is highlighting the best people, places, and things the state has to offer. The Charleston area is well represented with nominees in all categories: Travel, Food, Drink, Shopping, Culture and Towns. Please take a few moments to support local businesses by voting for your favorite #CWV establishments and events. You can vote once per day per category through Oct. 11, 2020. Winners will be announced in the winter issue of WV Living magazine.
Although ice cream is in the name, you also can grab great vegan and vegetarian lunch options at downtown hotspot Ellen’s Homemade Ice Cream. A creative, fresh menu of vegetarian options includes homemade soups, wraps and salads.
“I like it that we have numerous vegetarian options and I can always choose depending on my mood,” said owner Ellen Beal.
Great green salads are always available, including the Greek Salad and the Special Salad, which features dried cranberries, toasted spiced pecans and bleu cheese. Topped with homemade dressings, these salads make delicious meals within themselves, but Ellen’s vegetarian and vegan options don’t stop there.
“Some days I just want a grilled cheese: honey whole wheat bread from Charleston Bread, sharp cheddar, with an optional homemade black bean patty added,” Beal said. And, she enjoys her ice cream just as much as we do. “I love having a chocolate milkshake along with my grilled cheese!”
Homemade rosemary hummus is available in a wrap and separately for dipping veggies and pitas. Pair with the soup of the day (Ellen’s favorite is Thai Green Curry, Chickpea and Lemongrass) for a deliciously satisfying lunch. Another of Beal’s personal favorites, the Wild Rice Salad w/Miso Orange dressing, includes edamame, tofu, carrots, and toasted sesame seeds.
“I love the constant variety of yummy vegetarian food that we serve,” Beal said and encouraged everyone to check out her website for daily and weekly specials.
Ellen’s Homemade Ice Cream is located at 225 Capitol Street and is open seven days a week. Check ellensicecream.com for hours, the complete menu, daily specials, and, yes, a list of ice cream, gelato, sorbet and sherbets.
A true hidden gem in Charleston is the Bridge Road Shops. Tucked away in a quaint spot in South Hills, you will find over 40 establishments, including retail, world-class dining, and local art. Let’s explore what makes some of these places so special.
Retail:
Charlie Boutique: Charlie Boutique has been dressing Charleston women for over 10 years. Curating clothing, jewelry, and accessories with a knowledgeable eye and delivering a sophisticated style. At Charlie you will experience boutique shopping as it is meant to be fun and personal. Charlie also sells masks!
Eggplant: This exclusive gift boutique is your one-stop shop. You will find everything from luxurious bath and body products, fabulous jewelry, and accessories to home décor, custom invitations and stationery.
Geraniums: Looking for Lilly Pulitzer, Diane von Furstenberg, Nicole Miller or other top designers, visit Geraniums. You will always find the perfect outfit for any occasion.
Ooh La Lucy: Is known for its high-quality products and superior customer service. They pride themselves on being your resource for all things chic, unique, and affordable. There is nothing they love more than helping a woman put together an outfit that makes her feel absolutely confident.
Petit Jewelry Designs: This small jewelry shop creates some very special and one-of-a-kind heirlooms.
Yarid’s: Yarid’s Shoes is a family owned and operated shoe store established in 1918. They offer the finest collection of footwear, handbags, scarves and jewelry for ladies and gentlemen, and also carry smashbox cosmetics, butter LONDON nail polish and dr brandt.
Who can shop without stopping for a bite to eat?
1010 Bridge: The newest kid on the block, has an outstanding menu. Try their Cast Iron Seared “1010 Cut.”
Bridge Road Mart & Deli: If you aren’t looking for Bridge Road Mart, you will miss it. Inside you will find groceries, snacks, spirits, and light prepared food.
Caffe Romeo: Whether you need a morning pick me up or an evening treat, stop by Caffe Romeo for coffee or gelato.
Lola’s Pizza: Their handmade, Neapolitan-style pizzas are served piping hot out of the stone hearth oven. Try one of the specialties — popular pies include Fig Jam & Rosemary, Spinach & Feta, and Spicy Shrimp & Sausage — or you can create your own. And don’t forget their award-winning Sangria.
Sarah’s Bakery: Do you prefer sweet or savory? Sarah’s has both. Stop by and grab a Chicken Pot Pie for dinner or some sweet treats for dessert. Keep up with her menu on Facebook.
The Wheelhouse: A local favorite for lunch. A true Charlestonian always orders the Paddlewheeler.
While you are out exploring Bridge Road, don’t forget to #MaskUpCWV and maintain proper social distance.
Welcome is the first thing you feel when you enter Shima’s Family Restaurant in Nitro. Hunger pangs quickly follow. This unassuming little restaurant is big on taste. The menu features a list of local favorites, including sandwiches, burgers, wings, a daily special, and breakfast fare. The list of “Oriental” options on the menu is short but well worth exploring.
The Chicken Teriyaki can be made regular or spicy. It comes with your choice of rice: traditional pork-fried, chicken-fried, or bacon-fried. What? Bacon-fried rice, is that a thing? Yes, it is, and it is delicious! Add an egg roll – with spicy mustard prepared by hand – and you’ve got a meal that rivals any Chinese restaurant in the Kanawha Valley.
The Hiroshima, which can also be made regular or spicy, is a deep-fried rice ball with chicken inside, covered in teriyaki sauce, more chicken, and broccoli. It is phenomenal and a definite #TeamCharlestonWV favorite.
Shima’s is open for breakfast and lunch, Monday through Friday. Call ahead or check the restaurant’s Facebook page for daily specials.
One of the Kanawha Valley’s most precious hidden gems is JQ Dickinson Salt-Works. Whether you love history, beautiful scenery, or food, JQD is a place you want to visit.
JQD originally started in 1813 and began producing salt in 1817. Did you know salt was the first industry in the Kanawha Valley? Malden, WV was considered the salt capital of the east. The salt industry flourished for years. Most of the production was shipped to Cincinnati for meat packing. When refrigeration was invented, the once-famous salt industry began to decline.
Today, two seventh-generation descendants of William Dickinson, siblings Nancy Bruns and Lewis Payne, have tapped the old salt wells and reinvented the process. Instead on burning the brine, JQD has begun an evaporation process in special sun houses. All the products are hand harvested to create the perfect flavor for any dish.
JQD is more than just salt producers, they offer history tours of the facility and have the perfect backdrop for any outdoor event.
Stop by Monday through Saturday between 10am – 4pm to shop or for a tour. If you prefer to stay home and shop, they offer an online store.
As we quickly found out, people are very vocal about their love of Tudor’s Biscuit World. Now we all know which biscuit is superior, the results are below.
Mary B (Bacon, Egg, Cheese)
Ron (Sausage, Egg, Cheese) & Peppi (Pepperoni & Melted Cheese)
Dottie (Potato, Egg, Cheese)
Miner (Bacon, Potato, Melted Cheese)
Mickey (Canadian Bacon, Egg, Melted Cheese)
Duke (Bacon, Potato, Egg, Cheese)
Tootie (Country Ham, Egg, Cheese) & Mountaineer (Country Ham, Potato, Egg, Cheese)
Driving down Washington Street on Charleston’s West Side, you may have noticed an unassuming brick building front with blackletter type, reading “The Grill.” What you might not realize is that this is the most popular dining spot in Charleston you’ve never heard of. Wander in during the lunchtime and you will find the place well-attended with regulars, from the young professional crowd, to Charleston’s movers and shakers, to retiree lunch clubs who have been frequenting for decades. The Grill has been a staple on Charleston’s West Side for 65 years.
Roger Arthur opened The Grill on the West Side in 1955, where it then moved to its current location on Washington Street to accommodate interstate construction. His son Dave has carried on the family tradition of home-cooked food with a friendly smile, where both the staff and customers give it a downright neighborly atmosphere.
Everybody has their favorite dish, and each visit you will discover something new and delicious-sounding slapped up on the daily special board. The burgers (made with grass-fed local beef!), hotdogs, and fries are easy wins that can’t be beat. But you might also try the famous wings and cornbread, the chicken salad platter, or the crunchy taco salad.
No matter what you order, you will get that extra something special that enhances your plate—whether it’s the freshest tomatoes sourced straight from the Capitol Market, or sweet iced tea served the old-fashioned way with a long serving spoon. These small touches will make The Grill one of your new favorite stops.
During the Pandemic, Ellen’s has discovered that ice cream really is a comfort food. Their customers are so happy to be able to get ice cream and have been so appreciative of the efforts to serve them safely. They are serving ice cream, gelato, sorbet, sherbet and fabulous seasonal flavors. These are all available in cones or cups, and pints and quarts.
Ellen’s Homemade Ice Cream
Charlie Boutique
Ooh La Lucy
1010 Bridge
Lola’s Pizza