The best breakfast near the New River gorge (a local’s guide)

Gravy over one at Tudor’s Biscuit World, well worth the calories!

Any time guests come to town, we all have to get Tudor’s!

You've got a big day ahead — hiking, rafting, climbing, or maybe just sitting by the river doing absolutely nothing. Either way, you need a good breakfast first. Here's where we actually go.

Tudor's Biscuit World — Fayetteville & Oak Hill
The West Virginia institution

If you've never been to a Tudor's, this is not a drill. Tudor's took home the best biscuit award from Southern Living Magazine — and if you come to West Virginia and skip it, that's a genuine miss. The biscuits are enormous and the gravy is exactly what you need before a day on the river. Our order: the sausage gravy over one biscuit if you're flying solo, or over two if you're splitting with a friend and being honest about your appetite. The Mary B is also a house favorite — bacon, egg, and cheese in a biscuit that travels well if you're heading straight to the trailhead.

Wood Iron Eatery — Fayetteville
Scratch kitchen, great coffee, outdoor seating

Wood Iron is where you go when you want something a little more elevated without any of the pretension. Everything is made from scratch, the espresso bar is the real deal, and the outdoor seating makes it an easy place to linger. Don't miss the Napoleon's tots — crispy, loaded, deeply satisfying. The waffle with homemade toffee butter is one of the best things we've eaten in Fayetteville, full stop. They also do a smash burger that holds its own against anything in the region, if you're the kind of person who eats burgers for breakfast. No judgment.

Note that Wood Iron is closed on Tuesdays.

Cathedral Café — Fayetteville
Breakfast in a 107-year-old church

The setting alone is worth the visit — a beautiful old cathedral right in downtown Fayetteville with great coffee and a menu that changes with the seasons. Go for the specials, which are reliably good and usually feature something unexpected. The asiago bagel breakfast sandwich is our personal pick, and the fried potatoes are seasoned better than they have any right to be. Check their hours before you go as they can vary.

Note that Cathedral is closed on Wednesdays.

Café 110 — Oak Hill
The local spot, generous portions, and the best excuse to have cake for breakfast

Café 110 is the kind of place the locals know about and visitors drive right past — and that's their loss. It's warm, unpretentious, and the portions are generous in the way that only a real hometown diner can pull off. The breakfast menu is solid, but the real draw is the cake and pie slice selection behind the counter. We will not tell anyone if you have a slice of cake with your coffee at 9am. In fact, we encourage it.

All four are within a short drive of the New River Gorge National Park. Go hungry.