We're going to Canaan from 1/28-30 for the annual Boy Scout trip. Does anyone have any restaurant suggestions for that area?

Sarianni's in Davis for pizza, nuff said.

Unless you've got a laaarge group, then I'm not sure.

Coyotes, its beside Ski Barn on Rt 32. Think they are only open for dinner but the food is great, prices are reasonable and they have a wide variety of items on the menu. I believe you can reserve their dining room if you have a large group. They are worth a try. Two other options in the valley are Gigi's over at Deerfield on Cortland Road (across from the fire dept) or Big John's (across 32 from Canaan Valley Stores). Both of them are fair but I'd still go for Coyotes first.

With a bunch of Boy Scouts I would go to Big Johns Fixins. Really good especially with a bunch of kids. They also have video games which can help occupy time as well. At the intersection of 32 and Timberline Rd take a right (real estate office there) and go about 1/2 mike and its on the right. Nice and close.

If you are up to a bit of an excursion, I would recommend a trip to Blackwater Falls State Park. The lodge has a very kid friendly restaurant, the Falls (if the trail is open) is spectacular in the Winter, and there is a sled hill with a rope tow and toboggans (not sure of price but not too expensive) in the park that can kill a few hours.

I should toss myself in here that my church group is going Saturday for tubing at Canaan and I in the process will be bringing my board to ride snow the way God intended it to be ridden, on our feet.

Anyway we are looking to have 30+ people at the tubing park and eating is going to be a big concern. The first issue is having the kids and young adults eat a nice breakfast in the morning around 9. We are leaving hardy county at 9:30 and expect to be up there by 11. Then tube for a few hours, pack it up and head back (well they will, I may be there all night boarding) and find something to eat. The concern here is we will be having 30+ people total for eating and I'm wondering if there is anything in the canaan/davis area, or should we all simply aim for Petersburg at say Pizza Hut?

For a group of this size, Coyotes. Call ahead to reserve tables. I've met the owner--very nice guy and very committed to constantly improving the menu at that restaurant.

Whats the price range like? Type of food on the menu? Alcoholic beverages served? Fast food type or more of a quiet downhome style restraunt? Or fancy Wisp like restraunt?

The reason I'm asking is that the group of 30 or so will be everyone from ages 6 and up including the parets of some of those. Since it's a church group places where alcoholic beverages are served would probably not be their first choice of stopping. The main thing though would be cost. Is it a sit down place where meals are like $10 per plate or something?

They do sell beer and wine, but so does every restaurant in the CV. If you exclude restaurants on that criterion, you'll have to drive an hour and go to McDonald's in New Creek to satisfy the demands of your group. As for price, I recall that Coyotes has a wide range of offerings (a meal for two with tip was about $25), but call in advance to double check prices.

Just to get my bearings straight, is Coyotes similiar to say ... Golden Corral steak buffet or more like a Chili's or Ruby Tuesday in food and pricing?

About 10 miles north in the town of Davis is a place called the Blackwater Brewery (on the right just before you get to Blackwater Falls Road). Nice sit-down place with reasonable pricing for sandwiches (reuben and patrami served on home baked beer-grain bread, killer 1/2 pound blackwater burger, excellent steak and cheese & BBQ chicken, all served with chips/fries and a pickle for about $7). If it's been a long day on the slopes, adults can order the beer sampler consisting of 6 glasses (6 oz each) of their varied brews (~$4.50). And if you head toward the back game/pool room there is a narrow room to the left that has a banck of slot machines. You win...it prints a ticket out...take it to the bar and get paid. More often than not you'll lose though--the machines are set with a pretty low payout rate but fun for a $5 whirl. Check out the web site

Another 2 miles north into Thomas on Front street by the river is a place called the Purple Fiddle. Very eclectic with a fooseball table, tons of board games for patrons, a couple free internet terminals and some of the best sandwiches, soups and wraps in the area. Very reasonable and a beautiful country ambience that will make you want to set up a cot and stay. They leave Purple Fiddle postcards on the tables and diner's can fill out a message to a friend, address and take to the bar and the owners mail them out free. Neat place--- web site

I almost forgot, as you head into Thomas on the left side of the road is a little diner type place called the Blue Ridge Cafe (adjacent the Tally-Ho Lodge (I know the name's not much but the diner is good). They're a meat and potatoes place that we use for breakfasts. You can do a hearty breakfast for 4 with drinks for about $18. Best Biscuits & Sausage Gravy on the planet. Lunches are pretty good as well and certainly won't break the bank. Sorry....no web site.

I know all of these are out of CV proper but well worth the 10-15 minute drive. I'm up there every weekend and routinely run this gauntlet of eateries as some of the best. If you were staying for dinner I would also highly encourage a visit to the Whitegrass Restaurant.

Not knockin Big John's---it's OK food, cheap and close. And if you're dealing with a pile of young kids the previous post regarding the games is right on. A pocket full of quarters and you won't see them till the food arrives (BTW you have to order at the counter when you walk in so don't sit down and wait for waiter and waitress with a smile...you'll be sitting a long time).

I'm looking back on this lumbering culinary dissertation and have decided that I'm turning more and more into one of those rambling windbags...hateful thing for a message board that lends itself to brevity.

Sorry

End of post. Enjoy your trip and good luck with the kinder feeding...sounds like you have your hands full.
One more thing----PROMISE!!---while at Canaan Resort, if you're boarding you have got to do their terrain park. I was up last weekend and they had all their rails up and an awesome 5 foot jump that shoots out onto a pretty agressive steep. Sweet...but not for the faint of heart.

Hey...just noticed I finally shook the "Junior Member" status. Must be the 25th post thing. Feels like puberty all over again....

Make sure that you cross the Golden Anchor off your list... it's just south of the Valley... horrible horrible service.

And when I say horrible I mean expect a 3-4 hour wait for food.

LOL

Heck I didn't realize I had 5 stars either until your post of looking at your title made me look at mine.

How do you get the stars? Stay after school and clean Scott's blackboard or is that a rating from the messsage board peers delineating the fact that you are possessed of a kind and courteous demeanor, assuredly NOT a long winded poster and able to leap tall moguls in a single bound?

It's very cool...I will aspire to become more starworthy. In the meantime, I'm just happy to be out of message board puberty. Until I get my stars or wings or happy faces, the continued patience from my more senior DCski brethren while I feel my way around this place is much appreciated.

You'll have to call Coyotes for specific prices, and menu items. My wife had a grill cheese sandwich and I had a club sandwich on my last trip there. The good thing about Coyotes is that it is in the valley close to the slopes. You will not want to waste time driving into Davis or Thomas.

One other alternative is the CV ski lodge. The food is avergage and the atmosphere resembles a high school cafeteria, but it's close to the slopes, fast, convenient, and large. They also do not serve booze in that part of the facility.

Coach13:

Sirianis: Great pizza. (In Davis and gets crowded due to its quality)

Mutleys: Good steak house & bar (In Davis a few doors down from Sirianis) Nice place and decent prices.

White Grass: Great food, but requires a reservation (In CV at White Grass ski area) This place is a lot of fun.

For Breakfast in Davis Bright Morning (on same street as the rest)

BTW the only time I've been to Big Johns they didn't serve alcohol.

As you can tell I usually stay & dine in Davis. Cool little town.

Funny. Ok this is just a cheap way of getting 1-more post.