Need diners/mom and pop shops

Help. My husband is travelling to southeastern Kentucky hiking, etc. and wants to know of mom and pop restaurants - especially diners in the area. Any ideas?

Thanks for any and all help.

Tamar Yager

Can you help us out a little, Tamar? Southeastern Kentucky covers a wide area and it is hit or miss in a lot of places. Below Bell County? Harlan? Magoffin? Pike?

He's starting in Elkhorn City and travelling south and sort of west along the WV border. He's going to Cumberland Gap, Kingdom Come, and Pine Mountain. He's also staying in Whitesburg and Middlesboro.

thanks,

Tamar

Tamar,

My husband is originally from Harlan County, very close to Kingdom Come and I hate to tell you, there is nothing there. Only fast-food chains and some very bad "restaurants" - no great little Ma& Pa places that I know of. My mother-in-law has actually been kicking around opening a place 'cause there's no place to get good (country) cooking.

Two suggestions:

The Benton Inn in Benton- about 15-20 minutes from Harlan- is a restored schoolhouse turned into an Inn run by the hospitality program of a local college. We've stayed there several times- really nice, and friendly. Although we've never eaten there (my step-mother always cooks), I know they have a restaurant which the locals think is great. If I was going to eat out anywhere in the area: I'd try there.

There might be something in Pineville/Pine Mountain, but we always pass-thru.

In Middleboro, there is a Mexican place right on the main highway that was actually very good. Don't remember the name, but you can see it from the highway: it's a stucco-ish building painted in bright colors (yellow, purple and blue?). Not a chain. It's my top pick when we are in the area (we pass-thru to in-laws in Tennessee).

Hope this helps,
Deb

Tamar,

Sorry, a correction: It's the Benham Inn, not Benton Inn. Here's their site:
http://www.kingdomcome.org/inn/ Note the restaurant has limited hours in the summer.

Talked to Hubby and he agreed that those two are the best options.

Deb

My in-laws live in Pineville and i have a few great options for you:

In "Downtown" Pineville: Flocoe

In the Cumberland Gap: Webb's

In Harrogate: Oasis Pizza