A Taste of the Mediterranean in West Virginia

We didn't know what we'd find on a recent day trip to historic Charles town, WV, but we definitely didn't expect to discover delicious Mediterranean cuisine.

Unassuming and easy to miss, The Mediterranean Cafe offers one of the more unique menus you'll ever see. The cozy restaurant on Washington Street features food from countries around the region including Greece, Italy, Spain, France, Lebanon, and Morocco. For fans of fresh tomato salads swimming in olive oil, feta cheese, and pine nuts, this is the place for you.

The list of appetizers and salads was deep and varied. But I may have skipped them had I known how generous the complimentary plate of feta, hummus, pita, and salads would be.

The service was warm and inviting. Would you expect any less from the owner? He certainly made us feel welcome, and he even told us where he purchases their pita bread. Hint: not in West Virginia.

I chose a simple vegetable kabob for my entree. Perfectly grilled tomatoes, red onions, green peppers, and zucchini were wrapped in a massive pita. The wrap was served with a side of mast o khiar, which is yogurt sauce flavored with mint. Mint isn't my favorite herb, but the sauce was a nice break from dill and cucumber based tzatziki.

I'm not sure what type of tea they brewed, but my iced-tea definitely wasn't Lipton. It was more aromatic than black tea. It was yet another nice surprise.