West Virginia Culinary Trail

Explore mouth-watering destinations hand-picked by our West Virginia Chef Ambassadors, including their restaurants. Let cuisine be your compass as you visit these dining favorites and earn prizes.

Appalachian flavors meet global influences on the West Virginia Culinary Trail. Claim your FREE mobile pass today to start earning exclusive foodie prizes.

Hand-selected by the current class of West Virginia Chef Ambassadors, this trail features over two dozen restaurants across the state. Looking for a sweet treat? Or searching for the perfect pasta? With spots available in all nine travel regions, a Culinary Trail check-in will be nearby on any adventure in Almost Heaven.

Already signed up but having trouble logging in?

Email, call or text support@bandwango.com / (888) 921-5333 to have your passport re-sent straight to your phone.

Get Started Today

Step 1 – Sign Up

Register to get your West Virginia Culinary Trail Passport by clicking here and filling out your contact information.

Step 2 – Get Your Passport

After signing up, your digital passport for the Culinary Trail will be instantly delivered to your phone via text or to the email provided.

Step 3 – Check-In

Explore the flavors of West Virginia! Open your passport on your phone, scroll to find the restaurant you’re dining at and check in to mark it off your list.


DINE LOCAL, UNLOCK PRIZES

Check in at 3 locations:

Redeem your points on a West Virginia Bottle Opener Carabiner

Check in at 10 locations:

Redeem your points on a Chef-Selected Local Food Item & Recipe Card

Check in at 27 locations:

Redeem your points on an Artisan-Crafted Almost Heaven Tray

For any questions regarding the check-ins and to submit photos of restaurants where you were unable to check in, please contact Bandwango by email (support@bandwango.com) or phone (888-921-5333). For other questions, please call the West Virginia Department of Tourism at (304) 558-2200.

*Limit one carabiner, local food item and tray per completed passport. Passports are valid through December 31, 2024. No purchase necessary to participate.


WV Chef Ambassador In The News

James Beard Award Winner – Chef Paul Smith

Best Chef: Southeast

One of the highest honors possible for a Chef, the James Beard Awards recognize the top talent within the culinary industry each year. West Virginia Chef Ambassador Paul Smith won Best Chef in the Southeast in 2024 thanks to his immense talent and success within the industry. He has earned mentions from major publications including Forbes and several others. Congratulations, Chef Paul!


Discover Featured Restaurants


Nominate a Restaurant

Hand-selected by West Virginia Chef Ambassadors, the restaurants on the Culinary Trail represent all nine of the state’s travel regions! As new Chef Ambassadors are selected each year, the Culinary Trail will also update. Help get new spots on our radar by submitting your ideas here.



Explore Our Frequently Asked Questions

I did not have cell phone service at a restaurant that I visited. How can I get help retroactively checking in? 

Call, text or email Bandwango, the technology company hosting this passport, at one of the following to get checked in after your visit. – Call or text: (888) 921-5333 – Email: support@bandwango.com. Please provide a photo of the restaurant you visited.

I am already signed up but am having trouble finding my passport!

Email, call or text support@bandwango.com / (888) 921-5333 to have your passport re-sent straight to your phone.

I didn’t provide my address when I signed up for my passport. How will you know where to ship my prizes?

Once you have checked in at enough restaurants and have claimed prizes, you will receive an email and/or text message (depending on the contact information you provided when you signed up). This communication will ask you to redeem your prize, and you’ll be invited to enter your address at that point. 

I have a child who would like their own passport but they don’t have a cell phone. How can they get a passport and check-in? 

We would love for your whole family to join in on the culinary fun! We recommend using a secondary email address to sign your child up for their passport. Follow the link in the introductory email that you receive at that alternate address and save the passport to your phone’s home screen. You may want to include an identifier, such as the child’s initials, when you create the icon on your home screen that you’ll use for their passport. This will help you keep track of who has checked in and where. 

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