Ten thousand slices of strawberry pie. Gone in a week. And the restaurant responsible is famous for spaghetti.
Somewhere in West Virginia, dessert has clearly been stealing the pasta’s spotlight.
Every year around Mother’s Day, this old-school favorite turns into a pie powerhouse. The strawberries must know they’re the guests of honor.
But there’s more to this place than a serious sweet tooth. In 2019, it became West Virginia’s first restaurant to receive a James Beard America’s Classics award.
That’s a pretty big achievement for a place where the green vinyl booths haven’t gone anywhere.
The servers still wear crisp uniforms, and the menu keeps its comforting mix of pasta and hearty classics.
Come for the spaghetti, but don’t underestimate the pie. It has a fan club of about 10,000 slices’ worth.
A Spaghetti Recipe That Refuses To Change
Some recipes get tweaked every few years. The sauce at Jim’s Steak & Spaghetti House has stayed loyal to a recipe the restaurant picked up in 1944.
That Italian recipe changed everything for the business. It helped turn a small grill into the spaghetti landmark Huntington knows today.
The signature dish is spaghetti with meat sauce. It arrives as a generous portion with hearty sauce and garlic toast on the side.
The restaurant calls its sauce homemade, and many fans call it legendary. That’s a big label for a pasta topping, but decades of loyalty back it up.
Want to mix things up? The menu also lets you pair spaghetti with ravioli, so indecisive eaters get a little of both.
Garlic toast deserves a moment too. It’s the perfect tool for chasing the last streaks of sauce around your plate.
Here’s the fun part for road trippers. You can order the sauce and have it shipped anywhere in the country.
That means your West Virginia stop doesn’t have to end at the county line. Your kitchen back home can join the party a few days later.
Steak Lovers Get Their Own Spotlight Here
Spaghetti may own the sign, but steak shares the billing. The word sits right there in the name, and the kitchen takes it seriously.
Jim’s Steak & Spaghetti House serves steaks for folks who came craving beef.
The lineup includes a ribeye and grilled cube steak.
Each one fits a different kind of appetite. The ribeye suits anyone chasing rich flavor, while the grilled cube steak offers a homestyle alternative.
The grilled cube steak is another cozy, homestyle pick. It’s the kind of plate that feels like Sunday dinner at a relative’s house.
Traveling with a group that can’t agree? Steak makes a smart peace treaty when one person wants pasta, and another wants something grilled.
The beauty of this menu is how simple it stays. You won’t need a dictionary or a waiter’s speech to figure out your order.
Pair your steak with a classic side and save room for later. Trust me, the dessert case will start calling your name sooner than you think.
Crispy Chicken Comfort For The Pasta-Shy
Not everyone in the car wants noodles, and that’s perfectly fine. Chicken fans have solid choices waiting on the menu.
Chicken tenders are an easy win for kids and picky eaters. They’re familiar, crunchy, and simple to share across a booth.
Then there’s grilled chicken for anyone who prefers something other than fried tenders.
It’s another comforting choice for diners who want a hearty meal without pasta.
These dishes show the restaurant’s diner roots. Before spaghetti made it famous, this was a neighborhood grill serving everyday meals.
That history still shapes the whole menu today. Burgers, sandwiches, salads, and ham all sit beside the big three headliners.
A children’s menu is available too, which helps a lot on long road trips. Nobody enjoys a hungry seven-year-old in the back seat.
One tip for groups is to order a mix and trade bites. Chicken, steak, and spaghetti on one table turn lunch into a tasting tour.n
Chicken tenders might not be the first thing linked to this place. Still, they earn their spot in the title for good reason.
From Dairy Counter To Dinner Legend
The story starts with milk, not meatballs. In 1938, Jim Tweel bought a dairy store and began building something bigger.
That shop grew into Jim’s Grill and Spaghetti House. Then the 1944 spaghetti recipe arrived and gave the place its true identity.
By 1962, the name had become Jim’s Steak & Spaghetti House. It has carried that name proudly ever since.
Ownership changed hands in 2024. Vicki Dunn-Marshall, along with her daughter and son-in-law, Carissa and Corey Cavin, became the new owners.
Their goal is to keep the legacy alive. That’s welcome news for anyone who loves places that don’t chase every new trend.
Few restaurants last through so many decades. Staying open since the late 1930s takes good food and a lot of community love.
You can find it today at 920 5th Ave, Huntington, WV 25701. It sits right in town, an easy stop for travelers.
Knowing the backstory makes the meal taste a little richer. Every forkful connects you to nearly ninety years of Huntington history.
A Trophy That Put The Whole State On Notice
2019 was a very big year for a humble spaghetti spot. That’s when the James Beard Foundation named it an America’s Classics winner.
The honor is a huge deal in the food world. It celebrates beloved local restaurants that reflect the character of their communities.
Jim’s Steak & Spaghetti House became the first restaurant in West Virginia to earn it. Let that sink in for a second.
Out of every diner, grill, and kitchen in the state, this one got there first. Not bad for a place that began selling dairy products.
The award didn’t change the vibe, though. The menu stayed simple, and the focus stayed on comfort food done the same way for years.
That’s part of what makes the win feel so earned. Nobody reinvented anything just to impress the judges.
For road trippers, this is a handy fact to share at the table. It turns an ordinary lunch stop into a bragging-rights moment.
Snap a photo of your plate and add the backstory. Your friends back home will want the address immediately.
Green Booths And Crisp Uniforms Set The Mood
Retro charm isn’t a theme here. It’s simply how the restaurant has always looked and felt.
Green vinyl booths fill the dining room. They give the space that classic, old-school diner look so many modern places try to copy.
The servers add to it with crisp uniforms. It’s a small detail, but it makes the whole room feel polished and timeless.
Nothing about the setup feels staged or trendy. It comes across like a neighborhood spot that never saw a reason to change.
The room is relaxed and works well for groups. Families, friends, and road-trip crews can all find a comfortable fit.
Practical perks help too. The restaurant offers accessibility features, parking, and high chairs for the smallest travelers.
That mix of nostalgia and ease is rare. You get the charm of the past without the hassle that sometimes comes with old buildings.
Grab a booth if you can. Sliding across that vinyl feels like stepping into a family photo album, minus the awkward haircuts.
Save Room, Because The Pie Case Wins Every Time
Ten thousand slices. That’s how much homemade strawberry pie sells during Strawberry Pie Week, held around Mother’s Day each year.
The number sounds made up, but it’s real. It shows just how serious this town is about dessert.
Strawberry isn’t the only star either. The chocolate cream pie gets plenty of attention and makes a strong case for itself.
Homemade pies are a big part of the restaurant’s identity. For many folks, a meal here simply doesn’t count without a slice.
Planning a spring trip? Aim for Mother’s Day week if strawberry pie is high on your wish list.
Just know you won’t be the only one with that idea. A treat that popular draws a crowd of fellow pie hunters.
Visiting another time of year still pays off. The pie case offers enough choices to make the final decision tricky.
A smart strategy is ordering a couple of slices for the table. Everyone gets a taste, and nobody has to pick just one favorite.
Plan Your Stop Around These Handy Hours
Mondays are off the table, literally. The restaurant stays closed that day, so plan your West Virginia route with that in mind.
Tuesday through Saturday, doors open at 11 a.m. and close at 8:30 p.m. That window works for both lunch and an early dinner.
Sundays run shorter, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. It’s perfect for an after-church meal or a midday road-trip break.
Short on time? Carry-out and online ordering make it easy to grab food and keep driving.
That option is handy for travelers with tight schedules. Spaghetti in a to-go box still beats a gas-station sandwich by a mile.
Don’t forget the haddock sandwich while you’re scanning the menu. It’s a popular pick that often gets overlooked by first-timers.
Jim’s Steak & Spaghetti House rewards a little planning. Show up at the right time, and lunch becomes a highlight of the trip.
Just leave some space in the cooler. You might want a jar of that famous sauce riding home with you.