Lola's (Charleston, WV)

Overall                          * * * * -
Flavor                           * * * * *
Uniqueness                   * * * * *
Price                             $$ ($20 per person)
Comfort/Convenience  * * * - -

Lola's is a cute little house up in the Bridge Road area of Charleston, a little past the rest of the shops (so don't think you've missed it when your GPS takes you on around)  Set a little back from the road with a gravel and paving stone patio and a small front porch, it almost looks like you're walking into someone's house.

 Four out of the five times I've been here I haven't even gotten to open the front door.  Someone is usually waiting on the other side with half an eye on the porch and opens it for you with a smile and a "Welcome to Lola's."  The main area is a very small bar (about 5 seats) and there are three other seating areas and the patio for maybe a total of 12 tables.  This place is not large!

Local artwork adorns the wall, mostly for sale, and each of the rooms is slightly different.  Make sure to mention to your server if you're a little too hot or cold: each room is differently temperature controlled and sometimes it can be hard for them to tell what's best for you.

So now that you have a seat, what's up?  Well, you'll find a menu already on the table with their beer and wine selection.  Lola's is known for their sangria (which I personally find on the dry side, but I'm not a red wine drinker) and they have about 8 other wines to choose from.  Their beer selection is much heftier, somewhere around 30 varieties.  There is no liquor here.

After you've chosen your drinks, take a minute to look over the salads and appetizers.  Salads are a little pricey for the size, but the appetizers are worth a look.  Their lemon hummus is delicious and served with bread made at the Charleston Bakery (review forthcoming).  The hummus is enough for two for a appetizer or a decent meal for the vegan in your group.

The pizza selection is really what you came for, though, right?  There's a good variety and all of it tasty.  The goat cheese and artichoke has remained my favorite through all my visits (crisp crust, crumbled goat cheese, kalamata olives, artichokes, and garlic) but there are also some selections for your meat lovers (My husband's favorite: Ham and Pineapple) and the less adventurous folk can always ask for just cheese and sauce (but why would you!?)  The crusts here run on the slightly thin side, but a good balance to the amount of topping they put on and a nice bubble at the edges.  No need to toss your crusts here!  A small is enough for one person and probably leftovers (unless you're really hungry) and if you go with friends everyone can choose one and share to get a taste of everything.

Finally, save room for dessert.  The creme brulee is amazing, very creamy and perfectly browned on top.  There's a slight hint of coconut flavor to it, but as the menu mentions nothing about coconut I'm not entirely sure why (just sure that I love it!)

Parking is available, but inconvenient for most cars.  The spaces are awkwardly placed and shaped so you have to do a little maneuvering to get into and out of them and you always run the risk of getting squished into your space by someone who parked too close to you (I have yet to be dinged, but I can see how it would happen)

A word to the wise: Lola's is a very popular restaurant and very difficult to get into most evenings.  If you're not willing to wait, then you'd best go early.  They're open Tuesday-Sunday 4-10 and they tend to start getting busy no later than 6.

Lola's
1038 Bridge Rd, Charleston, West Virginia
Open Tuesday-Sunday 4-10