February 6, 2012 [ Updated April 29, 2012 ]
This is the kind of place that the area has been lacking. They are offering respectable and frequently rotating taps, above average pub food, in a modern yet comfortable setting. A couple screens, warm lighting, and a (family) friendly vibe are all in place here during the day. Gets a bit more rowdy and loud at night and on the weekends. An ample sized bar along with several tables and booths are available. The street-side wall is actually a large window festooned door that can be rolled up when the weather permits, allowing for outside seating as well. Live music, apparently, on Sundays. The food menu is comprised of a plethora of locally sourced ingredients. Greens from local growers, cheeses from local makers, beef from local raisers, bread from local bakers, soups from local specialists (Toga’s) ... you get the idea. Burgers are cooked to order, quite tasty, and come along with your choice of fries, sweet potato fries, or mixed green salad. I had the bruschetta burger: smoked mozzarella, fresh tomato, crisped basil leaves, lightly seared proscuitto, and a balsamic reduction. Lots of other options are available as well: poutine, creative panini sandwiches, dungeness crab salad, vegan options, happy hour appetizers, etc ... I’d love to see their tap/bottle list become more varied and far reaching, offering things that are a little harder to come by in the area. For example, many of the taps/bottles are also available in regional stores/grocers (Upon subsequent visits, this situation seems to be changing for the better). For the type of place they are striving to be, in this day and age, they REALLY need to at least provide a current and accurate electronic taplist. Nothing fancy is required, just something to let us know if the travel time is worth it. Overall, don’t expect to be ’blown away’ if you are from the city; but I think the owners have the right idea here, and the potential exists to do some really great things for the area. Worth a visit if you happen to be in PA and want a good bite to go along with a solid beer. If you are looking for more than just upscale pub food, this is still a great place to have a drink before heading down the street for dinner.