Travelling a lot for work can sometimes do some serious damage to your waistline if you’re not careful. When I travel, I prefer to find restaurants that are local and non-chain establishments. Otto’s Pub in State College fits the bill. As an added bonus, they strive to use as much locally grown product as possible.
Otto’s has a bar area with several TVs, outside seating and two main dining areas. They also brew their own beer, with selections changing seasonally. Parking can be a problem on weekends and Tuesday trivia nights, …

The Jukebox Cafe is a local favorite in Boyertown, PA.

Let’s say that you just won a nice little jackpot at the new Sands Casino in Bethlehem, PA.  What to do with the winnings?  Here’s an idea – have a delicious, decadent dinner at Emeril’s Chop House restaurant, located right off of the casino floor.
I’ve never been to any of Emeril Lagasse’s other restaurants before, so I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when my significant other’s parents said that we had a reservation there this past weekend.  The décor is very fitting with the rest of the casino, which …

I regularly visit Max & Erma’s for lunch on the days that I find myself working from home. While being a national chain, each restaurant has it’s own “hometown feel” and offers specials and promotions that aren’t available nationwide.
Both their lunch and dinner menus offer a wide variety of salads, appetizers, sandwiches and entrees. The restaurant is well known for their burgers and warm chocolate chip cookies. They even have a customer loyalty card, called “Good Neighbors Rewards”. It allows you to save money on every visit, as well as …

For something different, I decided to stop for dinner at The Hop House located on Babcock Boulevard in the North Hills (they also have a Greentree location on Noblestown Road).  Many Pittsburghers may know of the North Hills location by its former name, the Barking Shark.