The restaurant and craft shop are in the last log hospitality house still providing meals for travelers on the National Pike. It sits between a gristmill dating to 1797 and the historic Casselman stone arch bridge, which was the longest single span of stone in America when it was built in 1813.

Penn Alps

There are six dining rooms, three of which were once part of the log stagecoach stop, Little Crossings Inn. The original log tavern is at the core of the current restaurant, which has been expanded six times over the years.

The evening we stopped the buffet was a full on Thanksgiving feast with sliced turkey, stuffing and wonderful creamy mashed potatoes. The homemade soups, for which they are well known, are very good.

There is an ample salad bar and they also have Hershey’s hand-dipped ice cream as one of the desserts. My mother’s favorite is the blackberry cobbler, which is a standard dessert in the buffet. I can see why she likes it, as it is indeed a wonderful, classic cobbler.

There is a full served menu as well and my husband enjoyed a special on our recent visit, a tasty salmon fillet. The menu (pdf) offers a broad selection with a definite overtone reflecting the German history of the Amish and Mennonite founders of the non-profit organization that runs the restaurant.

There are plenty of options to suit children, making this a great affordable family choice that is not a cookie cutter “family restaurant” and a nice alternative to fast food while traveling.

They serve breakfast, lunch and dinner but be prepared, they close earlier than you might expect for a restaurant serving dinner — 8 PM.

In addition to the well prepared food there is a gift shop with an extensive selection of fine hand crafted items, primarily by artists local to the region. The craft shop is open 10 am – 8 pm daily. During the day there are artisans on site in a little “village” that is just across the parking lot from the main building housing the restaurant and gift shop. The village is open May through October from 10 am – 5 pm, Monday through Saturday.

We arrived there too late in the evening to see the artists but it is a lovely location with a weaver, bird carver and metal sculptor among other fine crafts. Take time to check out the one room school house and a couple of buildings that date to the Revolutionary War period! Just beyond the village is the small river and stone bridge that was part of the original National Pike.

Prices range from $3.59 for one egg with bacon, sausage or ham to $18.99 for a Delmonico Steak dinner. The all you can eat buffet is priced at $12.99 for adults, $7.70 for children under 12 and free for children under 5 years of age (all prices subject to change).

Hours:
7 am – 8 pm daily
Country Buffet Friday’s from 4-8 pm, Saturday & Sunday from 11 am – 8 pm.

Penn Alps is approximately 85 miles from Pittsburgh.

125 Casselman Road
Grantsville, MD 21536
301-895-5985

Of course Plyler’s main feature used to be the pizza and it still is a good bargain for the size and taste. Today the big draw seems to be the salad bar which you can order as-is, food and dessert bar only or the whole kit and kaboodle. The  variety is good, the food is fresh and there always seems to be a line.

As you come in to the spacious restaurant you’ll encounter the register and an ample counter of mouthwatering pies and a gift shop for the tourists. One of our party didn’t fancy the 4″ meringue on their lemon pie but for the most part no-one turns the pie down (the chocolate pie got a thumbs up from someone else at the table).

Service is pretty simple- we went in at 8pm on a Friday night and didn’t wait at all for a booth. Our waitress must have been having a bad night as her enthusiasm wasn’t exactly bubbling over but still she was quick and on the ball. The decor is low-lit and friendly and after a few hours’ drive it was good to stretch out and relax.

There’s something for everyone at Plyler’s and it’s nestled very close to a major truck stop on Route 36 so you really can’t miss it.  Fare includes italian, fish dishes, pizza, comfort food and of course the ubiquitous food bar. Before you leave make sure you grab a take-along menu- you can always call in  and pre-order; there’s a pickup window on the side.  My thumbs down would be that there isn’t an official online site with times and menu.

Plyler’s Pizza and Family Restaurant
Brookville Exit 78 I-80
Brookville, Pa 15825
814.849.7357

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 has a steel theme (the casino itself is in a building that used to be part of the Bethlehem Steel Works), with dark browns and blacks and sheer reddish-orange curtains.  Interesting cylindrical crystal chandeliers hang from the ceiling.  The extensive wine selection is displayed in a sort-of rotunda near the host desk.  This restaurant also has a section where you can sit and eat at a “bar” right in front of the kitchen and you can watch the world-class chefs preparing your meal.

For starters, we ordered some drinks and appetizers.  Their wine menu is HUGE and I’m sure you can find any type of wine that your taste buds desire.  We ordered a few lobster bisques, which were presented to us in a way that I’ve never seen before.  The server came over with a bowl that had a small lump of lobster meat in the center.  In their other hand was a small saucepan with the actual soup in it, and they slowly poured the soup around the lobster meat.  The bisque was not like other lobster bisques I’ve tried, it has some unique favoring that I couldn’t identify and a bit of a kick that pleasantly lingered in your throat after you finished.

For the main course, myself and my boyfriend’s mother both got the fresh fish of the day (mahi mahi) prepared in the “lighter style”: over cous cous and fresh veggies with tomato citrus vinaigrette (they also can prepare the fresh fish Creole style).  Very delicious – the vinaigrette was a perfect pairing with the fish and vegetables.  The men at the table both ordered steak, New York Strip and Filet Mignon.  A trio of sauces accompanies any steak order: house-made Worcestershire sauce, creamy horseradish sauce, and a Béarnaise sauce.  I didn’t try it, but apparently the Worcestershire was to die for and didn’t have the usual smoky taste that store brands have.  You can also order side dishes à la carte, which are big enough to share between two people. After we gorged ourselves on dinner, we enjoyed some vanilla bean crème brûlée for dessert (my favorite!).

One big sell of this restaurant (other than the Emeril name, of course) is that they are stimulating the local economy and buying local produce as much as possible.  The free-roam chickens, beets, and other vegetables on the menu are all grown locally to the Lehigh Valley.  The service seems to be another big draw.  We were waited on by a friend of the family, who was so friendly and helpful during the entire dinner service.  We heard rumors that if you get up from your seat during dinner, someone will come over and give you a new napkin by the time you get back.  None of us got up during dinner to find out if that was true or not, but I suspect that is probably is true because the wait staff was really up top of things.

I’m sure you’re wondering about price.  The menu is pricey, and if you decide to get an appetizer, and a salad, and a side dish, and dessert, and a drink… well, it adds up.  Most of the appetizers and salads are close to $10, and most of the dinner plates are between $25 and $40.  If you’re in the area or at the casino and are looking for a nice, upscale dining experience, definitely give Emeril’s Chop House a try.

Emeril’s Chop House

77 Sands Boulevard

Bethlehem, PA 18015

484-777-7777

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In the category of sit-down fast food I must mention Falce’s restaurant in Munhall. Located right on Main street, this is the local watering hole in a place that really doesn’t have any other sit-down places to frequent (unless you count the continual stream of chinese and pizza places opening and closing). The portions are right and so are the prices. Daily specials are posted in the window and you’ll always find a steady crowd of older gentlemen at the bar with their morning joe.

While this restaurant isn’t particularly gluten-free friendly, it is a nice down-home alternative for the area. Service is fast and friendly and the breakfast menu stands out next to the pies as Falce’s best feature. On the breakfast menu I recommend the Yakatz to hungry customers. A Falce’s specialty, the Yakatz is an omelet on sterioids with chunks of potato, veg and cheese cooked to ooey gooey perfection. Like the rest of the menu, the Yakatz is an example of the plain honest offerings you’ll find here.

The downside of Falce’s is its hours which must have been set to cater to the locals (then again, I live like 5 doors down and can never get back from work through traffic to catch them still open), so be forewarned. But its a nice little breakfast or lunch spot.

Falce’s Restaurant
3716 Main St
Munhall, PA 15120
(412) 461-7345?
Mon-Fri 6:30-7
Sat/Sun 7:30-2

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