Taste of the Month

Looking for a crispy and savory snack or meal? Look no further than one of State College’s newest restaurants, Tasty K. Located downtown on Calder Way, Tasty K offers Korean fried chicken, rice, and French fries. While the menu may be small, the flavors and textures pack a big punch. Owner Andy Lee, who says…

Sarah Bryan grew up helping her mother and grandmother in the kitchen, but never really thought of it as a career. As a teenager, though, she became increasingly interested in reading recipes and learning about the ingredients and techniques used in each dish. “I was really interested in the whole thing, cooking and especially baking,”…

Walking into Bonfire Old-Fashioned BBQ is like walking into a backyard neighborhood party. There are no strangers. Everyone who enters is family. The welcoming atmosphere is key to the business’s success, according to co-owner Josh Kunig. “It’s like that relaxing time in your backyard,” he says. “You bring everyone over. It’s that hospitality—you want to…

To kickstart your day, consider taking a trip to Pleasant Gap to check out the Tiny Tavern Café.  The café fills the former bottle shop at the Red Horse Tavern on the corner of Main Street and College Avenue. The Red Horse owners had contemplated what to do in the front space of the building.…

David Anderson spends his Saturday mornings packing loaves of bread, bags of bagels, and bundles of cookies into his car.  Anderson, also known as the “Bellefonte Bread Baker,” bakes and delivers sourdough-based products to the doorsteps of loyal customers around the Centre County region. He works full-time as a chef, graduated from the Culinary Institute…

Looking for a fresh, healthy option in downtown State College? Look no further than Roots Natural Kitchen, a modern twist on good, natural ingredients. The restaurant offers customizable rice and veggie bowls and salads. But Roots Natural Kitchen is much more than that, according to interim general manager Nelson Hartley. Hartley says everything served at…

Shawn Carter had built a successful catering business serving a worldwide variety of foods and flavors when he decided to try out the Downtown State College Farmers Market in April 2022. Carter, a Penn State alumnus, remembered walking through the market on his way to campus and thought his cooking could add something new to…

When diners visit Kokoro, they will more than likely see Shariful Mintu both helping in the kitchen and talking with everyone in the dining room. “I always liked feeding people,” says Mintu, the restaurant’s leader. “I like to see people happy.” Kokoro, a BYOB Japanese-style restaurant offering a variety of dishes, is tucked along Calder…

Picking a restaurant where every member of the family will be satisfied can be tricky. Luckily, Happy Valley is home to a wide variety of eateries where kids can enjoy a tasty meal, whether they’re adventurous eaters or refuse anything but chicken fingers. Some pint-sized diners may have a more refined palate but don’t necessarily…

Chef Gillian Clark came to State College from New York for a new opportunity. When it didn’t work out, she sought out a new venture—opening her own restaurant downtown. Clark had successfully operated restaurants and worked in the industry and wanted to create a new dining experience like no other. She began looking at spaces,…