Town&Gown

Town&Gown • 25th May 2023

Breakfast on Boal: Hometown favs with a Southwest edge

As the sun rises over Boalsburg, diners of all ages seeking eggs, coffee, and community flock to Breakfast on Boal. The restaurant along Boal Avenue offers a variety of breakfast favorites with local influences and Southwestern inspiration.

Town&Gown • 27th April 2023

Custom, fresh-made bowls at Roots Natural Kitchen

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.

Town&Gown • 23rd February 2023

Kokoro Offers Japanese-Style Food with a Focus on Fresh

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 Way in downtown State College. It opened in late 2022 and has since grown into a popular spot for locals and college students alike.

Town&Gown • 29th December 2022

Bon Appétit: Oeuf Boeuf et Bacon

Oeuf Boeuf et Bacon maintains the diner decor of the former Baby's Restaurant and adds a French twist (photo by Hannah Pollock).

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.

Town&Gown • 1st December 2022

Taste of the Month: Worth the weekly wait at Crumbl

The holiday season is a time of joy, celebration, gift giving and, of course, cookies. Everyone can find unique versions of their favorite cookies at State College’s sweetest new addition, Crumbl Cookies.

Crumbl offers a rotating variety of gourmet cookies and ice cream at its storefront on Colonnade Way in State College, one of the newest outlets of the popular national chain. The cookie confectionary opened in late September, drawing a strong following, according to co-owner Adam Coughran.

StateCollege.com • 27th October 2022

'The Perfect Level of Sweetness' at Chew Chew Bun

Skye Chang noticed something was missing from the food offerings in downtown State College. He saw an opportunity for sharing the sweet and savory baked goods he enjoyed at bakeries in Taiwan and from his mother’s kitchen.

He’s now filling that gap—one bun at a time—with Chew Chew Bun, an Asian bakery that offers Taiwanese-inspired baked goods.

“This is how we grew up in Taiwan,” Chang explains. “If you walk down the street, almost every couple of blocks, there’s an Asian bakery.”

Town&Gown • 30th September 2022

Pumpkins Fly at the Punkin' Chunkin' Festival

Professional chunkers launch pumpkins into the lake at Bald Eagle State Park. (Photo by Tim Weight)

The community can participate in free family fun, support a local fire department, and watch pumpkins take flight at the annual Howard Fire Company Punkin’ Chunkin’ Fall Festival on October 22.

Town&Gown • 30th September 2022

Crafted from History: Steve Strouse’s artwork begins with wood salvaged from memorable trees

Steve Strouse crafts Shaker boxes, kitchen utensils, keepsakes, and other items from wood taken from memorable Centre County trees. (Photo by Chuck Fong)

Where a homeowner may see a mess to clean up, Steve Strouse sees an opportunity to create meaningful art. He finds his canvases in what many consider to be disposable fallen trees, transforming them into boxes, kitchen tools, clocks, and more.

Town&Gown • 23rd March 2023

Carter’s Table: a delicious twist on the simple taco

Shawn Carter started at the Downtown State College Farmers Market and now has customers flocking to his new restaurant. (Photo by Hannah Pollock)

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 the offerings.

Town&Gown • 27th January 2023

Best Bites for Li'l Appetites: Tasty local kids' meals

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 need the whole adult portion, so kids’ meals fit the bill. And Mom and Dad don’t have to pay the adult portion price!