Eat Like a Local in the ANF Region
Foraging for Food… Where to Eat Like a Local
Where to eat? This the question everyone asks themselves on a daily or weekly basis. Of course, here in the Allegheny National Forest there are those who can describe which mushrooms, plants, bugs, and berries will make a meal. This article is for those who want to “forage” through Google listings to find a new restaurant to try. This article will provide great ideas of nearby Pennsylvania restaurants which are worth the trip!
PORT ALLEGANY, PENNSYLVANIA
Port Allegany is a small community located along the Allegheny River in Pennsylvania. It is known for its creative Serenity Glass Park, summer concerts on the town square, and Lynn Hall - a beautifully restored example of American Modernism architecture.
Eddie’s on Main offers a regular lunch and dinner menu with many specials plus theme night dinners. Chef Ed Vicic really enjoys cooking food, talking about food, and being creative with food. Currently, Thursday is Rib Night starting at 4:00pm. Order their “finger licking and bone sucking good” pork ribs cooked St. Louis style with a dry rub. A full rack of ribs with corn bread and two sides is only $27.99, with a ½ side dinner only $19.99. Daily menu items include clam strip po’boy, beef blossom, and chicken in the club. Watch their menu calendar for specials like their Low Country Shrimp Broil, PEI mussels, Littleneck Clams and Maryland Style Crab Cakes. Not your style? How about their $7 Dolla Make Me Holla Pizza Night on Tuesday, or for those looking for a cool refreshing salad, their Beak & Berry Salad? Theme night dinners are amazing - each has a full menu and table decorations based on the evening’s theme!
Eddie’s on Main is located at 212 N. Main Street, Port Allegany, PA, phone 814-642-5115. Follow them on Facebook and Instagram (@eddiesonmain). Want to stay over? Book ahead for an evening or plan a mid-week or weekend getaway at Lynn Hall - the Architects Suite or the Cottage are both equally beautiful. Check availability and book via Airbnb.
SMETHPORT, PENNSYLVANIA
Smethport, Pennsylvania is the county seat for McKean County. Built by the Lumber Barons of days gone by in the 1880s, Smethport’s Main Street is lined with a series of architectural gems including over 30 mansions from the late 1800s and early 1900s. A self-guided walking tour brochure may be picked up at the kiosk in front of the Courthouse. Nearby, Hamlin Lake offers fishing, kayaking, and canoeing. The Sheffield Trail System is an easy walking/biking trail which goes past farm fields and the original county Poor House.
After seeing the sites, head to Old Time Smethport to shop their General Store, America’s First Christmas Store, and view artifacts including a historic, full-size stagecoach and Civil War Canon.
Dine at their Cottage House Restaurant & Winery, open for both lunch and dinner. Have dessert first! No one will tell! Delicious desserts are just some of the menu items you can enjoy. For lunch have a glass of wine with an iceberg wedge salad or chow down with a beer and a hearty burger. Lunch is an assortment of local favorites including Buffalo chicken wraps and Philly Steak sandwiches. Dinner entrees may include Medallions with sauteed mushrooms, Filet Mignon, Ham Steak, Haddock Filet and Chicken Alfredo. Ask about their daily specials.
The Cottage House Restaurant & Winery is located at 113 W. Water Street, just a few blocks from PA Route 6 (Main Street) in Smethport. It is recommended that you call ahead for reservations: 814-568-2091. Want to stay over? Two of the mansions are open as B&Bs: the Mansion District Inn (814-598-7403) and the Blackberry Inn (612-940-4014).
KANE, PENNSYLVANIA
Kane, Pennsylvania is where you will find three wineries: Flickerwood Wine Cellars & Cocktail Lounge, Twisted Vine Winery, and Bear Creek Wines. Log Yard Brewery, the first craft distillery in Pennsylvania, and CJ Spirits are also located in Kane. All offer delicious menus along with wine tastings, beer flights and specialty cocktails.
Sites to visit in Kane include the McCleery Wolf Center which tells the interesting tale of how Dr. McCleery saved the Lobo wolves from extinction. Artworks on the Summit is a multi-artisan co-op full of handcrafted treasures. A fun selection of shops such as The Keystoned Café & Natural Shop, Field Street Boots, and Homespun Treasures offer a variety of must-haves. Be sure to bring your hiking shoes or bike, as the Knox & Kane Rail Trail runs from downtown Kane to Lamont, an 8-mile linear trail. The Allegheny National Forest and the Allegheny Reservoir with its famous overlooks and mountain biking trails are just minutes away.
Texas Hot Lunch 4 Sons has been a local favorite restaurant run by the Bechakas family since 1914. Try the always popular Souvlaki Dinner with Greek Salad, Pita Pleasers and Gyros. Or order the all-time favorite of the locals - a Texas Hot, a plump, juicy hot dog with a squirt of mustard, sprinkled with onions and smothered with their famous sauce. A family recipe from 1914 that predates the restaurant! Texas Hot Lunch 4 Sons is located at 24 Field Street, Kane, PA, phone 814-837-8122. For their full menu visit texashotlunch.com.
Table 105 is Farm to Table, Table to Soul. They offer fresh and delicious steak and seafood entrees from locally sourced, sustainably harvested, quality ingredients. Owner Rikiya “Riki” Tanaka has a passion for food and the gift of hospitality. Riki explains, “Our goal is to have the freshest seafood, the most flavorful steaks, and a specialty bacon which will sear its flavor into your food memory.”
Serving lunch and dinner, a favorite entree to try is the Peanut Butter Burger with Applewood Smoked Bacon, Cheddar, Fried Onions, and their special Peanut Butter Honey Spread. This ½ lb. burger is served with fries and house chips on a butter brioche roll.
Enjoy Crabby Monday - 1 lb. of delicious snow crab legs with choice of potato, vegetable and side salad. Sake & Sushi Wednesday offers up the absolute best Sushi. It is served from 4:00-9:00pm every Wednesday. Friday Fish Fry, a favorite with locals, features Blue Moon Battered Haddock with a choice of potato, vegetable, and side salad. Delicious appetizers include Tuna Tartare - ahi tuna, mango, avocado, cucumber, and sesame ginger dressing, Shrimp Egg Rolls, and Havarti Dill Flatbread - garlic butter base wild mushroom blend with Havarti cheese.
Be sure to save room for dessert and a signature cocktail. Check their Facebook page for changing specials, current dessert list and featured cocktails. Table 105 is located at 150 N. Fraley Street, Kane, PA. For additional information call 814-561-1515 or visit their website at table105kane.com.
Want to stay over? The historic Kane Manor Inn offers the history of General Kane’s family along with a delicious breakfast, comfy beds and a lovely veranda on which to relax and enjoy the rural scenery. Flats on Fraley (on Fraley Street - Kane’s Main Street), may be booked via Airbnb.
For additional information on what to see and do in the Allegheny National Forest Region of northwestern Pennsylvania go to VisitANF.com or call 1-800-473-9370.