Explore all the flavors of Happy Valley, PA

Local ingredients can be found on the menus of many restaurants and craft beverage establishments throughout Happy Valley. From stand-out farm-to-fork dining options to classic American fare and adventurous ethnic cuisine -- and everything in between -- you can find a restaurant to suit your palate. We invite you to take your own flavor journey. [Learn how the Happy Valley Takeout Trail can enhance your experience if you do.]

Start planning your visit today.

To learn more about all that is happening in Happy Valley's fields, farms and farmers markets, visit www.happyvalleyagventures.com.

The “farm-to-fork” and “local sourcing” movement is all about connecting people with where their food comes from, while supporting small family farms, growers and producers. More than just buzz words, they reflect a commitment to healthy, fresh and sustainable ingredients masterfully combined into delicious cuisine and inventive cocktails. With its rich agricultural heritage, it is no surprise that some of Happy Valley’s most well-known restaurants find their inspiration from local growers and producers, creating memorable dining experiences for residents and visitors.

Follow along for a flavorful, behind-the-scenes look at Happy Valley raised, grown and made products, and how top chefs here serve up local inspiration on their menus.

Creating magic at RE Farm Cafe at Windswept - Local ingredients, masterfully prepared

Located on Fillmore Road near University Park Airport, RE Farm Café at Windswept is a place where locally sourced ingredients are simply and masterfully prepared into healthy, delicious cuisine. RE Farm Café also happens to be a Living Building Project-certified facility, with stunning sunset views that put an exclamation point on owners Duke and Monica Gastiger's deep commitment to sustainable agriculture and the environment.

Quality ingredients are equally as important to the composers (chefs) at RE Farm Café. The “farm-to-fork” and “local sourcing” movement is all about connecting people with where their food comes from, while supporting small family farms, growers and producers. More than just buzz words, they reflect a commitment to healthy, fresh and sustainable ingredients masterfully combined into delicious cuisine and inventive cocktails.

With its rich agricultural heritage, it is no surprise that some of Happy Valley’s most well-known restaurants find their inspiration from local growers and producers, creating memorable dining experiences for residents and visitors. In part 1 of a 4-part series, follow along for a flavorful, behind-the-scenes look at Happy Valley raised, grown and made products, and how top chefs here serve up local inspiration on their menus.

Local ingredients, masterfully prepared

Located on Fillmore Road near University Park Airport, RE Farm Café at Windswept is a place where locally sourced ingredients are simply and masterfully prepared into healthy, delicious cuisine. RE Farm Café also happens to be a Living Building Project-certified facility, with stunning sunset views that put an exclamation point on owners Duke and Monica Gastiger's deep commitment to sustainable agriculture and the environment.

Quality ingredients are equally as important to the composers (chefs) at RE Farm Café.

“The process of procuring high quality foods for RE Farm Cafe begins with a farm visit to learn about the farmer's commitment to sustainable agricultural practices,” Duke Gastiger explained. “And then we taste everything before buying…trust, but verify!”

Gastiger said every small farm has one or two "signature" products that are of excellent quality and many others that might be only average, so it is vitally important to be selective.

“Chefs can create true magic if the base ingredients are fresh, healthy and flavorful,” Gastiger said. “At RE Farm Café, our cuisine is simply prepared, highlighting the natural deliciousness of foods rather than creating artificial flavor by masking with overly spiced sauces.”

RE Farm Café has a large network of time-tested Happy Valley farmers that consistently provide great raw ingredients for Cafe dishes.

“Two of our most trusted partners, besides our own Windswept Farm, are Goot Essa, our cheese maker, and Rising Springs Meats,” Gastiger said. “Both have such tremendous pride in their work, and that pride shines through to every plate our customers regularly enjoy.”

Located in Howard, PA in the beautiful Nittany Valley, Goot Essa is a group of old order Pennsylvania Amish farmers that hand-craft artisanal cheese of ancient European lineage.

Gastiger said Goot Essa's Der Edel Bleu Kase, in his opinion, rivals anything from the more noted producers that charge twice the price. A favorite at the Cafe is pan-seared local beef skirt steak from Rising Springs Meats graced with a ribbon of Goot Essa Bleu and shallot wine cream.Located in Howard, PA in the beautiful Nittany Valley, Goot Essa is a group of old order Pennsylvania Amish farmers that hand-craft artisanal cheese of ancient European lineage.

Gastiger said Goot Essa's Der Edel Bleu Kase, in his opinion, rivals anything from the more noted producers that charge twice the price. A favorite at the Cafe is pan-seared local beef skirt steak from Rising Springs Meats graced with a ribbon of Goot Essa Bleu and shallot wine cream.

Goot Essa owner John Esh said he strives to find markets that appreciate its artisan cheeses, which he believes are of exceptional taste and quality. In addition to being the choice of many Happy Valley restaurants and chefs, Goot Essa products can be found on the menus and charcuterie boards at fine restaurants in Washington, DC and Philadelphia, and numerous wineries in Virginia’s Louden County wine country, among other locations.

Explore all the flavors of Happy Valley Goot Essa owner John Esh said he strives to find markets that appreciate its artisan cheeses, which he believes are of exceptional taste and quality. In addition to being the choice of many Happy Valley restaurants and chefs, Goot Essa products can be found on the menus and charcuterie boards at fine restaurants in Washington, DC and Philadelphia, and numerous wineries in Virginia’s Louden County wine country, among other locations.

Local ingredients can be found on the menus of many restaurants and craft beverage establishments throughout Happy Valley. We invite you to take your own flavor journey. [Learn how the Happy Valley Takeout Trail can enhance your experience if you do.]

From stand-out farm-to-fork dining options to classic American fare and adventurous ethnic cuisine -- and everything in between -- you can find it in Happy Valley. Start planning.

Good -- and delicious -- things are happening at Pine Grove Hall

State College Magazine has described Pine Grove Hall, which opened in June 2020, as a “newly renovated and inspired spot,” and the place where “state of the art sound meets high-end food and drink.

Owner Liz Grove said Pine Grove Hall’s mission is to nurture body, mind and spirit through food, drink and music for its guests, staff and the community.

This trifecta of emphasis is no more evident than in their partnership with more than 30 local farms and purveyors for raw ingredients, and a goal of sourcing 90 percent of its food within 50 miles of its Pine Grove Mills location. Pine Grove Hall’s popular Pennsylvania Paella dish, for example, uses chickens from Happy Vale Farm, root vegetables from Windswept Farm and pea shoots from Oliver’s Path Farm. Those three farms are within 15 miles of the "casual upscale" restaurant and live music venue.

Another of Pine Grove Hall’s local partners is Rimmey Rd. Farm, which raises heritage breed Mulefoot pigs on the property of the Rhoneymeade Arboretum and Sculpture Garden. Keith Brainard and his farm partners are committed to helping preserve the breed, which was near extinction as a result of commercial producers' preference for faster maturing varieties. Ironically, the way to protect the breed and grow its numbers is to reintroduce diners to the standout flavor of the pork.

“We love being community-centric in everything we do. Whether you live near or far, we want your spirit to be lifted when you visit."

Pine Grove Hall Chef Tory Glossner is doing just that. He is creating a new dish to showcase the rich, clean dark-meat pork, the unique flavor of which comes from the thick layer of fat that surrounds it. Glossner said the special dish he is developing will feature the "unctuous" pork belly.

“We thought – there’s not a better way to showcase the pork then to pair it with other local produce that explodes during the Pennsylvania springtime,” he explained. “Our house-made steamed bao will feature slow braised Mulefoot pork belly with rhubarb hoisin sauce, quick pickled cucumbers, sweet pea kewpie style mayo, and crisp fresh pea tendrils. The perfect balance of sweet, fatty, salty, and acidic."

"We are incredibly excited to be working so closely with Rimmey Road Farm! It's so exciting when we come across people as passionate as we are when it comes to what goes on our plate," Glossner said. “I had the pleasure of stopping by this winter and getting to meet the impressive Mulefoot pigs being properly bred on the farm. Within just a few minutes it became so clear to me that I was in the right place and good things were about to happen.”

Local chefs connect with community through flavorful, nutritious food - Gather & Co. Catering

Rebecca Larsen is a natural foods chef at Gather & Co. Sustainable Catering in Millheim. Her culinary skills are also frequently on display at Big Spring Spirits as part of its Wednesday kitchen takeover events, with creative offerings such as hatch chili & coconut chicken tacos, or herbed lamb meatballs with quinoa, feta and Kalamata olives.

Larsen said her head, heart, gut and soul chooses to connect with local farmers and producers to source quality vegetables, beverages, meat and dairy goods so that she can create and share nutritious and delicious foods with the community. She sources ingredients from throughout Happy Valley, PA, including many farms in the Penn Valley area.

One of those sources is Spring Bank Acres, an Amish farm in Rebersburg. The Fisher family raises Jersey cows on pasture for many dairy products such as raw milks, cheeses, yogurt and ice cream.

For Larsen, the nutrient dense and sustainably harvested foods that are easily accessible in Happy Valley are more than just ingredients.

Local products are flavoring Happy Valley, PA's thriving craft cocktail scene

You will discover that quality, locally sourced and produced ingredients aren’t just for the dinner plate. They are finding their way into mouth-watering cocktails that are served up in Happy Valley’s robust craft cocktail scene.

At Gigi's Southern Table and Grace Restaurant, mint and herbs from their gardens can be found in many of the cocktails served at the popular State College restaurants.

At RE Farm Cafe at Windswept, turmeric harvested from Windswept's greenhouse makes a bursting-with-bold-flavor syrup for its “liquid sunshine” cocktail. At RE Farm Cafe at Windswept, turmeric harvested from Windswept's greenhouse makes a bursting-with-bold-flavor syrup for its “liquid sunshine” cocktail.

“Simplicity is indeed the essence of style and grace,” Gastiger said of the creative libation.

Windswept mint garnishes its take on the classic mojito -- a limonjito, made with Barrel 21 Limoncello.

Local spirits are the star ingredients in Happy Valley cocktails

In addition to craft beer, local wine and cideries, Happy Valley, PA is home to two distilleries -- Barrel 21 and Big Spring Spirits, two of the 12 craft beverage producers that comprise the Central PA Tasting Trail. Both distilleries create their own inventive cocktails and zero-proof cocktails, and their products are featured on the menus of many restaurants and bars throughout Happy Valley.

Colonial favorite is flavoring modern cocktails

Perhaps the most popular local ingredient in cocktails – and “mocktails” – at restaurants throughout Happy Valley is Tait Farm Foods’ 16 varieties of shrub, from cranberry, blueberry and pear, to ginger and beet.

Shrub – a fruit, sugar and vinegar syrup – dates back to colonial times. Tait Farm has been producing shrub since 1987. Because of its shrubs' authenticity, Colonial Williamsburg has chosen to serve it at two of its property taverns: the King's Arms Tavern and Christiana Campbell's Tavern. Similarly, Tait Farm Shrub is served and sold at Plimoth Plantation, a living history museum in Plymouth, Massachusetts, founded in 1947.

The ginger margarita, made with Tait Far ginger shrub, is one of the Overlook Grill's signature cocktails. The Centre Hall restaurant also uses shrub in other food items, such as dressings and other of Chef Harrison’s creations, who likes the flavors in creating dishes. Tait Ginger-Peach Chutney is featured on the restaurant’s catering menu as well. In addition, since 2001, The Overlook Grill has also purchased much of its fresh produce from Tait as soon as it is harvested.

Explore the full flavor of Happy Valley's most popular craft cocktailsThe ginger margarita, made with Tait Far ginger shrub, is one of the Overlook Grill's signature cocktails. The Centre Hall restaurant also uses shrub in other food items, such as dressings and other of Chef Harrison’s creations, who likes the flavors in creating dishes. Tait Ginger-Peach Chutney is featured on the restaurant’s catering menu as well. In addition, since 2001, The Overlook Grill has also purchased much of its fresh produce from Tait as soon as it is harvested.