With its rich agricultural heritage, it is no surprise that some of Happy Valley, PA’s most well-known restaurants find their inspiration from local growers and producers, creating memorable dining experiences for residents and visitors. Part 1 of 4.

HiWay Pizza has been a staple of the State College dining scene since the first HiWay location opened on Heister Street in 1963. Now, the restaurant’s overarching parent company, Dante’s Restaurants & Nightlife, oversees three HiWay locations, one right in downtown, one on West College Avenue and one on North Atherton Street.

Wide open spaces and soaring ceilings make Axemann Brewery a safe and inviting locale for enjoying some of Happy Valley’s best brews.

For Federal Taphouse, the downtown State College restaurant known for its 100 beers on tap, the COVID-19 pandemic has been nothing but a series of challenges — but all are obstacles that general manager Jessica Wargo and her team have been adept at overcoming, all to the benefit of the community that they love to serve.

Good Intent Cider, located just a short walk from downtown Bellefonte, gives visitors a cozy space to try and taste a plethora of ciders made with Pennsylvania apples. Offerings range from Happy Valley Gold, a rich and complex cider made using more than 30 varieties of Happy Valley-grown apples, to the award-winning Wickson, with its candy-esque tart appeal.

Established in 1999, Happy Valley Vineyard & Winery has welcomed wine aficionados from around the country to taste its award-winning wines in its beautiful State College-located tasting room since 2013. However, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the vineyard’s owners have focused on serving the brand’s multitude of fans in other ways, going above and beyond to protect their loyal supporters in a time when restrictions can seem confusing and muddled — resulting in lax policies in other tasting rooms.

Keeping Happy Valley running with house-made sanitizer and to-go cocktails

For Big Springs Spirits, this season has been, in a word, everchanging. “Overall, I’d say that we’ve been fortunate,” says Tasting Room Manager Lucy Rogers. “We’ve been able to maintain our core staff of employees throughout shutdown and into reopening, from 25% capacity to 50% capacity, and we’ve been pretty busy.”

When it comes to ensuring the safety of guests at The Penn Stater — one of two hotel properties on the Penn State University campus — education of staff was at the top of the priority list.

A gift for that special someone from the Central PA Tasting Trail is an excellent way to brighten spirits this holiday season.