15 Incredible Restaurants in State College, PA You Need to Try
State College is a college town that grew up around one school. The Farmers’ High School of Pennsylvania opened in 1855 on farmland that is now the University Park campus, and State College became a borough in 1896. It is now the largest borough in Pennsylvania, with about 40,500 residents in the 2020 census, and Penn State is the region’s biggest employer. Most restaurants sit downtown along College Avenue, Beaver Avenue and Allen Street, or in the lanes between them, such as Calder Way. The campus even makes its own ice cream: the Berkey Creamery traces Penn State dairy research to 1865, hand-dips about 300,000 cones and bowls a year and keeps more than 20 flavors in its on-campus shop. On home football Saturdays more than 100,000 fans fill Beaver Stadium, and the whole town’s dining schedule bends around them.
This guide covers 15 places, from a corner restaurant that has kept the same name since 1926 and a tavern that opened in 1948 to hotel fine dining, hickory-smoked barbecue, ramen, Pakistani and Turkish cooking, a late-night cheesesteak shop and a vegan café in a bookstore basement. Ratings and review counts come from each restaurant’s Google listing in October 2026.
The Corner Room
The Corner Room sits at 100 West College Avenue, where College Avenue meets Allen Street at the edge of the Penn State campus. The site began in 1855 as Jack’s Road House, a stage stop for travelers heading to the new Farmers’ High School, and the restaurant has carried the Corner Room name since 1926. That makes 2026 its 100th year, and the restaurant’s website is collecting customer stories to mark the milestone.
With 4.3 stars from more than 1,600 Google reviews, it is an all-day place. Mornings mean “the original” grilled stickie bun, a Penn State staple, plus pancakes, French toast and the Burrito Bomb. Later in the day the usual orders are the Double Stack Cheeseburger, the corned beef Reuben, Steak Frites with chimichurri and Bobby D’s beef chili with cornbread.
The Corner Room shares the Hotel State College building with sister spots such as Allen Street Grill and Bill Pickle’s Taproom, and it is a Pat Croce & Company property. You can order online for pickup. Breakfast starts earlier on Friday through Sunday than on weekdays, so check hours before you go. Home football weekends fill the downtown core, so aim for off-peak times.
Address: 100 W College Ave, State College, PA 16801
Website: cornerroom.com
The Tavern
The Tavern has served downtown State College since 1948, when two World War II veterans studying at Penn State on the GI Bill opened it. It is at 220 East College Avenue. Pat Daugherty and Bill Tucker bought it in 1980, and the restaurant is known for its art gallery of local and Pennsylvania history and people. A bar called Adam’s Apple is part of the building, and the restaurant has long employed Penn State students.
Its 4.2-star rating comes from more than 800 Google reviews, and the menu reads as upscale American with a few detours. Fall 2026 starters include lobster bisque, Maryland crab dip and a baked brie board. For a main course, people reach for the shrimp and grits with Iberico chorizo, the Bolognese made with Wagyu beef, veal and pork, or the slow-roasted prime rib, which is offered in limited quantities.
This is one of the pricier dinners downtown, so treat it as a special-occasion stop. Reserve through the website, which also has a separate page for graduation bookings. Parties of six or more have a 20 percent gratuity added. The restaurant is closed Mondays and opens at noon on Fridays and Saturdays, but check hours before you go, especially on home football weekends.
Address: 220 E College Ave, State College, PA 16801
Website: thetavern.com
Grace Restaurant
Grace is the fine dining restaurant inside the Carnegie House hotel at 100 Cricklewood Drive, on the north side of State College near the Toftrees golf course. The kitchen and dining rooms were renovated and the restaurant reopened as Grace in July 2019. The hotel’s website says the building echoes a Scottish manor, and next door the Stonehouse Pub is a speakeasy-style wine bar with more than 800 bottles.
Rated 4.5 stars from more than 160 Google reviews, Grace cooks in an Italian-inspired style with seasonal ingredients. The signature pastas include a cacio e pepe (a Roman pasta of cheese and black pepper), a Bolognese and lobster ravioli. Among the mains, the beef braised in Barolo (a red wine from Piedmont), the double rack of lamb and the 28-day dry-aged ribeye stand out. Desserts include tiramisu and maple panna cotta.
Reserve through OpenTable or by phone, particularly for football and graduation weekends, when the town fills up. Plan on a fine dining price level. The restaurant also serves breakfast, lunch and a brunch menu, so check the current hours for each meal. Parties of six or more have an automatic 20 percent gratuity, and splitting a plate carries a small charge.
Address: 100 Cricklewood Dr, State College, PA 16803
Website: graceatcarnegie.com
The Field Burger & Tap
The Field Burger & Tap is at 1 Country Club Lane, inside Toftrees Golf Resort on the north side of State College. It built its reputation with Penn State teams. HBO’s “24/7 College Football” showed defensive linemen having dinner there, and before the 2016 season James Franklin, then the football coach, took about 40 players there for one-on-one dinners. ESPN’s College GameDay also chose it as the featured restaurant for a Penn State broadcast.
With 4.4 stars from more than 1,700 Google reviews, it keeps the focus on burgers, fries and shakes. The Lancaster Burger combines a sirloin, chuck, brisket and short rib patty with Lancaster bacon, Amish smoked cheddar and a fried egg. Milkshakes are hand spun with Hershey’s ice cream, and there are hard shakes too. Several Penn State coaches have burgers named for them, and the list changes when coaches do.
The restaurant is a short drive from downtown, which makes it a useful option when College Avenue is crowded on game weekends. Weekend breakfast is served, and hours vary by day, so check before you drive out. It also pours craft beer from State College and central Pennsylvania.
Address: 1 Country Club Ln, State College, PA 16803
Website: thefieldburgerandtap.com
Tadashi
Tadashi’s original restaurant is a small room at 206 West College Avenue, close to campus and known for ramen and sushi. Owner Jerry Gao later added a second Tadashi at South Atherton Street and East College Avenue, with more room and a menu of donburi (rice bowls), udon (thick wheat noodles) and sushi. If ramen is the goal, the West College Avenue restaurant is the one to choose.
Rated 4.5 stars from more than 900 Google reviews, the original is where regulars go for ramen. The spicy miso ramen and the Kuro miso ramen draw the most praise, while the shoyu (soy sauce) ramen is the milder bowl. Add pan-fried pork gyoza on the side. The sushi rolls have a following too, since State College Magazine readers named Tadashi the best sushi in town in 2023.
The original is cramped and a line often forms at busy times, so go a little before or after the main lunch and dinner rushes. Ramen and udon are not available for takeout because they are served fresh in the restaurant. Parties of six or more get an automatic 18 percent gratuity. Ramen bowls are priced modestly for a sit-down meal.
Address: 206 W College Ave, State College, PA 16801
Website: tadashijapanese.com
Bonfire Old Fashioned BBQ
Bonfire Old Fashioned BBQ is a family-run smokehouse at 2609 East College Avenue, in College Township near the Nittany Mall. Josh Kunig started it with his father, Glenn, and his mother, Andrea Murray, as a catering business in October 2021, working out of a rented church kitchen. The family opened this storefront in February 2023, in the space that used to be Luna 2.
Its 4.8-star rating comes from more than 300 Google reviews. Brisket is the headliner, hickory smoked and finished with a Carolina-style sauce, and the baby back ribs are the other big draw. Pulled pork, fried chicken and fish and chips are on the menu too. The Chili Mac, smoked house chili over mac and cheese, is a good cold-weather order, and the fried cornbread dessert comes with maple bourbon vanilla pudding.
Bonfire keeps weekday hours, so plan it for lunch or an early dinner and check before you go, since its website lists nothing for weekends. You can eat in, order takeout online or have it catered, including Penn State tailgates and alumni gatherings. Veterans, first responders and active military members get a daily discount.
Address: 2609 E College Ave, State College, PA 16801
Website: bonfireoldfashionedbbq.com
Café Alina
Café Alina is at 421 East Calder Way, a lane between College and Beaver avenues where several small restaurants sit side by side. Afsheen and Asam Mirza opened it in early 2020 to serve their family recipes from Pakistan and India, and all of the meat is halal. The room is small and softly lit, with outdoor seating, and the kitchen roasts and grinds its own whole spices.
Rated 4.7 stars from more than 900 Google reviews, it is known for biryani, a layered spiced rice dish made with chicken or mutton. Other orders to try are the chicken karahi (a curry cooked in a wok-like pan), butter chicken, samosa chaat and veggie pakoras (vegetable fritters), with garlic naan on the side. The masala and jaggery chai is brewed in house, and the mango lassi is made with saffron.
Staff will adjust the spice level if you ask, so say how hot you like it. There is a student special and a weekend menu aimed at keeping the bill down. The kitchen opens at 11 each day and stays open into the evening, but check hours before you go. Orders for pickup can be placed online.
Address: 421 E Calder Way, State College, PA 16801
Website: orders.cake.net/11222700
Bistrozine
Bistrozine is at 409 East Calder Way, a few doors from Café Alina, and describes its food as Asian-influenced comfort food with an American twist. The menu draws on Korean, Japanese and Chinese cooking, and the dining room has booths and tables, some with swings for seats. It has been open since 2019, according to local coverage.
With 4.5 stars from more than 200 Google reviews, Bistrozine is the place for dishes that mix cuisines. The bacon cheeseburger dumplings and kimchi bulgogi tots (bulgogi is marinated Korean beef) are the conversation starters, and the crispy duck roll is one of the most popular orders. Steadier choices include the basil rib-eye, kimchi fried rice and tonkotsu ramen. For dessert, try the chocolate lava cake.
Bring a few friends and order several dishes, since the menu is long and mixes so many styles. The website does not list a reservation system, so plan to walk in, and it takes event inquiries through a contact form. Hours run later on Friday and Saturday nights, but check the current schedule first.
Address: 409 E Calder Way, State College, PA 16801
Website: bistrozine.com
Fatoum Bistro
Fatoum Bistro is a sit-down restaurant at 532 Westerly Parkway, on the west side of State College, next to the owner’s fast-casual spot Cluck & Catch. It opened in February 2025 and is named for owner Hitham Hiyajneh’s late mother, Fatima, whose nickname was Fatoum. Chef Carlos Avia, who also owns Masala Palace, cooks the Indian dishes alongside a Middle Eastern menu.
Rated 4.7 stars from more than 150 Google reviews, it blends Middle Eastern and Indian cooking on one menu. Order the mezze platter (hummus, baba ghanoush, labneh, muhammara and tabbouleh), the fatteh eggplant, red lentil soup, or butter chicken with homemade naan. Breakfast is just as interesting, with shakshuka (eggs poached in spiced tomato sauce), shokupan French toast and a mushroom and pesto eggs Benedict.
Fatoum serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, so it works at almost any hour, but check the current schedule before you go. Booths make it comfortable for a longer meal. Many dishes contain tree nuts and blended spices, so ask your server about ingredients if you have allergies. The Fatoum Love Cake is made only once a day, so ask about it early.
Address: 532 Westerly Pkwy, State College, PA 16801
Website: fatoumbistro.com
Carter’s Table
Carter’s Table is a taco counter at 407 East Beaver Avenue, Unit B, in the Ambassador Square building. Shawn Carter started selling tacos at the farmers market after running a catering business, and opened the storefront in January 2023 in a former Maki Yaki space. It was named Best New Restaurant in the 2024 Best of State College awards, according to its website.
With 4.9 stars from more than 200 Google reviews, it is among the best-rated places on this list. The tacos borrow from Lebanese, Greek, Asian and Peruvian cooking. Try the Asian five-spice beef, chili-lime grilled chicken, roasted pork or Thai barbecue chicken, and add the specials when they appear, such as lamb barbacoa. The flight of three tacos is an easy way to sample. Quesadillas use the same fillings.
Service is at the counter and the dining room is small, so it suits a quick lunch or an early dinner better than a long evening. The restaurant is closed on Mondays and open only until late afternoon on Sundays, so check hours. You can also order through DoorDash and Uber Eats, and the kitchen caters with a customizable taco bar.
Address: 407 E Beaver Ave Unit B, State College, PA 16801
Website: carterstable.com
Penn Steaks
Penn Steaks is a cheesesteak shop at 119 South Pugh Street, a short walk from College Avenue. It started as Campus Steaks in the space that used to be Bradley’s Cheesesteaks & Hoagies. A group of five local owners took it over and held a grand opening as Penn Steaks on August 28, 2025, with a new ribeye menu and bread baked fresh on site every day.
With 4.8 stars from more than 700 Google reviews, Penn Steaks sells ribeye and chicken cheesesteaks on those fresh rolls, with fries and a choice of dipping sauces on the side. It also had a national moment: during the White Out weekend of 2025 it was the restaurant ESPN College GameDay featured, and the shop was so busy that it ran out of food and turned people away after 1:30 a.m.
Hours run late on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, which makes it a popular after-the-bar stop, but summer hours are shorter, so check before you go. You can order online or through the Penn Steaks app. Catering and tailgate packages need about 48 hours’ notice. On football weekends expect a line out the door on Pugh Street.
Address: 119 S Pugh St, State College, PA 16801
Website: pennsteaks.com
Kitchen Garden
Kitchen Garden is a Turkish and Mediterranean café at 2137 South Atherton Street in Hills Plaza, on the south side of town. Three local families, the Erkans, Kurts and Dindars, opened it in February 2025 and cook from their own home recipes. The 6,000-square-foot room seats up to 150 and is decorated with images of Turkish landmarks, faux lemon and olive trees and tiles from Italy and Spain, and the front works as a coffee shop.
Rated 4.7 stars from more than 200 Google reviews, it is best known for breakfast. The serpme is a Turkish breakfast spread for two, with cheeses, olives, jams, cream, pastries, fruit and homemade bread, served with Turkish tea. Menemen is Turkish-style scrambled eggs with tomatoes and peppers. At lunch, order manti (Turkish dumplings topped with yogurt and spiced butter), borek (flaky pastry), gozleme (stuffed flatbread) or the soujouk sandwich.
The restaurant focuses on breakfast and lunch, so plan to go in the morning or early afternoon, and check hours first, since it closes in mid-afternoon. The serpme is made for sharing, so bring a friend. Online ordering is available, the kitchen caters, and baklava and sutlac (rice pudding) cover dessert.
Address: 2137 S Atherton St, State College, PA 16801
Website: thekitchengarden.net
The Original Waffle Shop
The Original Waffle Shop has two State College locations, and this one is at 1229 North Atherton Street; the other is on West College Avenue. John Dimakopoulos, a Greek immigrant who worked at the Dutch Pantry and for local restaurateur Ted Cocolin, opened his first Waffle Shop on East College Avenue. He and his wife, Lisa, retired in January 2025 after 52 years, and Chris Paret, a Penn State graduate, took over and said everything would stay the same.
Rated 4.7 stars from more than 1,900 Google reviews, it is a breakfast and lunch place built on volume. In the first half of 2024 the North Atherton shop served about 90,000 omelets and roughly 40,000 waffles. Order an omelet, pancakes or a waffle, or the S3 special of two eggs, home fries, bacon and an English muffin. Lunch brings Philly cheesesteaks, Reuben sandwiches and burgers, and the house coffee is called John’s Joe.
Both shops open early, at 6 a.m. Monday through Saturday and 7 a.m. on Sunday, and close at 3 p.m., so this is a morning and lunch stop only. You can order online. Weekend mornings and home football weekends are likely the busiest times, so arrive right at opening. Servers offer to-go cups of coffee.
Address: 1229 N Atherton St, State College, PA 16803
Website: originalwaffleshop.net
Sowers Harvest Café
Sowers Harvest Café is at 421 East Beaver Avenue, Suite G1B, in a spot that surrounding buildings partly hide, so look for the address. Bryant and Lynelle Martin opened it in 2015, and it marked its 10th anniversary in September 2025. There are no televisions, and the only music comes from a piano that customers are invited to play, because the owners want people to talk face to face.
Rated 4.9 stars from more than 900 Google reviews, it is a favorite for breakfast and lunch. Eggs come from pastured chickens on nearby Amish farms, and the veggie pesto omelet uses four of them. The chipotle chicken bacon ranch panini has been a top seller since the beginning, and the soft pretzels come in four flavors, including cinnamon sugar. Burgers are served only on Thursdays, and the coffee is roasted in house.
Sowers is open Tuesday through Saturday only, in the morning and early afternoon, so it does not work for a Sunday or Monday meal. The owner chose not to offer online orders because they add stress at rush times, so plan to order in person. Outdoor seating was added in 2020 and is still available when the weather is good.
Address: 421 E Beaver Ave G1B, State College, PA 16801
Website: sowersharvest.cafe
Webster’s Bookstore Café
Webster’s Bookstore Café is at 133 East Beaver Avenue, reached by walking down steps into a below-street-level room packed with used books. The shop also sells new and used vinyl records and vintage clothing and housewares. Elaine Meder-Wilgus has owned it since 2007, and in fall 2024 the café went fully vegan after years of leaning that way.
With 4.7 stars from more than 700 Google reviews, Webster’s is a good place to try plant-based cooking even if you are not vegan. The Breakfast for Champions is a tofu scramble with roasted potatoes and a fruit or kale salad. At lunch, order the Giovanni’s Room sandwich (walnut pâté with grilled apples on a grilled roll) or the falafel wrap. Coffee is organic and fair trade, and plant milks cost nothing extra.
Every Sunday the café serves a fully vegan, gluten-free brunch buffet with live music. Webster’s also hosts readings, poetry, art and music events, so look at the calendar before you go, since event nights can fill the room. Many menu items are gluten-free, and hours vary by day, so check before you visit.
Address: 133 E Beaver Ave, State College, PA 16801
Website: webstersbooksandcafe.com
Final Thoughts
Home football weekends and graduation weekends change everything, so reserve The Tavern and Grace well ahead, and expect lines at casual favorites such as Penn Steaks and the Original Waffle Shop. Check days before you drive: The Tavern is closed Mondays, Carter’s Table is closed Mondays, Sowers Harvest Café is open Tuesday through Saturday, and Bonfire keeps weekday hours. Most downtown places are an easy walk from one another, and Penn State lists the Beaver Avenue, Fraser Street and Pugh Street garages as hourly parking close to campus. Grace, The Field, Bonfire, Fatoum Bistro and Kitchen Garden are outside the downtown grid, so plan a short drive. When students leave in summer, some places post shorter hours, as Penn Steaks does, so look at each restaurant’s hours before you go.
Planning the rest of your trip? See our guide to the best things to do in State College, PA.
Main photo, from left: sheri silver, Chad Montano and Jouwen Wang / Unsplash
