Some were old favorites. Some we never tried. Here’s a look back at the more than 20 restaurants and eateries in Berks County that closed in 2022.

Noom Nums Caribbean Kitchen

Shillington Farmers Market

With Saturday, December 31 as their last day, Noom Nums Caribbean Kitchen has closed at the Shillington Farmers Market. Noom Nums was sharing a stand with Southern Side Kitchen, which is continuing at the location. In a Facebook message, it was announced that Noom Nums was hiring as the business is restructuring. No additional details are available.

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Chef Alan’s American Bistro

West Reading

After 35 years in business, Chef Alan’s American Bistro in West Reading closed its doors for the final time on December 17. The namesake owner Chef Alan Rutter decided to close the restaurant as he retires from his role as chef. A cigar lounge is slated to open in the location early in the new year.

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The Angry Anvil

Birdsboro

After four years serving Birdsboro and Berks County, the Angry Anvil closed its doors in early November when their lease expired. The owners are continuing to operate the Oakbrook Brewing Company in Reading.

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Canal Street Restaurant & Pub

Reading

A popular spot in the City of Reading since it opened in 1995, the Canal Street Pub is now closed. The owners announced in a Facebook post that the space has been sold and that Friday, November 4 was the last night in business for the restaurant. There is no word on who purchased the space or what they intend to do with it. The Pub owners said they will continue hosting already booked private events.

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The Off Post Pub

Bechtelsville

After a short six-month run, the Off Post Pub in Bechtelsville has closed. The business shut its doors on October 31. The Off Post Pub occupied a historic inn at 2116 Old Route 100 since May 24. The building has housed a number of short-lived businesses in recent years incuding Cheers Tavern, Bandit’s Public House and 2116 Taproom.

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The Market Cafe at Shillington Farmers Market

Shillington

After five years, the Market Cafe at Shillington Farmers Market is now closed. The announcement came via a Facebook post dated September 24 with that being the business’ last day in operation. A new stand – The Shillington Market Breakfast & Brunch – opened in its place.

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SusieQ’s Breakfast and Lunch Cafe

Birdsboro

After three years in business, SusieQ’s in Birdsboro closed its doors for the final time on August 28. In a Facebook post to customers, the owners cited the “current economic state” as the reason for the closure. The location has gone through several restaurants over the years including The Cafe at Maple Springs and a second location for Dino’s Wings & Things.

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Oley Turnpike Dairy

Oley

After more than five decades, the Oley Turnpike Dairy closed on August 20 with the owners announcing their retirement on social media. The closure includes the diner, ice cream bar and petting zoo.

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The Tavern on Penn

West Lawn

After a 10-year run, the Tavern on Penn in West Lawn closed its doors on July 16. The restaurant’s owners put a heartfelt message on Facebook announcing the closing, saying “Owning and operating the TOP has been one of the greatest joys of our lives and made this decision all the more difficult to make. We feel this is the right time to walk away. Time with our family, children, and grandchildren has flown by before our eyes. It’s time to focus on those relationships and make them a priority. Out of the many trials the pandemic presented, there was one positive we found. The appreciation of time and the limited amount we have together.”

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8899 Chinese Restaurant

Muhlenberg Township

8899 Restaurant, formerly located along Kutztown Road in Muhlenberg, closed in 2022 with little to no warning. The restaurant had aced its December health inspection (no violations), then closed in early summer.

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Bad Biscuit Co.

Reading

After 15 months in business, Bad Biscuit Co. closed its doors on July 1. The restaurant opened in the former Fiesta Mexicana along Columbia Avenue in early 2021, focusing on breakfast and lunch, especially the scratch-made biscuits.

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10 & 23 Tacos

Morgantown

10 & 23 Tacos, the small taco truck at the corner of the namesake routes in Morgantown, closed in June. The business opened in March 2021 and focused on quick service tacos and Mexican food.

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Aunt Patti’s Tack Shack

Reading

Aunt Patti’s Tack Shack, inside the CITGO Gas Station on Lancaster Avenue, closed its doors in early June. According to a Facebook posting at the time, the closing stemmed from a falling out with the landlord. The Tack Shack was the reincarnation of Tack’s Sandwich Shop, which operated at the corner of 16th and Cottonwood in Reading for decades before closing in 2020. The owners say they are seeking a new location. In the meantime, pre-made subs, mac salads and more are available at select gas stations in Berks, Lancaster and Montgomery Counties.

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Kelsey O’Shays Pub & Grille

Douglassville

Kelsey O’Shays, the Irish Pub along Route 724 in Douglassville, is listed as permanently closed on Google, Facebook and Yelp. The last update on the restaurant’s Facebook page came in April so the closure happened sometime in spring or early summer. There has been no word on any new business for the location.

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Stonersville Hotel

Douglassville

After reopening under new ownership in 2021, the Stonersville Hotel closed its doors once again in May, at least for the forseeable future. The announcement came via Facebook that it is a “temporary closure” and that the woners “hope that this closure will not be permanent.” No other details were provided.

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Mad Dogs Kutztown

Kutztown

Mad Dogs, the hot dog shop along Constitution Blvd in Kutztown, is now closed. The restaurant shut its doors on May 3. The business had been for sale since last year, but without any buyers, the owners have shut it down to focus on Mad Dogs’ Macungie location. The building has served as a restaurant for many years, formerly housing Potts U and before that CC’s Wood-Fired Girll.

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Sazon Caribbean Restaurant

Blandon

After just two months in business, Sazon Caribbean Restaurant in Blandon is closed. The announcement was made on the restaurant’s social media on May 4. In the post, it was alleged that two business partners left without warning, and there was no choice but to close. The restaurant was located in the former Main Street Pizza.

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Circle S Ranch House

West Lawn

One of Berks County’s longest-running restaurants is now just a memory with the closing of Circle S Ranch House on April 8. The restaurant had been in business for 49 years. The owners cited a desire to spend more time with their families as the reason for the closing. The family continues to operate Schell’s and the Dairy Swirl in Temple. A new ownership group has reopened the space as Lilli’s Ranch House.

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Sweet Street Baked

Muhlenberg

Sweet Street Baked, the Fairgrounds Farmers Market outpost of Cafe Sweet Street, closed its doors on January 11 after less than a year in business. The stand served a limited menu that failed to take off the same as the cafe.

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Wild Sage Coffee & Kitchen

Reading & Muhlenberg

The first restaurant to close in 2022, Wild Sage Coffee & Kitchen announced the closure of both locations on January 9. Wild Sage ran a downtown Reading cafe and a second location at the Fairgrounds Farmers Market in Muhlenberg Township. The market location is now home to Oola Bowls while the Washington Street Cafe became home to Sweets Cafe & Juice Bar.

Looking back, 2019 was a great year for new restaurants in Berks County. Unfortunately we also lost a few restaurants – some old favorites and some new places that couldn’t make it. Here’s a last look back at some of the restaurants we lost in 2019.

Signatures Cafe by Angell
Morgantown

Signatures Cafe was the anchor eatery at the short-lived Morgantown Farmers Marketplace located just outside town (and just over the county line in Lancaster County). We had the opportunity to enjoy some of Signature’s soul food in January before the market closed in March.

Mad Anthony’s
Morgantown

Another Morgantown Farmers Marketplace vendor, Mad Anthony’s was a butcher and sandwich stand that closed along with the market in March.

Abigail’s Tea Room
Reading

Abigail’s Tea Room was in business for 13 years, offering breakfast and lunch in a beautiful Victorian home along Perkiomen Avenue in Reading. Unfortuantely the Tea Room closed in August. At the time, it was said that the business was looking to reopen in a large space – potentially in Boyertown – but there have been no updates since.

Brocmar Smokehouse
West Reading

When it opened in the Shillington Farmers Market at the end of 2017, Brocmar Smokehouse quickly became my new favorite barbecue place in Berks County. So I was very excited to hear it was opening inside the cafe portion of B2 Bistro in West Reading. Unfortunately the partnership lasted just a few months before closing in October when B2 began doing barbecue themselves in the space. The good news for Brocmar fans is that the Shillington Farmers Market location and the stand at the Santander Arena continue on.

Nectar’s Cafe & Juice Bar
Kutztown

Nectar’s was the food and beverage extension of the Yoga House in Kutztown. While the Yoga House continues (it was scheduled to move, then didn’t), the cafe closed in July.

Jake’s Place
Hamburg

Jake’s Place, a comfort food restaurant and bar located just outside Hamburg along Old Route 22, closed in June after completing the sale of its liquor license.

House of Jerk Dread
Reading

House of Jerk Dread brought authentic Jamaican food to Penn Street in Reading when it opened in 2017. And while the restaurant closed in early 2019, HOJD is still going strong. You can still enjoy their signature jerk chicken – and their many other offerings – at events throughout Berks County (or have them cater yours).

Le Pain Chaud
Wernersville

Le Pain Chaud billed itself as Berks County’s Haitian bakery and cafe. Operating in Wernersville, the cafe closed in early fall as the owners made the decision to concentrate on the catering side of the business.

1 Potato Two
Muhlenberg

One of my favorite stands at the Fairgrounds Farmers Market, 1 Potato Two offered the Spudwich, a completely unique “sandwich” that featured potatoes instead of bread. The business had been for sale for a while, eventually closing in the fall. 1 Potato Two still has a food truck operation based n South Jersey. San’s Asian Food now occupies the market stand.

The Sandwich Shack
Muhlenberg

Another Fairgrounds Farmers Market stand that closed in 2019, the Sandwich Shack offered a range of breakfast and lunch sandwiches. The space now houses Tradicions, a stand offering street tacos, egg sandwiches and more.

Pit Stop Tavern/Decades Speakeasy
Boyertown

The Pit Stop Tavern had been a staple in eastern Berks County since the 1950s. New owners took over the space in 2018. A year later, the restaurant was renovated and reopened as Decades Speakeasy, closing just a few weeks later. The site is now home to Barrel & Ale, which offers German specialities among other American comfort foods.

Billy Burger & Bakery
Morgantown

While it operated, Billy Burger & Bakery was home to some of the best burgers in Berks County. Unfortunately the restuarant closed in early 2019.

The BBQ Bully
Reading

The BBQ Bully is one of the craziest stories of 2019. The eatery opened inside the Reverb nightclub in downtown Reading. Then after only a few days of regular hours, it closed. Though the owner promises to continue and find new avenues for bringing his barbecue to Reading and Berks County.

Irena’s Mexican and Italian Restaurant
Wernersville

This summer, Irena’s Mexican and Italian Restaurant moved from Auburn, Schuylkill County, to the former A&M Pizza in Wernersville. Unfortunately the new location didn’t stick and after just a few months in business, the lights were off and Irena’s closed.

On a Roll Grill
Wernersville

Suffering much the same fate as Irena’s, On A Roll Grill was also a short-lived restaurant. Opening and closing in a matter of a few months, On A Roll Grill originally posted on Facebook that they would be closing for a week. Then a sign appeared on the door that said they were closed for the season and would reopen in May. At this point, it appears as if the restaurant is closed for good.

Castaneda’s Mexican Restaurant
Robesonia

Castaneda’s, which opened in 2017, quickly became a popular spot on the west side of Robeosnia. A second location opened in January in Denver, Lancaster County. This summer, the Robesonia location closed as it prepared to move to a larger space on the other side of town. A “Coming Soon” sign has been outside ever since as we continue to wait for Castaneda’s return.

Belly Kitchen & Drinkery
Reading

Belly Kitchen & Drinkery opened inside the Goggleworks to much fanfare in July 2018. Earlier this year, the restaurant partners announced they were leaving downtown to partner with the Barley Mow Craft Beer House in West Reading, which had previously operated without a kitchen. Belly officially closed at the end of October, but the Goggleworks will have a new bar and restaurant soon when the Den by Sly Fox opens in December.

Francesca’s Pizzeria & Restaurant
Reading

Francesca’s was the successor to Arner’s, the longtime area diner along Howard Boulevard in east Reading. The Italian restaurant operated from 2016 until this fall. Plaza Azteca, the Mexican restaurant chain, is set to open its second Berks County location in the space. 

Sofrito Gastro Pub
Reading

Of all the closings, this may be the one that stings the most. Sofrito Gastro Pub was a neighborhood gem on the edge of the Centre Park Historic District in Reading. Sofrito shined bright, even opening a second location in Mohnton that operated for a short time. Now both locations are closed.

Hay Creek Snack Shack
Birdsboro

The Hay Creek Snack Shack closed in early October as a restaurant. The owners made the announcement on Facebook, citing a desire to concentrate on catering. They also offered baked goods around the holidays. In the announcement, the possibility of reopening as a restaurant was left open, but for now, the Snack Shack is closed.

Dryville Hotel
Dryville

The Dryville Hotel, located just a few miles south of Lyons in the village of Dryville, closed in November. The former owners, who operated the hotel for the past seven years, sold the location and their liquor licenese to the owners of the Liberty Taproom and Liberty Ale House. The Liberty at Dryville is expected to open at the spot sometime in early 2020.

Bistro 614
West Reading

After 15 years in business, West Reading’s Bistro 614 closed in early December. The fine dining restaurant suffered a devastating fire in 2014, reopening in 2015. Less than five years later, the restaurant is now closed. There is no word on what will happen to the location.

Talarico’s Sandwich Shop
Boyertown

One of Berks County’s longest running restaurants, Talarico’s Sandwich Shop closed after 68 years of business. The Boyertown landmark announced the closing with a letter on the door thanking its customers, family and friends.

Know of a restaurant that has recently closed? Send us an email at berkscountyeats@gmail.com.

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Instagram has become my social media site of choice. There is nothing better than scrolling through beautiful photos and videos – especially of food. Many of my favorite #BerksCounty eateries are doing Instagram right. Here’s just a few of my favorite feeds right now:

Benchwarmers Coffee | @benchwarmerscoffee

When I’m scrolling through Instagram, nothing makes me hungrier than a photo of donuts and the simple caption, “feed break.” @benchwarmerscoffee

Four Twelve | @FourTwelveCo

Four Twelve specializes in three things: coffee, waffles and posting pictures of coffee and waffles. Actually, Four Twelve does everything well, including Instagram.

G.N.A. Ristorante | @g.n.a.ristorante

If you follow G.N.A., don’t be surprised if you see four posts in one day and then don’t see anything from them for three weeks. They may not be the most consistent when it comes to posting on IG, but everything they post looks outstanding.

Heritage Restaurant | @morgantownheritage

Whoever is behind the Instagram account at the Heritage Restaurant in Morgantown just knows how to take food pictures (and it helps to have a great chef who not only knows how to cook, but how to plate).

Mom Chaffe’s Cellarette | @momchaffescellarette

Mom Chaffe’s is about as old school a restaurant as you will find anywhere. They don’t have a website. They don’t have a Facebook page. But last February they started an Instagram account, and it is easily one of the best restaurant accounts to follow. The dishes are works of art and the captions straddle the line between witty and corny.

Morgantown Coffee House | @m_coffeehouse

Morgantown Coffee House’s Instagram account, like their food, is all about quality over quantity. The food is always beautifully plated and makes you hungry, which is exactly what it should do.

Pop’s Malt Shoppe | @popsmaltshoppe

There’s just something whimsicle about Pop’s Malt Shoppe, and it plays really well on Instagram, especially when customers and staff dress in their leather jackets and poodle skirts.

Savory Grille | @savorygrillepa

Food is a multi-sensory experience. What a dish looks like is almost as important as how it tastes. Savory Grille creates works of art on every plate. 

Say Cheese | @saycheeserestaurant

Say Cheese makes some incredible food, but it’s rarely seen on the restaurant’s Instagram account. Instead, Say Cheese’s IG account is filled pictures of cheese. Beautiful blocks of cheese. I never knew that I needed pictures of aged cheddar and Sriracha Gouda in my feed, but I do.

Have a favorite #BerksCounty Instagram feed? Tell us in the comments below or email us at berkscountyeats@gmail.com.

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It’s hard to believe, but Berks County Eats is almost six years old. What began as a college project turned into a real website in January 2014 when we reviewed the TomCat Cafe. That kicked off the weekly reviews – 280 and counting.

For the first five-and-a-half years, BerksCountyEats.com remained relatively unchanged. We had a simple blogroll where all the new posts showed up on the homepage, in order.

That’s all it had to be, at first. If I’m being honest, Berks County Eats outgrew that design a couple years ago, but I was too lazy to redesign the site. Building and maintaining websites has been a big part of my day job for years so rebuilding my own site after work was the last thing I wanted to do.

I finally resolved to make the change this summer and on Labor Day weekend, I launched the new BerksCountyEats.com. Since then, I’ve been working to fine-tune it into the website of my dreams – or as close to it as I can manage. I’m proud of the end result, which has taken Berks County Eats and turned it from a blog into a real resource.

Blog Archive

This was the most necessary addition: an organized repository of all blog posts. You can find previous reviews based on cuisine (Italian, Latin American) or by restaurant type (Drive-Ins, Finer Dining). There is also a search bar that makes it easy to find a review by keyword or restaurant name. Visit the Blog Archive

Restaurant Directory

I have dreamed for years of creating a directory of Berks County restaurants. Before launching the new website, it existed only as a very rough Excel spreadsheet where I would add checkboxes next to the restaurants I had visited. Now, it’s an integral part of BerksCountyEats.com.

With the goal of being the ultimate dining resource for Berks County, I have loaded in more than 530 restaurants into the directory. This is only the locally owned, non-national chains (sorry McDonald’s and Red Lobster). I have done my best to add filters based on cuisine and/or restaurant type while also breaking the county down into regions for easier navigation.

The directory is not meant to be an endorsement of any restaurant, but it’s a good place to start. Every listing is linked to the restaurant’s website and social media, when available, and includes their address and phone number. For restaurants we have visited, it also includes our ratings for the food, service and ambiance, as well as photos taken during our visit.

The goal is to keep the information as up-to-date and accurate as possible, but to do that, I’m going to need help from the Berks County Eats community. First, I know there are restaurants out there that are missing (and probably a few listed that have closed). So please, let us know of any restaurants that need to be added or removed.

Going forward, if a new restaurant opens near you – or you know one is on the way – let me know. If a place closes, shoot me an email or send me a message on Facebook. If I don’t see/know about it, I can’t update it. And while I try to be on top of all the news, not everything finds its way into my news feed. Visit the Directory

Restaurant News

Early in the life of Berks County Eats, I was putting out weekly Food News posts that covered openings, closings and any other news items that I felt warranted mention. I had to stop that several years ago because a) Facebook changed its algorithm and the news wasn’t showing up in my feed anymore and b) it was clogging up an already crowded feed on the BerksCountyEats.com homepage.

As I was building out the new site, I realized that I needed to streamline things so I created a news page with links to three new pages: Now Open, Coming Soon and Recently Closed restaurants. These pages are updated as often as needed and include all of the restaurants I have information on.

While I will continue to share updates on Facebook whenever possible, this is the place to find all the latest news. Again, if you hear about an opening or closing, drop us a line so we can keep these pages as robust and accurate as possible. Visit the Food News Page

Calendar of Events

This was also something that was very important to me as I started rebuilding the site. Berks County is rich, not only in its diversity of restaurants, but in its diverse events. Since starting Berks County Eats, I have been to countless festivals and events from Womelsdorf in the west to Boyertown in the east and all points in between. With the calendar, we can now put a stronger focus on these events and promote them as they get closer.

At this point, I’ve only added major events – food truck fairs, apple festivals, Oktoberfest, etc. That could evolve moving forward – it all depends on what you want to know about moving forward. Do we stick to fairs and festivals? Do they need to be food-themed or just have good food (those Oley Fair French fries…)? If a restaurant is hosting an event, should that be included? If so, what constitutes an event worthy of posting?

This is one section of the site that will continue to evolve. View Calendar of Events

No, I’m Still Not Getting Paid for Reviews

Reviews are not for sale. Everything I write is an honest assessment about the restaurants I’m visiting. I do my best to accentuate the positives, not because restaurants are paying me, but because the rest of the world is writing 1-star reviews on Yelp.

That said, advertisements may become a bigger part of the site moving forward. If you saw ads on the old version of the site, they were placed by WordPress.com. I recently upgraded my hosting plan, which removes the ads but also costs me more money (did I mention I’m not getting paid for reviews?).

I am going to be actively seeking advertisers for the website. That may include restaurants, but I’m hoping the wider Berks County business community sees the value in a website that is hyper-targeted to their customers.

When it comes to future advertisements, I will make two promises: First, the ads will not be obnoxiously placed in the middle of articles (that’s just rude). Second, reviews are still not for sale.

In Other News…

The last year has been a professional challenge, but a personal blessing. In August 2018, I made a career decision that, in hindsight, I shouldn’t have. I was very stressed and it took a toll on me in many ways. Remember Food Blogger vs. Fat? I lost 30 pounds in 2017 and have regained 20 since then – mostly stress-eating my way through work.

In May of this year, I switched jobs again, this time for the better. I’m closer to home, working better hours and feel like I am back in a good place. I’m also restarting my diet to get my blood pressure back under control; I’m just not going to be posting about it every single week (if at all). And it’s not going to affect my reviews – heck, I’ve been celebrating National Pizza Month every week in October. I’m just making better decisions in the 20 meals a week that I’m not blogging about.

On a personal note, parenthood is amazing. My son turns two years old in November and watching him grow has been the most rewarding experience of my life. He is a true blessing to Julie and I, and I am ever thankful to be able to call him my son.

The reason I have been able to re-devote my time to Berks County Eats is because I am in such a good place right now, personally and professionally. I am so happy to sit down at the keyboard every week and write about food. I love doing this, and I love sharing this adventure with all of you.

I hope you enjoy the changes – upgrades, I believe – to Berks County Eats. And I’m not done yet. I am hoping to have another exciting announcement for you before the end of the year.

Until then, there’s only one question left: where should I eat next?

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Last week, I was a little bummed to hear about the closing of Brocmar Smokehouse in West Reading. I’m glad that the Shillington Farmers Market stand is still going strong, but I liked having one of my favorites within walking distance, even if I couldn’t get there as often as I would have liked.

It also got me thinking about the other restaurants we have lost in the nearly six years of Berks County Eats. Some of them – if we are being honest – were not big losses. But there were many that we were really sad to see go. Here are five places we reviewed and wish we could still visit today:

Heirloom
Closed December 2016

After one visit in January 2015, Heirloom became my favorite restaurant in Berks County. The fine dining establishment was located along the Montco border in Hereford Township and used locally sourced ingredients to create its memorable meals. On our first visit, I had two of my favorite dishes that I’ve tried – the red quinoa salad (which I described as “Hands down…the best salad I have ever eaten.”) and the bison steak. Read Review

A year later, Julie and I returned to celebrate her birthday and were just as blown away with our meals. Unfortunately 2016 was the last year for the restaurant which closed just before ringing in the new year on December 31.

Muddy’s BBQ
Closed November 2017

When Muddy’s arrived on the scene in Berks County, it was a revelation. The original trailer along Pricetown Road showed Berks County what real barbecue is (no offense, Schell’s, I still love your hamburger BBQ!). We loved all of the smoked meats at Muddy’s – ribs, pulled pork, brisket, sausage – along with their incredible sides like the Yukon gold mashed potatoes and baked beans loaded with brisket. Read Review

Zoning issues forced a move to Oley but that location ultimately closed in November 2017 with health issues being cited as the reason. At its peak, Muddy’s also had a second location in Robesonia (and a brief stint serving ‘cue at the All American Sports Pub at Colonial Berks Lanes).

Risser’s Family Restaurant
Closed September 2014

The loss of Risser’s Family Restaurant in Stouchsburg was the most personal loss for me. Growing up in western Berks County, Risser’s was a tradition. At one point we were visiting almost every Friday night. At that point I was hooked on their roast beef and roast turkey dinners (with their delicious potato filling). Later, I came to appreciate Pennsylvania Dutch meals like schnitz und knepp (apples and dumplings with ham). I also grew to love the robust soup and salad bar – though I always loved the soft-serve ice cream at the end of the meal. Read Review

Risser’s closed shortly after the passing of owner/founder Ernie Risser in 2014. Two restaurants followed – Blue Star Family Restaurant and Rocky Family Restaurant – with neither lasting for very long, and the future of the restaurant and its vintage dining car are now in question.

Rocco’s Wood-Fired Pizza
Closed Spring 2017

A short time after Nonno Alby’s brought artisan pizza to West Reading, Rocco’s Wood-Fired Pizza opened to less fanfare in a Sinking Spring strip mall. When my friend Josh and I visited, we had two great pies, but it was the “Bee Sting” that stood out. It was topped with hot soppressata, San Marzano tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, raw honey and red pepper oil. I can still taste the sweet-hot slices and wish I could recreate it. Read Review

Unfortunately Rocco’s did not enjoy the same success that Nonno Alby’s has had. The restaurant closed about a year after it opened in the spring of 2017. At the time, they had announced plans for a food truck to debut in 2018 but nothing ever came of it.

Billy Burger & Bakery
Closed February 2019

Billy Burger was a pleasant surprise when we visited in 2017. The burgers were fantastic and so were the baked goods waiting at the end of the meal. I loved my “Ranch Burger” that came topped with a roasted poblano pepper and buttermilk peppercorn ranch dressing. The strawberry shortcake was awesome, too. I had taken advantage of their drive-through take-out service a couple times afterward. Read Review

On my last visit in January 2019, everything I tried to order was “sold out.” It was an omen because just over a week later the restaurant announced they were going to be making changes. Those changes never happened, and instead the restaurant closed in February 2019.

Other Notable Restaurants

CC’s Wooden Grill – CC’s was Kutztown’s hidden gem and home to my favorite ribs in Berks County until it closed in the summer of 2014. Read Review

Good Eatz Green Cafe – A place that was ahead of its time with clean-eating options heavy on vegan and vegetarian meals, Good Eatz changed locations a couple times before closing 2015. Read Review

ViVA Bistro & Lounge – When ViVA was good, it was really good. The Wyomissing restaurant was one of the first finer dining options in the area and still popular before it closed at the end of 2018. Read Review

Virginville Hotel – We only visited the northern Berks landmark once, but it was a good meal, and it’s always sad to see a historic country inn close its doors as the Virginville Hotel did in 2017. Read Review

The Outside In – At one time, the Outside In was the place to go before Reading Royals games, but as competition in downtown Reading grew, the Outside In declined, closing in summer 2018. Read Review

Lavigna & Sons – Lavigna & Sons was the sandwich shop I didn’t know Berks County needed until I tried it for the first time in 2015. It remained popular until the owners sold the property to make room for a hardware store in 2018. Read Review

A&M Pizza and Grill – Another childhood favorite of mine, I was so excited when A&M announced it was reopening its Wernersville location. Unfortunately the revival didn’t last long, closing in 2018 after about a year. A&M’s Lebanon County locations are still going strong. Read Review

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A new year is upon us, but Berks County Eats is taking one more look back at 2018, paying tribute to 17 restaurants that Berks County lost in 2018.

Note: This is not a complete list. If you have other restaurants that closed that you are sorry (or glad) to see go, let us know in the comments below.

A&M Pizza & Grill

There were high hopes across the board when A&M Pizza returned to its former location in Wernersville. Unfortunately, those hopes were dashed less than a year after the Lebanon County-based restaurant made its return, with the lights going dark in late fall, the latest in a series of short-lived restaurants that have come and gone in that location in the past decade.

Relish

Named for the gourmet hot dogs that it served at lunchtime, Relish lasted for a year along Penn Avenue in West Reading before closing in 2018. The breakfast and lunch spot also served specialty coffees and baked goods. (Note, don’t confuse this for Relish the Deli-sh in Wyomissing, the local deli that’s still going strong).

The Green Bean Cafe and The Meat-Up Delicatessin

It’s rare that the same restaurant closes twice in the same year, but that’s what happened with the Green Bean Cafe and The Meat-Up Delicatessin in Wyomissing. Originally opened in 2017 as an all-organic cafe, the Green Bean closed less than a year later when ownership transformed it into a New York deli. The new concept didn’t last long either. In the fall, Park Road Cafe opened in the location.

Bar-B-Q Delight

Bar-B-Q Delight took over the former Aashiyana Indian Cuisine on South Sixth Street in Reading early in 2018, but the restaurant unfortunately didn’t last through its first year.

Blue Star Family Restaurant

After the iconic Risser’s Family Restaurant closed in 2015, the Blue Star stepped in and was popular from the start. Unfortunately, things went downhill and the number of cars in the parking lot along Route 422 in Stouchsburg got smaller and smaller. The restaurant changed hands in 2018 with the new owners operating it as Blue Star for a short time before creating a new start under the name Rocky Family Restaurant.

Hamburg Diner

One of the longest-running restaurants to close in 2018, the Hamburg Diner had been serving customers in dowtown Hamburg for more than 50 years before closing in May.

The Outside In

A long-time favorite in downtown Reading, the Outside In closed its doors in August 2018 after 20 years in business. The restaurant served breakfast and lunch daily while also opening for dinner before hockey games and concerts at Santander Arena.

Dino’s Wings & Things – Birdsboro

The bad news: Dino’s Wings & Things’ second attempt to open a second location in Birdsboro didn’t work out with the location closing in the spring. The good news: Dino’s opened another location in Leesport shortly afterward and the flagship Temple location is still going strong.

Kathryn’s Grille

The short-lived Kathryn’s Grille opened in Amity Township in 2017 before closing in early 2018. The restaurant took the place of the former OVO BYOB. A new restaurant, Oliviero’s Pizzeria opened in the location in the summer.

Tiger Lily Cafe

Robesonia’s Tiger Lily Cafe was one of the first restaurants we lost in 2018, closing on January 6. A new restaurant called Whoo’s Cooking took over the space in 2018, moving from Wernersville.

Gourmand Cafe at the Fairgrounds Farmers Market

Gourmand is a brand born in Berks County that has enjoyed tremendous success and growth in the last five years. Unfortunately it has not come without growing pains. As the food truck start-up has expanded to brick-and-mortar locations, it has struggled to find the right balance, closing its stand at the Fairgrounds Farmers Market earlier this year in favor of a new location on Court Street in downtown Reading. (The food truck and the Wyomissing cafe also have continued to thrive).

Abe’s by Chef Alan

The conversion from hotel to apartments wasn’t the only change at the former Abraham Lincoln in downtown Reading. The building also lost its on-site restaurant, Abe’s by Chef Alan, in January.

Sofrito – Mohnton

This was one of the more interesting stories of 2018. In October, it was announced that Sofrito Gastro Pub – one of Reading’s most popular restaurants – was closing until further notice. Two months later, the Reading location is back serving the community as it always has while the Mohnton location – which was added in 2016 – is now closed. While we are sad that the expansion didn’t work out, we’re glad that the Reading location is the one that will go on and bear the flag for Sofrito moving forward.

Go Fish

In March, a fire destroyed the Go Fish seafood and sushi restaurant in West Reading. The business continued to operate its stand at the Fairgrounds Farmers Market. The West Reading location will not reopen, but they did open a cafe inside Body Zone in Spring Township and in October announced on Facebook they were renovating a building in Sinking Spring borough.

Lavigna & Sons

The Philadelphia-style hoagie shop Lavigna & Sons in Sinking Spring closed in July after the building and neighboring lawn and garden store were sold. The site is being redeveloped as an Ace Hardware.

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A new year is upon us, but Berks County Eats is taking one more look back at 2017, paying tribute to 17 restaurants that Berks County lost in 2017.

Note: This is not a complete list. If you have other restaurants that closed that you are sorry (or glad) to see go, let us know in the comments below.

Joey Peeps

Joey Peeps was located inside the T&C Gas Market at the corner of Route 183 and West Leesport Road. With the demolition of the market to make way for a Wawa, Joey Peeps was forced to close.

Basil by Chef Gianluca

Basil by Chef Gianluca closed in early 2017. We visited in 2015 and were very impressed. The space didn’t stay empty for long, though as Cosa Pizzeria and Restaurant opened in the space just a few months later.

Rocco’s Wood-Fired Pizza

Of all the restaurants that closed in 2017, this one was the most disappointing. We tried Rocco’s shortly after it opened in 2016 and fell in love with the pizza (the bee sting, featuring raw honey and crushed red pepper was inventive and delicious).

Virginville Hotel

While Rocco’s was disappointing, the Virginville Hotel was just sad. A Reading Eagle interview with the owners cited a slowdown in business, but more than anything, a lack of available help in the northern Berks community as the reason for the closing. On our 2015 visit, we had enjoyed their mix of traditional and creative dishes.

East Wok

East Wok was located in Berkshire Square, the Wyomissing shopping center that is home to Wal-Mart, Redner’s, LA Fitness and more. We never ate at East Wok, but we did visit Nirvana Indian Bistro, the restaurant that opened in its place in May.

Gourmand Cafe at Body Zone

Gourmand closed its Body Zone location in early 2017, but the news isn’t all bad. You can still get all of your favorites from the mobile food truck, at the Fairgrounds Farmers Market or at the Wyomissing cafe. The latter is now open for dinner three nights a week.

Ronie’s Home of the Steak

Ronie’s was a Reading institution that I unfortunately never was able to visit. Ronie’s was one of those “Old Reading” favorites, neighborhood restaurants that are slowly fading away.

Back Forty Bar & Gril

Back Forty Bar & Grill was a standout restaurant in western Berks County, offering inspired and unique dishes that weren’t seen on other area menus. We visited in early 2016, and while the service was a little questionable (my chicken and pasta came out separately several minutes apart), the food was on-point.

Muddy’s Smokehouse BBQ

This is another former favorite of mine that I was sad to see go in 2017. Health was cited as a the reason for closing the Oley restaurant this fall, but truth be told, Muddy’s was just not the same after closing the original trailer along Route 12.

Speedy Sandwich Shop

This one was a bit of a surprise. Speedy didn’t really have much of an online presence, so there was never an outside indication that it was going to close, but that’s what the sign on the door says.

The Cafe at Maple Springs

We visited the Cafe at Maple Springs in 2015. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t great. The biggest disappointment wasn’t the food, itself, but the fact that the cafe advertised a weekend dinner menu, but in reality, there was none. The stripmall storefront is now the second location for Dino’s Wings and Things, the second time Dino’s has opened in the same place.

Rocky’s Pizza

The Blandon restaurant got new owners and a new name – Hometown Pizza – in 2017. Rocky’s had mixed reviews during its run. As for Hometown, we visited in October and we liked it well enough, but it’s definitely a spot for take-out, not a place for a sit-down meal.

Fields Kitchen by ViVA

Fields Kitchen by ViVA, formerly known as ViVA Good Life Bar and Lounge, closed as a result of the Reading Country Club debacle (ViVA also ended its catering operation at Green Valley Country Club for the same reason). At the same time, the rebranding of the restaurant was a sign that things were not going well as ViVA had gone downhill since our visit in 2014 – a look through Yelp Reviews tells that story very plainly. But if you want to know what it was like at its best, read our review.

ViVA Castle Pub

This is one restaurant I am not sorry to see go. We spent our Valentine’s Day evening at the Pub. It was a long night with mediocre food that took way too long. ViVA was managing the restaurant until November when a legal dispute arose between the company and Exeter Township, who owns the Reading Country Club.

OVO Bistro

I never had a chance to eat at the restaurant in Amity Township before it closed, but I wish I had. The reviews were great, and it seemed like a great place. We visited the restaurant that replaced it, Kathryn’s Grille, in November. It has potential, but it’s not there yet.

Panevino

Panevino was one of the first restaurants that I visited as part of the blog so it holds a special place to me. I even returned for a second review in 2016. The restaurant continues – sort of – as a special event venue. It also still hosts dinners on select dates throughout the year, but it’s no longer open for daily dinner services.

Reggie’s Place

Downtown Reading saw a change in 2017 as Reggie’s Place, the cafe in the M&T Bank Building, closed in June. But the restaurant was quickly replaced by Rooster’s Deli and Bakery, which opened in August.

The Reading Eagle released its annual Reader’s Choice Award results on September 17. The people got a lot of things right, came close on a few more, and had a few whiffs. Here’s my take on this year’s winners:

The People Got It Right

Best Burger: Billy Burger & Bakery

There are a lot of supporters for Frank & Diannah’s Arbor Inn – I’m one of them. On burger night, I agree. The rest of week, give me Billy Burger & Bakery in Morgantown.

Best Chinese: Mikura Asian Cuisine & Sushi Bar

I could make a case for Zhuang’s Garden or China Penn, but Mikura is excellent so I’m not going to argue this one.

Best Diner: Exeter Family Restaurant

It’s close between Exeter and Wyomissing Restaurant & Bakery but Exeter gets the nod for two reasons: a larger menu and 24-hour service. Also, Wyomissing won Best Family Restaurant so both get credit in the end.

Best Italian: Mom Chaffe’s Cellarette

It’s the oldest Italian restaurant in Berks County and it’s still the best.

Best Lunch: Crave Cafe

The only other place that comes close for me is Cafe Sweet Street. Sweet Street has the edge on flavor. Crave has the edge on ambiance, location and healthful options.

Best Outdoor Dining: Jimmy G’s Beverly Hills Tavern

It’s the best beach in Berks County.

Best Pizza: Nonno Alby’s

Rocco’s was better, but it closed earlier in the year. That puts Nonno Alby’s back on top until someone can knock them off.

Best Seafood Market: Adelphia
Best Seafood Restaurant: Coastal Grille
Best Sushi: Mikura Asian Cuisine & Sushi Bar

I don’t eat seafood so I’m going to assume the people got it right.

Good Choice, but Not Mine

Best BBQ: Mission BBQ

I like love Mission BBQ. It’s a great concept with great food. I’ve purchased two commemorative cups – one supporting local first responders and one for the USO. But I don’t think that it is the best in Berks. I would probably still give my vote to Muddy’s, though both of Hamburg’s offerings (Backwoods Brothers and Smokin’ Brays) are excellent, too.

Best Breakfast: Wyomissing Restaurant & Bakery

If you’re looking for a traditional breakfast or a good buffet, Wyomissing is the winner. I like it, but I love creativity. For me, Tom Cat Cafe in Sinking Spring or Letterman’s Diner in Kutztown rank higher.

Best Mexican: Plaza Azteca

Julie will tell you that her favorite item on any Mexican restaurant menu is the enchilladas rancheros from Plaza Azteca. I like it, but not as much as I like La Abuela or Alebrije.

Best Sports Bar: P.J. Whelihan’s

The wings are fine. The fries are the kid brother of Chickie’s and Pete’s Crabfries. But P.J Whelihan’s does have lots of sports. The Pike Cafe was the runner-up, and it would have made a better winner.

Best Subs & Sandwiches: Screpesi’s Sandwich Shop

I still need to get to Screpesi’s. Not having been there yet, I can’t argue it. (update, I went to Screpesi’s in 2019. Really good stuff). I do love Lavigna & Sons though.

Best Wings: The Pike Cafe

Close, but Dino’s Wings & Things still gets my nod. Too many great flavors to choose from.

What Were You Thinking?

Best Fine Dining: Austin’s

Austin’s is amazing. Their Texas tenders and shoestring fries are a guilty pleasure of mine. But any menu that includes chicken tenders and shoestring fries shouldn’t be considered fine dining. Dans at Green Hills deserved this one.

Best Ice Cream: Way-Har Farms

I’m not arguing that Way-Har Farms has good ice cream, but it’s not the best. I’m also admittedly biased toward Lori’s Candy Station.

Best College: Alvernia University

Go KU! #ItsGoodToBeGolden

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