State Hill Craft opened in 2023 in the former Tino’s/Santino’s along State Hill Road. It’s always been an awkward location with limited parking. That was partially solved when the restaurant purchased the adjoining property and expanded with a new patio and larger parking lot. Even so, we still found a full parking lot when we arrived for dinner on a Friday night in December.
We had reservations, so we weren’t worried, but it turned out the crowd was for a private party on the patio and there were plenty of tables for us in the main dining room.
We were seated at a table for two at one end of a large oval-shaped banquette. Julie sat on the blue leather booth side while I took the chair. Behind me were two tables against a wall with two mirrors. More black tables with blue chairs lined the front wall.
Our first trip to State Hill came in November 2023. I wasn’t writing reviews at the time, but we were incredibly impressed with our meals that night.
I had the umami bomb pasta – a mushroom-infused pasta dish with miso cashew cream while Julie had the coho salmon. It was absolutely excellent, and while the gray-tint of the pasta didn’t make it the most appealing visually, the earthiness of the mushrooms combined with the nutty sweetness of the miso cashew was so good.
But by the time I got back to writing reviews, they had already swapped out their seasonal menu and the pasta was gone.
The menu has morphed many times since our visit, and the latest iteration came out in November. It’s a mix of large and small plates with a few sandwiches and burger options. There’s nothing quite as adventurous as the umami bomb, but even familiar items had a little bit of a unique twist to them.
For example, my billionaire smash. The traditional smashburger got an upscale makeover with wagyu beef, truffle aioli, bacon onion jam, smoked cheddar, lettuce, and tomato.
As much as I love a good aioli, it was the bacon jam that made this a great burger. The salty-sweet combination is just a great addition. I had just a few bites where I didn’t get enough of the jam, but others where it really shone through.
The fries were also delicious. It didn’t list it on the menu, but I’m guessing it was garlic, parmesan and herbs. They were addictive, and I just had to finish them, even after I was full.
Julie ended up taking some of her meal home. She had the wagyu meatloaf which came with an applejack demi glace, garlic mashed potatoes, asparagus and crispy shallots.
Like my burger, the wagyu beef had a deeper flavor than regular ground beef to start. But the applejack demi-glace, with its sweetness and little bit of bite to it, was excellent. It made it feel like something more than meatloaf.
Part of the reason that she took half of it home was that we started with an order of birria bao buns.
The fluffy buns were filled with birria-style short rib, red onion, cilantro, and mozzarella. On the side was birria consomme. We found the consomme to be more like a spicy chili rather than a traditional broth, but I really enjoyed it. The bao soaked it up well and we each finished off one-and-a-half of them before our entrees arrived.
Overall, it was a great meal for a great date night.
In addition to the food, Julie had a strawberry “no-jito” mocktail that she really liked, and I had my unsweetened iced tea. We spent $65 after using a $10 off coupon. Even at full price, it felt reasonable for the quality of the food.
State Hill Craft impressed on our first visit and our latest visit, and we are looking forward to more impressive meals to come.
BCE Rating Food: Very Good Service: Very Good Ambiance: Excellent
State Hill Craft Cocktails & Kitchen 1 Wellington Blvd Wyomissing, PA 19610
The restaurant was among our first reviews and has remained a favorite, even as our meals have transitioned from date nights to family dinners.
We visit Austin’s a few times a year, most times in the dining room, sometimes to pick up takeout. It’s a convenient stop for us being just a short drive from our home in Wyomissing Hills.
And the food and service are always very good.
That was again the case on our most recent visit.
We were seated at one of their booths – Julie, Jakob and I sat in the cushioned seats while Lukas sat in his high chair.
Not long after we were greeted by our server, a loaf of their famous honey wheat bread arrived on the table. While it is no longer complementary, we get it every time. The sweet bread with the honey-infused butter is the perfect start to any meal. And even as a family of four, there’s enough to take a few slices home for later.
I go back-and-forth between pasta dishes and barbecue on our visits. My favorite pasta dish is the chicken bruschetta pasta, which features tomatoes, bread crumbs and a balsamic drizzle. It’s delicious, but I can never finish a full order.
But that’s usually the case no matter what I order because the portion sizes are so large. But knowing that leftovers are coming home no matter what also makes it easier for me to order some of my favorites.
That’s why I got the chicken and ribs combo on this visit.
While Austin’s is not a typical barbecue joint, I absolutely love their ribs. The meat falls off the bone, and the half-rack is slathered in a deliciously sweet sauce.
I could just order a half-rack or full-rack of ribs, but I also love the Texas tenders. These fried delights have a breading unlike any other around. Each piece is so light and crunchy, and they are perfect for dipping.
Austin’s also has some excellent sides, both familiar and unique – some a combination of both. Their fries fit that description as they are some of the smallest cuts I’ve found. They eat almost like potato sticks rather than fries, but they are delicious. I tried to be “healthy” with my second side by ordering fruit in the form of cinnamon glazed apples. Of course the apples are served in a sugary, cinnamon sauce that takes away any of the nutritional value, but they’re oh so good.
Julie made a much more senisble decision by ordering salmon for her entree. It’s one of her go-tos at Austin’s. The fish came out with grill marks that made a beautiful criss-cross pattern across the perfectly cooked fish. It comes topped with a honey glaze for an extra bit of flavor that takes it from good to great.
For her sides, Julie chose fries (she, too, cannot resist) and a side Caesar. Of course because Austin’s portions are so large, the side Caesar is almost large enough for a meal. The salad comes topped with toasted homemade breadcrumbs, a light dressing, and freshly grated Paremsan cheese. It’s a small upcharge for a Caesar, but worth it.
If you find us at Austin’s, it will most likely be on a Sunday night. That’s because kids eat free every Sunday at Austin’s and its sister restaurant, Coastal Grille.
But it’s not just that we love the free meals, it’s that the kids love the food, too. On this visit, he had a cheeseburger with a cup of baked beans.
The cheeseburger is large enough that I could probably eat it for a main dish and feel satisfied, but Jakob still managed to eat the whole thing.
He didn’t particularly care for his baked beans, but I really like them. They are saucier than you’ll find at other places, a sweet barbecue-style sauce, and the beans are smaller so they’re a little different. The good news was that the burger, and a few of Julie’s fries, were more than enough for him.
For Lukas, we ordered mac and cheese. Of course, Austin’s doesn’t actually use macaroni and instead uses penne for their version of the dish. And the crock comes filled with them.
The cheese sauce tends to the settle to the bottom, but once mixed, the kids both enjoy it.
With the kids’ meals being free, we saved between $15-$20 on our visit. Our final total for the evening coming in around $60. When you also factor in that my Texas tenders came home for lunch the next day, we felt like we got our money’s worth and then some.
From the food to the portions to the family-friendly Sunday nights, there are plenty of reasons why Austin’s has been, and continues to be, one of our favorites.
BCE Rating Food: Very Good Service: Excellent Ambiance: Very Good Price: $$
Austin’s Restaurant and Bar 1101 Snyder Rd West Lawn, PA 19609
The dining room is dimly lit. Small lamps at each table mimic the glow of candlelight. The dark brick walls, only partially lit by interspersed overhead lights, stand in stark contrast to the brightness of the kitchen, which sits in full view of customers through large glass windows.
A team of waiters and waitresses buzz by, their black clothing blending into their dark surroundings.
There is something romantic about the low lighting at Austin’s Restaurant and Bar. Though there are plenty of families there on any given night, it still feels like the perfect date night restaurant.
Austin’s is part of a small chain of restaurants in southeastern Pennsylvania and Delaware. The other three – located in Lancaster, Langhorne and Christiana, DE – operate under the J.B. Dawson’s banner.
The menus among the four restaurants are nearly identical. Burgers and sandwiches are popular, but so too are the surprisingly good barbecue selections like baby back ribs and pulled pork. Fresh seafood and pasta dishes, flatbread pizza and six different cuts of steak round out a menu that is so much more than bar food.
No meal at Austin’s is complete without a loaf of their signature honey wheat bread. Though no longer complimentary, the bread is well-worth the nominal charge.
The loaves are fresh-baked, served warm with a dab of honey butter. You can taste the honey, but it’s a subtle sweetness, not overpowering to the bread as a whole. I never would leave a slice of bread at the table at Austin’s like I would at most restaurants.
For your main course, it is hard to go wrong with any of Austin’s options. I enjoy the baby back ribs (all-you-can-eat every Monday night) and pulled pork, though they don’t reach the heights of some other barbecue joints.
Another go-to of mine (and on this occasion, my wife) is the Texas Tenders. The breading is different from any other fried chicken I have tried. It’s very thin, giving the dish a light and airy feel (which is the exact opposite from most fried chicken dishes) while still providing a nice crunch. The tenders blend perfectly with the house barbecue and honey mustard sauces.
Of course if you order chicken tenders, fries have to be the default side. Austin’s French fries are sliced exceptionally thin, which gives them a unique look and feel compared to other local restaurants.
Austin’s menu also includes a handful of pasta options. On our last visit, I ordered the Chicken Florentine Pasta: grilled chicken and penne in a spinach cream sauce, topped with diced tomatoes. The tomatoes were marinated in a balsamic vinegar, which blended well, never overpowering the richness of the cream.
The food was more than enough for two whole meals, so we packed up half of our meals to save room for dessert. We were not disappointed.
We opted for the banana cream delight. Essentially a deconstructed pie, it featured whole sliced bananas, graham cracker crumbs and banana custard topped with whipped cream and drizzled with caramel sauce. The graham cracker helped temper the sweetness of the other ingredients, adding a flavorful crunch that put this on par with a really good banana cream pie.
The ambiance of Austin’s may feel like fine dining, but the prices are much more reasonable. Our dinner for two, complete with dessert was under $40. There is always a long wait during the dinner rush, especially on weekends, but you can always grab a few drinks at the bar to pass the time or plan your trip for off-peak hours.
BCE Rating Food: Very Good Service: Very Good Ambiance: Very Good Price: Reasonable
It has felt weird for the last year to walk through West Reading and not see Say Cheese on the corner of Sixth and Penn Avenues. Before its closure last June, the restaurant had been a West Reading staple for 13 years.
But thankfully, the space is alive again with the arrival of Midtown Sip, Savor, Social; an upscale dining spot from the team behind another West Reading staple, Nonno Alby’s.
We made our first visit about a month after the restaurant opened. So much of the space feels new, and it’s not just that it recently opened. There was clearly an intentional redesign. You first feel the difference outside where the removal of the awning over the front entrance has revealed beautiful green, red and blue plate glass that stands out against the brick facade.
Inside, the dining room is elegant but cool. One of the most notable elements is the large crystal ball that hangs in the back room, but small touches include the white and gray tabletops with bronze lamps.
Our server, Joe, was extremely attentive, first arriving quickly after we were seating and checking in on us often throughout the meal.
The first thing to be delivered to the table was Julie’s drink, a blueberry lavendar lemonade that she really enjoyed.
That was followed by a loaf of Italian bread which came with a small plate of garlic butter. The infused butter was strong on the garlic, but I love garlic so I really enjoyed it. Julie liked it, too. We ended up finishing most of the loaf, leaving just a couple slices at the end.
Both of our entrees came with salads. Julie opted for a standard house salad while I went with the small upgrade to a Caesar. Both were good with plenty of fresh lettuce and toppings. I liked that the dressing on mine was lighter and not as dense as some Caesar dressings.
For our entrees, we both went toward the lighter side of the menu. I had contemplated the Midtown burger – the combination of Cooper sharp, crispy onion, lettuce, mushrooms, caramelized shallots, and truffle aioli on a pretzel bun almost sounded too good to pass up, but ultimately I didn’t think I’d be able to finish it.
Instead, I went with something more unique: the risotto trio. I’ve had risotto plenty of times before. Sometimes it’s done well, sometimes not so much. At Midtown, though, it’s not just one bowl of risotto, it’s a plate with three distinct flavors.
First, there was the black truffle and Parmigiano Reggiano. This was probably the closest in flavor to the risotto dishes I’ve had in the past. Though it wasn’t as creamy as the others, it had a really nice flavor with earthy undertones.
On the other end of the spectrum was the red endive and Gorgonzola. The flavor of the cheese was unmistakable, but it paired very well with the slightly bitter tones of the red endives to create something completely unique.
My favorite, though, was the saffron and Crescenza. It’s a naturally soft cheese which I think helped make it the creamiest and thickest of the three risotto. The saffron just added a nice herbal punch to it.
All three were very good, and I definitely didn’t have any regrets about my choice.
Julie also had several items that she was considering, including the picanha steak and lobster mac and cheese, but she ultimately decided on the branzino (Mediterranean sea bass).
The fish was halved and served with tail on and garnished with orange and lemon wedges, with sides of rosemary potatoes and medallions of yellow squash and zucchini. She enjoyed everything on her plate. The fish was cooked to perfection, and the potatoes were crispy and delicious.
Despite the somewhat lighter meals, we left without room for dessert and closed out our night with a bill of around $75 for our two meals plus drinks (mine was an unsweet tea). That felt fair for the amount of food that we had, but there are some higher priced entrees and appetizers that could easily put the bill over $100.
It was, in my opinion, a great meal and a great experience. The team has done a great job with both the restaurant space and the menu, and I’m sure they will continue to grow and build upon these early successes to become a staple on the Avenue for years to come.
BCE Rating Food: Very Good Ambiance: Excellent Service: Excellent Price: $$$
Midtown Sip, Savor, Social 600 Penn Avenue West Reading, PA 19611
There are a handful of places in Berks County that can be considered true landmarks. Obviously the Pagoda would be at the top of the list. I would also add another site on Mount Penn to the list, Stokesay Castle.
Stokesay, specifically the Knight’s Pub, has been one of our favorites for many years now. We’ve always liked the slightly upscale, yet still approachable vibe. Now, Stokesay has a sister property in the former of the Reading Country Club, a landmark of its own, that was purchased by the Gulati Family (owners of Stokesay) in late 2024.
The Township had owned the property for nearly 20 years after acquiring the property in 2005 to prevent development. During that time, the property went through multiple management groups for golf and dining. Notable among those were Chef Alan, ViVA, and Reading Hospitality Management (DoubleTree by Hilton Reading).
Our last visit to the property was in 2017 when the ViVA Castle Pub operated in the main dining room. A few months later, ViVA had a very public split with the Country Club and the restaurant closed.
When I received an invitation for a meal and a tour of the updates at the Reading Country Club, of course I couldn’t say no.
Dinner at Jack’s on the Green
Part of the promise of the new owners was a new restaurant, Jack’s on the Green, which opened in late March, taking over the main dining room at the front of the building. The restaurant, like the Country Club, is open to the public and offers lunch and dinner Tuesday through Saturday with brunch on Sundays.
Our visit came on a Wednesday evening in late June. Julie and I were joined by our friends Jerry and Lisa and our party was seated at a table by the front window overlooking the golf course, driving range and the fountain that marks the end of the long driveway leading to the clubhouse.
The dining room is bright and open, marked on three sides by the large glass doors. The tables are preset with the white plates and napkins sitting atop the green table linens. Each table has a little brass lamp to provide a dim glow as the sun sets. The grays of the floor and black ceiling give it a modern vibe – it feels elevated but not formal.
We decided to start with a couple appetizers. There are more than 10 shareables on the menu, but we were able to narrow it down to the shrimp cocktail and the baked brie (both $18 options).
The former came with eight pieces of shrimp over a bed of spring mix, garnished with fresh cilantro. It was a good start, but the baked brie was the standout. The disc of cheese was topped with raspberry, pecan and rosemary and was served with a variety of crackers. Every bite was creamy, nutty, crunchy and sweet – an excellent combination of flavors and textures and one I would certainly recommend.
Before our apps arrived, we also received a bread basket with a pad of butter that was drizzled with honey and sprinkled with salt and herbs. Like the brie, it was a sweet and creamy start to the meal that was very enjoyable.
Dinner was soon served with each of us trying a little something different. I opted for the New York strip steak, a 12 oz. cut served with a choice of sauce – chimichurri, for me. I thought the chimichurri was excellent, earthy and fresh, it added bright notes to the well-cooked steak. I found myself using the sauce as a vessel for the potatoes and green beans that were served on the side.
Julie opted for the fried buttermilk marinated chicken. She was expecting a chicken breast patty or similar, as most restaurants would do, but she was pleasantly surprised to receive four pieces of dark meat – two thighs, a wing, and a drumstick. She was able to finish half of the meat before boxing the other half to come home. She did, however, finish the mashed potatoes and green beans. (Looking back, the menu actually called for roasted potatoes, like I received with my steak, as the side and not mashed potatoes).
Photo Credit: Jerry Ashway
Across the table, Jerry’s eight-ounce filet mignon also came with a side of the mashed potatoes as well as asparagus. The steak was good, if slightly more medium than the medium-rare he ordered. His steak came topped with a red wine mushroom demi-glace (which was also an option for my steak).
Photo Credit: Lisa Domeshek
Lisa ordered a small Cobb salad for her entree, adding on a crab cake. The salad wasn’t overdressed in the “green goddess” dressing and the eggs were done perfectly. The thick-cut bacon was excellent – so much so that she offered it for us to try around the table. And the crab cake was a very good addition that helped make even the small salad (a larger portion was also available) a filling meal.
Of course, we had to try some dessert, as well. The dessert menu is much more limited with only three seasonal options along with six dessert drinks. Julie and I decided to share the chocolate crunch while Jerry and Lisa had the warm sticky toffee pudding.
Photo credit: Jerry Ashway
Both were excellent. Our chocolate crunch was made of chocolate mousse with a praline wafer crust, served with cranberries and chocolate shavings. The tart cranberries were a little intense, but when mixing the mousse and berries, it had a chocolate-covered cherry feel to it. Across the table, our friends enjoyed their sweet treat which came with a scoop of vanilla ice cream that started melting together with the caramel drizzle.
Combined, our meals would total around $200 before tax, or $50 per person. That’s on the higher side for Berks County, certainly, but not unreasonable for a three-course meal and a menu that leans heavily toward finer dining.
There are more moderately priced items on the menu, including five unique burgers, each served with fries, for between $16-$18. Three varieties of tacos are also available (with chips and salsa) for $18. And at lunch time, the restaurant offers more sandwich and lighter fare options for less than $20 each.
More Drinks & Dining at Reading Country Club
Photo Credit: Jerry Ashway
Jack’s on the Green is the main dining area, but it is not the only place to enjoy a drink or a meal at the Reading Country Club. Both the bar and the Fairway Lounge offer a place to enjoy food and drink from Jack’s on the Green. The large U-shaped bar has plenty of seating with plenty of TV’s around.
The Fairway Lounge is one of the coolest spots. We were told that the space used to be township offices, but it has been turned into a cool hangout spot with two golf simulators, a pool table, foosball, and extra comfy seats.
For the golfers, there’s also Mulligan’s Cafe. At the halfway point in your round, you can grab breakfast sandwiches (for the AM tee times), lunch, snacks or drinks. The menu is simpler with a chicken salad sandwich or hot dogs to choose from at lunch, along with an array of snack foods, beers, canned cocktails and non-alcoholic drinks.
Reading Country Club Event Space
In addition to dinner, we had the opportunity to tour the clubhouse to see the incredible event spaces offered at the Reading Country Club.
The largest of these is the second floor ballroom. Original to the 102-year-old clubhouse, the ballroom features a stage and dance floor – expect live entertainment to return to the stage in the not-too-distant future.
The second floor opens into patio spaces at both the front and the rear of the building. Both offer picturesque views overlooking the course.
Inside one of the castle turrets is the upstairs bar. A large chandelier hangs over the bar and the hardwood floor. In all the rooms, the building shows its age but in a good way – it looks like a century-old building but one that has been well cared for.
We even got a peek into the bridal suite, complete with oversized couches for relaxing and selfie rings for those all-important wedding photos.
(The Fairway Lounge is also available for wedding parties, too).
It really is an incredible venue, but I’m most excited about having it as a dining destination again. Maybe I’ll have to dust off my clubs and play a round soon. As bad as my golf game is at this point, at least I know the food and atmosphere will be on-par when I’m done.
BCE Rating Food: Very Good Service: Very Good Ambiance: Very Good Price: $$$
Jack’s on the Green at Reading Country Club 5311 Perkiomen Avenue Reading, PA 19606
There are lots of places to get a good meal. There are fewer places that offer great meals. But, what exactly is it that takes a meal from good to great?
Of course there are the flavors – it has to taste exceptional, and likely beyond what the patron could make themselves.
It helps when the ingredients are fresh – there’s a clear difference between something made-from-scratch that day versus something pre-made and frozen.
Presentation is important, too. We eat with our eyes first. So the food has to have an appeal before it ever hits our tastebuds.
What all of these things add up to is a great story as told by the author, in this case the chef. Great stories, like great meals, make you feel something. They make you experience something. Maybe it’s something new or something familiar. Maybe it’s both.
Chef Dale Reitenauer has been writing the story of the Riedenau House for three years. Originally he had planned to open a restaurant in the former Oley Valley Inn, now the Inn on Main. When those plans fell through, he persevered, working and learning in kitchens across Berks County.
This spring, he wrote the latest chapter in his story, an eight-course fine dining pop-up dinner to be held at Friedens UCC, just a few doors down from the Inn he never got to cook in.
I was very surprised to see Berks County Eats tagged in a Facebook comment personally inviting me to the event. Of course I accepted – an eight-course tasting menu is something Julie and I couldn’t miss.
When the menu was revealed four days later, I was even more excited. The meal was going to showcase two proteins throughout: pork and rabbit.
The first time I had rabbit was at Ralph’s of South Philly, an Italian restaurant that once was inside the Sheraton Valley Forge. That night, it was rabbit Bolognese with the rabbit featured in a traditional meat sauce over rigatoni.
Chef Dale pointed out that rabbit is still used often in Mediterranean cuisine, but that his dishes were more French-inspired.
“Inspired” was a good word because every dish felt inspired, each one building on the previous to tell a story.
It started with a delightful amuse-bouche, just a little taste of what was to come. It featured a buckwheat cracker topped with bacon jam, rabbit and shaved vegetables that was a nice sweet-and-savory snack.
The official first course was pork primal terrine, a medley of ground pork shoulder, pork loin and pork tenderloin, bound together with spring onion ash and served with apple butter and mushroom reduction. I didn’t know that mushroom and apple would work together, but they did. The best bites were the ones that had both sauces.
As good as the first course was, the second course was the first to blow me away. This was the rabbit consomme, a bone broth served with dehydrated mushrooms, fried carrot, spring onion nest, fondant potatoes and bacon lardon. Julie commented that the bowl looked like the forest floor, and it certainly felt like a forager’s feast. But it was the bacon lardon – chunks of bacon with beautiful smokiness – and the potatoes that shone. I would love to see a plate of those potatoes accompanying an entree someday.
Of all the things we tried, the pork and rabbit pate – course three – were the most out of our comfort zone. Surprisingly, the rabbit pate was my favorite of the two. It was served on a crispy potato chip with carrot powder. Perhaps it was the salty chip that played better than the sweet apple chip did with the pork pate.
The rabbit croquette was our fourth course. It had a buckwheat crust and was served atop carrot puree and charred spring onion emulsion. Again, two sauces that played perfectly together. The croquette was soft, not hard-crusted like a deep-fried chicken croquette I’m used to. Like the rest of the menu, it had a pleasant earthy flavor to it.
Following the croquette was the pork ravioli, Julie’s favorite item of the night. The mushroom pasta dough was filled with braised pork cheek and topped with puffed buckwheat, and a rabbit au jus. The pork cheek was so tender, and the little bits of buckwheat were like crunchy popcorn. It was a big hit.
So, too, was the pork and rabbit hotpot. It was a hearty bowl of pulled pork and rabbit with mushrooms, carrots, buckwheat, and scallop potato topping. It was a mini feast in a bowl, meatier than the consomme but still very much rooted in the local produce.
My favorite course came next: rabbit and waffles. This non-traditional take on a traditional comfort food favorite really shone. The waffle was a potato and spring onion waffle which was more like a delicious hash brown. The rabbit thigh, which was glazed in honey, was perfect. Yet again, Chef Dale had played with sweet and savory and toyed with the traditional, and once again it was a success.
Dessert was also a huge success. Bacon ice cream atop an apple tart with buckwheat crust. Prior to the course, Chef Dale told us more about his journey, which saw him start with baking and desserts before gaining the skills of a well-rounded chef. That background was fully evident in this unique closing dish. It harkened back to the amuse-bouche with the buckwheat and bacon. The addition of the apples and change from bacon jam to bacon ice cream (which did have pieces of candied bacon inside) took it from good appetizer to great dessert.
But it still held to the throughline of the meal, nine cohesive courses, each one building upon the next in creativity and flavor.
The meal really told two stories: first, the story of Pennsylvania and our food producers. PA Preferred ingredients were used throughout, from the meats to the vegetables to the dairy, even down to the drinks which included a selection of Reading Draft sodas and other locally produced non-alcoholic drinks. Some of the producers were even in attendance, and even they were trying their products in new ways.
But it was also the story of Chef Dale and the Riedenau House. It was his food, his concept, and his continued commitment to bringing a completely different experience to Berks County.
At the end of the night, we learned of the ongoing plans for the Riedenau House, which includes more pop-up dinners (look for a surf and turf meal coming in June), a food truck that will have more familiar items, and a meal prep service.
Ultimately, the goal is a restaurant. But there are more chapters in these stories to be written. And I look forward to watching them unfold.
BCE Rating Food: Excellent Service: Excellent Ambiance: Good Price: $$$$
The Riedenau Housewill continue to hold scheduled pop-up meals throughout the year. They have also debuted a new food truck, We Are PA Proud, that can be found in and around Berks County. Check their Facebook page for the latest information.
It’s one thing for a restaurant to get a second chance. Sometimes it doesn’t work and you end up with much of the same. But sometimes it’s a home run as new owners bring fresh ideas and a new approach.
We had first visited West Reading Motor Club a year ago when it was under the previous ownership, before it and the Nitro Bar upstairs were closed (along with Say Cheese). We had always enjoyed Say Cheese, and I had a good first impression of the Nitro Bar, but we left our meal at WRMC feeling underwhelmed.
In late 2024, the West Reading Motor Club was reopened under new management, the same team behind B2 Bistro. It had been a few years since our last visit to B2, but we had always enjoyed the food, even if the service had never wowed us.
Certainly we had some preconceived notions entering West Reading Motor Club in January.
The first thing we noticed was that despite our early reservations – 5:30 on a Saturday – the place was already busy. The dining room wasn’t packed, but there were plenty of people already enjoying their meals by the time we arrived. We were led to a table for two by the front window that looked out onto Penn Avenue.
The dining room has an elegance to it with wood floors and dark tables against brick walls. But it’s also bright and inviting, not relying on the candlelight on the table.
Our waiter, Josh, stopped by quickly and couldn’t have been more delightful or helpful. When Julie asked if they had mocktails available, he asked the bar and returned quickly to let her know that they could, then delivered her a deliciously fruit-flavored drink to go with my iced tea.
Looking over the menu, and having seen a few desserts delivered to the tables around us, we decided to skip the appetizers to save a little room at the end.
Well, to be more accurate, I decided to double-up on the appetizers and make it a meal.
I started with a bowl of their “ultimate” French onion soup. What separates this from a traditional French onion is the inclusion of braised short ribs.
The short ribs made a huge difference. It made the dish not only heartier but more savory than the standard brothy version. But everything in it was delicious, from the broth, itself, to the French bread and cheese. It’s definitely high on my list of favorite soups.
For my “main,” I ordered the grilled chopped romaine. I’ve had grilled Caesar salads before, most notably at Lancaster’s Belvedere Inn, but those were whole romaine hearts while this was chopped.
The salad was very good, not too different from a traditional Caesar, but what really set it apart was the inclusion of crispy prosciutto. This thin-sliced deli meat, not quite ham, not quite bacon, was fried and sprinkled throughout. The salty and savory bites really popped. Every bite with a piece of prosciutto was just a little better than a bite without.
Even before dessert, I was very happy with my selections.
Julie, meanwhile, ordered a more traditional dinner: the pork tenderloin roulade. Roulade means “roll,” and in this case, the pork was rolled and stuffed with spinach, shallots, sun-dried tomato, and Parmesan, and topped with a demi-glace. It was a delicious mixture with subtle sweet notes. As good as my meal was, I think the pork was my favorite (even though I only had one small taste of Julie’s meal).
Her pork came with potato puree and asparagus. Though both were good, the pork was the star.
The real star of the evening, however, may have been dessert. We ordered a slice of the chocolate layer cake, and all I can say is “wow.”
First of all, the slice was huge. (Thank goodness we skipped appetizers and saved room). It came with sliced strawberry and blueberry, whipped cream, and chocolate drizzle. What made this so good was the ganache or frosting. It was absolutely decadent. I wished I could have just eaten a bowl of it, but the cake was a nice vessel for it anyway.
After the cake, we were definitely full, but extremely happy after a stand-out meal. In total, it cost a little under $100. It’s certainly not a price we’d pay for an everyday meal, but for a romantic date night, $50 per person didn’t feel out of place.
And with food and service like West Reading Motor Club delivered, it may not be a weekly stop, but I get the feeling we will be back for more.
BCE Rating Food: Very Good Service: Excellent Ambiance: Excellent Price: $$$
West Reading Motor Club 416 Penn Avenue West Reading, PA 19611
While I love exploring “new” and modern restaurants, I will never tire of the dining experience at a historic country inn. There is something about the ambiance that just makes it feel like a special experience.
And that was certainly the case on our visit to the Inn on Main in Oley.
Julie and I had a rare date night in early November and decided to make the trip from our home base in Wyomissing to the village of Oley. Driving up Friedensburg Road from Route 73, the Inn appears directly in front of you, a historic welcome sign of sorts.
Formerly known as the Oley Valley Inn, the historic property dates to the late 1800s and it maintains many of the charms of yesterday. The floor, though stained a dark color, appears to be original. As do the wooden walls. An interior window near the entrance features a stained glass image of the US Constitution.
But there are modern touches, as well. The retro Edison bulbs overhead light a dining room filled with dark wooden tables with black accents. And a large mural covers a dark painted brick wall near the entrance. On it, the state of Pennsylvania with hex sign designs and a bottle pouring a drink that is spilling toward Oley.
The menu is a mix of old and new – American comfort food but with a few more modern additions. There are steaks and chops and chicken dishes. But there are also truffle fries, surf and turf chili, and garlic Parmesan shrimp.
I ordered the Italian stuffed chicken breast from among the four chicken dishes on the menu. The Italian stuffing consisted of prosciutto, Italian cheeses, and sundried tomatoes. It was topped with red sauce, but served over a bed of pesto pasta.
It was a unique take on chicken Parmesan that I really enjoyed. The breaded chicken was delicious on its own, but the saltiness of the prosciutto and the creaminess of the cheese added more depth to the dish. And I love how sundried tomatoes provide such an intense flavor in small bites.
The combination of red sauce and pesto in the same dish was different, but it was a nice contrast. And I would definitely order it again.
Pasta dishes come with the choice of a house or Caesar salad. For mine, I chose the Caesar. I was a little disappointed in that it took longer to come out than I would have hoped. (I was still eating it when the main course arrived), but it was a good salad.
We did get a plate of bread with herbed butter before our meals, though.
For her entree, Julie decided to splurge on a steak. It did not disappoint. The 8 oz. filet was cooked to a perfect medium. It came topped with butter that quickly melted over the cut of steak. And while Julie ordered – and enjoyed – a side of chimichurri sauce, the steak ultimately didn’t need any more flavor. It was perfect as it was.
The sides for the evening were a baked potato and broccoli. Both were good, but easily outshined by the steak.
Unfortunately our meals left us with no room for dessert. (Julie brought a little bit of her steak home to have with a salad at lunch later in the week).
All told, our meal was about $75 which felt in line for the elevated meals that we were served.
It was a nice night out at the historic inn. At 140 years old, I’d say the Inn on Main is about as good as ever.
BCE Rating Food: Very Good Ambiance: Excellent Service: Good Price: $$$
One hundred years ago, in the time of prohibition, speakeasies were everywhere. These were discrete places to get an adult beverage during the brief moment in history when it was illegal.
Today, you can look at any destination and find a “speakeasy.” But in a time when alcohol is perfectly legal, it begs the question: “what is a speakeasy in 2024?”
A Light in the Attic bills itself as “a modern speakeasy.” Located above the Barley Mow in West Reading, it operates as a separate restaurant with its own menu, staff and entrance.
The speakeasy theme begins with the entrance, which can be found along the side of the building at a stairway with a small light hanging over the door.
(There is also an elevator for those who need one to climb to the third floor).
Just as an old-time speakeasy would have disguised itself, so to does A Light in the Attic. Inside the door is what looks like a library. It is only after you’re greeted by the hostess that she takes you through the curtain and into the not-so-secret dining room.
The dining area is quite a unique area with hardwood floors, exposed brick wall, and white lanterns among the rafters. Each table has a small lamp that can be adjusted to various warmth levels.
We had an early dinner reservation – 4:45 – and there were a few other tables seated when we arrived (all of the tables for two would fill up before we left). Our server was attentive and quickly delivered our menus and was back for our drink orders.
Julie had a pineapple coconut daiquiri that she said was excellent. Not being a drinker, myself, I tried one of Reading Soda’s botanical series offerings. It’s basically Reading Draft’s version of flavored sparkling water. My peach basil was good, and certainly better than most sparkling waters I’ve tried, but I’m not going to rush out and buy more.
I would, however, happily take many more orders of the rosemary bomboloni, our appetizer for the evening.
A bomboloni is a type of Italian doughnut, usually sweet, but this was savory with short rib, onion and black truffle pecorino on top. And it was phenomenal. I love a good sweet and savory mashup and the puff pastries had just enough sweetness to complement the juicy short rib. There was also a green sauce (perhaps a chimichurri) that gave a little tang as well. It was a perfect warmup to our entrees, which arrived a short time later.
I ordered the forager’s wild boar. It was boar pulled pork style boar meat with calvados (fruit brandy) atop a bed of pasta with a side of asparagus. The boar meat was juicy and tender. It wasn’t gamy at all. And the light sauce that it had been cooking in was just perfect.
Across the table, Julie ordered the Tunisian lamb rack. The waitress warned us that it was the spiciest dish on the menu, but Julie asked for the harissa that would have normally been on the lamb to be served on the side, and it went from spicy to a perfect little kick.
The lamb was cooked perfectly. It came with a mint chimichurri and Greek yogurt, which made for excellent complements. On the side, or more accurately underneath, were delicious roasted yams.
Both of our entrees were ones that we will be talking about for a long time.
As much as we enjoyed our meals, and as full as we were, it didn’t stop us from being tempted with dessert. And for that, we ordered the ube cheesecake.
Ube is a purple yam that gave the dish its very distinct color. It came topped with blackberry sauce and a light cookie (it had the consistency of a fortune cookie) with a dusting of sugar and two slices of peaches for garnish.
The cheesecake was decadent and sweet. The cookie added a nice little crunch. Did we need it, no? But it was absolutely worth the indulgence.
And A Light in the Attic is certainly an indulgence. The total was $140 for the two of us, putting it among the highest priced meals in Berks County.
But it was among the best meals we’ve found, too.
So, what is a modern speakeasy? If it’s a playful location with top-notch food and drinks – like A Light in the Attic – I’d say it’s exactly the kind of place we want to experience.
Five years ago, I posted about La Cantina Restaurant, an Italian restaurant and bar along New Holland Road that I was frequenting during my poker-playing days. Fast-forward to July 2021 and La Cantina closed its doors.
While the barroom at La Cantina was very much of a dive, Doc & Bubba’s is anything but. The new restaurant is gorgeous and gives off a finer dining ambiance with dark wood tabletops and gray metal chairs with a modern flair.
The bar, itself, has been set apart. Assorted bottles peek out from windows above the bar, watching over customers and the high-top tables that flank the bar area. (Our visit came in October so the bar was also adorned with ghosts that hung from the overhead liquor cabinets).
The outside patio – open year-round thanks to heat lamps – is the more casual space with a mix of standard dining tables along with Adirondacks and more relaxing seats. A second bar serves those sitting outside.
Julie and I visited for lunch and were among the first to arrive after it opened at 11, allowing us our choice of seats. We settled in at a table in the back of the dining room where we could look out the large picture windows and admire the back patio.
The lunch menu at Doc & Bubba’s consists of sandwiches, burgers, salads and pizza (with a few shareables). The menu is seasonal so items rotate on and off. During our visit, the sandwich calling my name was the South Philly roast pork – a traditional roast pork sandwich with broccoli rabe, Sharp provolone, but with the addition of pizzaioli sauce and roasted garlic aioli.
It was good and hearty. Roast pork sandwiches typically aren’t served with sauce, but I liked the addition of the pizzaioli sauce on this. I actually wished there was a little more of it spread throughout so I could have gotten the flavor in every bite.
Julie really enjoyed her salmon BLT. Served on perfectly toasted bread, the salmon blended well with the traditional BLT. And it was perfectly portioned for lunch – not too light to leave her hungry, but not too heavy either.
We both enjoyed the fries which were served in their own little fryer basket along with an individual sized bottle of ketchup – a nice little added touch. The fries were topped with sea salt and pepper, but I found myself adding just a pinch more salt to them. Otherwise, they were nearly perfect.
At $40, our lunch was on the expensive side (I did also have an iced tea), but it didn’t feel like we had overpaid because the food was definitely a higher quality than we would get at many other lunch spots.
The dinner prices are a little higher, but most entrees fall in the $20-$30 range with steaks and select seafood dishes coming in higher.
Doc & Bubba’s may not be weekly stop for me like La Cantina was at one time, but it’s we will definitely return – whether for an elevated lunch or a nice dinner.
BCE Rating Food: Very Good Ambiance: Excellent Service: Good Price: A Little Pricey
Doc & Bubba’s 4312 New Holland Rd Mohnton, PA 19540
Valentine’s Day has always been a big deal for Julie and I. With our anniversary being in mid-August, Valentine’s always marks the halfway point in another year for us.
It’s also a great excuse to find a new place around the county for a romantic dinner.
This year was a little different for us. Yes, we stayed in Berks County – the city of Reading, to be precise – but we didn’t go to a restaurant. Instead, we celebrated Valentine’s Day with dinner at the Inn at Centre Park, a bed and breakfast and event space in the Centre Park Historic District.
Each month, the Inn at Centre Park opens for dinner – usually on the third Friday. In February, the monthly dinner was moved up a week in honor of Valentine’s Day (and Saturday dinner service was added). The meals are all prix fixe; in this case, it was a four-course meal with appetizer, salad, entree and dessert.
There was only one seating for the meal – 6:30 p.m. We were among the first to arrive which gave us a chance to look around at the elegantly appointed rooms throughout the first floor of the inn.
Known as the Wilhelm Mansion, the building that now houses the Inn at Centre Park was the home of Charles Wilhelm for more than 50 years. However, it was originally built and occupied by Reverend Mark Anthony DeWolfe Howe, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese. Our table for two was nestled at a door that featured original stained glass windows that depict two angels, one blowing a horn, the other singing.
Every nook and cranny of the house is filled with incredible detail, from the tall archways to the intricate moulding. This was certainly the lap of luxury in the late 19th Century and remains so today.
After satisfying our curiosity, we settled in for the first course: fried goat cheese with crispy prosciutto and pear jam.
It was a perfect beginning to the meal with a variety of flavors and textures. The soft, creamy goat cheese was countered by the crunchy, salty prosciutto. The pear jam sweetened the whole plate. The balsamic drizzle added another layer of sweet and sour.
The first course really blew us away and set the stage for a great meal.
In between courses, we were served fresh-baked rolls to enjoy with our salad. Homemade honey butter was already waiting on the table. Ours didn’t last that long. The soft, pillowy rolls were too good. With the sweet butter, they just melted in your mouth.
Our second course was a Waldorf salad, and while it wasn’t a revelation the way the fried goat cheese was, it was still delicious.
It was a traditional Waldorf with apples, grapes, celery and walnuts, but it was just done very well. And it was served atop large leafs of Bibb lettuce which was a nice choice for the greens.
The entree course was a surf-and-turf plate with filet Mignon and seafood cake served with green beans and mushroom risotto.
The filet was served with a simple herb butter, and it was good, but it didn’t really stand out compared to the rest of the meal. It was cooked well, but there wasn’t a “wow” to it like there was to the other three courses.
I would say the same for the risotto and the green beans. (I am not a seafood fan so I have to take Julie’s word for the seafood cake, which she felt the same about). Filet Mignon is always good, and I will never complain about eating it. It just felt “safe” compared to the other courses. That’s the best way I can describe it.
Dessert, though, was definitely a highlight. The fourth course consisted of chocolate “domes” with a ganache and raspberry center. The heaping dessert was sinful and delicious from the first bite to the last.
What really set the dish apart was the dusting of raspberry salt. Sweet and salty always works for me, and the concentrated raspberry flavor really added to the chocolate base.
Really, I can’t think of a better way to finish the meal.
The four-course meal cost $60 per person, which seemed like a very good price for the amount and quality of the food that we had. Non-alcoholic beverages were included in the price (for those looking for a little something more, the dinners are BYOB). Also, there is very limited space so reservations are must for the Inn’s public dinners.
I’m sure the Inn does a good amount of catering events throughout the year because the staff seemed very much on top of their game. Everyone’s food arrived within minutes of each other and always tasted freshly prepared. The servers worked as a team and were very attentive throughout the meal.
And, of course, the venue was amazing. It’s an ambiance you can’t get anywhere else in the county.
Everything combined to make this one of the most special Valentine’s Day dinners yet.
BCE Rating Food: Very Good Service: Excellent Ambiance: Excellent Price: A little pricey (but worth it)
The Inn at Centre Park 730 Centre Ave Reading, PA 19601
