Heidi E. Reuter
“We’re never disappointed. It’s really our all-time favorite go-to bar and restaurant,” say two of The Tavern on Penn’s regular customers. With the restaurant’s inviting dining room (an extension onto the original building) and its congenial, lively bar, plus a chalkboard updated daily with today’s top drafts, you’ve got a local-fun, Cheers-type feeling here in West Lawn. A well-rounded menu delivers crowd-pleasers like Penn Avenue Wings, Signature Flatbread Pizzas, and BBQ Bacon Burgers as handily as piquant Bruschetta Chicken or an elegant, mouthwateringly tender filet mignon.
Michele Giorgio and Travis Mosser have quietly yet obviously devoted admirable energy toward ensuring success in this cozy foodie endeavor, taking cues from diners, honing the menu, cultivating an excellent kitchen under Chef Eric Miggins, and making everyone feel welcome — the kind of place you instantly want to return to. Their efforts have paid off in reliably high quality of food and beverages, and they’ve gained a reputation for having two sets of specials created every week. Mosser is thrilled. “It’s our seventh year,” he says, smiling, “and it’s been absolutely dynamite.”
He confides, “We do like making traditional Berks County fare, but we ‘twist’ it a little so that it’s relatable.”
Tavern Fries Double the Fun
Very popular as starters or ordered as a meal sometimes (that’s just how hearty they are), Tavern Fries are exactly the kind of food you’d see highlighted on a show like Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. Honestly, this dish is delightfully unusual, and, understandably, extremely popular. You’ll relish the fantastic combination of barbeque sauce, pulled pork and aged Cheddar. The pork hunks are about three inches long, playing best pals with the French fries, while super-crispy chopped bacon kicks it all up with saltiness to bring out meaty, smoky flavors. It’s mere minutes before you realize that the spuds and pork down at the bottom of the dish are gently bathing in deliciously piquant juices. Everyone at the table can grab and jab at this impressive tastebud-mover.
Naturally, most folks will explore the huge range of beers on tap, wine and signature cocktails on this gustatory adventure. As expected, Tavern on Penn likes inventing their own drinks: one example is the Tavern Mule, basically a version of the Moscow Mule, but awesomely smooth, using Tito’s Handmade Vodka, ginger beer, and sliced lime. Crisply gingery, utterly cold in the mug, and refreshing as all get out.
Other outstanding appetizers include Jumbo Coconut Shrimp, Seafood Eggrolls and Beer-Battered Onion Rings (a must, they’re sweet and dark-fried), while soups are made fresh daily. On a recent evening, Steak and Ale Chowder was the star, akin to a beef-based stew — great comfort food for a pre-winter warm-up.
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Salads and Signature Sandwiches; Drunken Salmon
A range of fresh salads includes a zesty Taco Salad in a fried tortilla bowl. Spicy beef joins fresh hearts of Romaine and pico de gallo, rounded out with jack and cheddar cheeses, salsa and sour cream. Ah! So crunchy, chewy, spicy, hot and cool.
Reuben and Rachel both hold solid spots on the Signature Sandwich list, as well as Fish Tacos and Grilled Vegetables in a pressed-flour tortilla. Flatiron steak smothered with sautéed onions and mushrooms makes a stellar Tavern Dip au jus.
Eight pizza varieties appeal to vegetarians and meat-lovers alike. Choose the Italian Sausage Pizza for its compelling balance of onions and green and red peppers, thinly sliced, added to sweet-herbed sausage bites and marinara on a super-crispy flatbread, very light as a crust.
High praise goes to Chef Eric for the lovely Drunken Salmon main dish, so dubbed for its bourbon glaze. This 8-ounce hand-cut filet tastes caramel-candied and looks positively shiny; on top are white and black sesame seeds for light nuttiness. Perfectly broiled, reminiscent of fish cooked on an outside grill at a campsite, this entrée is partnered with buttery green beans and delicate wild rice.
Indulge in Dessert
The Tavern’s dessert menu is tight and smart: there’s usually a high-rise, New York-style cheesecake as well as gluten-free Chocolate Lava Cake. But for Berks, a locale notoriously obsessed with anything combining peanut butter and chocolate, Tavern on Penn has a sweet edge on the competition. Made in-house, the Tavern’s Peanut Butter Explosion embellishes a chocolate layer cake with peanut butter mousse — so silky — plus a bit of brownies and peanut butter chips. Definitely a fine, shareable choice with coffee at the end of the meal.
If you are lucky enough to dine on an evening when Michelle has made her Peach Cobbler, though, thank the dessert gods and definitely indulge in this wonderful treat. Made in a nostalgic, traditional fashion, the cobbler’s texture gives all credit to juicy peaches without being overly sweet; it’s delectably satisfying with a cup of espresso. Even the most generous of diners will selfishly clutch this dish close to their spoon.
