How the We Are Inn brings Penn State football, cheesesteaks and more to Philipsburg

For Penn State fans and alums traveling back to the area for sporting events this season, the We Are Inn in Philipsburg offers a one-of-a-kind place to stay among fellow Nittany Lions fans. Throughout the rest of the year, though, the We Are Inn also boasts a restaurant serving up some of the most authentic Italian eats in the area.

Pat Romano Jr. purchased the property in 2019, intending to open up both the property’s guestrooms and restaurant, christened The Lobby Grille, in April 2020. After a short delay due to the pandemic, the restaurant opened at 25% capacity in August 2020, just recently celebrating its one-year anniversary. While Romano said the inn and restaurant experienced a wealth of local support during its first year, he’s still happy to be back to a more “normal” football season.

“It’s amazing. We’re booked solid on the weekends. We’re even booked solid on away game weekends because people are coming here as a destination for gathering with all of our Penn State family and friends, to watch the games and root the team to victory,” he said.

During a football weekend, guests and diners can expect a mix of Penn State and opposing team fans alike, live music, a shuttle bus to get fans to and from Beaver Stadium and even a We Are Inn tailgate. But even those who aren’t keen on the local sports scene will find something to love at the We Are Inn restaurant.

“I’m from Philly. I cooked in steak shops in Philly and I make them the old, authentic way — and people that come in and have a cheesesteak, if they’re from Philly, they’re like, ‘Wow, nobody does this anymore.’ So the cheesesteaks are amazing,” Romano said.

The Italian food the restaurant serves is from Romano’s family recipes.

“We take our time,” he said. “It takes, to make our sauce, five or six hours on the stove. We make our own meatballs. You really can expect to have food like you would have if you came to my house and ate.”

It’s the home-style Italian food and the cheesesteaks that set The Lobby Grille apart, but beyond the Italian eats, Romano also said he receives rave reviews for the restaurant’s seafood options.

Once football season ends, Romano has big aspirations for the property in preparation for next year. Over the winter months, he plans to create an 80-seat dining area with a stage for comedy nights, blues and jazz nights and themed food events. The result, he hopes, will be a venue that, in part, caters to visitors west of Philipsburg, who currently need to drive two hours to enjoy similar experiences only available in the State College area. He expects the project to be completed by spring.

In the short-term, though, Romano expects to adjust The Lobby Grille menu slightly, with a few fall specials and soups. For more information about The We Are Inn, visit theweareinn.com.