Centre County has 7 new eateries this year. What should you order from each one?
Centre County, especially the State College area, can always count on a plethora of new restaurants, bars and bakeries every year — and, so far, 2025 has been no different.
At least seven new eateries have opened since January, which presents a flavorful dilemma for locals (and those visiting for Penn State’s Blue-White weekend): What should you try at each new spot? We consulted our staff, a few servers and an owner or two to come up with a favorite menu item from each location.
Opinions varied, and you might disagree. So let us know in the comments if we overlooked a gem. Here are our picks for each new space, listed in alphabetical order:
Buffalo Wild Wings
What: Sports bar chain
Where: 134 S. Garner St., State College
Website: buffalowildwings.com
Hours of operation: 11 a.m. to midnight, Sunday-Wednesday; 11 a.m. to 1 a.m., Thursday-Saturday
Price: $-$$
Menu pick: Traditional wings with Chipotle BBQ (dry rub). If you’re going to a place with “Wings” in its name, you should probably skip the sandwiches. The wings here are crispy and inoffensive, and the flavors are largely based on personal preference. That being said, we most enjoyed the Chipotle BBQ dry rub because of its smokey flavor — and no mess! — but others enjoyed Honey BBQ and Caribbean Jerk. A word of warning: This is not a large restaurant, and wait times have sometimes exceeded 90 minutes ... so good luck getting a table during Blue-White weekend.
Fatema’s Kitchen
What: Persian restaurant
Where: 200 Ellis Place, State College (Inside the 3C Complex)
Website: Facebook
Further reading: From Afghanistan to Happy Valley: What makes the new Fatema’s Kitchen restaurant so unique
Hours of operation: noon to 9 p.m., Monday-Friday (closed Saturday-Sunday)
Price: $
Menu pick: Kubideh Kebab. This dish is a favorite of the owner’s daughter, so who can argue with that kind of recommendation? This specialty consists of ground meat blended with onions, spices and herbs on a bed of saffron rice — and the rich flavors and aroma of the meat are something you think about long after your last bite. The grated onions caramelize during cooking, imparting a sweet undertone that is deliciously pleasant. Many have also suggested the eggplant stew, but everything here is halal — and there’s nothing you should steer clear of.
Fatoum Bistro
What: Eastern/Western restaurant
Where: 532 Westerly Parkway, State College
Website: fatoum-bistro.square.site
Further reading: New State College restaurant features menu inspired by ‘worldly cuisine’
Hours of operation: 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday-Sunday
Price: $-$$
Menu pick: Mama-Style French Toast (breakfast). If you have a family where some demand something different while others refuse to stray from the familiar, either Fatoum Bistro or Kitchen Garden seems like a perfect compromise. The focus is most definitely on international food (breakfast and lunch), but both unrelated spots also offer traditional local favorites, such as waffles and pancakes. At Fatoum Bistro, whose aim is “worldly cuisine,” it’s exceedingly difficult to resist the French toast. Homemade blueberry compote and vanilla cream, topped with powdered sugar? Yes, please. There are so many different flavor profiles at this restaurant — shakshuka, Mudammas, vindaloo, etc. — but Fatoum Bistro did the French toast so well that it’s hard to see how they can improve it. Other tempting breakfast selections include a Breakfast BLT, Eggs Benedict and Green Shakshuka.
Kitchen Garden
What: Turkish/Mediterranean restaurant
Where: 2137 S. Atherton St. (Hills Plaza)
Website: thekitchengarden.net
Further reading: New eatery brings Turkish and Mediterranean cuisine, hospitality to State College area
Hours of operation: 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday-Sunday
Price: $-$$
Menu pick: Spicy Spinach Gozleme (breakfast) and Rolled Walnut Kadaif (dessert). You don’t have to be a vegetarian to enjoy some of the non-meat dishes here. The server recommended the Spicy Spinach Gozleme — and, boy, did that exceed expectations. This stuffed flatbread, a bit reminiscent of a quesadilla, was pleasantly crisp and melded well with the creamy, spicy spinach inside. The spice didn’t overwhelm the palate, and it was surprisingly filling. You also can’t leave Kitchen Garden without taking a few pastries home and, of the ones we tried, we most enjoyed the Rolled Walnut Kadaif, which is made from a special shredded phyllo dough that is later soaked in a fragrant syrup, not unlike baklava. The texture is lighter and crispier than baklava, and absolutely worth trying. If that seems too adventurous, you can’t go wrong sticking with the homemade cookies either.
The Meadows of Happy Valley
What: Ice cream and frozen yogurt shop
Where: 2934 Benner Pike, Bellefonte
Website: Facebook
Hours of operation: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Monday-Sunday
Price: $-$
Menu pick: Peanut butter sundae. There was a soft-serve void in Centre County, and The Meadows has filled it. There are a number of sundaes to choose from on the menu — cherry, marshmallow, classic hot fudge — but if you’re a peanut butter lover, this one is for you. Served in a 12 oz. Meadows cup, the creamy peanut butter topping covers the rich vanilla custard perfectly so there’s both in every bite. You’ll also want to keep an eye on the flavors of the day — don’t miss your chance to try Cookie Monster, which is blue-tinted vanilla with crushed Oreos and cookie dough.
Pelicana Chicken
What: Korean fried chicken restaurant (international chain)
Where: 1869 N. Atherton St., State College
Website: pelicanausa.com
Further reading: A new Korean fried chicken restaurant is open in State College
Hours of operation: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Tuesday-Sunday (closed Mondays)
Price: $-$$
Menu pick: Signature Soy Garlic Wings. How do we put this delicately? Ah, forget it; let’s just spell it out: Pelicana > Buffalo Wild Wings, and it’s not even close. These wings manage to be perfectly balanced — crisp and moist, but without a thick batter. They’re double-fried, and the garlic flavor is intense ... which was a big plus in our book. These aren’t cheap — $21 for 10 bone-in wings — but they’re large and more filling than a normal 10-wing order. (For budget-conscious foodies, the $11 chicken sandwich is a good starting point.) We also enjoyed the fries, but more exotic sides/appetizers include mochi donuts and chicken kimchi fried dumplings. A friendly tip: Unless you’re eating there, place your order ahead of time — or you risk waiting 20-plus minutes at busier times. This is not Panda Express.
The StillHouse Eatery & Craft Beverages
What: American restaurant and tasting room
Where: 137 Streamside Place, Spring Mills
Website: stillhouseeatery.com
Further reading: New Penns Valley restaurant launches with team behind two local favorites
Hours of operation: 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday-Friday; noon to 9 p.m. Saturday; noon to 7 p.m. Sunday (closed Mondays)
Price: $-$$
Menu pick: StillHouse Meatball Hoagie. Before we explain our choice here, let’s first explain the setup at this spot. This restaurant is owned by the same company in charge of Barrel 21 and Otto’s Pub & Brewery, which is why the restaurant also boasts a Barrel 21 tasting room. Because of that dynamic, we wanted to pick a menu item unique to The Stillhouse — sorry, burgers and hot dogs — and the meatball hoagie came highly recommended. The meatballs are house-made with beef from Penns Valley’s A.V. Farms, the same supplier of the burgers and hot dogs. So, if you’re looking for something a little different from C&D Brewery Ventures, the meatball hoagie should hit the spot.
