Central Reservation aiming to stand out amid the typical downtown State College bar scene

Located on the corner of East Beaver Avenue and South Allen Street, the aptly named Central Reservation — a sister restaurant to nearby Local Whiskey and The Phyrst — recently had its soft opening in downtown State College.

The experience at the new eatery, however, is very different from what diners will find at the other two bar-focused venues, offering something yet to be found in State College, according to co-owner and general manager Tim Riefel.

“We realized that there was an increase in interest and demand for places downtown that offered full-service dining and that didn’t necessarily just cater to the late-night club scene, like college bars,” Riefel said. “What we tried to do was diversify what we have with Local Whiskey and create an atmosphere that’s a little more vibrant, where we can have more entrees and more dinner options and expand what we’re doing from Local Whiskey and step up our game a little bit.”

Where local Whiskey specializes in classic cocktails and whiskey, Central Reservation is doing more with its expanded wine collection and rum-based cocktails, as well as more gin and clear spirits, Riefel said.

”There is sort of a Tiki aspect to what we’re doing in terms of the different rums and the fresh juices and syrups that we make in-house,” he said. “We’re trying to make it somewhat whimsical and somewhat playful, but also a place where adults can come enjoy downtown State College and some finer food in a very unique atmosphere.”

Central Reservation held its soft opening in mid-July and, while the menu will be finalized before a yet-to-be-announced grand opening, the current menu includes tempting options such as braised lamb belly with sumac barbecue, potato salad and pickled chow chow; a lobster mac and cheese; grouper Reuben sandwich; shrimp and grits and jackfruit crab cakes.

Fun cocktails include the Where There’s Smoke, There’s Pineapple, mixing mezcal, tequila, caramelized pineapple, agave, lime and hellfire bitters, and the Tradewinds, which is made with rum, apricot liqueur, coconut cream and lemon.

“We’re doing a lot of locally sourced items, primarily focusing on seafood,” Riefel said. “We’re going to have a raw bar, where we’ll have someone behind the bar shucking oysters. … We have seafood dishes from around the globe. We also are doing a lot more with fresh produce. Then, we always have other protein options for people who might not necessarily be too excited about just seafood. The menu will feature a lot of different rotating dishes as well.”

As for the restaurant’s atmosphere, Central Reservation keeps things upscale — without getting stuffy — partially thanks to the open-air dining, with open windows looking over South Allen Street and East Beaver Avenue seating accessible right from the sidewalk.

So far, Riefel said, customer feedback has been “overwhelmingly positive,” with many locals mentioning their appreciation for a downtown restaurant that accommodates more than just students. Before opening for dine-in service, Central Reservation provided take-out, and Riefel notes the restaurant developed a following even in that short time.

“We had regulars coming in to buy food to-go just to support a local restaurant,” he said. “To have that communal support has been overwhelming.”

Central Reservation is open for full-service dining from 4-11 p.m., or later, Monday through Friday, and noon-11 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Reservations are strongly encouraged and can be made via email at info@centralreservation.net.

“Central Reservation is for people who want to enjoy a fine dining atmosphere in downtown State College, with a wide range of options to suit everyone’s tastes — whether it’s vegetarian or the freshest seafood, with cocktails that take time to prepare and are very unique and whimsical. …” Riefel said. “We have an opportunity to do things at Central Reservation that may not have been done in State College before. We’re looking to be progressive, not only with the food, but with our drinks and the outdoor seating option and the overall decor.”

This story was originally published August 16, 2020 at 8:00 AM.