Keystone Cuisine

Keystone Cuisine takes viewers across the state to dine at Pennsylvania's unique restaurants. Learn about these culinary gems from the staff who keep them running. Peek inside the kitchens of taverns frequented by our founding fathers. Visit award winning or well-known eateries. Explore Pennsylvania restaurants you never knew existed, serving stories waiting to be told.

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Upcoming Episodes: New episodes air Summer 2020.

Crafting Keystone Cuisine

By: Kes Baker, Assistant Producer

Upon entering the Tavern Restaurant in State College, the walls are coated with images and objects along the walls – lithographs of historical events, images of past Penn State Athletes, old-time photos of the University and State College, as well as the original Tavern Restaurant sign that now hangs outside of the kitchen. The dimmer lighting in the restaurant made the seating in the main dining room more intimate, and the windows in the front third of the building allowed for a view of the street in front and Penn State’s campus across the road. This combination of natural light and soft lighting gives a cozy and friendly feel to The Tavern. When we arrived, the restaurant was relatively quiet, with just the chatter of staff and the clatter of dishes in the kitchen. As the day went on, the chatter of guests could be heard from the outer porch, where people were sitting and enjoying their lunch. In the kitchen, the scent of coffee and fresh seafood permeated the air, and as the cooking began, the fishy scent of scallops wafted in the air.

This is just one of the establishments featured on this season of Keystone Cuisine on PCN, Pennsylvania Cable Network. All of the restaurants we travel to have an interesting back-story or history. Whether it’s a historical building, exciting visitors, memorabilia and décor, Keystone Cuisine brings intriguing restaurants right into your living room.

Each episode starts with a tour of the establishment, giving viewers a chance to get to know the owner or manager, and learn more about the restaurant; how it came to be, events they hold, and some of the history behind the building, the menu, and the décor. Cooking demonstrations give the chefs of these restaurants the chance to show off their skills one of the main reasons you’ll show up – the food!

Past episodes include Dobbin House, located in one of the oldest buildings in Gettysburg and filled with historic décor; the Union Canal House in Hershey, which is home to Underground Railroad tunnels, and the Millworks in Harrisburg, which also has a small brewery operation as well as artist galleries and studios.

You can learn more about these restaurants by watching Keystone Cuisine on Sundays starting July 7, at 9 pm on PCN on cable and the PCN Select streaming service. Episodes are available on demand after they air.