#4656 - Fig and Ash, Pittsburgh, PA - 6/28/2022

Fig & Ash is our favorite restaurant in the city. We decided that in this, our first visit, and confirmed it in subsequent visits. While in Seattle I came to utterly trust chefs Brian McCracken and Dana Tough (Tavern Law, Old Sage, Spur Gastropub, Coterie), as even when a dish was comprised of ingredients that I don't generally enjoy, their creations always tasted delicious. I've come to a similar trust in Cory Hughes and his team at F&A, as my love of their dishes is sustained again and again, through their rotating seasonal menus.

Hughes started in U.S. Marine mess halls and was running culinary operations at the Pittsburgh campus of Google before founding Fig & Ash, while he laid plans for his own restaurant with his wife Kate and brother-in-law Alex Feltovich, who runs the front of the house.

"Hughes worked hard to get here — prior to his gig at Google, he was executive chef of Six Penn Kitchen and sous chef in restaurants such as Eleven Contemporary Kitchen and Spoon, as well as working for STARR Restaurant Group in Philadelphia. You’ll see the former U.S. Marine Corps cook’s exuberance for feeding people front-and-center as he pops out from the glass-enclosed kitchen to work the dining room. You’ll experience his strength in team-building with the full-spectrum, consistent cookery coming from the kitchen he’s running with chef de cuisine Chris Shuplock."  (pittsburghmagazine)

Hughes has described the culinary approach as "farm to flame."

"In addition to milling grains, baking bread and butchering meats in-house, Hughes and his crew will partner with local farmers to get fresh ingredients for their wood-fired cuisine. The quarterly menu melds classic Italian and French cooking styles with a contemporary American twist." (nextpittsburgh) 

"The custom-built wood-fired hearth at the center of this kitchen was designed in collaboration with Pittsburgh-based Temper and Grit and built by Otis Masonry, and it shapes nearly every dish that leaves the kitchen.... The hearth imparts a smokiness and depth that a conventional oven simply cannot replicate. Vegetables emerge with a beautiful char. (unearththevoyage) 

...

Meats develop a crust that locks in flavor while retaining juiciness. Even sauces and sides benefit from the ambient heat and wood smoke that permeates the kitchen. (ibid) 

... 

His vision was specific: a kitchen built around fire, local sourcing, and a from-scratch approach to every element on the plate." (ibid) 

The cocktails are also a treat (their names heavy on the puns), and the service is reliably friendly and informative. We will definitely be returning as long as it and we are part of Pittsburgh.

514 E Ohio St, Pittsburgh, PA 15212 - (412) 321-2222
Est. Oct 7, 2020 (Opened for takeout lunch Sep 22, 2020 during COVID) - Building constructed: 1898

Previous bars in this location:
Web site: figandashpgh.com - facebook - instagram 
Articles & Reviews: unearththevoyage - pittsburghmagazine - discovertheburg - tablemagazine - nextpittsburgh - goodfoodpittsburgh - nextpittsburgh - yelp - tripadvisor 

#5578 - Majestic Bar and Grille, Greenville, PA - 2/21/2024

Majestic Bar & Grille, Greenville, PA

Greenville, Pennsylvania was incorporated in 1836 at the fork of the Shenango River, about five miles from the Ohio border, approximately 80 miles from both Pittsburgh and Cleveland. "The Majestic" was established in a former livery on Main Street here in 1920, selling hotdogs ever since then, as well as liquor since the end of prohibition. It was purchased by Marc and Jean Rinella in 1992, and they ran it for 32 years before selling it to  Rod and Jill Wilt and Tyler Hudson in 2024.

With the mills closing and liquor laws changing, the Rinellas oversaw a major change in tone, in decor, and just about everything else except the hotdogs. I will quote liberally here from an interview of Marc Rinella in the Greenview Record Argus:

Majestic Bar & Grille, Greenville, PA

"This was a shot-and-a-beer bar with hot dogs," Marc [Rinella] said. "The smoke was so thick in here you could cut it with a knife. That's the way we kept it until we started to see the industry collapse." ... The Majestic crew would have to get to the Main Street, Greenville, establishment at 3 a.m. to prepare.

"At 7am this place would be packed when the midnight shift would come in," Marc said. "You couldn't get in the door."

But then the Trinity, CB&I and the Bessemer mills closed, followed by changes in state law, forcing the business to choose between continuing to allow smoking or continuing to allow customers under 18.

"We decided that there wasn't any more industry left here to support us any longer," he continued. "We had to make a heavy investment to turn this into a family operation."

In 2009, they embarked on a three-year project to completely renovate the Majestic, adding the taxidermy, collectibles and historical artifacts, as well as redoing the roof, ceiling, plumbing, heating, AC and more.  (recordargus) 

It was a pleasant enough stop for on this particular day, but I sure would have liked to have seen it when it was a dive rollicking with mine workers.

191 Main St, Greenville, PA 16125 - (724) 588-6070
Est. 1933?  
Previous bars in this location: None known
Web site: facebook 
Reviews: sharonherald - sharonherald - recordargusnews - yelp - tripadvisor

#4826 - Cole's Tavern, Pine Township, PA - 10/4/2022

Cole's Tavern, Pine Township (Wexford), PA

Cole's Tavern is well over a century old and the only casual neighborhood bar I can recall preserving the pre-prohibition standard of having no barstools at the bar. Maybe you don't have a spittoon or mustache rag at the ready, but if you want to hang at the bar you can do so standing like the old saloon days. The menu is fairly old school bar food - sandwiches, burgers, wings and various fried foods. The bar has been in the same family since 1902 and contains several great old photos and artifacts to illustrate some of that long history. It's a great stop for anyone who loves historical bars or just charming small town businesses.

Cole's Tavern, Pine Township (Wexford), PA

The following is a historical article that was posted as a screencap on the tavern's Facebook page. I am not sure of the author (possibly a Mark Biswick?), but it seems pretty well established.

"In 1901, John Benjamin (J.B.) Cole purchased Cole's Hotel and he and his wife, Matilda, moved in on Feb. 2, 1902, their wedding day. Formerly known as the Wexford Hotel, which was built in the 1870s and owned by Ignatius Booker, it served as lodging for those hauling produce and other items, with the livery bar housing horses and wagons. It continued to operate in that capacity after J.B. purchased it. Cole's was a place for travelers to get dinner, have a few drinks in the tavern, rent a room for the night, enjoy breakfast and then continue the journey.

The bar was originally where the Cole's Tavern kitchen is now located. The addition, which is now the current bar, was added in the late 1930s. J.B. and Matilda had six children: Edward, Charles, James, Herman, Elizabeth and Joseph. All of them worked at the tavern, the farm, tending livestock or butchering for most their lives. Cole's has been run in seamless transition for three generations, currently owned by J.B. and Matilda's grandchildren, Dolores Voll and Thomas Cole.

In 1947, Elizabeth woke up in the middle of the night to the smell of smoke. As it turned out, a fire had engulfed the top of the building. Fortunately, the Wexford Volunteer Fire Station, which J.B. helped start as one of its founding members, was right next door and the fire was quickly put out, although the roof and top floors were severely damaged. Family and friends came together to rebuild the roof, giving Cole's its unique roofline. While it was never proven, there was a strike with union beer workers at that time and J.B. started buying beer from a different brewery, which many believe caused the building to be firebombed.

One of the unique aspects of Cole's Tavern is the absence of barstools. Over the years, some frequenters of the establishment mentioned to the proprietors that stools should be brought in like some newer taverns. As the story goes, Joseph was there one night when a patron was inquiring about it. Joe's response was that when you can no longer stand, you've probably had enough to drink.

To sell liquor, establishments have long needed a license. Cole's Tavern had a liquor license that was specific for hotels. However, as the years rolled on and eventually, the hotel no longer rented rooms, officials would stop by from time to time to conduct surprise inspections. This meant the Cole family had to be sure they could show a minimum of five rooms ready for rent or face fines and possible suspension of the liquor license. Sometimes this meant stalling the inspectors while family members rushed upstairs to make sure five rooms were cleaned and deemed rentable. Finally, only a few decades ago, Dolores officially had the license changed so that the bar no longer needed to have rooms available.

Located out in front of the bar is one of the most iconic features of Cole's, the original water pump and horse trough. Patrons would stop by to water and tether their horses when traveling along the Perrysville-Zelienople Plank Road, often stopping inside for a few drinks. While the pump is no longer operational, it harkens back to the earliest days of the establishment and serves as a reminder of the lifestyle of the region from more than a century ago."

161 Church Rd, Wexford, PA 15090 - (724) 935-2000
Est. 1902 - Building constructed: 1876?
Previous bars in this location: Hotel Wexford 
Web site: facebook 
Reviews: pittsburghmagazine - yelp - tripadvisor 

#6638 - Ralphie's Girard Cafe, Girard Borough, PA - 7/23/2026

Ralphie's Girard Cafe, Girard Borough, PA

The borough of Girard, Pennsylvania, est. 1832, lies a little more than a mile south of the coast of Lake Erie. It's a very comfortable small town, which celebrates an annual Dan Rice Days festival, honoring the Manhattan-born circus owner, who started out at age 17 with a trained pig traveling show featuring Sybil, a pig that could tell time. Rice went on to become one of the country's most successful clowns and circus owners, and eventually ran for president in 1868, after previous unfruitful runs for Congress and Senate. The phrase of "jumping on the bandwagon" is said to have originated with Rice's use of his circus bandwagon to campaign for Zachary Taylor. Rice lived in Girard during the winters from 1852 to 1875, sharing his home there with his circus animals.

Ralphie's Girard Cafe, Girard Borough, PA

In 1955, Paul M. "Buddy" Seebacher and his wife Elizabeth started a bakery in a building right on Main Street in Girard, amidst other buildings which today host various small businesses like "The Hippie Space" and "Funk N Junk" thrift store. At the time the bakery shared a building with a bar/cafe. In 1965, the Seebachers would purchase the building, knock out the wall between the two businesses, and expand the Girard Cafe/Bar which they now ran. (goerie)  A patron at the bar told me that Ralphie would sometimes greet new visitors who entered through the old bakery door, tell them that the bar was next door, then walk across the room and greet them as they entered the other door.

Ralphie's Girard Cafe, Girard Borough, PA

Paul's son, Paul "Buddy" Seebacher III, explained that when his father could not remember a person's name, he would call them "Ralphie," to the extent that the nickname became attached to Paul himself. The bar remains full of photos and artifacts testifying to Ralphie's life, including hunting and fishing trips and his longtime playing and coaching softball. When Ralphie passed away in 1999, his son Buddy took over. When Buddy himself passed, his wife Colleen ("Coley") took over, and runs it to this day.

Ralphie's Girard Cafe, Girard Borough, PA

Judging from both the patrons gathered on this early Thursday afternoon and the newspaper articles on the wall, the bar has served as a prominent community gathering spot for the past seven decades. Although the decor will give a few clues, it's hard for me to describe why I've added this to my list of most favorite bars, as one really must visit to appreciate the vibe - the interior, the people, the ambiance. But I now look forward to returning whenever I'm in the area (and I'm sure Trista would enjoy checking out the several unique looking thrift stores around town).

103 Main St W, Girard, PA 16417

Est. 1955?
Articles and Reviews: goerie - yelp 

#5931 - Saisaki Asian Fusion, Frederick, MD - 10/5/2024

Saisaki Asion Fusion, Frederick, MD
Historic location of Hagan's Tavern

As the name says this is an Asian fusion (mostly Japanese and Thai) restaurant/bar with hibachi style cooking by May Talabkaew and family, who ran the Yatai Hibachi food truck in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia for a few years before this. The food was quite good and the owners and staff were great. So while I would not hesitate to recommend it for those reasons, I must admit that my primary interest in the place was the old historic tavern building where it opened in 2024.

The structure, along the old National Road, was built in the late 18th century - many references say in 1875, but I tend to put most faith in the architectural survey created for the Maryland Historical Trust, which says perhaps as early as 1790, likely already a tavern at that time, and purchased by John Hagan in 1830.  It remained in the Hagan family for many years, and while it would serve under several different names over the decades, it was actually renamed Hagan Tavern as recently as 2009. It was informally known for many of these years as the "Old White House."

For a few details I'll turn to the real estate listing and again to the architectural survey. Standard caveats apply to claims of hosting George Washington et. al., though the location and historical description would seem to make it a good candidate.

From a real estate brochure:

"The main structure was built around 1785 to serve as a public house for travelers on the Olde National Pike, which at the time was the main thoroughfare between Baltimore and Cumberland and the gateway to the western frontier. Hagan’s was one of many taverns on the pike, but kept a reputation for having the best food, thereby attracting gentry as well as drovers.

Hagans’ guest list has included George Washington, John C. Calhoun, Andrew Johnson as well as Henry Clay. Through the years, Hagan’s Tavern has served varied roles: private home, resort, restaurant, tavern, inn, and — for a period in the 1930’s — a speakeasy. Hagan’s Tavern has also served as headquarters for soldiers and officers from both armies during the Civil War.

Original wall murals adorn the walls of some of the dining areas which depict glimpses of the styles of Moses Eaton and Rufus Porter, as well as the Zuber School of 18th century wall covering. Created by

local artist Virginia Jacobs McLaughlin, this unique display of artwork is only one of the many details of Hagan’s Tavern that creates a romantic atmosphere for its guests."

From an architectural survey for the Maryland Historical Trust:

"It was built possibly as early as 1790, pre-dating the National Road built through the area in about 1807. It was purchased about 1830 by John Hagan, who was the proprietor of the tavern through much of the mid and late 19th century. During the early 20th century, it continued to serve as a restaurant and bar with a rather notorious reputation for rough clientele. later in the 20th century, the building was an antique shop."

"The tavern has field stone walls which were covered with stucco during much of the 19th and early 20th centuries and painted white, a typical technique of drawing travelers' attention to inns, taverns, and toll houses along the National Road."

"The house may have been built as early as 1790 and is thought to have been a tavern operated by James Nixdorf. Architectural features of the tavern suggest conflicts with documentary evidence and oral tradition regarding dates, leaving open the possibility of construction between 1820-1830. By the 1830's, it was owned by John Hagan. His father Peter Hagan was described in Searight's 'The Old Pike: A History of the National Road (1894) as having a log tavern on the south side of the Pike near the stone Wilding's location which was famed among wagoners on the road.

The current owner of Hagan's Tavern [property], Mr. Mark McConnell, believes that the stone house may have operated concurrently with the log structure, eventually superceding it altogether. Research by Ann Lelilerz in the Frederick County Historical Society revealed that the tavern was still a well-known drinking place during the Civil War and was "patronized" by both Confederate and Union troops in their passages through Frederick County. With the advent of the automobile, the tavern continued to operate and had a notorious reputation during the early 20th century for its rough clientele. Memories of its use during the 1920's and early 1930's suggest it was known as a speakeasy as well as a legitimate restaurant. I.ater, it was used as an antique store. Mr. McConnell has information regarding several outbuildings which no longer exist, including stables, a summer kitchen, and a bank barn.'

5018 Old National Pike, Frederick, MD 21702 - (240) 490-8007
Est. 2024 - Building constructed: 1790?
Previous bars in this location: Nixdorf's Tavern, Hagan's Tavern, Silver Maple Inn
Web site: saisakifrederick.com - facebook - facebook (hagans) 
Articles & Reviews: yelp - fredericknewspost - mountolivethistory (Hagan family history) 

#6625 - Mortals Key Brewing, South Shenango Township, PA - 7/9/2026

Mortals Key Brewing, South Shenango, PA

I really like this place and have added it to my list of top favorites. In short, it looks and feels great, they have really good beers, and while I did not originally intend to eat there, the smell of the smoking brisket gave me no choice.

More than just a brewpub, it's like a little village, with old barn wood buildings crammed with interesting antiques, salvage, and artistic furnishings. I don't know exactly what the arts backgrounds of the owners are, but they are apparent everywhere you look, comprising a highly diverse set of source materials that somehow come together feeling as a thematic, welcoming whole. The brewery was opened June 24, 2016 just east of the Pymatuning Reservoir, which straddles the Pennsylvania-Ohio border and resulted in the largest lake in Pennsylvania. The address lists Jamestown but it is technically in South Shenango Township, PA. It was created and is run by Bruce and Jennifer Woyt, and Doug and Connie Shannon. Their web site describes the project this way:

Mortals Key Brewing, South Shenango, PA

"Mortals Key Brewing Company was born by a handful of artists who came together on a small farm overlooking old America with the sole purpose of creating a beer unlike any other. In the process we ended up also changing the course of our lives. We’re not saying we’ve found the secret to life, only the key to enjoying it. So join us for a pint and begin filling that bucket with a list of everything you want to do during your time here on this planet. And then get out there and have fun doing it."  (mortalskey.com)

On my first visit I was able to meet owner Jennifer and head brewer Sean McIntyre, as well as chatting with bartender Craig. The main bar and kitchen are in an old tractor barn refurbished with repurposed building materials, architectural salvage, boat motors and half a 1950s Bristol Bus. The Egyptian ankh symbol, sometimes known as "the key of life," features prominently throughout (down to the beer tap handles), and adds to feeling of a welcoming, secret sanctuary.

Adjacent to the brewpub is the Gatehouse Winery, which I yet to explore, and up a slight hill is a handsome stone house that serves as the Estate at Gatehouse Bed & Breakfast, which seems like a great base from which to explore the reservoir, the Pymatuning State Park as well as Lake Conneaut area. In any case, I will definitely be watching for opportunities to return.

4224 E Lake Rd, Jamestown, PA 16134 - (724) 932-1080

Est. June 24, 2016 - Building constructed: 2016
Previous bars in this location: None known
Web site: mortalskey.com - facebook - instagram 
Articles: goerie - recordargusnews - neocraftbrewerynews - yelp - tripadvisor - untappd - beeradvocate 

Historical Note: West Overton Village and Old Overholt Whiskey

West Overton Village Museum, Pennsylvania

Yesterday we visited the museum at West Overton Village in East Huntingdon Township, some 40 miles southeast of Pittsburgh. The museum is housed in the old distillery and mill house of Old Overholt Whiskey, the oldest continual whiskey brand in the country. The distillery was established in 1810 when Abraham Overholt took over his father Henry's farm and converted his distilling operation into a major commercial business. 

We had been to the village a couple times before, and visited the new distillery on the premises, but this is the first time we'd been able to tour the museum now in the distillery building erected in 1859. The museum includes the Sam Komlenic Gallery, which is said to comprise "the largest publicly accessible collection of artifacts related to Pennsylvania's rich history of whiskey distilling," including some 270+ whiskey bottles dating from the late 19th to mid 20th centuries. (westovertonvillage.org) 

West Overton Village Distillery

The property, then extending over 263 acres, was acquired by Henry Overholt in 1903, and like most Pennsylvania farms of the time began to distill whiskey. When Abraham took over he "developed the family farm into an industrial enterprise centered around whiskey production," expanding the farm "into a village that included the 1838 Overholt Homestead, the 1859 combined distillery and gristmill, several brick barns, a cooperage, shops, worker housing, and numerous outbuildings." For the next 100+ years, up until federal prohibition took effect in 1920, "the Overholts maintained the tradition of distilling Monongahela rye, considered the quintessential American whiskey." (ibid) 

Starting in 1881, the operation was owned and run by Abraham's grandson Henry Clay Frick. In that same year Frick, who had been born in the village and already become wealthy from his coke coal operation, was introduced to Andrew Carnegie, and in the same year would merge his operation with Carnegie Steel and become its chairman. It was in this capacity that Frick would in 1892 precipitate the "Homestead Massacre," by loading up barges on the Ohio River with 300 Pinkerton agents, with the goal of opening the Homestead plant for non-union workers, forcing their way past the striking workers, their families, and other townspeople determined to keep the plant closed until ownership reached a bargaining agreement with their union. The resulting conflict and exchange of gunfire left 10 to 16 steelworkers and Pinkerton agents dead, and eventually the American labor movement significantly weakened. (wikipedia) 

For the highly wealthy Frick, the distillery "was a sentimental side-business," to which he added partners Andrew Mellon and Charles W. Mauck. In 1888, the product, originally labeled "Pure Rye Old Farm Whiskey," was officially named "Old Overholt," in homage to Abraham, and by 1900 was a national brand. When Frick died in 1919, with prohibition pending, this ended the Overholt/Frick family's involvement, as well as operations at the village. For the production of "medicinal" whiskey during prohibition and resuming regular production post prohibition, the company used only their newer location in Broad Ford, PA. The company would be sold to various interests over the following decades, most notably to Jim Beam in 1997. (wikipedia)

The whiskey would change its mash bill and decline in quality and reputation over the next 20 years. But happily, beginning in 2017, new versions of the product would revive its reputation with serious whiskey fans and the craft cocktail world. For a good description of this I quote from an article by Eric Zandona on his EZdrinking blog:

"... Beam decided to move production of Old Overholt from Pennsylvania to Kentucky, changed the mash bill to the minimum 51% rye and drop the bottling strength to 80 proof. 

For about 27 years Old Overholt sat as bottom shelf whiskey overshowed by other more popular whiskeys in the Beam portfolio....  but in 2017, the now Beam Suntory began to get label approval for several new Old Overholt expressions. For the first time in about 30 years, Beam Suntory re-released a bonded version of Old Overholt which cause quite a buzz among whiskey writes and bartenders. And, two years later in 2019, Beam Suntory increased the standard bottling strength from 40% to 43% ABV. From then on there has been a steady release of new Old Overholt expressions which has helped to revitalize the brand from its bottom shelf ignominy to a brand that is once again well respected and sought after by American whiskey fans. It has been exciting to see Beam Suntory put some money and effort into supporting this historic brand by creating new and interesting offerings such as the return of the 4-year age statement on the standard bottle, the 11 Year Old Cask Strength, and the A. Overholt Straight Rye made with a traditional Pennsylvania rye whiskey mash bill. Hopefully this trend will continue and who knows what we will see in the future for this more than 200-year-old brand."

Bourbon Culture adds "Things changed yet again in 2023 when Beam rolled out with a cask strength, 10-year-old Old Overholt. Then came the news that this would be an annual review where the age should continue to increase."

Finally, while the village no longer owned the Old Overholt name, in 2020 it opened a new distillery on the premises, producing its own set of rye whiskeys under the West Overton Distilling name, as well as collaborating annually with other distilleries such as Stoll & Wolfe and Dad's Hat on blends. These and a small set of rotating cocktails are available in a remodeled 19th century barn across the road from the old residence. 

West Overton Village circa 1867
homestead, spring house, and distillery/grist mill buildings still intact today

Links: westovertonvillage.org - karensbranches - EZdrinking - thebourbonculture

wikipedia: West Overton - Homestead Strike - Henry Clay Frick 

See all Historical Notes 

#6593 - Rock Rest Lodge, Golden, CO - 6/10/2026

Rock Rest Lodge, Golden, CO

Here's a brief history from the bar's web site:

"Although records are unclear, local folklore holds that the front section of the Rock Rest was erected around 1885 as a trading post and stagecoach stop.  Originally called the “Rock House Rest” on old mining maps, by the time of the 1890’s census, the name had been shortened to simply “Rock Rest”. 

As nearby Camp George West expanded, so too did the Rock Rest.  The lodge, ballroom and “private” brothel areas were built around 1907 by then owner and local legend Len “Stump Puller” Johnson.  After Johnson retired back to Sweden, the Lodge was sold to a shady character by the name of JimboThraken.  Extending the brothel and gambling receipts were Thraken’s first order of business.  Soon the Rock Rest became the Ad Hoc officers club for the nearby camp.  In 1923 Thraken was killed in a barroom brawl and the Rock Rest went through a series of owners and into decline. 

Rock Rest Lodge, Golden, CO

During the Great Depression the Rock Rest was brought back to greatness by the famous fiddle playing band leader George Morrison.  Morrison and his Rigadooners were the toast of the town until the Klu Klux Klan threatened to blow up the Rock Rest and kill the African-American and Catholic band leader. 

The Rock Rest then came under the ownership of Max Heeley, a local Heavyweight boxer.  According to newspaper accounts of the time, Heeley’s Bull terrier “Dempsey” wandered into the cavern beneath the Rock Rest.  The distraught Heeley followed the pup in, and neither was seen again.  Since then, the cavern has been sealed for safety concerns.  On especially windy nights, it is said one can still hear old Dempsey howling!"

16005 Mt Vernon Rd, Golden, CO 80401 - (303) 216-2895

Est. c.1885 - Building constructed: c.1885/1907
Previous bars in this location: None known 
Web site: rockrestlodge.com - facebook - instagram 
Articles: onlyinyourstate - denverite (severed foot) - yelp - tripadvisor