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The Best of State College, PA (home of Penn State!)
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items The best places to eat and shop if you visit State College, PA, the home of Penn State University 🤍🦁💙
Map
Sections
6
Breakfast/Coffee
Lunch
Dinner
Souvenirs
Treats
Bars (for grownups!)
Breakfast/Coffee
The best coffee and breakfast in town
One of our favorite stops for coffee and pastries. Try the strawberry milk latte or matcha for the perfect instagrammable treat that tastes as good as it looks.
Elixr Coffee Roasters
An alumnus owned shop with unique options. Stay for a flight or try the split cup if you need to get going. Located conveniently close to the popular Graduate hotel!
Vibe Coffee Co.
A traditional breakfast diner with both breakfast and lunch options. Try the Georgia pecan waffle!
The Original Waffle Shop
My family’s fave weekend visit. You do need a car to get to this spot just outside of town, but it’s worth it. Definitely try an order of the grilled stickies while you’re there!
Breakfast on Boal
Literally the best croissants ever. A bit of a hike, but so worth it. If you can’t make it, both Elixr and Vibe usually have their croissants available in the morning!
The Cakeshop by Tati
Every restaurant in the building is worth a visit but the historic corner room is a great family option. Good for brunch, lunch, and dinner.
The Corner Room
Lunch
Some cute and tasty options downtown for your lunch.
A perfect stop in town for lunch, convenient to campus as well as downtown hotels.
The Corner Room
Central Reservations chiller cousin, Local’s food comes from the same kitchen at a lower price point. Their lunchtime burger special literally can’t be beat.
Local Whiskey | State College's Premier Whiskey Bar
If you want a healthy option at lunchtime, Fiddlehead’s salads can’t be beat (plus, they’re HUGE!).
Fiddlehead - State College
Dinner
Most restaurants in town are great, but here are a few that are worth stopping by if you really want to be impressed.
The best fancy dinner in town, with incredible views and amazing cocktails. This is our regular date night spot!
Allen Street Grill
Excellent food and cocktails. In nice weather there’s gorgeous indoor/outdoor seating at the bar.
Central Reservation
You haven’t had tacos like these! Highly recommend the quesadillas, as well.
Carter's Table | Bold, Globally Inspired Tacos in State College ...
A popular option if you’re looking for something with a bit more “spice”, this is definitely “Americanized” Thai, but done deliciously.
Thai Restaurant State College Pa - cozy thai bistro
Souvenirs
You can’t leave town without some Penn State gear!
There are a lot of options for places to purchase Penn State merch, but one often overlooked, affordable stop is inside Mclanahan’s grocery store.
MCLANAHAN'S DOWNTOWN MARKET » Pages
If you want something FANCY or out of the ordinary (a madras print Penn State teddy bear, perhaps?), Harper’s is the place to go for the Penn State fan who has everything.
Harpers - Fine Clothing For Him & Her - State College PA ...
A great option for everything from Penn State tea towels to baby onesies.
Lions Pride | Penn State Apparel & Clothing Store
If you want your Penn State gear to ALSO have a Nike or Lululemon logo, this is your stop!
The Family Clothesline
Need a hostess gift for a friend while you’re in town? Kitchen Kaboodle is conveniently located downtown and has the cutest selection of home wares.
Kitchen & Home Store | Kitchen Kaboodle, State College, PA
If you need a gift for a little friend, Growing Tree has beautiful stuffies, art supplies, legos, and more for the newest newborn to the grownup who’s still a kid at heart—and they do a beautiful wrap job!
Growing Tree Toys | Best Playthings for Kids | State College, PA
Treats
We’re known for our ice cream, and with good reason—several presidents have tried to Penn State Creamery’s offerings. But there’s more to try if you still have room!
A Penn State tradition for over 100 years, you can’t leave without trying Creamery ice cream (Ben & Jerry learned their craft from a Penn State correspondence course!).
Penn State Berkey Creamery
The BEST chocolate milk in town. Townies are firmly divided on whether Meyer or the Creamery is the best ice cream in town, but I secretly fall on the side of Meyer (your girl loves a sundae). If you’re here around the holidays, they also make PERFEC...
Meyer Dairy Store
Bars (for grownups!)
There are PLENTY of places to drink in State College, but if you want a GOOD drink in an enjoyable atmosphere, these are my recommendations!
Located in the Allen Street Grill, The Lobby bar is by far the sexiest bar in town for a date night. Rarely frequented by students, the seasonal cocktails are crafted by bartenders that truly care about their craft.
Allen Street Grill
The official “gay bar” of State College, Chumley’s pays homage to the LGBTQ community in everything from its signage to its art. Their cocktails are incredible, and so is their bar menu (shares the same kitchen as Allen Street Grill and the Lobby Bar...
Chumley's
Also a great stop for dinner, Central Reservation has some of the best cocktails (and one of the best seating options) in town.
Central Reservation | State College's Newest Bar