Breezy Heights Tavern, Avella PA

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Originally posted by Foodbme

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Originally posted by MetroplexJim

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Originally posted by badseed555

Is there a forum for Western Pa memories?

I haven't seen one, but I'll create one this morning under "Miscellaneous - Food Related".

There are Pittsburgh expatriates all over the country, that's why the Steelers seem to have a "home field advantage" even when they play away. Here in Collin County (suburb North of Dallas) I have noticed three sports bars which advertise "All Steelers Games!". No other "foreign" team is so featured here in the heart of Cowboy Country.

The population of Greater Pittsburgh is pretty much the same as when I left for graduate school in 1969: 2,000,000. Had the career prospects been there I would have returned, but the grass was greener in Northern Virginia. Had the Pittsburgh economy not been affliced by "hardening of the arteries" the population would have been 4,000,000 by now. Interestingly, my four children - all born and raised in Redskin Country - are all Steelers fans!

Sad, but true: the major industry in Greater Pittsburgh is now health care for its aging population. In my youth Pennsylvania had the same number of Electoral Votes as California and Texas was just another "Southern state". I figure that I am just one among several million scattered about the Sun Belt who still consider Pittsburgh my home. Times indeed have changed, but our loyalties never will.

Excellent Synopsis!

Thanks!

Come join the 2,000,000 of us at: http://roadfood.com/Forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=30864 .

"Geezing" is definitely welcome as are "current reports".

Last night, my cousin Mark and I made the 70 minute drive for us down to Breezy Heights Tavern in Avella, PA.

This sign near the front door lets you know what they are famous for.


Breezy Heights Tavern is a long rambling building divided into three parts. The center dining room is the best place to eat. First of all, how many restaurants have a sight like this in the middle of the dining room?

I felt like I was at the Buckhorn Exchange in Denver. Apparently, the owners are quite the big game hunters.

The other unique feature of this room is the quaint little booths along both sides.

Here is Mark in our booth.

It was a bit of a tight squeeze for a bigger guy like myself.

Of course, we ordered the broasted chicken. The waitress explained the process to me, but I can't remember. I do know there is marinating and pressure cooking involved. Anyway, we were rewarded with some wonderful fried chicken.


The meat is tender and juicy, but we both particularly loved the crusty skin.

The sides recommended above were the green bean casserole, here called fried green beans

and the mashed potatoes.

Mark loved the mashed potatoes so much, he said could have made a meal of just those. I think it was more the wonderful brown gravy that was so good than the potatoes.

I can't imagine they get a lot of strangers here and my taking photos was getting me attention. A very nice elderly woman named Alice came over and introduced herself as the owner. All together a very good experience. I agree that this place is Roadfood worthy!

Thanks to californyguy for bringing this place up. I still can't believe I had never heard of it before.

Thanks, buffetbuster! Great pics of wonderful BROASTED chicken.

I enjoyed it many times at the late, lamented Whitey's in Arlington, VA. They served it with sour cream. I always added the beer-battered onion rings and washed it all down with ice cold Coors.

Unfortunately, Whitey's owner fell behind on his 941 taxes and the joint got padlocked. New owners turned it into a wine bar. Ick!

The next time we get "back home" Mrs. Metro and I will be making a "Roadfood Pilgrimage" to Avella!

Everyone check www.broaster.com to see if it's available in your area.

Great photos...that fried chicken looks perfect...and you don't often see green bean casserole on a menu..great!!!!

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Originally posted by leethebard

Great photos...that fried chicken looks perfect...and you don't often see green bean casserole on a menu..great!!!!

BuffetBuster,
What all was in that green bean casserole? Looks like Hominy???

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Originally posted by blue heaven

Hi BB Angelo's is an Italian restaurant and I believe it is on Chestnut street. Michael Passalacqua owns it(went to high school with him.) His father owned it before him and his grandparents before and so on. I believe it first opened in the 1920's and just served spaghetti and meatballs. I think you can google it and get the menu which has greatly expanded. When I was little I used to love to go there and their house salad came with a little wedge of provolone and a piece of pepperoni. Let me know if you if you and check it out.

Riding as a child with my parents and grandparents (1955 - 1962), we used to drive past this place many times on our way to enjoy a Dairy Queen or eat at Eat 'n Park and Howard Johnson's, but we never stopped. I'm probably "walking on eggs" here, but the reason was "our clan" (Scot Presbyterians) did not "mix well".

Remember that during this era "numbers running" was an "organized crime" activity which today is known as the Pennsylvania State Lottery. Today, I have no idea whether or not one could "buy a number" then at Angelos, but we were not about to find out!

As I look back, the one thing I am sure about is that we missed many a fine meal. The next time I'm back in the Pittsburgh area I'm certainly going there to enjoy one. It looks great!

http://www.angelosrestaurant.com/

Foodbme-
Not really sure what that was in the green bean casserole. I don't think it was hominy, though. I will try and get back to you.

BB, Great report. Thanks for taking the time to check this place out. Looks like Roadfood to me!

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Originally posted by joerogo

BB, Great report. Thanks for taking the time to check this place out. Looks like Roadfood to me!

I'll second that sentiment! I knew what BROASTED CHICKEN is all about, but I never imagined that it would be served in a place with such charming ambience.

Your pics told a great story! Again, thank you!

hey what wonderful pictures! long live Breezy's!Thanks Buffetmaster!

I think it may have been little flecks dumplings in the green bean casserole-whay do you think buffetmaster...maybe we will have to ask Alice!

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Originally posted by californyguy

hey what wonderful pictures! long live Breezy's!Thanks Buffetmaster!

Buffetmaster? Who's that? Thank you for bringing this place to our attention. It is a mystery to me how I have never heard of it before. I have never seen it mentioned in any of the Pittsburgh newspapers. They did tell me they have been written up before in the Washington (PA) newspaper.

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Originally posted by californyguy

I think it may have been little flecks dumplings in the green bean casserole-whay do you think buffetmaster...maybe we will have to ask Alice!

If I had to guess, the flecks are the remnants of Durkee's Fried Onions - which were a standard ingredient in my grandmother's green bean casserole which I first enjoyed at her Eighty-Four, PA home back in the 1950's.

Hi MetroplexJim...I have never heard of the numbers story associated with Angelo's....they do have great food though....truly authentic Italian fare.

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Originally posted by Foodbme

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Originally posted by blue heaven

They Call it ARN City because it's made with rusty water from the Allegheny River, (Used that one because I can't spel the other one, Mono???).

Dearfolk,
It's a good thing that Western Pennsylvania never invested in the new technology; if so, we'd have the STEREONGAHELA River!
Youghighenically, Ort. Carlton in Athens-Georga-Betwixt-The-Oconees.

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Originally posted by MetroplexJim

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Originally posted by Mosca

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Originally posted by MetroplexJim

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Originally posted by Foodbme

I remember that my primary anxiety in moving from Eighty-Four "up" to New Wilmington was: "Do they get KDKA up there?".

Jim,
Yes, but probably not KQV nor WWSW -- at least at night.
Skywave-Skippingly, Ort. Carlton in On Pattern Athens, Georgia.
P. S. WWSW runs at night using an amazing 8-tower configuration that limits them to reception south and east of town. KQV uses fewer towers, but operates a reasonably similar night directional pattern.

Why aren't I surprised that Ort is informing me about things I did not know in my own hometown. Ort, you are truly amazing!

That chicken looks faboo. I dunno, Cliff, maybe buffetmaster is what you become after you retire?

Nancy-
Or, maybe after I reach 10000 posts, I can become a buffetmaster! What is strange was two different people called me that in two different threads on the same day. I was beginning to get a little paranoid.

Well you're 40 percent down the road now, so let's see if that pans out. ;) We all know you're really the buffetmaster anyway, whether that's your name or not.

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Originally posted by buffetbuster

Last night, my cousin Mark and I made the 70 minute drive for us down to Breezy Heights Tavern in Avella, PA.

Oh my goodness. Breezy Heights. Breezy's. You've just brought me home. Or back to college, anyway.

I went to Bethany College (right there in Bethany WV, of course) back in the 90s and Oh.My.Gosh. did we trek to Breezy's. As a college kid, I didn't really appreciate what we had there until later. All that mattered to me is that I wasn't eating the slop served by the foodservice at Benedum Commons.

Many, many nights were spent eating real food and drinking beer at Breezy's.

Californyguy, ever been to Drover's? Just a little further down 844 (That's the PA number; I forget what the WV number was) towards Wellsburg. We used to go there for wings all.the.time. And to the basement to drink too heavily for our own good.

Gosh do I miss those places. I'm going to have to take a trip to Bethany just to have Drover's and Breezy's!

hey there gicka..I am a Bethany grad too- small world! class of 78& 79( shoulda been 78 but did not want to leave so spent an extra year haha) ...yes drovers was good too and tried to go when back for 30th Homecoming a month ago, but it was closed on Mondays( my last day there) so ended up at Breezy's too. Was Sams Ohio Valley Resturaunt still in Wellsburg when you were there- now that was a road food place- sometime sam would tell you to go back in the kitchen and cook what you wanted!Another great place was Emilys Buffalo Beer Garden on the Buffalo Creek ( no food , but who needed it) I guess a few years ago the creek washed it away, but the picnic tables remain and we went out a few weeks ago & had great fun.
Old BC was a special place indeed - what fun that you are a roadfooder too!

Gicka and Californyguy, I live in Bethany (well between and Bethany and Wellsburg) and its great to hear about the places you guys are talking about.

Yeah the Commons food isnt that great. I actually worked at Harder Hall (or the Gresham House)while I went to college (West Liberty) and it was a step up from the Commons.

Of course Drovers is a close watering hole (Bubba's anyone).

Cailifornyguy, i'm not familiar with Sam's Ohio Valley Resturaunt. I wonder if i've known it as something else for all these years? Who knows. I'll have to ask around.

As for Emilys Beer Garden, we've always known it as the German Beer Gardens. Unfortunatley, the building was wiped out in a flood a few years ago. People started to rebuild it and it got hit again. People still go out there to booze it up, but its nothing like it was in its heyday.

I almost went to Bethany College. It is a really nice place, but I ended up going to a busines school instead.

Last Wednesday, I was back at Breezy Heights Tavern with my girlfriend and her daughter. This time, I remembered to try the wedding soup and I was impressed. Undoubtedly homemade.

But then, it can be tough to find a place with bad wedding soup in western PA. Emilou also got an order of the honey garlic wings, which were also quite tasty.


There can be no doubt that this is a place most frequented by the locals. At the large center table next to us was a meeting of the Avella High School Wrestling Team boosters.

I am so excited to see this restaurant on this website.  I am a relative of the owners of Breezy Heights.  The pictures posted on here are wonderful.  This business has survived on local farmers, etc., for all these years.  I don't think they will be going anywhere very soon as their son now does most of the business work for the restaurant.  Sometimes you will even catch him in there.  Alice and Dominic are the owners and yes, Dominic earned all the animal tropies even the elephant ears under glass at one of the tables.  He has been on safari in Africa and many other places.  If you are going there for the atmosphere, the dining room, particularly a booth is the best place to eat.  They do have a small private room that holds one long table if you want a little privacy.  The enclosed deck is nice in the summer after a ball game or just to relax.  My Dad actually did most of the wood work in this section.  They use it for banquets, etc.  They even have a pavilion over the hill by a small lake that can be rented for weddings, etc.  I had mine there.  Chickens over the fire and all.  They also have a driving range and miniature golf course.  Not to mention ice cream all in the summer of course.  This is definitely a must see for people who are looking for a taste of the old times.  The murals and booths in the dining room are charming.  The owners live upstairs, so they are not going anywhere too soon.  Thanks for all the good words and I will be sure to show them to Dominic and Alice.

clmorrison


I am so excited to see this restaurant on this website.  I am a relative of the owners of Breezy Heights.  The pictures posted on here are wonderful.  This business has survived on local farmers, etc., for all these years.  I don't think they will be going anywhere very soon as their son now does most of the business work for the restaurant.  Sometimes you will even catch him in there.  Alice and Dominic are the owners and yes, Dominic earned all the animal tropies even the elephant ears under glass at one of the tables.  He has been on safari in Africa and many other places.  If you are going there for the atmosphere, the dining room, particularly a booth is the best place to eat.  They do have a small private room that holds one long table if you want a little privacy.  The enclosed deck is nice in the summer after a ball game or just to relax.  My Dad actually did most of the wood work in this section.  They use it for banquets, etc.  They even have a pavilion over the hill by a small lake that can be rented for weddings, etc.  I had mine there.  Chickens over the fire and all.  They also have a driving range and miniature golf course.  Not to mention ice cream all in the summer of course.  This is definitely a must see for people who are looking for a taste of the old times.  The murals and booths in the dining room are charming.  The owners live upstairs, so they are not going anywhere too soon.  Thanks for all the good words and I will be sure to show them to Dominic and Alice.

Let me be the first to welcome you to Roadfood.
 
I look forward to visiting The Breezy Heights on my next trip to Pittsburgh.  From the pics it sure looks like your family can Broast some chicken! 

clmorrison-
And let me be the second to welcome you to Roadfood!  I don't know if I mentioned it earlier, but Alice chatted with us for about 15 minutes on my one visit.  Very nice lady.  Thanks for chipping in with the background info.

Thanks for the great pictures.  Brings back a lot of memories.  When I used to go out there when I was dating, the booths had doors or curtains on them.  Long time ago.  I don' live in the area anymore.  Does anyone know if Susan still works there?

MetroplexJim

clmorrison


I am so excited to see this restaurant on this website.  I am a relative of the owners of Breezy Heights.  The pictures posted on here are wonderful.  This business has survived on local farmers, etc., for all these years.  I don't think they will be going anywhere very soon as their son now does most of the business work for the restaurant.  Sometimes you will even catch him in there.  Alice and Dominic are the owners and yes, Dominic earned all the animal tropies even the elephant ears under glass at one of the tables.  He has been on safari in Africa and many other places.  If you are going there for the atmosphere, the dining room, particularly a booth is the best place to eat.  They do have a small private room that holds one long table if you want a little privacy.  The enclosed deck is nice in the summer after a ball game or just to relax.  My Dad actually did most of the wood work in this section.  They use it for banquets, etc.  They even have a pavilion over the hill by a small lake that can be rented for weddings, etc.  I had mine there.  Chickens over the fire and all.  They also have a driving range and miniature golf course.  Not to mention ice cream all in the summer of course.  This is definitely a must see for people who are looking for a taste of the old times.  The murals and booths in the dining room are charming.  The owners live upstairs, so they are not going anywhere too soon.  Thanks for all the good words and I will be sure to show them to Dominic and Alice.

Let me be the first to welcome you to Roadfood.
 
I look forward to visiting The Breezy Heights on my next trip to Pittsburgh.  From the pics it sure looks like your family can Broast some chicken! 

After a year (and several trips to Pittsburgh) I finally had the time to visit the Breezy Heights on President's Day, accompanied by Mrs. Metro and my four adult children.  On the trip to Avella through a snowstorm I was thought by the rest of my party to be a crazed Captain Ahab leading all to doom; however, the unanimous thought at the table was that "this is beyond wonderful" - the food, the ambiance, the setting - were all "Roadfood" at its finest. 
 
They have a wonderful, diner-style menu which delighted even my vegan daughter.  That said, I was there for the broasted chicken and was delighted that they give one the option to order one's pieces a la carte.  I ordered three legs and was served four, the waitress explaining that the legs that day were smallish so they gave me the fourth, n/c!  This delicacy is best enjoyed with sour cream and/or honey; both were proffered without a blink or extra charge.
 
"Buffetbuster": your fine pictures closed the deal for me over a year ago.  My family and I thank you.