I am someone that has always struggled with planning in advance. Whether it’s planning when I’m going to do my homework or planning for something weeks in advance, I lack the planning gene. Unfortunately, this also applies to planning for where I am going to take my parents out to eat when they come to visit me.
Over the past year I’ve been at Penn State, there has been a lot of trial and error that comes with finding places to take my parents out to eat that won’t be too crowded and aren’t too expensive but, I’ve managed to come up with 5 places that are parent approved and won’t require too much planning.
- BRGR
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Located in downtown State College, BRGR has some of the best burgers in all of State College. With amazing appetizers and great make-your-own burgers, you may not even want to order one of their heavenly milkshakes because you’ll be so full.
If you and your family are weird like mine and are fans of truffle oil, you absolutely have to try their truffle fries. Even though I’ve only been to BRGR a few times, every time I go I always leave full and happy and I’m sure your parents will too.
- The Corner Room
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The Corner Room is a State College classic and I have probably been there 20 times since coming to Penn State. It’s the perfect casual restaurant and the food is always delicious no matter what you order. Since there is so much space inside of the restaurant, it is pretty easy to social distance which is something that’s really important during this time.
My absolute favorite thing on the menu is the grilled cheese but everything I’ve gotten from there has been good. Parents will not only love the food but they’ll love the price as well.
- Snap Custom Pizza
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Snap Custom Pizza is the perfect place to bring your family in that it’s conveniently located downtown and literally has something for everyone. You can either choose from their list of signature pizzas or you can make your own pizza from the variety of sauces and toppings they have.
Even if you aren’t the biggest pizza fan if you enjoy Mac and Cheese, you have to try their Mac ‘N’ Cheese pizza. Trust me taking your family to Snap is worth it for the leftovers alone.
- The Field Burger & Tap
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If you are looking for a place with amazing burgers and wings look no further than The Field. Located in Toftrees which is about a 10 minute drive from campus, this is the perfect restaurant to take your family if they are looking for a nice sit-down meal.
It’s also a great place if your parents are like mine and sometimes need a break from the craziness of downtown dining without having to drive for a long time. Bonus points if you end up getting the soft pretzel appetizer which is my absolute favorite.
- Tadashi Japanese Restaurant
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With two locations in downtown State College, Tadashi is probably the best sushi restaurant in town. If you are like me and are allergic to shellfish but still enjoy sushi, the tuna-avocado roll is absolutely incredible and it’s something I look forward to.
This is a great restaurant to take your parents to if they want a break from burgers and pizza but don’t want to drive. Although I don’t go to Tadashi often when I do, I am never disappointed.
These restaurants are basically guaranteed to make your parents happy which should make you happy. Even though covid may keep your family from visiting right now, hopefully in the future things should go back to normal and you can return to hastily making dining plans 24 hours before your parents arrive. That’s all for now, happy eating collegiettes!