Duffy's Boalsburg Tavern

Duffy's Boalsburg Tavern

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Duffy's Boalsburg Tavern
113 East Main Street
Boalsburg, PA 16827
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History

Built in 1819, Duffy's Tavern first gained popularity as a stagecoach stop catering to colonial travelers. The building has traditional wooden floors, seven fireplaces and deep-set windows.

"It's a colonial atmosphere, lots of antiques, very quaint and welcoming.  The aromas coming from the kitchen make your mouth water," says Barbara Sirianni, secretary.

The structure still has all of the original stonework, with the 22-inch thick stone walls keeping the indoor temperature at a comfortable 68 to 70 degrees year-round.

The tavern operated continuously until being damaged by fire in 1934. Within three years, it was restored to its original splendor. Harry Duffy purchased the restaurant in 1946, renaming it Duffy's Tavern and running it until his death in 1961. Ten years later, the restaurant was taken over by Carl Hacker, who operates the restaurant to this day with his son Chuck.

Dining

Duffy's boasts a tavern menu, a fine dining menu and a feature sheet, which changes regularly.

The tavern menu offers lighter fare, including burgers, specialty sandwiches, all types of salads and excellent soups. The ham and bean soup is especially popular, Sirianni said.

Can't decide what to order? Duffy's offers specials throughout the week. Try the half-price burgers on Monday, crab legs on Tuesdays, 25-cent wings on Wednesdays, or the half-pound of shrimp on Thursdays.

The fine dining menu is more upscale and sophisticated, offering elegant entrees such as filet mignon, veal sautéed with garlic and mushrooms, and a salmon filet stuffed with snow crab.

"Our seafood comes in fresh every few days," Sirianni said. "We have excellent lamb chops and all of our desserts are made in house, like our tiramisu, cheesecake and several chocolate desserts.”

Catering

Duffy's provides catering for any event, including wedding receptions, business affairs and graduations. The menu can be adapted to fit the tastes of any group and accommodate any number of guests, Sirianni said.

"We've done as few as four to six people," she said. "And then we've done groups of around 300 to 400."

Ghost stories

It's rumored that Harry Duffy, the tavern's original owner, is still keeping an eye on things after all these years.

"Things happen that are just unexplained, like sometimes the front door will just open and close and nobody's there," Sirrianni said. "He's just a presence here and you know that he's with you sometimes."

But Harry is nothing to fear – he's part of what makes the restaurant distinctive. His presence adds to the rich history of Duffy's Boalsburg Tavern.

"It is truly historical. It's someplace that's been here for a long time and it's just a really neat place," Sirainni said. "We're one of a kind."

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