Any time I have a meeting in Westmoreland County, I always recommend talking over lunch at Marino's American Eatery. It doesn't take long into this month's Inside the Taproom podcast to see why! A friendly owner and chef with a passion for local beer and fresh food combine to make Marino's a truly unique stop in the Laurel Highlands.
Owner Joshua Jones (my guest on this month's episode) is the pinnacle of a craft beer aficionado, constantly on the lookout for the best local flavors in the Laurel Highlands. His 16 taps are like the ultimate beer fridge, with favorites and new pours from Helltown, Whitehorse, Sobel's, Four Seasons, All Saints, Fury and more Pour Tour locations rotating through the list. Every time I stop by, I make sure to try something new (the Sobel's Midnight Stout right now is delightful start to finish). Even the beer slushies are locally sourced from Stone Bridge Brewing in Johnstown!
And we have to talk about that menu, and there's no better way than building you out some courses from some of my favorites. Start with those sauerkraut cakes, a completely unique dish mixing potato pancakes, cream cheese and sauerkraut dunked into honey mustard. Now that's a true bite of Laurel Highlands flavor!
Combine that salty goodness with some sweet heat of General Josh's (I guess General Tso was demoted) Asian Sauce to round out your appetizers. For your main course, I suggest bringing your appetize for the Meya Angelo, a tantalizing mix of battered pork cutlets served over angel hair layered with garlic, lemon and white wine. For dessert, see if their homemade beignets are on the menu, or discover their rotating cheesecake of the month to always have a reason to come back. They're so good, breweries are using their signature cheesecakes to brew with!
So get out there, eat local, and discover some amazing local beers at Marino's American Eatery. And make sure you subscribe to our podcast on social media where we take you inside a taproom, brewery, winery and much more each month to meet the owners and discover something new in the Laurel Highlands.
