This story originally appeared in the October 2024 edition of Town&Gown magazine.
Take a stroll on the red carpet and dine like a star at Celebrities Bar & Grill.
Just opened in late spring 2024, Celebrities offers sandwiches, burgers, drinks and more in a space filled with memorabilia, right next to the Ramada Hotel & Conference Center on South Atherton Street in State College.
From Joe Montana and Shaq to Elvis and Marilyn Monroe and everyone in between, figures from the 1950s to present surround diners.
“The owners have a massive collection of memorabilia,” food and beverage director Zach Wisor says, and they want the collection to be on display for others to enjoy, too. Most of the pieces have a QR code for diners to scan that takes them online to learn more about the individual or watch a performance or event when the collectibles were used.
Diners can see Shaq’s (Shaquille O’Neal) size 22 sneakers, Muhammad Ali’s boxing gloves and signatures from actors like John Travolta and Gregory Peck.
Celebrities’ menu is upscale Americana with pop culture influences, according to Wisor.
“It’s a little bit of everything,” he says.
Head chef William Knepp explains that the menu is filled with old classics and diner favorites, some with additions courtesy of the stars on the walls.
“We fit the food to our celebrities,” he says.
The menu includes both classics and oddly satisfying, gotta-try-it combinations from your favorite celebrities.
“We’re trying to really hone down on flavors, bold tastes. Things people really haven’t seen,” Knepp says.
“The Elvis” stays true to the rock and roll icon’s famed love of peanut butter and banana sandwiches with Celebrities’ version of peanut butter, caramelized banana and crispy center-cut bacon on toasted brioche bread.
Perhaps a lesser-known combination is “The Dragon,” which honors Bruce Lee. Lee is said to have enjoyed the combination of a turkey burger with jalapeños, pepper jack cheese and a slice of grilled pineapple. While the combination may not seem like it should go together, the sweetness of the pineapple balances the kick of the jalapeños and savory flavor of the burger.
“It’s something just a little different than what you normally find around,” Wisor says.
“The Capone” shines on this menu. A life-size version of its namesake gangster seated in a barber chair greets diners as soon as they enter through the door. The sandwich includes a trio of Italian meats (Genoa salami, capicola ham and pepperoni) with melted parmesan and mozzarella, topped with lettuce, tomato, onion, vinegar, oil and oregano on an Italian roll. The flavors work together for a fresh sandwich reminiscent of one ordered at an authentic deli in the city.
“We get a lot of people that are trying our dishes that are not normally eating these kinds of foods, and we’re just getting great reviews about it,” Knepp says.
Fan-favorite items include the Wagyu Burger, Chicken BLT and Fish and Chips. For those not in the mood for a sandwich or burger, Celebrities also offers entrees like crab cakes, steaks and rotating daily specials like pizza, strombolis, wings and prime rib.
Celebrities also offers a self-described “best happy hour in State College” on weekdays from 4 to 7 p.m. with half off alcoholic beverages on Tuesday and Thursday and spin-the-wheel discounts on Wednesday and Thursday.
“You have your regular drinks like mojitos, pina coladas, daiquiris, everything like that,” Wisor says. “We decided we would do a little bit of research, find out what, say, Marilyn Monroe and Joe Montana like.”
The restaurant has a bar area with many TVs for watching a game while enjoying tasty food and the vibrant atmosphere. The family-friendly dining room and lounge provide a spot for those who may not want to sit right at the bar.
Wisor and Knepp say the team at Celebrities aims to create a space for locals to gather like those on the TV show Cheers (which also happens to have a spot on the wall of the bar). The team wants the restaurant to be a spot for the community.
Knepp emphasizes the importance of teamwork and positivity in the kitchen because it resonates with diners and the greater community.
“I think we’re really working toward taking care of the community because if it wasn’t for the community taking care of us and coming in, we wouldn’t be here,” Knepp says. T&G
Hannah Pollock is a freelance writer in State College.
