A hidden gem between Bellefonte and Milesburg at 685 Pleasantview Boulevard, Four Ways Pub & Eatery is a six-pack shop that serves great pub food and brews.
Husband and wife duo Michael and Augusta Kraker saw an opportunity to start their own business, and took over the lease of the building in September 2017.
Originally from Port Washington, New York, Michael had worked in kitchens since he was 19 years old, serving as a line cook at a few local restaurants. Moving to the area from Punxsutawney, Augusta grew up in the kitchen because her mother was a chef instructor.
The couple met while they were both employed at Champs in State College. Augusta was a bartender and waited tables, and Michael worked in the kitchen.
That dynamic seems to work for the Krakers, as Augusta tends to the front of the house at Four Ways Pub & Eatery and Michael is content in the back, preparing each food order.
Working with purveyors to source sustainable, seasonal ingredients and partnering with farmer-focused nonprofit food hubs such as Appalachian Food Works, Four Ways hopes to help strengthen the local economy.
With a simple menu that includes seven sandwiches, three appetizers, two salads, local beers on tap, and cocktails made with Big Spring Spirits liquors, Michael explains that if they can’t do it well, it’s not going on the menu.
“Our smashed bacon cheeseburger, Cuban sandwich, and fried chicken sandwich are the most popular items on the core menu,” says Augusta.
“Our pound of wings is also very popular, especially with the spicy Korean BBQ sauce,” says Michael.
“We also have specials that are available for a limited time only, such as our house-made corned beef Reuben sandwiches (coming in March) because we can only prepare so many portions, being that it is just the two of us. We can only do it once a year now, because the last time we had it on the menu, we were sold out of it in a week,” explains Augusta.
With seating for 50 and plenty of on-site parking, Four Ways Pub & Eatery is open Tuesday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to10 p.m. (with the kitchen closing at 9 p.m.); Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. (kitchen closes at 10 p.m.), and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Four Ways is closed on Mondays.
Look for Four Ways’ beer dinners in the coming months.
“We had one last December where we prepared a six-course meal paired with beers from New Trail Brewing Company,” says Augusta.
Weekly specials and information about beer dinners are available on Four Ways Pub & Eatery’s Facebook page.
Catering is available and requires at least one week’s notice, since food orders are placed on Mondays and the restaurant’s bread order from Gemelli Bakers arrives every Tuesday.
“We don’t have a lot of freezer space or storage in our kitchen, so we order what we need fresh every week,” says Michael.
For more information about Four Ways Pub & Eatery, visit fourwayspub.com.
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Vilma Shu is an editorial consultant for Town&Gown.
