The TimberCreek Tap and Table recently opened its doors to the public in the new Grove City location last week. The restaurant is an expansion from their Meadville location that the owners opened in 2012.
The reasoning for the expansion to Grove City was to bring in more business for the owners and their family. With the traveling clientele that the Grove City Outlets brings in along with the locals, there is a lot of room to grow.
Kami Ruffo, TimberCreek waitress said it’s nice talking to the locals who are happy to have another option now where they can eat out and for the tourists shopping at the mall or in town for work.
The owners of the restaurant, joined forces in 2014 with a company that enables them to buy land and expand their business.
General Manager Devin Kelly said that expanding the restaurant was definitely a struggle at first because the TimberCreek team had no experience with a big space, but that they learned from experience.
The Grove City location can seat up to 500 people. There are 50 tables that can seat anywhere from two-12 people at each table. There is also bar seating.
Family friends helped design the aesthetic look of the timber- based building.
“It is an extension of a warm feeling and quality service,” Kelly said.
Kelly also stated that they are big supporters of local businesses and they try to help out their neighboring businesses as much as they can.
The restaurant has a glass floor attraction that looks into the basement where the brewery is located. The beer that is on tap is home-brewed by the Brew Master, Jacob Vorisek.
“The customer’s favorite home-brewed beer is the ‘Fully Loaded IPA’,” Kelly stated.
There are always 10 beers on tap, five of those being home-brewed. The decision of what beers are brewed is left up to Vorisek and what he feels like making that day.
There is a selection of domesticated bottled beers as well. The beer is also distributed to local towns around Meadville, and TimberCreek is hoping to expand that distribution to more places in the future.
Along with the assortment of beers, there are also a number of wines and liquors available.
There is a wide variety of food on the menu, ranging from sandwiches, brick oven pizza, seafood, burgers and salads.
Head Chef, Joe Roda said the cooks at TimberCreek put a lot of passion, time and effort into making their food.
“We make it with love and quality,” Roda said.
The ribs are slow roasted for eight hours and the pork is slow roasted for 12 hours.
“The Greek Chicken is the number-one seller,” Roda said.
The menu prices range anywhere from $8 to $30. A customer can get a burger for $8 to $9, sandwiches for $8, appetizers for under $10 and most dinners for under $20.
“We specialize in purchasing the highest quality of protein and products,” Kelly said. “Our seafood is flown in from Alaska, each dish can be customized, and the beef in our burgers are from our own farm raised cows.”
The restaurant is aiming to produce a warm and cozy environment with a modern feel. The music played throughout the day ranges anywhere from a local rock radio station to a modern/pop station.
“It’s very much like a family,” Ruffo said. “Between the Kellys and the employees, we’re all there helping each other out and making sure we can give our customers the type of comfort they would receive if they walked into our house.”
There is a possibility of live entertainment in the future for the enjoyment of customers while dining. The restaurant also has a back patio open when the weather is nice for more seating.
The restaurant is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekdays and on weekends, from 11 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.
