ON TAP
Thorn Hill Tap-House recalls the goodness of
hometown cooking, local sourcing and fresh
ingredients with its grand opening in March.
T
horn Hill Tap-House is one
of Wexford’s newest places
to dine out. The restaurant’s
concept is dedicated to
recalling the goodness of hometown
cooking, local sourcing and fresh
ingredients. When possible, it will source
local meats, produce and breads to
execute the casual, family-friendly menu.
Simply put, “Fresh food tastes better than
frozen,” says owner Marc Teklinski.
Teklinski builds on decades of
restaurant experience from Las Vegas
to Florida and, most recently, growing
Pittsburgh’s most recognizable sandwich
shop—as a partner in Primanti
Brothers—since he returned to the
area in 1999.
“Having spent time in this area, my
wife Robin and I realized it lacked a
casual, family-friendly local spot to hang
out,” says Teklinski. “Having been in the
hotel and restaurant business our whole
lives, we started talking to people from
around Franklin Park, learning about
the Thorn Hill area, the now-shuttered
Thorn Hill Boys School, and this region’s
farming, distilling and whiskey history.”
The food offered at Thorn Hill Tap-
House includes special touches on old
favorites meant to have a wide appeal. So,
while one can expect to see hand-breaded
chicken wings, there’s also a vegetarian
BY NICOLE TAFE
buffalo cauliflower. The Roscoe Board
offers new, tasty appetizer options,
including house ham spread, pimento
cheese, pickled green beans, brown sugar
bacon and country toast. Salads are
freshly washed and hand-chopped—not
from a bag—with all the fixin’s including
haystack onions, toasted sunflower seeds,
cage-free eggs and cornbread croutons.
The menu also features gastropub-style
sandwiches like Cuban, Italian, Pastrami
Reuben, Salmon BLT and more.
“A key part of this concept is the
attention to detail with the sourcing of
the ingredients, like the flatiron-grilled
burgers,” Teklinski explains. He worked to
develop a custom blend of chuck, brisket
and short-rub Certified Angus Beef to
create a burger unlike any other. Along
with alternatives like chicken breast or
meatless Impossible™ Burger, the burger
board specialties can be had in one of six
distinct styles.
The full-service bar features 18 taps for
plenty of variety with new things rotating
in. “It’s a great place to raise a glass and
share a good time,” says Teklinski.
Underpinning the operation is a desire
to do right and give back. A portion of
every sale goes to Give Kids the World
Village and Make-A-Wish of Greater
PA and WV.
“Thorn Hill Tap-House is a ‘Food
Forward’ place that’s made to be a local
favorite,” Teklinski adds. “There are many
places to pick from when you decide
to go out to eat or bring home dinner,
with almost every national chain available
at highway exits. But finding fresh food
that is actually cooked in the restaurant
is getting harder and harder to find.
Whether it’s the fresh-pressed burgers or
hand-breaded fried chicken at Thorn Hill
Tap-House, we will actually be cooking
fresh food. ‘Grab a Bite. Raise a Glass.’” ■
NORTH ALLEGHENY
❘
SPRING 2020
43