‘Upscale dining with a rustic atmosphere’

New restaurant near Boyertown offers a casual atmosphere, upscale dining

COLEBROOKDALE » New life has been breathed into an old restaurant near Boyertown.

Co-owners Paul Bauer and Steve Haschak recently opened Barrel and Ale at 961 N. Reading Road in Colebrookdale Township in the longtime home of the Pit Stop Restaurant.

Bauer and Haschak purchased the property in mid-August, and Barrel and Ale opened on Aug. 21. Business has been great so far, Bauer said.

“The community really supported us,” he said. “We got some really good feedback from the customers. People have raved about the food. I really couldn’t be happier with the start.”

Bauer and Haschak also own Doc’s Irish Pub in Gilbertsville and Iezzi’s on 3rd in Boyertown. A mutual friend informed Bauer the restaurant’s previous owners were looking to sell.

“They asked us if we were interested,” Bauer recalled. “Our first thoughts were, ‘No, we’re not interested. We got our hands full.’ But they asked us to take a look at the place, and we did, and here we are.”

Bauer and Haschak completed some minor renovations, including lengthening the bar, and redecorated.

The restaurant has seating for about 125 inside, including 22 at an L-shaped bar, and about 15 more outside.

Bauer described the restaurant’s theme as “upscale dining with a rustic atmosphere.” It has a barrel theme, with whiskey barrel tables in the bar and barrel-shaped light fix

Bauer said the restaurant has a casual atmosphere, and they get a lot of families.

“The biggest challenge we’ve had is that it’s been known for 50 years as a restaurant so it always closed early, so getting that later night crowd to come out and understand that we really have a beautiful bar,” he said.

The menu is extensive and consists of American and German cuisine. It includes a variety of appetizers, salads, sandwiches, burgers and entrees.

“We decided to go a little more upscale rather than bar food,” said executive chef Michael Markoski. “We have various beef items on the menu, seafood, some German menu items. We tried to stay away from some of the bar food.”

Markoski, an Upper Pottsgrove Township resident who worked at Signature Catering on King, a catering and event hall in Lancaster, before coming to Barrel and Ale, said although the restaurant was historically known as a steak house, Barrel and Ale isn’t one.

“We tried to get away from that,” he said. “We’re not a steak house, but we do have three steaks on the menu.”

Pork schnitzel is one of the top sellers, Markoski said. It’s prepared two ways: as a sandwich on a pretzel roll with spicy mustard and sauerkraut, and as a platter with red cabbage and German potato salad.

Aaron VanBuskirk, a 2008 graduate of Pottsgrove High School, is the general manager. He has been working in restaurants since he was 15 years old, most recently with Dave and Buster’s, with whom he helped open new stores in

BEN HASTY — MEDIANEWS GROUP From left, Steve Haschak, co-owner, Paul Bauer, co-owner. Back row, from left, Aaron VanBuskirk, general manager, and Michael Markoski, executive chef, at Barrel and Ale in Colebrookdale.

BEN HASTY — MEDIANEWS GROUP Barrel and Ale is located in the longtime home of the Pit Stop Tavern and Restaurant along North Reading Road in Colebrookdale.