Element Café

Not far from Pittsburgh on the western side of Pennsylvania, is Butler County, an area known for its quaint small towns and a recent explosion in sustainable eating. Many restaurants utilize a farm to table cooking method or make an effort to use locally sourced ingredients. Try one of the best ten restaurants in the area from the list below.
Enjoy a juicy burger and a craft beer at the first gourmet burger restaurant in the greater Pittsburgh area. Specializing in farm to table creations, Burgh’ers uses only the finest quality ingredients from the Butler County area in their food and drinks. Collecting ingredients from local farmers, foragers, distillers, and brewers, Burgh’ers is the definition of local cuisine. Try Maggie’s Farm Burger made with smoked gouda, horseradish, caramelized onion, rum aioli, and roasted chilies, or the Pitt’s Burger topped with cheddar, coleslaw, pickle, basil, onion, and special sauce alongside a side of the herby rosemary fries.
Dine in the quirky Chop Shop for a totally unique meal. Owner Bill Atkinson was born and raised in Butler, and he has worked his way up from dishwasher to executive chef. Atkinson aimed to create a small restaurant with a huge amount of personality, and The Chop Shop was born. Enjoy dishes like Hare Tacos, coffee rubbed rabbit, smoked sour cream, house salsa, and pickled peppers, or the Eternal Damnation sandwich, pulled pork, ham, Swiss cheese, sweet pickles and chipotle mayo on a grilled hoagie. Each dish is made in the open kitchen so you can see there are no shortcuts.
Try a gourmet burger made with fresh Curtze Meats from Erie, Pennsylvania, at BRGR. The small chain of gourmet burger bars has four locations around the Pittsburgh and Butler County area. With a focus on traditional burgers and shakes, BRGR changes it up by adding unique twists to their creations. Try a juicy option like The BRGR topped with pickled red onions, arugula, creamy bleu cheese, and oven roasted tomatoes, (add foie gras to for a little extra). The Double Yoi is another tasty treat that comes topped with pastrami, Swiss cheese, a fried egg, coleslaw, and thousand island dressing. Black bean burgers, fish, and turkey burgers are also available. Adults can order a spiked shake to enjoy with their meal.
When North County Brewing Company opened in 2005, it filled a demand for quality craft beer. The brewpub features more than 100 different types of beers and a menu full of gourmet style bar food. Try the spicy shrimp and crab linguine, a portabella and button mushroom sub, or the roasted garlic burger.