According To Legend, This Pennsylvania Restaurant Was Once A Secret Meeting Spot For George Washington

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The Black Powder Tavern, located in Wayne, Pennsylvania, was built in 1746 and is still standing today. Yet the historic American landmark has a secretive past. It is said that military general and would-be president George Washington used the spot as a top-secret meeting point during the Revolutionary War, alongside other leaders such as Marquis de Lafayette. America's first president would allegedly take meetings and make strategic war plans while sipping on some vintage ale at the establishment (while on the road, a brandy liqueur called Cherry Bounce was said to be Washington's canteen drink). Yet the tavern's role supposedly went beyond hosting clandestine meetings. 

According to folklore, during the unbearably cold Valley Forge winter of 1777 to 1778, Continental Army officer and military advisor to Washington, Friedrich Von Steuben, sought out the nearby tavern as a covert black powder munitions hideaway for army messengers and couriers. The tavern supplied food, shelter, and other necessities to patrons as the war raged on. It also continued providing a front for the munitions.

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Black Powder Tavern's menu is a medley of dishes, most of which could be classified as American comfort food. Among its rich meals are a New York strip steak with mashed potatoes and asparagus,  chicken pot pie, beer-battered shrimp, fish and chips, a Wagyu beef truffle burger, and Cajun macaroni and cheese. Black Powder Tavern's former general manager, Phil Cugliotta, gave some insight into the menu and how it is inspired by the Revolution-era heroes.

Speaking with CBS in 2016, Cugliotta noted that menu items like Lafayette's French onion soup, cheesy devils on horseback, and "cannonball" meatballs directly reference the Black Powder Tavern's colonial origins. The tavern's cheesy devils consist of blue cheese-stuffed dates wrapped in Applewood smoked bacon. 

The Pennsylvania alehouse is also known for its craft cocktails and variety of imported and domestic beers, including one called The Baron Von Steuben, on tap. Historic vibes extend to the spirits menu as well. One of Black Powder Tavern's featured cocktails is called the Continental Army, which contains tequila, lemon, strawberries, and sparkling Rosé.