Tag Archives: Qui Qui Musarra

Bartender’s Choice: At Rubicon, thoughtful food deserves thoughtful cocktails

May 29, 2025 | by Randy Gross

Dylan Simon

No one is going to argue with bartender Dylan Simon when he describes the food at Rubicon as “wonderful and thoughtful.”

In fact, when sampling any of master chef Qui Qui Musarra’s delightful dishes, one might even say those words are an understatement.

But this article (to some readers’ disappointment) isn’t about Rubicon’s food. Rather, the focus is on giving the famed downtown Harrisburg restaurant’s cocktails equal time.

To put things in simplest terms, thoughtful food deserves thoughtful cocktails, and Simon, one of two full-time mixologists at Rubicon, lives up to any presupposed hype.

“Cocktail creating is a lot like cooking,” he said. “Small changes can be made to profoundly change the outcome. And like cooking, there are generally no wrong answers. We’re kind of challenged by Chef (Musarra) multiple times to pair something.”

Simon paused for a moment to point out how the drink I was sampling, the Seoul-Stice, pairs well with the buck-a-shuck oysters available during happy hour at the bar.

“Plus, there’s just something fun about it, especially here,” he said. “You kind of get to play like you’re on stage.”

Simon, a Central Dauphin graduate, started bartending at Rubicon back in 2014, and then, after a hiatus, returned to the upscale North Street eatery 1½ years ago. He clearly has fun behind the bar, evident in his innate talent for friendly banter and even more so in the presentation and taste of his drinks.

On our visit, he masterfully demonstrated his skills while mixing up two “wonderful and thoughtful” concoctions.

First, the aforementioned Seoul-Stice, very accurately described by Simon as having “just enough spice to let you know about it,” is a refreshing mix of Gochujang white balsamic vinegar (from Seasons in Lancaster), a Plymouth gin infused with cucumber, Copper Bonnet sugar kelp gin (which, he adds, “has a wonderful salinity”), all topped with a visually appealing chiffonade of lime.

This was followed by the Squadron 99, a Prosecco float borrowing the best elements from a whiskey sour and a Seelbach, comprised of Uncle Nearest 1884 Whiskey (a Rubicon bar favorite ingredient), Aperol, plum bitters, pomegranate molasses and lemon.

All of which brings us full circle, back to Rubicon’s very thoughtful food. When pressed to single out just one or two dishes that are must-tries for any newcomers, Simon put things succinctly, with his customary good nature:

“This is one of those menus that you could throw a dart at, and wherever it lands, you’re gonna be happy,” he said.

Rubicon is located at 270 North St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit www.rubiconhbg.com. Photos by Will Masters.

Dylan’s Choices

Words of advice to home mixologists

My best word of advice for anyone with a home bar is to get comfortable making classic cocktails and not be afraid to step outside of your comfort zone. You would be surprised how many craft cocktails start from being a derivative of the classics.

Favorite spirit straight

I’m going to talk about my love for whisky. Scotch whisky is so distinct from region to region and distillery to distillery that a single person might detest an Islay for its peatiness but love a Speyside for its spicy fruit.

Recommendations for two or three spirits to try

I have always loved Dalwhinnie 15. It is the highest distillery in elevation and its smooth flavors of honey, vanilla and citrus are appealing to a lot of palates. Penelope Toasted is my latest favorite bourbon.

Most commonly ordered drinks at your bar

We have a few staples here at Rubicon. The Di’s Addiction is a grapefruit and citrus martini while the Firefly is a margarita/martini hybrid featuring habanero and lemon infused tequila with Midori and mango. If you sit around my bar, you’ll hear Di’s and Flys goin’ across the bar all night.

DRINK FOR JUNE

Corpse Reviver #2
The perfect adult lemonade

1ounce lemon juice
1ounce Old Tom Gin
1ounce Lillet Blanc
1ounce Cointreau
Shake with ice
Rinse glass with absinthe
Expressed lemon twist to garnish

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Harrisburg restaurant to hold fundraiser dinner for family of Ukrainian employee, relief efforts

March 30, 2022 | by Maddie Gittens

Rubicon on North Street in Harrisburg

For Anya Romanenko, who has family in Ukraine, the past weeks have been “extremely emotional.”

Romanenko, a staff member at Harrisburg restaurants Rubicon and Mangia Qui, said that going to work has helped keep her steady during a devastating time.

The owners of the North Street trio of restaurants, Mangia Qui, Rubicon and Suba, saw how distraught she was and decided to take action.

On April 19, Rubicon will hold a fundraiser dinner to benefit Romanenko’s family, among others in Ukraine.

“This clearly falls into an unspoken part of our mission statement,” explained Qui Qui Musarra, co-owner of Rubicon. “Historically, Mangia Qui and Rubicon were always supportive of organizing fundraisers to support relief efforts. We are just doing our part.”

The event will feature a multi-course dinner reflecting dishes from Ukrainian cuisine. Romanenko and her parents, who are from Ukraine, will help prepare the food, as well.

According to Musarra, the menu will include authentic dishes like chicken Kiev, red beet borscht, salo or cured pork fat and vereniki, a dumpling dish.

Other local chefs will pitch in, as well. The owner of former Broad Street Market vendor Pikowski’s Pierogi Place and the owner of current market vendor Evanilla Donuts will help with food preparations.

All proceeds from the evening, including tips, will go to Razom for Ukraine, an organization supporting humanitarian relief efforts in the country. Some funds will also be sent to support members of Romenko’s family who are currently living in a bomb shelter.

In addition to experiencing Ukrainian cuisine, Romanenko hopes that guests will learn more about Ukrainian culture and the current war. She plans to speak at the event.

“I just want to bring awareness to people about what’s happening,” she said. “I’m hoping we are able to get the community involved.”

Rubicon is located at 272 North Street, Harrisburg. For more information, visit their website. To make reservations for the dinner to benefit Ukraine, call (717)-233-7358.

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Full Circle: Mangia Qui owners return to the Broad Street Market with “Streatery”

May 28, 2021 | by Maddie Conley Gittens

Elide Hower & Qui Qui Musarra. Photo by Dani Fresh.

If you’ve dined in any one of Qui Qui Musarra’s trio of restaurants—Mangia Qui, Rubicon and Suba—you’re familiar with the classy, intimate atmosphere that comes with the experience at each.

But Musarra, along with partners Staci Basore and Elide Hower, wanted to try something different—something more casual.

In late April, they opened Streatery at the Broad Street Market in Midtown Harrisburg—returning to where the restaurateurs made their debut 20 years ago as “Pasta Art.”

“It’s an honor to be back in the market,” Musarra said. “The people that know us are as excited as we are.”

That rings true for long-time customer Sharon Webb, who loves Mangia Qui and has befriended the owners. Hower, who is running the operations at the market, is like family, she said.

“I’m always excited when they try something new because it’s always fabulous,” Webb said.

According to Musarra, opening a market stand was an idea the team tossed around for a few years. They wanted to reach a larger audience and bring their food to those who have yet to try it.

“It’s a way of showcasing some of our signature items at Mangia Qui to a broader audience who may not dine with us at the restaurant,” Musarra said.

Fresh, Familiar

The owners—and their restaurants—have gained quite the positive reputation over the nearly 25 years they’ve been in Harrisburg. But even with all of the success, Musarra said that opening Streatery was a challenge.

“You can have all the experience in the world, but once you step into something new, there is the unknown,” she said. “That makes it more exciting.”

COVID took a huge bite out of the restaurants’ finances, forcing them to limit their hours, eliminating lunch completely. With the Broad Street Market’s prime time being lunch, Musarra hopes the new location will fill a gap and allow lunchtime customers to get their Mangia Qui fix.

Patrons can still expect the fresh flavor they’re used to, with a more casual feel. At Streatery, chefs offer an ever-changing menu of internationally inspired dishes. There are sandwiches and salads with flavors from places like Italy and Brazil, stuffed with meatballs, chicken, pork belly, prosciutto and pickled eggs. They have meats like those from Suba and olives from Mangia Qui, Musarra said.

On a Thursday afternoon at lunchtime, Albert Boynton waited for his “Triple Play” sandwich, which contains meatballs, mozzarella and pomodoro. He had never eaten at Mangia Qui, but was excited to try Streatery’s food. In other words, he was just the audience the owners hoped to reach.

“I’m going to have to check out their restaurant after this,” he said.

With Musarra and the team’s spur-of-the-moment style of creating dishes, you never quite know what you’re going to get at Streatery.

“It’s easy, accessible food, but it looks good and tastes good,” Hower said.

She said that they hope eventually to hold food demonstrations, as well.

Even though you may be taking your food in a to-go box instead of sitting in Mangia Qui’s dining room, you can expect the same great presentation.

“Food is our art,” Musarra said. “We present it in a way that has a flair.”

Survive to Thrive

Coming full-circle back to where they first started is meaningful to Musarra. She’s built and grown her business over the years, expanding from one small stand at the Broad Street Market into three restaurants.

Not many businesses that outgrow the market return, she said, but she loves the vibe there.

“Why should we forget where we started?” she said. “It’s an exciting time for the market.”

Musarra saw how important takeout became during the pandemic, something they didn’t even really offer before. Street dining took off, too, with many restaurants, including Mangia Qui, expanding outside service.

This was the inspiration behind the name for the market stand—Streatery.

“It became a way to survive,” she said.

As the partners move forward with their newest venture, Musarra is hopeful. Things aren’t yet back to “normal” at Mangia Qui. But, as life keeps moving, Musarra and Hower will keep cooking.

“Coming out of COVID and doing something new is really uplifting,” Musarra said.

Streatery is located in the brick building of the Broad Street Market in Harrisburg.

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The Week that Was: News and features around Harrisburg

March 5, 2021 | by Lawrance Binda and Maddie Conley Gittens

Restaurateur Qui Qui Musarra hopes to become the “Favorite Chef” in a national competition.

Harrisburg’s “Ice in the Burg” festival is this weekend and will feature an ice sculpture from yours truly. Enjoy a walk around the city to admire the frozen art and support local businesses while you do! Before you head out, catch up on this week’s news, listed and linked, below.

Central PA authors share advice for aspiring novelists in our magazine story. Learn a few tips from authors Joel Burcat, Don Helin and Maria V. Snyder.

In his column, our editor reflects on the small enjoyments that COVID has taken away and looks forward to their return. Bumping into a friend at the Broad Street Market, conversing with a stranger, running into a neighbor at a coffee shop—these “collisions” are what he has missed the most.

Harrisburg Academy, along with alumnus Steve Muschlitz and his nonprofit, Wheels from the Heart, provided a Steelton mother of five with a free van. According to a spokesperson for the school, the mother, Jessica, was struggling to provide for her family during COVID, our online story reported.

Harrisburg parks will see improvement as construction continues at the park at 4^th and Dauphin streets and plans take shape for a Chutes and Ladders playground in Reservoir Park. The former should be completed by May and include a “state of the art” basketball court, our online story reported.

Harrisburg School District officials announced their search for a new superintendent to fill the position as early as this summer, our online story reported. Chris Celmer has served as acting superintendent while the school has been under state receivership.

“Ice in the Burg” is coming to Harrisburg this weekend, our online story reported. Over 50 ice sculptures can be found around the city from Friday through Sunday.

A minimum wage hike is up for discussion at the federal and state levels, our online story reported. Harrisburg businesses share their stance on a $15 pay floor and explain why they already pay above minimum wage.

Restaurateur Qui Qui Musarra is hoping to become the nation’s “Favorite Chef” in a competition hosted by celebrity Chef Eddie Matney, our reporting found. Musarra, owner of Mangia Qui in downtown Harrisburg, is a leading contestant, as of now.

Major road construction projects on 7^th and 2^nd Street will begin soon, according to our online story. Long-planned changes to N. 7^th Street, which include the installation of a roundabout, will begin next week. Construction

McNees, Wallace and Nurick LLC will provide five Black-owned businesses with a year’s worth of free legal services, our reporting found. According to McNees officials, last year’s events around the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis spurred them on to create a program that would address systemic racism.

Sara Bozich has ideas to make your weekend fun, including the “Ice in the Burg” festival hosted by Harrisburg. Check out her list of local recommendations.

Wanda Williams, Harrisburg City Council president, announced her run for the Democratic nomination for mayor, our reporting found. Williams is now the sixth to add her name to the growing field of candidates.

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Mangia Qui restaurateur a top contender in national “Favorite Chef” contest

March 1, 2021 | by Maddie Conley Gittens

Qui Qui Musarra outside her restaurants on North Street in Harrisburg.

Qui Qui Musarra sat across from me in her restaurant, Rubicon, on Monday afternoon and told me how the pandemic has set the business back by 10 years.

The pandemic has been hard on the owner of the Harrisburg restaurant trio—Mangia Qui, Rubicon and Suba, as it has been on most small businesses.

But Musarra pushes forward, crafting her authentic continental cuisine for hungry customers. She hopes that may be enough to get some much-needed relief for her businesses, as well as the community.

Musarra has her sights set on becoming the “Favorite Chef” in a competition hosted by celebrity Chef Eddie Matney. As of now, she’s ranking as one of the top competitors.

Entrants from around the world rely on social media votes to carry them to the top. After a series of voting rounds, the winner will be decided in early April. That chef will receive $50,000 and a sponsored spread in the national Bon Appetite Magazine.

The exposure is what excites Musarra the most.

“It would be so cool for Harrisburg,” she said. “It would be a win-win for our community.”

Musarra said the money would go straight back into the business so she can continue to feed the community.

“It’s supporting me to help support the larger community,” she said.

Voters can cast additional votes by donating, as a portion of the profits from the contest will go to Feeding America—a national organization that combats food insecurity. Each dollar counts as one vote.

“You’re voting for me, but it’s also going to a good cause,” Musarra said. “It’ll be a great thing for Feeding America.”

She said she appreciates the community support and all of the votes thus far. Staying afloat during the pandemic has been hard, but she’s just happy to still be standing. Musarra said winning the contest would be a huge accomplishment for her.

“This would be the greatest honor in my life,” she said.

Vote for Qui Qui Musarra on her profile page. For more information on the Favorite Chef contest, visit their website.

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Restaurant Reset: Harrisburg restaurateurs search for the right recipe to survive to better times

August 31, 2020 | by M. Diane McCormick

Scenes from Harrisburg’s Saturday Nights in the City outdoor dining event.

Their tacos would arrive soon—fish and el ranchero, served not in carryout containers but on real plates.

While Jerry Morris and Brian Dougherty waited, they recounted the restaurants they have patronized via takeout since March.

“We’ve done Dodge City steakhouse multiple times,” said Morris.

“Freshido,” added Dougherty. “Subway Café. Café Fresco. We’ve done Alvaro’s, because that’s right by our house. The Speakeasy.”

On this pleasant Saturday night, Morris and Dougherty, who live in Midtown Harrisburg, were dining al fresco at the eatery trilogy of Mangia Qui, Rubicon and Suba on North Street.

“So many restaurants are such an asset to the city that, if they close, they’re probably gone for at least several years before somebody comes in to take their place,” Dougherty said. “So, we know that we have to do our part.”

In the secret sauce keeping Harrisburg restaurants afloat during the age of COVID, loyal customers are key ingredients. So are financial reserves, government help and creative ideas connecting food and beverages to hungry patrons.

Adapting

In this atmosphere, agility is gold.

Steve Weinstock, owner of Stock’s on 2nd, credits a seasoned management team with bright ideas that bring in revenue: add-your-own-liquor signature cocktail cubes; Easter and Passover meals to-go that morphed into kosher Shabbat dinners; a food truck trundling into Harrisburg neighborhoods, so successful that a second is contemplated.

“I never thought in a million years I’d be running a food truck,” Weinstock said.

He admits to skepticism over the chef’s idea for livestreamed cooking demos, using ingredients packaged down to the tablespoon of salt. Now, the sessions have “a huge following” and could continue, post-pandemic, as quarterly events.

Mangia Qui’s partners had little time to “flip the script,” maneuvering through such technicalities as finding eco-friendly takeout containers, combining three restaurants’ menus into one, and developing sanitization procedures, said partner and chef Qui Qui Musarra.

How are they managing?

“We pray a lot,” Musarra said. “We’ve all become avid smokers. You just hope that somehow it all balances out.”

In mid-June, hallelujahs rang out as Dauphin County restaurants reopened at 50-percent capacity. In mid-July, hallelujahs turned to howls when Gov. Tom Wolf’s administration dialed back to 25 percent and required food purchases with alcohol sales.

Weinstock, like restaurateurs and journalists statewide, wants to see the data justifying such restrictions.

“I feel like our industry is getting singled out,” he said. “I don’t think it’s fair.”

Musarra believes that Wolf and Health Secretary Rachel Levine are doing “a tremendous job.” It’s America’s resistance to precautions such as masks that are slowing reopening, she believes.

“Everybody could have been at 50 percent had everybody abided by the rules,” she said.

Up on Allison Hill, it’s a Wednesday at lunchtime, and socially distanced customers wait to order their Caribbean-themed comfort food at Rice & Beans Diner on 17th Street.

Business seems steady, in contrast to the pandemic’s first month, which “was horrible,” said Starlyn Rivera, co-owner with husband Jose Pichardo.

With only five employees, the restaurant’s minuscule federal Paycheck Protection Plan (PPP) loan didn’t go far. And by the time Rivera applied for a city small business grant, the fund had emptied.

The restaurant, which the New Yorkers opened in early 2019, stayed open by trimming hours but not eliminating jobs.

“Our employees, they understand,” said Rivera. “We were open more for them than for even us. We’ll keep trying.”

PPP loans helped restaurants get over the initial plunge in business, but layoffs and hourly cuts remained on the menu. At Stock’s on 2nd, “staying afloat” means limiting hours, said Weinstock.

“Everyone wants us to get through it, so the staff is very understanding,” he said. “Some people are happy to have a few days a week versus six days, just to have something in their pocket.”

Street Food

Todd and Kathy Vander Woude, having dinner on a Saturday night, discovered a new perspective on 2nd Street’s eclectic architecture. That’s what happens when you’re sitting in the center lane of a street that normally carries thousands of vehicles a day.

The Vander Woudes were enjoying Saturday Nights in the City, when the city barricades streets, and diners order from servers or carry takeout food to tables set up by participating restaurants. Vander Woude, executive director of the Downtown Improvement District, and Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse came up with the idea, launched in early June.

Saturday Nights in the City helped restaurants close revenue gaps caused by emptied downtown offices during the day and diminished crowds in the evenings. An extra 22 tables outside help Stock’s make up—somewhat—for the diminished capacity inside.

“It’s the one night we can shine and do the amount of sales that we used to do when we were open 100 percent,” said Weinstock.

The Mangia Qui group turned its North Street block into a dream of Paris or Miami, complete with white tablecloths, red patio umbrellas and lights strung overhead. Customers love the getaway and the tableside service.

“It’s a reprieve,” Musarra said. “Even though we are in the street, people feel they’ve been transported someplace else.”

Restaurant owners know that Saturday Nights in the City is weather-dependent. Heat and summer storms dampen turnout. Even if it’s extended into the fall, as some hope, winter is coming.

Different Paths

Remember date night? Have dinner. Attend a show. Have drinks afterwards.

All a distant memory.

“That’s a hurt,” said Weinstock. “We have a large symphony crowd.”

Restaurants also took a big hit in crowd-based bookings—weddings, political and nonprofit fundraisers, catering. Mangia Qui’s clients are managing work-arounds, perhaps finding larger spaces for socially distanced catered events, or flipping weddings to their own homes.

Delivery services have also become a mainstay.

“If you can’t come to us, we’ll come to you,” said Musarra. “We had people getting takeout and delivery who had never been to the restaurant. They’ve become converts.”

A few restaurateurs have decided to wait it out a bit longer.

Originally, The Millworks reopened in June. Then an employee tested positive for COVID, and owner Josh Kesler announced a temporary shutdown. When test results for other staff were slow to arrive, he suspended operations at The Millworks and his new Watershed Pub in Camp Hill until further notice—not a closure, but a hold.

“The bottom line for me is, I couldn’t ensure my staff’s safety, and if I can’t do that, I’ve got to put the brakes on it,” said Kesler. “We’re just going to take a little time off and get ahead of this experience.”

Fiscal reserves help Kesler pay those bills that keep coming. The Millworks complex of restaurant, brewery and artists’ studios will stay closed until multiple factors—negative test results among staff, sustained low virus numbers in the community, perhaps reliable treatments and vaccines—combine to assure “a more certain environment, health-wise.”

Veteran restaurateurs are survivors. Optimists, too. Kesler, a longtime booster of Midtown Harrisburg as a destination, sees The Millworks and its neighbors bustling again.

“I can’t wait for that to happen,” he said. “Eventually, it’ll be back to what it was before.”

Musarra and her partners don’t fret over how long they can sustain business.

“You have to concentrate on the positive side, because if you predict your own demise, then that’s what you work towards,” she said.

At Rice & Beans Diner, the pandemic has apparently slowed approval of a liquor license, but the hopeful orange notice beckons in the window. Rivera can’t say that business is okay, but she can say with a laugh, “We’re doing better.”

“We’re doing better because our customers, they are great,” she said. “They’re supporting us a lot. They understand. They can go in the restaurant, and if they like our food, then we’re glad the neighborhood is helping us.”

For more information on the restaurants in this story, please visit their websites and social media pages.

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Quarantine Cuisine: A simple meal, until we meet again.

April 30, 2020 | by Rosemary Ruggieri Baer

This is a strange and dark time for all of us. I suspect we all have our own ways of coping with anxiety and fear during the long hours at home.

I once read a quote from someone who said that she “inherited worry along with the family silver.” Well, that is me. But I have found solace in my kitchen, the place I retreat to for most of my waking hours. I putter around, read favorite cookbooks over and over, and recall happy times with family and friends.

We have gotten some “takeout” from our favorite Harrisburg restaurants, hoping that it helps them just a little bit. We will continue to do so. But mostly I have been cooking, often with a combination of what I have stashed in the freezer and what I snatched off the shelves at the grocery store. We have also made brief trips to the farmers market late on Friday afternoons. But my obsessive-compulsive meal planning has gone out the window.

I have been looking for recipes that call for simple ingredients, fewer ingredients and those that result in leftovers for lunch. I found a pasta recipe from chef and cookbook author, Lidia Bastianich, that seemed perfect. It is called “farfalle della bisnonna” or bowties with cabbage and meat sauce.

I had most of the ingredients on hand but liked it because so many substitutions are possible. Any type of sausage or ground meat will work, as will dried thyme instead of fresh, and regular cabbage instead of Savoy cabbage, which the recipe calls for. It was delicious for dinner and for several lunches, as well.

Bowties with Cabbage and Meat Sauce

Ingredients

6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
8 ounces sweet Italian sausage, removed from the casing
1 small onion, cut into chunks
1 medium carrot, cut into chunks
1 celery stalk, cut into chunks
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
½ cup dry white wine
½ head Savoy (or any) cabbage, cored and shredded
3 cups low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1 pound bowtie pasta (farfalle)
½ cup grated Parmesan or grana Padano cheese

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta.
Add 4 tablespoons of the olive oil to a large deep skillet and heat gently over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the sausage. Cook, crumbling with a wooden spoon until browned, about 3 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine the onion, carrot, celery and thyme in a food processor and pulse to make a chunky paste. (You could use a blender or an immersion blender with the chopping attachment. Or you could even chop the vegetables finely by hand.)
Once the sausage is browned, add the vegetable paste to the skillet and cook until all the liquid has evaporated. Sprinkle with the dried pepper flakes. (Add a lot if you like it hot and spicy.)
Make an empty spot in the pan with a spoon and add the tomato paste. Let it “toast” for a minute or two and then stir it into the vegetables.
Pour in the white wine and let it simmer until almost reduced, about 3 minutes.
Add the shredded cabbage and the broth and cook, covered, until the cabbage is wilted, about 20 minutes.
Uncover to thicken the sauce until the cabbage is wilted, about 10 more minutes. Taste and add more salt if needed.
When the bowtie noodles are cooked, remove them with a slotted spoon or “spider” and add them directly to the sausage mixture.
Drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and toss to coat the pasta with the sauce, adding a little extra broth if necessary.
Remove the pan from the heat, sprinkle with the cheese, and serve.

This is a healthy and comforting dish. You can use it as a “template” of sorts to change it, using cubed chicken or pork instead of sausage. If there is no cabbage stashed in the fridge, maybe you have some broccoli. The “process” will be the same.

I will continue to cook in these sad times. But many days I dream of our “date nights” in Harrisburg: dinner at Note Bistro and Wine Bar with Daniel making the most beautiful martinis in town; eating Qui Qui Musarra’s wonderful fish soup at Mangia Qui; and chatting with Tyler at Café Fresco’s crowded bar. I miss afternoon coffee at Little Amp’s outdoor tables at 2nd and State streets on warm days. These, and many others, are the places that make Harrisburg so special. I am praying for all of them that we see them “on the other side.”

Burg Blog: We Must Help

March 16, 2020 | by Lawrance Binda

Mangia Qui/Rubicon will be closed to patrons, but the owners are encouraging takeout and delivery orders.

This morning, at TheBurg, we had a meeting.

Over the past few days, it’s become clear that economic and social life is fast shutting down in the Harrisburg area due to the coronavirus contagion.

So, what does this mean for us? How will this impact our business? What changes should we make? And, mostly, how will we manage through this crisis?

I know that many other small businesses have had similar difficult meetings in the past day or two. For some, work will go on almost normally, though people may be forced to work from home or may need to balance their work and home lives more delicately, especially those with children.

For other people, especially owners of small, public-facing businesses, the meetings have been even more tense and the decisions harder.

Do you stay open or do you close? And, if you close, how will you survive until you can open once more to customers.

Arguably, the greatest impact is on restaurants, shops and any place that is event-oriented.

People are responding in a multitude of ways.

This morning, Sara Bozich announced the cancellation of Harrisburg Beer Week, which was slated for late April. Also, the Millworks announced that it was closing until further notice. Midtown Cinema is closed, as are most arts venues.

Some places are making major adjustments, but trying to remain in operation.

So, as of this morning, Little Amps was doing only takeout from its State Street location. Elementary Coffee Co. shut down its North Street shop, but will happily deliver coffee beans right to you. Yellow Bird Cafe is encouraging takeout orders, as well.

Mangia Qui/Rubicon made the tough decision to close down their restaurants to patrons, but will offer curbside pickup and delivery. Would you like chef Qui Qui Musarra to cook for you specially? My answer is an emphatic yes.

Revolutionary War-era philosopher and author Thomas Paine once wrote, “These are the times that try men’s souls.”

No, this isn’t war, but it is a severe health emergency, now compounded by an economic crisis.

We’ve already been told how we can help mitigate the health component: social distancing, working from home. And now it’s up to us, as a community, to ensure that our small businesses survive this unfolding economic catastrophe. After all, not only do these businesses serve us everyday—and sometimes on a shoestring—but unlike larger corporations and chain stores, the owners often live right here. They’re our neighbors, too.

When this epidemic finally passes, we’ll need these talented, motivated people and their wonderful products to still be here with us, in our community.

So, please redouble your commitment to patronizing these businesses. If you don’t feel comfortable going in person—or can’t—you still can help by:

Ordering in. Many businesses are doing delivery themselves or through a delivery service.
Picking up. In the Harrisburg area, many businesses will deliver right to your idling car.
Taking out gift cards. Spend now, buy later. You know you’ll eventually purchase Urban Churn’s incredible ice cream or the Millworks’ farm-to-table fare. So, front-load it, helping the cash flow of your favorite businesses in the process.
Some businesses will take direct contributions. These especially applies to arts groups like Gamut Theatre Co., Open Stage, Susquehanna Art Museum and Theatre Harrisburg, among others.

There are probably a hundred other ways to help. Go to your favorite businesses’ websites or social media pages or call them to find out what you can do to help ensure their survival.

Harrisburg, we are all in this together. We have to weather this crisis and come out the other end in good enough shape to rebuild. We can only accomplish this by each one of us asking, “What can I do? How can I help?”

Lawrance Binda is co-publisher/editor-in-chief of TheBurg.

A sigh of relief along North Street as water returns and businesses reopen

February 11, 2020 | by Lawrance Binda

Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse, Business Administrator Marc Woolley and Treasurer Dan Miller share a cup of coffee to celebrate the reopening of Elementary Coffee Co. following a water main break.

At Elementary Coffee Co., the water came back on early today and, with it, the doors swung open for the Capitol neighborhood café.

Up and down North Street, there may have been no one happier than owner Andrea Grove.

“I’m so relieved, I’m so delighted,” Grove said. “And now people are hearing and coming back in.”

Elementary opened a few hours late, at 9 a.m. after Grove heard from her neighbor, restaurateur Qui Qui Musarra, that water service had returned to the block.

The businesses, including Mangia Qui, Rubicon, Elementary and Roxy’s Cafe, had been closed since the water stopped running on Sunday, following a break in the 82-year-old water main early Sunday morning on the cozy street of restaurants and residences.

This morning, these businesses reopened, though Capital Region Water maintained its boil water advisory for an area bounded by North, N. 3^rd, Forster and Front streets (see map). Tanya Dierolf, CRW spokeswoman, said that the advisory would remain in effect until further notice.

The East Shore YMCA planned to reopen at 11:30 a.m., though without drinking water from fountains. CRW said that it also will provide bottled water to impacted customers in the neighborhood today at the YMCA from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Grove said the greatest problem was not knowing when water would return and, thus, how long she would be closed.

“It was terrible not knowing,” she said.

Likewise, Staci Basore of Mangia Qui/Rubicon expressed delight at being able to open, especially since her restaurants are booked for the coming Valentine’s Day weekend. Her restaurants won’t be open today for lunch but will reopen today for dinner service.

“It’s good, good, good,” she said. “We were so worried about Valentine’s Day, but now everything seems to be getting back to normal.”

For the latest information on the boil water advisory, visit the CRW website.

It’s Elementary: Harrisburg roaster debuts coffee shop, remarkable renovation in Capitol district

October 28, 2019 | by Lawrance Binda

Andrea Grove, owner of Elementary Coffee Co., in her new shop in downtown Harrisburg.

When are you going to open?

Over the past year, Andrea Grove has been asked that question over and over, ever since word got out that Elementary Coffee Co. planned to open a standalone shop in a newly renovated building in Harrisburg’s Capitol district.

She finally has a definitive answer: today.

This morning, a steady line of customers streamed into the storefront at North and Susquehanna streets—many of whom had become friends with Grove and fans of her small-batch coffee over the past five years, since she opened a stand in the Broad Street Market.

“I’m so relieved,” Grove said, as she sat at the long counter that dominates the seating area. “It’s nice to finally be able to present something that we’re passionate about to the city of Harrisburg. It feels great.”

The exterior of the new shop.

Elementary sits at the seam of residential and official Harrisburg, and Grove expects to draw from both types of customers—neighborhood denizens and office workers.

She had been looking for a location in the area south of Forster Street for some time when, last year, two of the owners of Mangia Qui/Rubicon—Qui Qui Musarra and Elide Hower, drinking coffee at her market stand—told her that she should look into the building that was being renovated right by their restaurants.

“They were whispering to each other,” Grove said. “Then they said, ‘Andrea have you considered the space near us?’”

In early 2018, Harrisburg attorney Matt Krupp and a partner bought the tumbledown building that once had housed a French restaurant called the Coventry. It had been vacant for 25 years, its roof had caved in, and most people had long ago marked it for the wrecking ball.

Krupp, though, had other ideas, buying the building from the Harrisburg Redevelopment Authority and mounting a 1½-year rebuilding project that yielded two upstairs apartments and the downstairs retail area now occupied by Elementary Coffee.

Grove loved the location, and soon the build-out began, led by architect Chris Dawson, contractor Misha Kaschock and a team of local craftspeople.

“Misha nailed it,” Grove said. “I think this space is such a testament to what he can do.”

Elementary’s Ryan Spahr takes an order from customer Jeff Johnson.

While Grove began serving coffee today, she has yet to begin roasting in the space, which should start soon. Until then, she’ll continue roasting at the Broad Street Market, and, market patrons–don’t fear–she is retaining her stand there, as well.

Otherwise, Grove wants to shape the new location into a true community space. From time to time, she will feature local music, local artists (first up, Katiie Reynolds) and participate in 3^rd in the Burg. In fact, her “grand opening” will be during the next 3^rd in the Burg on Nov. 15 and will feature cider from Gardners-based Big Hill Ciderworks and beer from Harrisburg’s Zeroday Brewing Co., which also is brewing a collaboration coffee beer with Elementary.

Soon, customers will have some delicious food options to go along with their coffee, including pastries from Harrisburg’s Raising the Bar and bagels from Lancaster-based Harvest Moon Bagel Co.

Due to its location, the shop is likely to become a popular place for meetings, and the folks at StartUp Harrisburg already were huddled around a table this morning, marking perhaps the first business meeting there.

“We’re thrilled to see Andrea’s hard work pay off in this beautiful space,” said StartUp co-owner Adam Porter. “Her focus has always been on serving others, and she can do that seven days a week now.”

In her new shop, Grove watched in real time as her long-held vision came true: people at tables sipping her coffee, patrons lined up at the counter, the Elementary team taking orders and her roasting equipment in back, waiting to get switched on.

“For us, this seemed like a very safe, secure and manageable location,” Grove said. “It is allowing us to realize our potential and hopes and dreams.”

Elementary Coffee Co. is located at 256 North St., Harrisburg. Hours are Monday to Friday, 6:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Elementary is also located in the brick building of the Broad Street Market during market hours. For more information, visit their website.

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