Who knew Newtown, PA was so charming? I admit this community wasn’t on my radar before. Thanks to an opportunity to partner with Visit Bucks County, we were able to explore this darling borough located in Eastern Bucks County, which is one of our favorite local destinations to visit!

We started our journey traveling up I-95 North to Exit 49 (Newtown/Yardley) to Route 332. Newtown is approximately 30 miles Northeast of Philadelphia. It’s about a 40-minute drive give or take delays. Either way, it’s basically a hop, skip, and jump away.

Once we entered the borough, we sought out parking near The Temperance House, which is where we were staying for the night. The historic inn is located in the heart of town (5 South State Street) and was easy to find. We were pleased to learn that parking is free and we were able to find a spot just steps from the front door.

We arrived before 2pm so we had about an hour to kill before we could check-in (3pm). We decided to do lunch across the street at State Street Kitchen (24 South State Street).

I chose the Fish Taco Wrap off the daily specials board and hubby enjoyed the ham & Swiss cheese on wheat with mustard, lettuce, and tomato. Both very tasty sandwiches that hit the spot before our dinner plans. 😋

In addition to a wide variety of American favorites, they also serve authentic Korean specialties like Bibimbop! Such a cool little eatery — highly recommend checking it out for lunch or breakfast all day.

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As lovers of books and music, we had to visit the Newtown Book and Record Exchange. It’s a lovely independent book and record shop that’s been open nearly 38 years!

We purchased several records and a couple of books including Marilyn Hagerty’s Grand Forks: A History in American Dining which I have been wanting to pick up for a while.

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After record and book shopping, we made our way back to The Temperance House to check-in which was friendly and efficient. Owner Kathy Buczek greeted us and escorted us to our boutique accommodations for the evening — the spacious Joseph Richards Suite — which is an efficiency complete with comfy King-sized bed, mini-fridge, microwave, and flat screen tv. Quite a nice room that has everything you could possibly need. Check out my video tour below. 🙂

After settling into our room and resting for a bit, I decided to pay The Tubby Olive a visit. It’s just a couple of doors down from the Inn at 17 South State Street. I adore these stores because I’m all about having several varieties of olive oils & balsamic vinegar on hand any given time. I selected the Lemon Olive Oil and Pineapple Balsamic. I figured these two together would make a very good vinaigrette at the very least.

After another brief rest, we went downstairs to the Inn’s restaurant, the Tap & Barrel Tavern. Since the building dates back to the Revolutionary War times, they’re definitely paying homage with its rustic, timeworn interior. Some may think the appearance is outdated and drab, but I would expect nothing less from an 18th-century site.

We were seated at a white-clothed table near an enormous open hearth. I could fit inside simply by ducking my head a bit. These are the type of hearths that were used for cooking in Colonial days. It could still be used for that purpose today, but in this dining room, its simply for display which reinforces its provincial history.

After perusing the menu for a few moments, we decided to order two cocktails and start with a “seasonal” cheese plate. I ordered a Lemon Drop Martini and hubby chose a Tanqueray and Tonic. The cheese plate featured Gouda, Aged Cheddar, and Blue Cheese along with raspberry jam, organic honey, and balsamic fig sauce as well as a few baguette slices, candied walnuts, and apple slices.

We were also treated to a bread bowl with oil and herbs to dip into. Yum!

For our main courses, hubby chose the 12 oz. New York Strip Steak with mashed potatoes and green salad and since my first choice of Duck Breast was not available that evening, I opted for the Grilled Pork Chop with mashed potatoes with sauteed spinach. He really enjoyed his steak, it was cooked to his preferred medium-rare. My pork chop was grilled very well and was finished with an apricot chutney which helped add a needed sweetness to cut through the savory.

Naturally, we each enjoyed a glass of vino with our dinner — Cabernet Sauvignon for him, a crisp rosé for me. Both paired well with our entrees.

Ending on a sweet note is a must. We got a generous slice of their Decadent Chocolate Cake with layers of chocolate cake and sweet icing in Spring-y colors. We were going to head to the bar for after-dinner drinks, but we were both hit with lethargy by the consumption of our large meal so we adjourned to our Suite for relaxation. I actually fell asleep quite early. Yeah, party animal here. LOL! In any case, we highly recommend checking out the Temperance House for dinner or simply to sit at their bar. Along with an assortment of craft and imported beers, they offer a Tavern menu for quick & easy bites to complement whatever whets your whistle.

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After an amazing night’s sleep on the King-sized bed in our suite, we rose early in search of coffee. We didn’t have to go far because The Coffee Room is literally next door at 15 South State Street. How convenient!

I enjoyed a Vanilla Latte and he got the Americano. We chose not to grab any snacks there because The Temperance House offers a Continental Breakfast for all guests. It’s located on the 2nd floor in an adorable breakfast room which also serves as a games room complete with many classic games. The breakfast features assorted pastries, oatmeal, fresh fruit, and coffee or tea.

After breakfast, we went back to our Suite where I took an amazing hot shower, slowly got myself ready, and we gathered our stuff in order to check-out. We were eager to explore downtown Newtown a bit more. Checking out couldn’t be easier, just drop your key in the basket and leave. Easy peasy!

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In doing some initial research about Newtown, I discovered La Stalla Italian Market. We’re always looking for new-to-us food stores and markets to explore. Newtown is also home to an Amish Farmer’s Market which we would have liked to visit, but since it’s closed on Sunday, we checked out La Stalla instead. So glad we did. Truly an amazing emporium representing Italian cuisine — including tons of homemade prepared foods as well as a large selection of specialty imported grocery items, gourmet products, and a delectable selection of baked goods. This store truly deserves its own blog article!

There was just so much to choose from. The Cheese case included a mind-blowing abundance of imported Italian cheeses. It was one of the first spots in the store we were attracted to. Hubby is always looking for good blue cheese and he found one easily.

They sell an assortment of pasta from local purveyors such as Talluto’s in Philadelphia and Pastosa’s from Brooklyn. The same case included several types of sauces, soups, and Italian desserts.

I could go on and on about how great La Stalla Italian Market is, but I’ll stop short of completely gushing. Let’s just say if we lived near Newtown, PA we’d be shopping in here frequently. Upon our trip, we picked up a few items including BOGO pasta and tomato sauce. I grabbed a bag of curly Orisini pasta for $6.99 and was able to take a jar of Francesca sauce for free. This, along with some fresh housemade sausage, made for a very nice meal when we got home. You must check out this market if you’re in the Newtown area. They also own an Italian restaurant in town which I’m now eager to try someday!

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After our productive trip to La Stalla’s, we drove around exploring downtown Newtown a bit more before arriving at our next and final destination for a Bucks Count Restaurant Week lunch — Isaac Newton’s at 18 South State Street.

Boasting “fun food and drink,” Isaac Newton’s is our kind of a throwback type of place. It’s been a favorite of the community for nearly 40 years and with good reason — it’s got a great bar with an amazing selection of craft beers, fun gastropub atmosphere, and a large menu full of American favorites that should please everybody even gluten-free diners!

This is our type of casual, yet upbeat eating and drinking establishment. No wonder it’s been open for so long and people keep coming back.

All of the suggested cocktails sounded so refreshing so it was very hard to choose one! I selected with “The Khaleesi” simply because I adore St. Germaine Elderflower liqueur and I wanted something a bit on the lighter side for lunch.

It truly whet the whistle and summoned my appetite!

Isaac Newton’s came highly recommend for Bucks County Restaurant Week for lunch. I selected from the $25/pp prix-fixe menu, starting with Soft Pretzels which came with awesome stoneground mustard and cheese sauce. SO GOOD!

I chose the “Yuppy Turkey Sandwich” because hello turkey, brie, and apples are always so yummy together. This sandwich was very large, too, using fresh roasted turkey (no deli meat here), Granny Smith apples, and a softened Brie spread. It came with a honey mustard dressing which I occasionally dipped it in. I even put a little of the coleslaw on the sandwich for extra crunch. Delectable! I had to take the other half of the sandwich home which was enjoyed for lunch another day that week. Love that!

Hubby wanted Buffalo Wings and he loved them. Served classically with carrot and celery sticks and creamy blue cheese dressing. It truly hit the spot!

We left very full and quite satisfied with our lunch. Alas, I couldn’t eat my dessert, the Italian Lemon Cream Cake, so I took it to go and enjoyed at home later. Isaac Newton’s is truly a place we’d go back to time and time again. It’s great for families and groups. They also have an outdoor dining area as well. It ticks all of the boxes for us for a great informal, yet tasty meal with great drinks!

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We truly packed SO MUCH deliciousness and exploration in our 24 hours in Newtown, PA. It was fun to discover a new-to-us downtown (yeah, never been there before this trip!) This is why we LOVE visiting Bucks County – we get to experience and show off these super cool destinations that make for fun little day trips in our area. If you’re looking to get out of the city for a while and take in a new small town with unique shops, funky taverns or fine dining, and great food shopping – we couldn’t recommend Newtown, PA more! Tell them Philly Grub sent ya!

Check out this map to see all of the places we visited at a glance!

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Special thanks to Visit Bucks County for arranging our visit. Our opinions are our own.