On February 22nd, I wrote a blog post as a mini dedication to my dad. He passed away on February 10, 2010. In the post I vowed to continue to pay tribute to him by discussing the foods that he loved. I decided to start with the most relevant to our site!
Anyone that knew my father fairly well, knew that one of his very favorite foods was a large, heaping bowl of mussels. For those that have followed our blog and website as it has grown over the past 10 months, you may know that it was my father’s love of mussels that was the inspiration for The Best Of Food, as we discussed in one of our very first posts.
Mussels from Chick’s Tavern in Bridgeport, PA
If you really knew my father, you knew that the place he loved to eat them, and did so frequently, was at Chick’s Tavern in Bridgeport. Because his office was in the courthouse in Norristown for the past 35 plus years, and his home was in Conshohocken, Chick’s was centrally located between the two! He became friends with owner Dave Chiccarine and even held his victory luncheon in the rear dining room after his re-election as Sheriff of Montgomery County. Chick’s Tavern was a special place to him, as it is to many in the community, including baseball icon Tommy Lasorda and his family, and Times Herald Editor Stan Husky, just to name a few.
Dad with me and my children eating at Chick’s last summer
Chick’s has been an institution in Bridgeport since 1935 when Dave’s grandfather, Louis, opened the neighborhood tavern. In the late 1940′s, Dave’s father, Peter, and Uncle Joseph took over the family business. Louis had two other sons also in the restaurant business, each owning their own restaurants outside of town. The Chiccarine family is truly one of hospitality, always seeking to provide a comfortable place to relax, enjoy a hearty meal, and an ice cold beverage.
Known for their friendly atmosphere, home style Italian cuisine, and of course, their plentiful, delicious mussels, Chick’s Tavern continued their family traditions as Dave Chiccarine assumed responsibility for the business along with his wife Carol. Eventually, their daughter Amy and their son David, joined the team. Now, with that much of the family involved, i.e., Amy managing the bar and event planning for the restaurant, and David in charge of the kitchen, the atmosphere has been geared more toward families than ever before. Prices have remained low throughout the years. Where else can you get a burger and fries for $5.95, or “all you can eat” mussels for $12.95 (on Monday nights)? Weekend specials cap out at $18 for Seafood pasta or Prime Rib, either of which include soup or salad and 2 veggies or pasta.
The Chiccarine’s: Dave, Carol, Amy (Young) and David
In 2004, “The State Room” was added at the rear of the restaurant providing an additional dining room with its own side entrance for families preferring not to enter through the bar area. The room provides seating for 60 people for private functions, as well as, a relaxed family atmosphere. There still remains a front dining room off of the main bar area for those that enjoy being in a “bar” environment without actually sitting in the bar itself, and for those that do not like change! For those that have become regulars, there is great comfort in knowing you’ll always have the same servers and bartenders, as the majority of the Chick’s employees have been working here for 10 years or more.
They continue to have fun “bar events,” too. Most of the Chiccarine Family are Penn State Alumni, so during college football season expect a big Penn State crowd gathered around the multiple flat screens throughout the bar and restaurant, watching the game. They have trivia nights with prizes, and the ultimate charity event of the year comes the Sunday before The Super Bowl, namely, The Mussel Bowl. The Mussel Bowl is a huge mussel eating contest where contestants eat as many mussels as they can in order to raise money for charity. This year’s winner threw down 264!
Chicken Parmesan Dinner at Chick’s Tavern
Beyond the food, the service, or the family feeling that you get just from being here, the Chiccarine Family are good people. They are continually raising money for charities and supporting the local community, including Leukemia Research and the Bridgeport Elementary School. Also in May, 2007, Amy and then boyfriend Chris Young, (the two have since married), created Ranger for a Cure to raise money for CHOP to help children fight cancer. The charity has raised over $25,500 to date.
Many people I know say, “I always drive by that place, but I’ve never stopped in.”
Well, as my dad would say:
“Let me tell ya something, you should stop in.”
Side note: There is a large parking lot in the rear.