What's Cooking: Buzzi's, Barney's and Trish's making food news in the Beaver Valley

(What's cooking is a twice-a-month look at what's new in the Beaver Valley dining scene).

Savor some European flavor when Trish's Truffles and Sweet Treats holds the soft opening for its Monaca storefront Sept. 11.

Fresh-baked croissants, macarons, truffles, brownies, cookies, cupcakes and other French-inspired dessert delicacies will await Trish's customers at 1303 Pennsylvania Ave., next to InnerGroove Record Store.

A cozy and warm space adorned with Eiffel Tower artwork and enlarged photos of croissants and coffee beans, Trish's Truffles and Sweet Treats will include a coffee bar.

A separate area will feature see-through plexiglass screens "so when the customer comes in and they want some coffee or pastries and we're back there making chocolates or piping macarons, they can stand and watch," said owner Trish Koodrich, whose passion for pastry-making traces to her first trip to Paris over 30 years ago. "So, it's kind of bringing the client in to see what we do and how we make everything from scratch. They get to see the experience of it, and it's different. It's very European, and that's what I'm trying to bring, that little bit of European flair."

As autumn arrives, Koodrich plans to add soups to the menu along with seasonal items like apple dumplings.

The takeout business also can be booked for private events like ladies' nights out, as Koodrich also will teach a pastry-making class there, in conjunction with Community College of Beaver County.

The Monaca storefront lets her consolidate operations: She can bake and sell her desserts from the same spot, or load them out back into her Trish's Truffles & Sweet Treats food van that's been a popular draw at local events since debuting in August 2022.

In 2020-21, Koodrich ran a second-floor pastry shop in downtown Beaver, until her landlord decided to lease the property to someone else. That prompted her to launch the Trish's food van, which will complement the storefront, and vice versa.

"Because we still have events, so you may want an apple dumpling and you missed it here, but check our events page and see where we're at and what's on the menu."

She's excited about the new Monaca location, near thriving younger businesses like Comfortably Yummm restaurant, Valley Vintage Motorworks mopeds and Monaca Brewing Co.

"I like what Monaca is trying to do to get a vibe going here," Koodrich said. "This is a perfect setting for what I want to do, too. A lot of our values match, and the owner of the building has that same desire. It just felt like the right fit. I think I'm coming into a place that's at a really good point."

There's free street parking directly in front of her store, with an auxiliary lot across the street.

Days of operation will be Mondays through Fridays, with hours still to be determined, but definitely starting early in the morning.

Buzzi's sets Sept. 17 return

Get ready, Buzzi's Pizza fans.

The Re-Grand Opening Day for the popular Rochester pizzeria has been set for Sept. 17. New owner Anthony Hall will celebrate in style, with a full-on block party.

"We met with the borough to get approval to shut down the block," Hall said. "It will be a big event for that day."

The celebration starts at 2 p.m. and ends at 10 p.m. next to Buzzi's at 220 Brighton Ave.

"The road will be blocked from the roundabout to West Washington St.," Hall said. "There will be approximately 30 vendors including desserts, crafts, arts and woodworking, Linn Anne Photography will be there taking some amazing photos. We will have a ribbon cutting at 2 p.m. followed by the National Anthem. We will be doing this event annually and it will be called The Buzzi’s Annual Fall Fest."

Kids can look forward to seeing a few favorite animated movie and video game characters come to life.

Bizzy B Productions will deejay the event.

In October 2021, the original Buzzi's closed after 50 years. The pizzeria's husband-wife co-owners, Francis "Buzzi" Graff and Tina Graff, both in their 70s, decided to retire.

Hall, who also runs Pappy J's pizza in Monaca, purchased it and plans to use the original square-cut pizza recipe that made Buzzi's successful, while also adding new items such as hand-tossed pizza, calzones, hoagies, salads, homemade pepperoni rolls and desserts.

"For those who are in need of something fast, we will have square and round pizza already made-to-sell by the slice, like you would see at a mall," Buzzi's Pizza's Facebook page says. "(We) will just need a minute or two to finish it."

Delivery also is planned to Rochester, Monaca, Bridgewater, Beaver, Brighton Township, New Brighton, and some parts of outlying municipalities.

Accepting credit cards and third-party platforms such as Doordash and Slice, Buzzi's also will be open for lunch.

"For opening day we will only be serving the original Buzzi’s square pizza by the slice and we will sell whole round hand tossed pizza," Hall said. "We will not be delivering that day."

More: What's Cooking: News from the Beaver Valley dining & drinks scenes

Back to Barney's

Barney's restaurant will return to Aliquippa.

Facebook posts went up two weeks ago from owners of what's currently being called Back to Barney's, which hopes to reopen in late 2023 or 2024 at its former Mill Street location.

In 2019, the brick building with an outdoor patio was purchased and turned into Butcher & Son, a gastropub that closed in early 2023.

Reverting back to Barney's, customers can look forward to pub food. The owners have sought menu suggestions on Facebook and received a strong response.

More: Putting around in Bridgewater bars for a good cause

Boba tea in Ambridge

Boba tea in Ambridge

Slurp-N-Burst Boba Tea held a Sept. 1 grand opening for its new Ambridge store.

Located at 566 Merchant St., and specializing in boba drinks, smoothies, slushies, hot tea and coffee, lemonades and cotton candy, hours will be noon to 8 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays; 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturdays and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays.

The original Slurp-N-Burst Boba Tea remains in downtown New Brighton.

New Brighton's Taphouse closes

Fifth Avenue Taphouse has ceased operations.

"After many long discussions we have decided that it is best for our family to close our establishment," owners of the New Brighton tavern said in a Facebook post. "We are in a very different place in our lives than we were two years ago when we opened our doors. We want to thank everyone that has supported us in any way, shape or form. We will miss serving all of our amazing clientele."

Scott Tady is dining & drinks/entertainment editor at The Times and easy to reach at stady@timesonline.com.

This article originally appeared on Beaver County Times: Buzzi's, Barney's and Trish's bring good food news to Beaver County