CHEAP EATS: Fireside Pub & Grill

Ben Haugh said it's pretty common for ski resorts to have pubs.

Until the 2009/2010 season, Roundtop Mountain Resort didn't. Roundtop couldn't obtain a liquor license for years because Warrington Township was dry. However, residents passed a referendum to change that in spring 2009.

"It was a long time coming," said Haugh, food and beverage manager at the resort. "Folks would come up and wonder where the bar was."

When the slopes open at Roundtop, so does the Fireside Pub & Grill - a full-

service restaurant that operates only in the winter. In the summer, the resort uses its liquor license at Adventure Park.

I stopped by on a recent Thursday for a late lunch. I sat at a high table by a window, which overlooked Terrain Park. Handfuls of skiers coasted down the hill as I checked out the menu. A fireplace tucked inside a stone wall heated the pub, which was decorated in warm brown hues.

I ordered a veggie quesadilla and substituted a side salad for the potato chips. I only waited a few minutes for my meal.

The quesadilla was made on flat bread with roasted zucchini and squash, red peppers and a sweet balsamic glaze. The squash and zucchini still had some crispness, which I enjoyed. It was an uncommon approach to a quesadilla - no cheese - but it tasted delicious. I might try to make it at home.

Haugh said many skiers stop by the pub to take a break from skiing, snowboarding or snow tubing or to cap off the day. Some parents sit by the window and watch their children. But some people come to the pub just to eat or have a drink.

"We'll get folks from the town who want to look at the mountain," he said.

The pub - a former coffee shop that was renovated - features sandwiches, wraps, flat-bread pizzas, soups, burgers and a few dinners, among other items.

Haugh said the crab pretzel, salmon BLT , burgers and wings are most popular.

He said the pub added to the food court's business and fills a previous void. It took years to pass the referendum for Warrington Township to allow liquor.

He said skiers used to drink alcohol in the parking lot before the pub opened, and they now have a place to go - and it's a safer option because Roundtop can monitor how much people drink.

"We were looking to provide something that folks were looking for, for a very long time," Haugh said.

Cheap Eats profiles local restaurants, aiming to please our palates and our wallets. Reach Leigh Zaleski at 717-771-2101, lzaleski@ydr.com, @leighzaleski.

LOCATION: Roundtop Mountain Resort, 925 Roundtop Road, Warrington Township

CUISINE: American

LEIGH'S PICK: Veggie quesadilla with a side salad ($15)

PARKING: Yes

HOURS: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday;

10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday (during ski season)

PRICE RANGE: $3 to $16

ALCOHOL: Yes

SMOKING: No

ACCEPTS: Cash and credit

TAKEOUT: Yes

KID'S MENU: Yes

DETAILS: Call 717-432-9631 ext. 3770 or visit www.skiroundtop.com