At ShoreBread, we often find ourselves day dreaming about a trip overseas, perhpas to Spain, Italy or England; but most recently (probably because of all the St. Patrick’s Day events going on) we have been longing for a voyage to Ireland. Lucky for us, we don’t even have to buy a plane ticket to get a taste of Ireland at Salisbury’s Irish Penny Pub.
The Irish Penny was started in 2012 by best friends and co-owners, Scott Urban and Jeff Trivits. The two had known each other since since middle school and dreamed of eventually opening an Irish pub together. While Trivits was in college, he frequented and worked in many Irish pubs, which was where he got the knowledge and know-how to eventually open an establishment of his own. Before starting the Irish Penny, Trivits had also traveled to many other cities, stopping in each Irish pub that he came across to make note of the best aspects of each pub for his own future pub.
“I’ve always noticed the way people interact in an Irish pub is different than others,” Trivits said. “People come in as strangers, but always get along and become friendly.” Part of this jovial ambiance comes from the traditional layout of Irish watering holes. “I’ve had people who have been to Ireland tell me that (the Irish Penny) is a lot like the pubs over there,” Trivits said.
The pub consists of one long narrow room, without walls separating customers, and tables that are placed closely together. This proximity may seem a bit cramped at first, but these circumstances actually cause people to be near to each other, allowing for easier communication across tables and adding to the camaraderie in the pub. “People tell us to expand all the time, but that’s what makes the atmosphere so great,” Trivits told us.
The name of the restaurant, like other aspects, blends some Shore style with Irish flare. Most Irish pubs feature the name of the owners in the title; however, Trivits and Urban were looking for a more unique name for their business. After toying around with the idea of “The Luck of the Irish” they came across the image of the Irish Penny, which has the national symbol of Ireland and includes a harp on one side and a chicken on the other. Since we have an obvious association with the poultry business on the Shore, the name seemed like a perfect fit. Also after doing some research, Urban and Trivits found that they were the only pub named The Irish Penny.
Now let’s get to the food. Trivits described the dishes offered as “Irish food with an Eastern Shore twist,” and rightfully so. There is Emerald Isle crab dip, corned beef poppers, Irish nachos and the Eastern Shore stuffed spud for just a few of the Irish and Shore flavor combinations. There is also a section made up of only Celtic food, such as fish and chips, shepherd’s pie and a particularly appealing dish called boxty. This dish incorporates your choice of meat and vegetables rolled into an Irish pancake.
Trivits said he often gets compliments about the cuisine such as “this tastes just like how my grandma made it.” Customers can also take the food home with them with the Irish Penny’s carryout service.
The Penny also has more to offer than just great food. They have an enormous selection of beers, both on tap and bottled, including $4 imperial pints of Guinness during happy hour. While you are enjoying one of the many brews offered, you can also time your visit to catch the incredible live music that comes to the Penny weekly.
If you stop in any time of day, you can hear recorded traditional Irish music playing, but on Sunday through Tuesday nights you can also be witness to the same music brought to you live. Some of the music performed is done by traditional Irish bands, the Emerald Society where members walk up and down the aisles of the restaurant and play bagpipes. Tuesdays feature a pub night, where any musician can bring his or her instrument and play together. A range of violins to banjos have combined musical forces, providing great entertainment for the night.
This little pub has everything you could want in a pub experience. From the food, to the atmosphere, great music, and as frequent visitor Jeff Carrion told us “the biggest variety of beers and the best damn service on the Eastern Shore.” This is a place ShoreBread is so glad to have at our fingertips, especially for St. Patrick’s Day!
