Published by Jeremy. Last Updated on December 14, 2021.
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The Laurel Highlands in southwest PA is a hub of Frank Lloyd Wright architecture, and Polymath Park in Acme, PA, takes things one step further with their on-site, Wright-inspired restaurant- Treetops.
As we are always down for fine dining in unusual locations and the Wright architecture experience in the region at large, you know we had to check this one out to see what it is all about.
Treetops Offers Fine Dining in a Unique Ambiance
Within minutes of entering Treetops, you quickly realize that this one did not hold back on its goal of honoring Frank Lloyd Wright's legacy. Everywhere you look within the restaurant pays homage to Wright's instantly recognizable style, and the space feels like a natural extension of the house tours within Polymath Park outright- truly a tall order that they pulled off.
For those who dine on a nice day, you may be able to sit on their outdoor patio which is a bit less Wright-inspired but does allow for a full appreciation of the namesake treetops nearby. So just like how Fallingwater incorporates the land's waterfall into the design, Treetops does the same with the forest- just with a bit less flair (let's be honest, you can't really top a house built on top of a waterfall).
The name of the game at this restaurant is fine dining, and the restaurant offers the kind of menu we're not upset seeing more of in the Laurel Highlands. Think dishes like filet mignon, Caesar salads, seafood, and more (plus a starting point of about $30 per entree). While most of the menu changes seasonally here, you can at least expect them to follow a somewhat conventional fine dining mold with the major categories.
During my late summer visit, for example, we were able to try an appetizer of steak with grilled peppers, cheese, and house bread as well as entrees of filet mignon rubbed with espresso and topped with gorgonzola and a Cabernet sauce that was flambeed tableside as well as a seared salmon filet with fruit, potatoes, and asparagus.
The appetizer was perhaps the star of the show. In what I thought was going to end up being primarily roasted peppers with some bits of steak and cheese ended up being almost all steak with a few peppers and cheese. The bread that came along with it made for a great vehicle to soak up the juices and bring the steak and peppers together for a perfect bite.
Admittedly, had I known this (or perhaps read the menu closer), I would've ordered a different entree. But, as it were, I also ended up with steak as my main.
In a way, both the steak and the salmon were tried-and-true fine dining dishes in virtually every respect. The portions were somewhat small (the fish bigger than the steak), great for lunch but maybe leaving a bit more to be desired if for dinner, and were cooked flawlessly to our desired doneness. The wine sauce with Gorgonzola made for a really rich and in-depth complement to the meat, but the tableside flambe fizzled out just a bit with hardly a visible flame at all.
That being said, I'm a sucker for a perfectly cooked steak with a stellar sauce, and despite the size-to-price value really thought it was exceptionally well-executed all around.
In a way, we'd be happy with Treetops existing on its own because high-end restaurants in the Laurel Highlands, outside of the resorts at least, can be few and far between. But throw in the on-site Frank Lloyd Wright house tours at Polymath Park and design references virtually everywhere in this one, and you have an experience that really ties a number of elements together.
One thing is for certain at Treetops, however, and that is simply this- the restaurant is incredibly popular. So if you are interested in dining at this one, do yourself a favor and get a reservation in advance just like you do with the house tours. You'll be glad you did!
Treetops is located at 187 Evergreen Lane in Acme, PA. I was a guest here courtesy of GO Laurel Highlands. As always, all opinions are my own.
