Poppy’s Tavern is located in the historic Hatfield Hotel building at 64 E. Lincoln Avenue. Photo by John Worthington | The Reporter.
The building has undergone extensive renovations, with new flooring, upgraded kitchen equipment, a new bar ceiling, roof repairs and more
When Jessica Dawson purchased the historic Hatfield Hotel building at 64 E. Lincoln Avenue, she had an ambitious vision for the location.
The building had previously been a pool hall and bar with a seedy reputation. Following its closure, Dawson discovered decaying aesthetics, malfunctioning kitchen equipment and structural damage.
“There was a huge hole in the floor that apparently nobody knew about,” said Dawson. “Once we moved stuff, we were like, ‘Oh wow, you can see right into the basement.’”
Dawson knew that the building had experienced better days. A Hatfield native, she grew up right around the corner when it was home to the Hatfield Tavern before becoming the popular Butera’s Restaurant and car wash. As the building’s new owner, Dawson felt determined to revitalize the historic spot.
“This was always such a beautiful building when I was a child, and I knew that it needed love,” said Dawson. “I wanted to bring something great back to Hatfield.”
Since opening in September 2024, Poppy's Tavern has undergone extensive renovations.Since Poppy’s Tavern’s official opening in September 2024, Dawson has been working around the clock to execute her vision. The building has undergone extensive renovations, with new flooring, upgraded kitchen equipment, a new bar ceiling, roof repairs and more.
The billiards room has been replaced with a gleaming dining room, outfitted with multiple hand painted murals. Around the corner sits a full bar with several high-top tables against the backdrop of a sizable Hatfield Speedway painting, an homage to the old Hatfield racetrack.
“So we want this to be a place where you can come and have dinner with your parents, bring your kids,” said Dawson. “We’re trying to go more food-forward, slowly, but surely.”
Above the back bar hangs a canvas photograph of Dawson’s grandfather, “Poppy” Carl LeFever, after whom she named the tavern. She explained that Lefever owned an auto garage in Franconia where community members of all backgrounds would gather for lunch.
“It was the place where people would hang out and have lunch, bus drivers, firemen, guys who were millionaires,” said Dawson. “It didn’t matter who you were. As long as you were a good person, you were welcome, and that’s the same vibe we’re going for here.”
Poppy's Tavern owner Jessica Dawson named the tavern after her grandfather, "Poppy" Carl LeFever.
Poppy's Tavern has a full bar and dining room.The tavern boasts an extensive food menu, with traditional options like wings, perogies, soups, salads, burgers and sandwiches as well as tacos and quesadillas, bowls and a number of dinner entrees. The menu offers many gluten-free options, including gluten-free bread, buns and wraps. The drink menu, meanwhile, features 18 different beers, numerous wine options and specialty cocktails that change seasonally.
“There’s something for everybody here,” said Dawson.
In addition to the indoor bar and restaurant, Poppy’s Tavern has an outdoor weekend bar, with plans to expand to weekdays next year, as well as a 1,500-square-foot event venue in the old car wash garage, which Dawson rents out for birthday parties, Christmas parties and weddings. The space has also hosted live music and corn hole tournaments.
“We’ve done a lot out here,” said Dawson. “It’s nice in the summer because everything opens up. We can hold 100 people in there comfortably.”
Poppy's Tavern's outdoor weekend bar
Poppy's Tavern's 1,500-square-foot event venue hosts a variety of parties and functionsThis article appears courtesy of a content share agreement between North Penn Now and The Reporter. To read more stories like this, visit https://www.thereporteronline.com
