How many times have you driven Route 15, going south for points warm and passed through Lewisburg, Pa., stopping for refreshments only along the main drag?

Foodly and historically speaking, we recently discovered so many more choices and a wonderful, small walking town to stimulate our break time by driving into downtown Lewisburg.

Perhaps I am about to advocate a strange concept that only foodies can comprehend. Just as experts advise exercising during an airplane ride, a long car journey can be a healthy culinary adventure if you discover the wonders of small-town America - eat lunch, take a walk and energize.

This Pennsylvania borough, population 6,000, was recently listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Main Street in Lewisburg is a throwback to days gone by. Beautifully kept historic buildings, unique shops, myriad restaurants, the Susquehanna River and the 1,500 surprisingly restored cast-iron triple globe streetlights make the six-block downtown area worthy of an hour respite, whether going south or north or during lunch or dinnertime.

What does the discovery of soda water, the precursor of all carbonated beverages, have to do with Lewisburg environs?

The answer: Joseph Priestly, clergyman, scientist and friend of Benjamin Franklin. In 1767, Priestly lived in Leeds, England, next to a brewery and became fascinated with "fixed air" or carbon dioxide. Using the brewery as his laboratory, Priestly succeeded in producing the first sparkling water for which he won the Copley Medal, the Royal Society's highest honor. At the time, carbonated water was only regarded for wrongly expected health benefits.

Priestly later discovered oxygen and created the first eraser, and moved to Northumberland, Pa., in 1794, not far from Lewisburg. He lived there until his death in 1804 and his home is now open as a museum administered by the state.

Recommended eating

The Lewisburg Hotel Dining Room on Main Street offers comfortable seating in a restored hotel, efficient service and unique menu offerings that meet expectations.

The Mediterranean Scallop main course salad is a winner composed of caramelized diver sea scallops over mixed field greens, tossed with roasted red peppers, baby artichoke hearts, Kalamata olives and balsamic vinaigrette.

I highly recommend it as a dinner salad that you can duplicate in your own kitchen. Completely dry sea scallops with paper towels, then pan-fry them in butter over high heat while tossing the other salad ingredients.

The pan-fried jumbo crabcake sandwich is also a great choice. (We removed the bottom half of the Kaiser roll and ate it with a fork.)

On another trip, we feasted on the Bratwurst Sausage Melt and Eggplant BLT. The bratwurst is braised in ale and served topped with caramelized sweet onions, sauerkraut and Swiss cheese, accompanied with beer battered onion rings - all essential food groups for a hungry German traveler. The Eggplant BLT was a knife-and-fork sandwich, served on warm pita, accompanied by dressed field greens. Travel meals don't get much better than this.

The Blue Plate Cafe, 406 Market St., is more casual with its homemade soup offerings, sandwiches featuring local produce when available and cheeses from the Italian Market in Philadelphia. The tea menu is definitely worth a try. While waiting for your food, visit the decorators shop accessible through the interior pass-through door.

The Bull Run Inn, 605 Market St., and the Highlands Pub, 101 Market St., are great choices when the weather turns warmer. Outdoor seating in front of the Bull Run allows for people and car watching while enjoying ribs, fajitas or the stir-fry veggie meal. The delight of the Highland Pub is dinner in the outdoor garden, protected from street noise with a high brick wall and decorated with sparkling tiny lights.

Recipe for celebrating Lewisburg: after enjoying lunch or dinner, walk downtown Main Street and surrounding neighborhoods and toast Joseph Priestly with your favorite carbonated beverage.

Pat Ernst Dugan is a private chef, educator and food/recipe writer. E-mail her at foodlyyours@aol.com or send comments and questions to be forwarded to: Foodly Yours, Star-Gazette, Attn: Features Department, 201 Baldwin St., P.O. Box 285, Elmira, NY 14902.