Elk Creek Cafe is a solid place. Good beer, good food, and very good music. Best music venue in central PA, IMO. Mostly blues, jazz, and bluegrass. Real close to the jam. No schedules that far in advance, and I doubt many will skip the fire ring for Sat. Night. But they sometimes have music on weeknights.
I don't know much up in the fishing creek direction.
Tons of places in State College, too many to list. I recommend Otto's, good food and great beer, on the wrong side of town but right off the bypass, so its pretty quick to get there. I like their beer better than Elk Creek. Prospectors is a solid choice if coming from Spruce or the LJR, it's on W. College SW of town. Boalsburg has Duffy's Tavern and Kelly's, Kelly's serves both Elk Creek and Otto's beer with good food, but a bit pricy. S. Atherton adds the Autoport, Fascia Luna, among others, all solid but not convenient to any fishing. Unfortunately, the NE side of town, near the fly shops, is the weakest part for food. Damon's isn't far, and its solid. Other than that its Sheetz, mall food, or fast food.
Pleasant Gap has the PA Roadhouse & Tavern. The place is a little rough as the name implies, but the food is very good and its location isn't far from Paradise.
Bellefonte is less blessed with good food, but I may be unaware of some. My favorite there has been Home Delivery Pizza Pub. It's on 550/Zion Rd. just east of town, near the I-99 interchange. Don't let the name fool ya, its a bar with a full menu.
For breakfast in S.C., the Original Waffle Shop (N. Atherton and on the corner of Blue Course and College) is exceptional. Another chain, called the Waffle Shop (without the "original"), has downtown S.C. and Bellefonte locations. It too is good, but not as good as the "Original".
