Drew Abruzzese’s Family Owns Popular Restaurant. He’s Appeared On Food Network As “Face” Of Pineville Tavern.
Abruzzese Is Facing Trial In Pennsylvania In April. He’s Now In The Palm Beach County Jail.
BY: ANDREW COLTON | Editor and Publisher
UPDATED: 6:09 p.m. with information from Drew’s father and a family attorney, clarifying that the family owns the restaurant but not Drew, despite national reporting which identified him as an owner last year.
DELRAY BEACH, FL (BocaNewsNow.com) (Copyright © 2021 MetroDesk Media, LLC) (News App readers click here) — The “face” of a historic suburban Philadelphia tavern whose history dates back to the 1700s is now in the Palm Beach County Jail.
Andrew Abruzzese, Jr., — known as “Drew” — is facing forgery, counterfeit, cocaine and drug equipment charges filed by the Delray Beach Police Department. The affidavit of probable cause was still being processed mid-day Thursday. Abruzzese was arrested early this morning in Boca Raton.
Abruzzese’s family owns the Pineville Tavern, a historic eatery in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. The tavern dates back to 1742. The Abruzzese family purchased it in 1989. Correcting reporting by other outlets, Drew’s father tells BocaNewsNow.com that while Drew has appeared on the Food Network to promote the restaurant, he is not an owner.
“He was only an employee,” said his father, Andrew Abruzzese, Sr.
James Matour, an attorney who represents the family in its business endeavors, said Drew was thought of as the “celebrity.”
“He has never had an ownership interest in the Pineville restaurant,” said Matour. “Drew spent some years as the chef and enjoyed celebrity chef status, so it is understandable people incorrectly assumed his ownership. But his role was limited to that of employee.”
The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that Drew Abruzzese, was arrested in February of 2020 for “discharging a firearm into an occupied structure, recklessly endangering another person, and criminal mischief.”
His father told the Inquirer, “We are confident this is out of character and he is 100 percent innocent.”
The Bucks County Clerk of Courts reports that his trial is set for April 13th.
The specific charges filed in Thursday’s Delray Beach arrest: “possess forged drivers license or ID card; possess counterfeited credit cards — two or more,” “fraudulent (or) illegal use of credit cards to obtain goods (valued at) $300 or more,” “cocaine possession” and “drug equipment possession.”
The Palm Beach County Jail lists the 800 Block of Broken Sound Parkway in Boca Raton as his current address.
We will update once the arrest report becomes available.
