If dishes like chicken and waffles, mac and cheese and crab po’ boys leave your mouth watering, check out West Allentown’s newest restaurant, Union and Finch.
The new 95-seat spot, which opened July 29 in the former J.P. O’Malley’s building at 1528 W. Union St., combines the nostalgia of a long-lost neighborhood joint with a modern bistro setting to create a relaxing and inviting dining destination.
Co-owner Shahnaz Hanna of Whitehall Township, describes the fare as “casual American comfort food with a flair from worldwide cuisines” and the atmosphere as “casual, comfortable and cozy.”
“We want to form a tight-knit community and be a neighborhood gathering place for people to enjoy great company and food,” said Hanna, who operates the bistro with her husband, Ed, and four other family members. “We are a family-run restaurant and we want that sense of home to trickle down to our staff and guests.”
Renovations, which began in early 2015, include new windows, lighting, refurbished maple and oak floors, new kitchen equipment and the moving of the restrooms to the back of the building.
PHOTO GALLERY: Union Finch, a casual American bistro, opened July 29 at 1528 W. Union St. in Allentown. The restaurant offers comfort foods and familiar favorites with a twist.
(Harry Fisher)
The space was brightened by new large windows to the front of the building and painting the former dark green walls white.
Customers are welcomed by clean and simple decor, including potted mountain laurels, cacti and other plants; and framed pictures of landscapes, cityscapes and roadstops, which partially represent the owners’ journey in opening the restaurant.
Other aesthetic highlights include a finch-adorned glass window and wood reclaimed from a 19th century barn on the walls. Much of the furniture, including benches, table tops and the hostess stand, was custom-made locally.
Union and Finch, whose name is an ode to the restaurant’s street name and Allen High School’s canary mascot, serves lunch and dinner, Tuesday through Sunday. Executive chef Cody Maxwell, who worked at Allentown’s Bell Hall, heads the kitchen.
The lunch menu, offered until 4:30 p.m., includes salads ($8-$13) such as caprese and summer crab; small plates ($4.50-$8) such as wings and truffle Finch fries; and sandwiches ($10-$14.50) such as the fish taco and Union burger.
The dinner menu is similar to the lunch menu, with the addition of eight entrees ($14-$32), including duck ossu bucco, stuffed shrimp and strip steak (sourced from Pat LaFrieda Meat Purveyors).
Homemade desserts change weekly and include everything from peach cobbler to strawberry shortcake.
“I truly enjoy everything on the menu, but if I had to choose, I’d definitely go with the chicken and waffles,” said Hanna, noting vegetarian options such as grilled corn and polenta and vegetables also are favorites.
The refurbished 13-seat bar serves 14 draft beers, along with bottled beers and wine by the glass and bottle.
Eight signature drinks ($9-$12) include the popular Union Boulevardier (Jefferson’s Bourbon, Campari and sweet vermouth) and Summer Fix (Absolut Vodka, watermelon and lime juices and a jalapeno slice).
Food and drink selections will rotate with the seasons, Hanna said.
Union Finch, which recommends reservations for large parties, is open 11 a.m.-midnight Tuesday through Friday and 10 a.m.-midnight Saturday and Sunday. The kitchen closes at 11:30 p.m. with a late-night menu offered 10-11:30 p.m. Info: 610-432-1522 or unionandfinch.com.
For fans of El Greco’s Brick Oven Pizza, which recently closed after 35 years of business on Stefko Boulevard in Bethlehem, take note of a new restaurant from the same chef and operator.
El Greco’s owner Anthony Tsamoutalidis joined forces with his father, Vasilios Tsamoutalidis, to open Villa Vita Brick Oven Pizza July 30 at 739 Linden St. in Bethlehem.
You’ll find the same brick oven pizza and other Italian staples, along with new additions such as steaks and certain pasta dinners, including eggplant rollantini and penne vodka.
“The neighborhood here is so tight and has been so welcoming of us,” Anthony said. “I’ve already had people come in twice in one day to eat.”
Traditional, Sicilian and gluten-free pizzas are supplemented by nearly two dozen specialty pizzas, including German, Mexican and Hawaiian.
Other menu highlights include calzones, strombolis, souvlaki, salads, wraps, hot and cold subs and various chicken, veal and seafood entrees. All dinners come with a complimentary glass of wine, salad, warm bread and butter.
The 24-seat restaurant, offering delivery, take-out and party trays, features an al-fresco feel with grape vines painted on the walls, a sky painted on the ceiling and clay roof tiles hanging over the counter.
Anthony gives nods to his sons, Vasilios and Drake, via a wall mural that depicts “Vasilio’s Trattoria” and “Cafe Drakouli” as part of a small village.
He also used their favorite toppings to name specialty pizzas after them. There’s the Vasili (anchovies, garlic and cheese) and Drake (mac and cheese).
The BYOB Villa Vita is open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday and noon-10 p.m. Sunday. Info: 610-419-2004.
I have some other pizza news:
First, Pizza Hut opened a few weeks ago at 2413 MacArthur Road in Whitehall Township.
The restaurant, offering dine-in, carry-out and delivery service, offers all of the chain’s popular meat, chicken, veggie and spicy pizza selections, along with its various appetizers, wings, salads, pasta dishes and desserts, including its exclusive summer offering, Hershey’s Toasted S’mores Cookie.
It supplements about a dozen other area locations. Info: 484-602-9050 or pizzahut.com.
Second, Good Times Pizzeria at 2114 Schoenersville Road in Hanover Township, Northampton County, is closed until further notice after it was burglarized, vandalized and burned last month. It is unclear when it will reopen.
“Unfortunately we don’t own the building and there is significant damage to the building, and it must be up to code before we can even get back in there to make the necessary repairs,” an owner wrote on the business’ Facebook page. “Until the owner does this, it’s out of our hands.”
Further north, the new Gregory’s Steakhouse at 2201 Schoenersville Road in Hanover Township, Northampton County, has been the subject of much inquiry. The restaurant reopened in February 2015 after extensive interior and exterior renovations were completed following a fire in 2013.
“All the signage is off the building,” Scott Stewart wrote.