Diners can choose from over two dozen draft beers and an assortment of freshly made food when a new tavern opens in Whitehall Township next month.
The Thirsty Turtle Tavern will open April 15 at 1410 Grape St., General Manager Todd LeFever said, replacing the Keystone Pub location that closed in September.
Alongside the beers, the tavern will serve wine, cocktails, tenders, fries, poutine, pretzels, nachos, eggrolls, wings, sandwiches, burritos, tacos, burgers, pizza and sushi. Other features will include a bar, television screens and a lounge area.
The hours will be 11 a.m. to midnight Sunday through Thursday, 11-1 a.m. Friday and Saturday and happy hour 3-6 p.m. weekdays.
For the tavern, LeFever will work with Operations Director Brian Smith. Both men have decades of restaurant industry experience — Smith has worked in it since seventh grade and has opened 17 restaurants in the Northeast, while LeFever has worked in the industry for over 30 years and has opened 22 restaurants in the country.
They hope to create a brand with the Thirsty Turtle Tavern, with more locations to possibly come in the future in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York.
“This was our formation of a brand, and we took all the things that we valued from our past and different concepts that we think do well, or aspects of them that do well, and we try to put them all together and create our own,” Smith said.
Smith added that with a diverse menu of food, most of which they make from scratch, it’ll cut down on diners’ decision-making for where or what to eat.
LeFever said it’ll be a chance to distinguish from the roughly dozen corporate restaurants that surround the tavern and adjust to the community’s tastes.
“It was the opportunity to bring a concept to the Lehigh Valley that’s really needed, especially in this area,” LeFever said. “With everything from our menu to our expectations of service, we’re going to be a real hit, and there’s nothing really like this in the area. So being a part of something great is the main reason that I came aboard.”
Lehigh Valley retail and restaurant news in brief
The Marquis apartment building at 27 S. Third St. in Easton will open the Mexican restaurant Amigos, the ZEN bar and lounge and the Joint Coffee Co. cafe this summer.
The Whitehall Township bakery Custom Cakes by Adele will close after June 28.
A 15,000-square-foot Gravity Vault Indoor Rock Gyms location opened last week at 1951 Whitehall Mall in Whitehall Township, it announced on Facebook.
Alongside the rock climbing space, the gym will offer programming for people 5 years old and older, membership options, daily passes, event opportunities like for birthdays, a retail shop for climbing gear and apparel and a fitness area that includes weights and treadmills.
Through April 5, the facility said it will offer specials such as additional climbing days with the purchase of a regular membership, ranging from seven to 30 extra days.
Gravity Vault Indoor Rock Gyms operates 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. during weekdays and 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. during weekends.
The Tipsy Crow bar held a soft opening last week at the Simon Silk Mill in Easton, it announced, replacing County Seat Spirits.
Menu items include cocktails, appetizers, burgers and sandwiches, according to Raven Gabriele, who co-owns the bar with her father Michael. It’s a sister location to The Raven 96 restaurant that opened in 2023.
The Willow Haven Farm General Store will hold a grand opening celebration next Friday and Saturday at 8150 Hamilton Blvd. in Upper Macungie Township.
It’ll offer locally produced organic groceries, farm products, pantry items, baked goods and a cafe.
The Jimmy John’s sandwich chain will open this summer at the Schoenersville Centre at 3215 Schoenersville Road in Bethlehem.
Radical Rations Restaurant reopened last Saturday at 1213 Washington St. in Easton, owner Dawn Bryant announced.
Menu items include fried chicken, wings, “Thanksgiving in a bowl” which serves chicken with stuffing and gravy, macaroni and cheese, collared greens and rice and beans. The restaurant will also cater and be on food services such as ChowNow and DoorDash; Bryant recommended diners to pre-order food.
“We’re going to have a little bit of everything that brings comfort,” Bryant said.
The hours will be 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and noon to 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
The restaurant first opened about a month prior but closed due to additional government inspections, Bryant said.
The Washington Street property previously hosted restaurants such as Giacomo’s Italian Grille and Yahbie’s Taste of Soul.
A Decor Home Furniture store has opened at 2178 W. Union Blvd. in Bethlehem, the chain announced. It previously hosted a Rite Aid store before it closed in 2023.
The Indian restaurant Cumin N Eat opened its fourth location last week at 2418 Cherryville Road in Northampton Borough, where it serves appetizers such as paneer and masala fries, dosas, biryani, fried rice, dishes with chicken, lamb and fish, dal and desserts.
The halal burger chain Cousin’s Burger will open by the end of next month at 44 N. Eighth St. in Allentown, serving burgers, customers can order fries, wings, tenders, sandwiches and desserts.
The soap store Buff City Soap has closed at the Airport Shopping Center at 917 Airport Center Road in Hanover Township, Lehigh County, signage at the building announced. The next closest location is at 1249 Commerce Blvd. in Dickson City in Lackawanna County, the sign added. It previously closed a location in Quakertown, Bucks County.
Retail Watch is a weekly column covering retail and restaurant news in the Lehigh Valley. Have a question, tip, or want to see something in the area? Contact retail reporter Graysen Golter at retailwatch@mcall.com.
