Family and customers have been key to the success of Two Brothers Restaurant and Pizzeria over the last 20-plus years.
Marty Coar Jr. runs the Dunmore eatery, which opened in 1998 and specializes in Italian fare, with his father, Marty Sr.; mother, Tina; and sister, Kellie. The Coars treat their customers as they would family members coming over to dinner at their home, Marty Jr. said.
Chef’s Table recently chatted with him about the family business at 215 E. Drinker St.
Q: What is the history of the restaurant?
A: We used to be customers of the restaurant when it was Padula’s Pizza. Marty Sr. (my dad) purchased the restaurant with his brother in 1998, giving it the name Two Brothers. Soon after, Marty bought his brother out and became the sole proprietor. It’s a family affair.
Q: What kind of food do you serve, and what is available for people with special diets?
A: We will accommodate requests to the best that we can. We do have a lot of vegetarian dishes. We can adjust our recipes for certain diet restrictions because almost all of our items are made to order. Some folks like no garlic or extra garlic or want to make it spicy. Coming over to eat, we cater to people’s needs. We can cook the pasta extra soft just like you would do for a family member at home. We treat our customers like family. All of our food is homemade.
Q: How did your menu come to be?
A. When we bought the restaurant, they only had pizza, wings and a few hoagies. Our dinners are all the dinners we had raising our family. We just kept making new items and putting them on the menu.
Q: What are your most-ordered menu items and why?
A: For dinners, I’d say Chicken or Veal Parmesan. We use fresh cutlets and bread them ourselves when ordered. Our pasta sauce is the recipe we had every Sunday before owning the restaurant. We also are known for our sweet bites, which are a big seller, too. Again, they are not frozen nuggets. They are breaded for each order. We serve pizza; grilled, fried or hot meals; and homemade cannoli.
Q: How would you describe the restaurant’s atmosphere?
A: (It’s) just like a family holiday. We consider our customers as family. It’s a very casual setting.
Q: What type of seating do you offer?
A: Indoor. We have a small bar and a dining area with booths and tables.
Q: What kinds of promotions do you offer?
A: We have weekly specials and daily specials, all of which can be found on our Facebook page.
Q: Do you offer catering, event space, etc.?
A: We do offer catering. We can hold small parties on the premises. Whatever you want, we will make it. For catering, contact me, because there is no party (too) large or too small.
Q: Are you offering delivery, takeout or curbside pickup?
A: We offer dine-in, pickup and local delivery to Dunmore, Throop, Olyphant, Peckville, East Scranton, North Scranton, Green Ridge, downtown Scranton, Dickson City and more.
Q: Where do you see the restaurant headed in the future?
A: Every day is different. Thankfully, our business has been doing well. We couldn’t be where we are without the support we have from our customers.
Laura Rysz is the features copy editor and calendar editor at The Times-Tribune and runs the Talk of the Times column, which focuses on local fundraisers and other events. She also writes Chef’s Table that profiles restaurants around the region. Additionally, Laura curates events online on AccessNEPA.com. Laura is involved in the special Mother’s Day edition and curates occasional features Marry Memories and Times Travelers. She is a graduate of Haddonfield Memorial High School, New Jersey, and earned an English professional writing degree with a minor in mass communications from King’s College, Wilkes-Barre. She also earned a certificate in Social Media Marketing from Rutgers Business School. Contact: lrysz@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9100 x5228.
