Ethan’s Eats has a classic café feel with a rotating daily menu.
The new business — which rents space in the Regal Room, 214 Lackawanna Ave., Olyphant — opened in late May under owner Ethan Snyder. Ethan’s Eats has a variety of grab-and-go items, but customers also can sit down and enjoy their beverages and sandwiches there. The eatery launched a meal-order service, too, with items available for pickup or delivery through ethanseatsnepa.com.
The Regal Room had space for Ethan’s after closing the Ideal Restaurant, a temporary eatery it ran to help survive the pandemic. The folks behind the Regal Room noted on its Facebook page that they feel excited about this new chapter and helping Snyder grow his business, which will not affect the Regal Room’s catering or event operations.
PHOTOS BY JASON FARMER / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERQ: When did you open?
A: Ethan’s Eats opened on May 20, 2021.
Q: What is the history of the restaurant?
A: Ethan’s Eats was formed off of my love for food and cooking. I went to Keystone College and studied culinary arts and business management. I went on to work in many different parts of the restaurant industry, from fine dining, food trucks, bars and takeout restaurants to eventually being part owner of an Italian restaurant. Ethan’s Eats is a small business that takes everything I have learned and puts my own spin on it to hopefully offer the (borough) something special as it undergoes a revival.
Q: What kind of food do you serve, and what is available for people with special diets?
A: Ethan’s Eats is a classic café with a wide variety of grab-and-go and made-to-order food, from Old-School Italian Hoagies, Roasted Pork Hoagies, homemade Meatball Hoagies and paninis to Grain Bowls and salads with homemade dressings. The café is focused on fresh and unique chef-driven cuisine with specials such as Korean Chicken Rice Bowls or our homemade soups. We offer homemade baked goods by our baker, Susan Potezano, who also has a long history in the food business. Her focus is on combining flavors and textures to make memorable desserts, such as her Blueberry Crumb Cake or our signature Risky Biscuits.
Our drink menu is also memorable, as it features our special blend of coffee by Black and Brass Coffee Roasting Co. Our barista, Tori Hood, features a special drink each week along with our extensive variety of specialty coffees and teas.
We always consider people with special diets when we create our ever-changing menu as well. We offer vegetarian and vegan offerings, from our Farro Bowls to our coffees made with your choice of almond or oat milk. Also, upon request, we have started to offer many keto-friendly meals with a protein and vegetable offering. This part of the business started almost accidentally during the pandemic with a single customer requesting meals to now becoming a service with a menu that changes twice-weekly. It has grown so much that (we) launched an online ordering site at ethanseatsnepa.com.
Q: How did your menu come to be?
A: Our menu is developed to bring something different to Olyphant and offer the café that the town has been missing. Every small town needs a café, and we hope to offer a little something for everyone. I like to offer the staple menu items, like our homemade meatballs and homemade Caesar Salad, but I also want to keep people guessing with our menu. I don’t like to be tied down to the same menu every day, and as a chef, I want to be able to express my creativity in the specials. From my experiences, having the same menu for years at a time can become boring to the customer. We want to make each visit to Ethan’s Eats a unique experience.
Q:What are your most-ordered menu items and why?
A: We haven’t been open quite long enough yet to decide on that, but so far our Old-School Italian Hoagies, homemade Meatball Hoagies, Grain Bowls and salads have been leading the pack in the food. Our lattes, Risky Biscuits and homemade Chocolate Chip Cookies have been (popular) as well. With a menu that changes almost daily, we can adjust and see what works and cater to the tastes of our customers. The classics will always sell, but we also think we can introduce our customers to some different dishes that they will grow to love.
Q:How would you describe the restaurant’s atmosphere?
A: Ethan’s Eats is a classic café with a laidback and inviting atmosphere. We want people to feel comfortable enough to hang out, talk, study or read a book along with their coffee, baked good or sandwich.
Q: What type of seating do you offer?
A: We offer tables for one or two people or tables for larger groups.
Q: What kinds of promotions do you offer?
A: We do not have any specific promotions, but in the future we have plans for an exclusive dinner club and many social media promotions and giveaways.
Q: Do you offer catering, event space, etc.?
A: We offer small parties in our café and offsite catering options such as sandwich platters or dinner items. We recently catered a Mother’s Day dinner in the Regal Room’s banquet area. We also may collaborate with the owner of the Regal Room, George Pachucy, in the future for catered affairs. However, the Regal Room is always available for catering for all affairs.
Q: Are you offering delivery, takeout or curbside pickup?
A: The café is set up with many grab-and-go options. As previously mentioned, if you don’t feel like stopping in the café and need a nutritious and easy meal to take to work or have at home, we will offer meals through our online ordering for pickup or delivery.
Q: Where do you see the restaurant headed in the future?
A: I can see the restaurant gaining a loyal customer base over time who appreciate great foods and drinks along with the small-town, inviting atmosphere in Olyphant. I would like to expand our hours and offerings over time as well.
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.
