Home Care In Easton, PA

EASTON, Pa. - A longstanding restaurant has shuttered as the owners prepare to open a new dining destination in its place in downtown Easton.

Ocean, a full-service restaurant offering fine American cuisine, closed Jan. 1 after 18 years of business at 235 Ferry St.

Enjoy with Gusto Hospitality Group closed the restaurant in advance of a new “elevated Italian” concept that is expected to open in late spring or early summer, according to Mick Gjevukaj, a partner of Enjoy with Gusto.

The ownership group is still deciding on a name for the new restaurant, which has a target opening date of June, Gjevukaj said.

The team informed the public of the upcoming transition on Ocean’s website.

“We know some of you will be sad, upset, confused…we get it,” the announcement reads. “Maybe others will be excited and intrigued. Either way, please know that the experience of our guests means everything and at the end of the day, it's on us to keep the magic alive… and we intend to do just that. We'll see you back here this summer.”

Enjoy with Gusto has a large downtown Easton presence, operating other city venues that include Three Oak Steakhouse and River Grille restaurants; Townley House, a boutique hotel; and Bar Bix at Townley House.

The team also is preparing to construct a seven-story hotel at 1-6 Centre Square, the site of the former One Centre Square music venue and The Standard bar and restaurant.

Demolition work is expected to begin in a few months, and the hotel – featuring 49 rooms, a restaurant and lounge and event space – is expected to be complete in late 2025, Gjevukaj said.

For their newest restaurant being planned at the former Ocean space, the partners are looking to create an unmatched dining experience “with attention to detail to the maximum level,” Gjevukaj said.

The Ferry Street space is not huge, with seating for around 50 diners, making each detail that much more important, Gjevukaj said.

The “one-of-a-kind experience” will feature personalized service and high-quality dishes, Gjevukaj added.

The menu is still in the development phase, but Gjevukaj said customers should expect traditional Italian cuisine with unique and elevated twists.

The restaurant will offer fresh, made-on-site pastas, along with other menu highlights that include premium Italian meats, salads and seafood dishes.

There also will be several dishes that will be prepared or served tableside, including roast pork, Gjevukaj said.

The restaurant will feature a full bar, which will serve an array of classic and signature cocktails, premium beers and wines. Different wines will have different glasses.

“It will be like the Ritz Carlton of restaurants, where you go to really treat yourself,” Gjevukaj said. “Everything will be elevated. Even the lasagna will be at a higher level.”

The team is planning extensive renovations to the space, with “changes to the layout, kitchen, everything,” Gjevukaj said.

“It’s going to be gutted down to the studs,” Gjevukaj added. “It will be entirely new.”

The closure of Ocean is bittersweet, Gjevukaj said.

The partners - which include Chip Muntean, Gjevukaj’s brother, Bekim Gjevukaj, and Gjevukaj’s brother-in-law, Arti Kamberaj – created one of the Lehigh Valley’s premier restaurants.

Ocean was known for its fresh seafood dishes such as lobster sliders, octopus bruschetta, Chilean sea bass and seafood gnocchi, and the partners acknowledge that many community members will likely be saddened by its closure as well.

However, the team had a strong drive to create a “fresh concept,” and they’re hopeful that new and old friends will visit the forthcoming establishment to enjoy a new experience, Mick said.

“It wasn’t an easy decision to make because people, including us, loved [Ocean],” Mick said. “But we saw an opportunity and wanted to strike while the iron was hot. We’re reaching for the stars.”

Mick has decades of restaurant experience, with his first taste of the industry occurring during his adolescence, when he helped with various tasks – including baking bread, fishing for trout and butchering lambs – at his family’s restaurant in the former Yugoslavia.

When he came to the United States in the early 1990s, he learned to read and speak English before opening a few Italian restaurants in New Jersey. He later sold those restaurants to focus his attention on Easton.

“This is how I got my start,” Mick said.

“My first restaurants were Italian restaurants that I opened about 30 years ago. I was doing really well with them. So, now, I’m giving it another go after I’ve lived, traveled and learned so much more. It’s kind of like music and fashion, which all eventually come back.”

The Enjoy with Gusto team wants its forthcoming dining establishment to complement downtown Easton’s already robust dining scene, which includes venerable neighboring restaurants Sette Luna Tuscan Trattoria and 3rd & Ferry Fish Market.

Its concept will be “totally unique” to the area, Mick said.

“There are really good places in town, and we don’t want to compare ourselves to anyone,” Mick added.

Ocean gift cards will be honored at the new establishment, and individuals also will have the option of receiving a cash refund.

The gift cards’ values will be increased by a yet-to-be-determined percentage when used at the new restaurant, Mick said.

“I don’t know the exact percentage increase now, but the cards will be worth more than what they paid for it,” Mick said. “I want to give them some sort of benefit if they’re waiting to use the cards.”

EASTON, Pa. — Easton’s Seville luxury apartments will welcome a new venture in culinary experiences in 2024 with the arrival of Bar Torino and Bottle Shop.

With seasoned wine veteran and Easton local Marc Devlin at the helm, Bar Torino is looking forward to presenting some of the best haute cuisine the Lehigh Valley has to offer, with “an unassuming, yet dynamic culinary experience," according to a news release.

Set to open its doors early next year, the restaurant at 56 N. 3^rd St. will feature “artisanal pizzas, delectable charcuterie, and enticing small plates, inspired by cozy Italian osterias, lively Spanish tapas bars, and charming French bistros," the release says.

"Every aspect, from the concept to the design and our offerings, has been crafted with genuine passion. Supporting local farmers and businesses has been a key focus, from our collaboration with Cabbage Throw Farm in Asbury, New Jersey, to partnering with Mercantile Home."

Marc Devlin, partner and executive manager, Bar Torino and Bottle Shop

And of course, there are the libations. Bar Torino is pushing a “meticulously curated” selection of natural wine producers, old world classics and newfound favorites, specialty cocktails, and an assortment of beers, according to the news release.

‘Design from nothing to make something’

Right next door sits the 450-square-foot bottle shop, offering both unusual shopping experiences six days a week and an intimate private dining area.

Devlin said the extensive collection ranges from low-intervention vineyards across the country to a rich spectrum of cult and classic wine producers.

"Bringing Bar Torino and Bottle Shop to our neighborhood and the vibrant Lehigh Valley community means a great deal to me. Every aspect, from the concept to the design and our offerings, has been crafted with genuine passion."

Marc Devlin, partner and executive manager, Bar Torino and Bottle Shop

"Bringing Bar Torino and Bottle Shop to our neighborhood and the vibrant Lehigh Valley community means a great deal to me," Devlin, partner and executive manager, said.

"Every aspect, from the concept to the design and our offerings, has been crafted with genuine passion," he said.

"Supporting local farmers and businesses has been a key focus, from our collaboration with Cabbage Throw Farm in Asbury, New Jersey, to partnering with Mercantile Home.

"My dedication lies in creating a haven where our community feels at home to indulge in unpretentious dishes carefully prepared with thoughtful ingredients.

"We're thrilled to offer a selection of delightful and pleasantly unexpected wines, spirits and beers for everyone to enjoy with their friends and family."

‘A great addition’

A focal point of the wine bar concept that Bar Torino is exploring is its Pavesi rotating pizza oven, which was imported from Modena, Italy. The oven, which embodies “unquestionable quality,” also features a low environmental impact, according to the release.

“We welcome Bar Torino to Easton. This project represents the culmination of the Seville project, which in total represents a more than $19 million investment in our downtown.”

Easton Mayor Sal Panto

According to the restauranteurs, sustainability will be a keystone element of the Bar Torino setup: its EMECO Navy 11 chairs are constructed using 111 recycled Coca-Cola bottles from Hanover, York County, and its crystal Ravenscroft glasses are lead-free.

With Devlin working alongside Peron Development, “Bar Torino stands as a testament to the continuous dedication to transforming downtown Easton into a thriving and vibrant destination that resonates not only within the local community but also across the greater Lehigh Valley and beyond," the release states.

“We are excited to be a part of the outstanding restaurant scene in downtown Easton and believe Bar Torino will be a great addition,” Michael Perrucci of Peron Development said.

Even Easton Mayor Sal Panto Jr. expressed enthusiasm for the opening as part of a major revitalization effort for the city’s downtown, which has seen substantial changes over the past few years.

“We welcome Bar Torino to Easton,” Panto said. “This project represents the culmination of the Seville project, which in total represents a more than $19 million investment in our downtown.”

EASTON, Pa. — If you’ve taken a stroll around Easton lately, you might notice that love is in the air.

Or rather, in the windows of your favorite businesses.

Downtown creative studio Mercantile Home, working alongside the Easton Main Street Initiative, has launched a community-oriented art project that led to the creation of 28,127 hearts of all sizes and materials to decorate windows and public spaces across the city.

The project, “Love, Easton,” kicked off on Jan. 9 and will run through March 9.

"It’s a giant love letter, an art project that represents, in a big way, the kindness, creativity and good vibes for which Easton has become known.”

Mercantile Home co-owner Ron Morris

“We chose this number because it is the current population of Easton," Mercantile Home co-owner Ron Morris said. "There will be one heart for every resident of the city.

"It’s a giant love letter, an art project that represents, in a big way, the kindness, creativity and good vibes for which Easton has become known.”

The majority of the “Love, Easton” hearts have been hung in and around buildings and spaces from the Free Bridge to Fifteenth Street along Northampton Street and from the top of Cattell Street to the top of Saint Johns along Third Street through the Downtown District.

'Many ways to join in'

Residents outside the specified route still are encouraged to participate in the event, with all hearts made and logged on the website contributing to the total.

Additional hearts can be sent or turned in at Mercantile Home, 140D Northampton St., Easton Public Market, 325 Northampton St., and a variety of other venues which are identified on the website.

“The Easton Main Street Initiative is excited to be partnering with Mercantile Home on this community building project and encourages everyone from Easton and beyond to participate,” Easton Main Street Initiative Manager Kim Kmetz said.

“There are many ways to join in and help: making hearts, hanging hearts in your home or business windows, volunteering to help install hearts around the city, and more.”

A kickoff party was held at the Easton Public Market on Friday to celebrate the efforts of all the Eastonians who participated in the project.

'The enthusiasm ... is very contagious'

Festivities will continue into the week with a book folding event at the Easton Area Public Library from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 13.

Participants will have the opportunity to learn how to transform ordinary book pages into a stunning three-dimensional heart.

“The enthusiasm in the community around the project is very contagious."

Ken Jones Jr., co-owner of Mercantile Home

Love, Easton’s website advises interested parties to RSVP soon, as spaces are limited.

And if you happen to be taking a walk around the Downtown to enjoy the “A Match Made in Easton”initiative — a special promotion in which shoppers can present a receipt from one shop to another for special deals and exclusive items — make it an adventure and partake in the scavenger hunt.

Five specialty hearts, all depicted on the website, have been hidden in windows throughout the area. Find them all and enter their location on the website for a fun adventure with your partner.

“The enthusiasm in the community around the project is very contagious," co-owner of Mercantile Home Ken Jones Jr. said.

"Folks are already creating so many inventive, unique, wonderful hearts by recycling all kinds of paper and other materials: old bills, newspapers, fliers, wrapping paper. I can’t wait to see all the creative ways we are able to ‘Love, Easton.'”

EASTON, Pa. - More health services are coming to the city's South Side.

Valley Health Partners Community Health Center is expanding its operation into Northampton County.

“The Community Health Center will soon step in to bridge the South Side’s healthcare services gap by offering a broad array of services, along with a walk-in retail pharmacy,” said Nate Boateng, director of community engagement & marketing.

“The South Side neighborhood has long been considered a medically underserved area."

Nate Boateng, Valley Health Partners Community Health Center

“The South Side neighborhood has long been considered a medically underserved area, making it a perfect fit for Valley Health Partners' Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC-LA) model, designed to provide essential care to vulnerable members of the community.”

Federally qualified health centers offer access to care in areas that may not otherwise have it and provide services on a sliding fee scale based on ability to pay, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health.

The new community health center will be located on West Lincoln Street and will offer an array of services including a family health center, children’s clinic, vision center, dental care, integrated behavioral health and social services, and an entity-owned pharmacy. "Valley Health Partners will also expand its internal medicine practice dedicated to advancing the health and well-being of the Hispanic community, called HP Centro de Salud, in the new location.

“With redevelopment assistance capital funding support from the Governor’s Budget Office of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, a public-private partnership between the City of Easton and Stewart Silk Mill Redevelopment Partners, L.P. soon will complete Phase II of the Mill at Easton redevelopment project," Boateng said, "Which includes the health center’s new facilities, along with a recently opened Dollar General “DG Marketplace” store offering a full line of groceries aimed at addressing the food scarcity issue."

"Valley Health Partners’ satellite location will sit adjacent to the grocer,” Boateng said.

Valley Health Partners opened a few locations in Allentown in the past three years. This will be the first location in Easton. A soft-open is expected by the end of the year.

EASTON, Pa. — If there’s one thing that packs plenty of piggies into Easton’s Downtown District, you know it’s PA Bacon Fest, the premier gathering for everyone’s preferred smoky, salty pork product.

Eastonians and just about everyone else are guaranteed to flock to the celebration of bacon this weekend if a stroll through the city on Saturday was any indication of PA Bacon Fest’s popularity.

All that foot traffic – and subsequent optional $5 donations at the gate – goes a long way toward helping fund the Greater Easton Development Partnership, which allows the organization to present free events and programming in the city, including Easton Out Loud, Live at the Falls concerts, and so much more.

Bacon on a stick, bacon pizza, bacon mac ’n’ cheese, bacon burgers, chocolate-covered bacon, bacon-infused beer – PA Bacon Fest’s 12^th iteration has all these dishes on top of hundreds of other eats featuring the crunch cuisine, and people were more than willing to wait for lines spanning blocks to get a taste.

With around 140 vendors on hand doling out the delights, there were more than enough options to sate just about any porky palate, even if some dishes and drinks were a bit unorthodox.

"At Bacon Fest, people just want the bacon, and I don’t blame ‘em. I want it too!”

Joe Moranville, owner of The Quadrant Book Mart and Coffee House

Attendees were willing to try bacon wrapped on almost any type of food.

Some of the wackiest tasting treats on the menu included bacon cannolis from Sette Luna — located at 219 Ferry St. in Easton — and bacon-covered chocolate and cupcakes from Sweet Girlz Bakery — found at 40 N. Third Street.

Small crowds gathered around the eateries’ tents for a taste of the sweet and salty concoctions, which unlike most traditional desserts, intensified the flavors.

“What doesn’t taste good with bacon?” was the overall sentiment heard on Saturday.

Chris Corey, owner of Roastwell Coffee Roasters, said his pair of stands were both doing “fantastic” as of Saturday afternoon, crediting the pleasant weather in addition to his unique brew and desserts – including a maple bacon coffee, available hot and iced.

“People love it, honestly. We did it last year and we couldn’t make enough of it. It’s selling fantastically. With bacon being the theme, people are willing to try anything with it, so we’ve been very happy with it, and the bacon biscotti, which is going over very well,” Corey said.

Jo Moranville, owner of The Quadrant Book Mart and Coffee House for 29 years – and has served as the chair of Easton’s Garlic Festival – said she likes to keep it fresh when it comes to prepping for PA Bacon Fest, which happens to be quite the task, being she’s been there since the start.

This year’s PA Bacon Fest selection from Quadrant includes baconated pork and bacon chili, friend polenta with bacon aioli, and cornbread with a bacon honey drizzle.

“We kind of do something different every year, looking for the next best bacon dish,” Moranville said.

And that strategy works – her operation has to pick up around 55 to 60 pounds of bacon to prepare for the festival, and even if the price of pork products has escalated over the years, people are willing to pay up to get a taste.

Perhaps it has something to do with that comforting, nostalgic taste of salt, fat, and crispiness that makes it work, as Moranville said she finds PA Bacon Fest is a bigger draw than even Garlic Fest.

“Garlic Fest is a foodies kind of thing, it’s not everyone’s favorite thing. The chefs get really chefy with the garlic, they can make really fine dishes – at Bacon Fest, people just want the bacon, and I don’t blame ‘em. I want it too!” Moranville said.

One of the biggest bacon extravaganzas was the legendary 50/50 burger from Three Oak Steakhouse, a behemoth featuring a half ground bacon, half-ground prime beef patty topped with homemade bacon jam, steakhouse aioli and crispy frizzled onions on a grilled brioche bun.

Lines for the legendary burger stretched hundreds of customers long, winding down North Bank Street. Patrons said they waited more than an hour or more to score a 50/50 burger, making it one of the most sought-after offerings at the festival.

Laura Fretz, general manager of Three Oak Steakhouse, confirmed business was crazy busy since the start of the day.

“It’s been all day, since, I want to say, 8 o’clock this morning,” Fretz said, adding customers had told her the burgers were “amazing, and worth the wait.”

Fretz said even she would brave the lines to get herself one of those bacon-laden burgers, though she recommends anyone interested in swinging by on Sunday should “get here early.”

“This is our third year standing in line for the 50/50 burger. The first year, they ran out of burgers. They’re amazing. I think it’s the combination of the bun with the crispy onions on the inside. It’s absolutely worth the wait,” Sylvia Moreira of Easton said.

In addition to the eats, the fest included cooking competitions, plenty of musical performances, hog-calling contests, and so much more for everyone to enjoy.

And while savory and sweet bacon dishes, bacony desserts, and bacon beers and other beverages are certainly the stars of the show, Moranville said the festival is a great opportunity to highlight the city itself, spurring visitors from close and afar to come back and check things out when the Downtown District isn’t packed to the gills with pig-loving pedestrians.

“People come down, and there’s no way they can see the whole festival, much less all the shops, but I think they get a feel for the city. We’re on the street, the forbidden place – usually it’s just cars – so you get to kind of stroll around and come back and see it when there’s not a festival,” Moranville said.

PA Bacon Fest will continue from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. this Sunday, Nov. 5.