Scranton area socialites will soon have a new destination in the downtown for food and drinks - the Backyard Ale House will hold its grand opening on Friday, November 21.

The Backyard Ale House is located on 523 Linden Street, near Tink’s. They’re advertising a “Backyard Patio” that will open in the spring.

So check it out this Friday and you may discover a new favorite downtown bar.

One of Northeastern Pennsylvania’s biggest food and wine events returns this weekend when Misericordia University hosts igourmet.com’s Third Annual Fork & the Cork.

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Wing-lovers have reason to celebrate. National chain Quaker Steak and Lube will be opening its newest franchise on October 15 in the Greater Scranton area on 4005 Commerce Blvd., Dickson City.

Quaker Steak and Lube features 18 singature chicken wing sauces along with burgers, steaks and ribs. Quaker Steak will offer a casual, family friendly environment including two bars - one of them an outdoor patio bar - and theme nights like All-You-Can-Eat-Wings Tuesdays and Bike Night Wednesdays.

Stop by next Wednesday and let us know how the wings stack up to NEPA’s best.

Electric City Roasting Company today opened its newest location on Scranton’s West Side in Fidelity Bank, 400 South Main Avenue.

Electric City Roasting Company operates Zummo’s Café on 920 Marion Street and opened a location at Mansour’s Market on 969 Prescott Avenue in Scranton before expanding into the West Side location.

The new shop offers a “drip bar” that helps each coffee reach your cup with the unique and subtle characteristics that have made Electric City Roasting popular across the country. The West Side location also sells, by the bag, all of the great Electric City Roasting coffees available at Zummo’s and Mansour’s.

Check out the shop today on their opening day and stop back anytime you need a good cup of joe on the West Side.

The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce keeps the area’s most comprehensive listing of downtown dining and entertainment with its annual Dining Guide.

The Guide features the full range of Scranton restaurants - from fine dining to pizza and wings – with something to suit any taste – from Asian and French to Greek, Italian and Mexican. The Guide also includes recreational opportunities like tennis, golf and resorts.

Now is your chance to get listed in the 2009 guide. Listings are free for Chamber members with the opportunity to further spotlight your business through paid display ads. If interested, just fill out the Chamber’s online form.  Deadline for submissions is August 29, 2008.

The Guide is expected to be downloaded over 15,000 times in the coming year.

For anyone who didn’t get their fill during the Greek Festival recently in Scranton, Yanni’s Greek Bistro recently opened on Wyoming Avenue with wide variety of Mediterranean delights.

You can start your meal with a selection from Yanni’s “starter snacks” that include traditional favorites like spanakopita and dolmades, as well as a Greek Pizza made of soft pita bread topped with feta and blended cheeses, black olives and red peppers. Or take your pick from five varieties of dips and spreads served with pita bread.

For a quick healthy lunch, try a Panini served on Ciabatta bread. Yanni’s offers everything from a veggie Panini with grilled vegetables, fresh mozzarella and homemade Greek dressing to a buffalo chicken Panini covered in buffalo sauce and bleu cheese.

There are six fresh salads to choose from along with Pita Delights that can be stuffed with marinated pork, ground beef, chicken breast, tuna salad or sliced gyro meat. Vegetarians will find plenty to enjoy on the Veggie Delights menu.

Yanni’s has traditional burger selections as well as a feta burger topped with the classic Greek cheese.

For a classic Greek dining experience, you can’t beat Yanni’s signature dishes which include pastitsio, mousaka, yuvetsi, a souvlaki plate and a gyro plate.

Yanni’s Greek Bistro
136 Wyoming Ave.
Scranton, Pa 18505
Phone: 570-341-7888
Fax: 570-341-0366
Hours: Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

This morning the Pizza Capital of the World — Old Forge — was featured in an article on CNN.com. The article lets the rest of the nation in on what we already knew, that the best pizza in the country is made here in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Check it out: CNN

Anyone missing Don Pancho Villa and the one and only Javier Gonzalez? Ran into the man about town last week at Northern Lights and he informed me that he is headed to Spain and France to study contemporary techniques in exclusive water restaurants. (What next, right?) Before we say bon voyage to Javier he will be live and in living color at the Bog on Sunday afternoons. Enchiladas and PBR on tap; need I say more?

When you head anywhere to visit, what do you look for? Lodging, FOOD, and then entertainment. So we have a couple of great hotels, we have beaucoup art galleries and six billion bars, but where can one eat? Who can pull dollars away from the chains? In my estimation here are six newer places that draw people to the city.

The Sambuca Grill on the 2oo block of Penn Avenue. Dim, intimate, and a different menu. Best damn Caeser salads in the city (MCF super taster certified). Yugoslavians doing Italian in an Irish City? Yup, love it.

Vida The Tapas bar. Chic, metro, and one of a kind. Phil Reinhardt is the owner and he is as eclectic as the place. He also features local artists on a rotating basis. Great guy who welcomes everyone. The place feels like home and this is the place that blew away the cast and crew of The Office who rolled in 50 deep with Timmy Holmes and left saying “We can’t ever shoot in Scranton; it is too nice.” Check it out on the 1 of North Washington. (more…)