In this installment of Pottstown Foodie: Gazzos Steaks officially makes the transition Saturday from food truck to full-size restaurant on South Hanover Street. Also locally: Chili’s battles fast food; and Auntie Anne’s offers three watermelon sips.
Gazzos Steaks Opens Saturday on South Hanover Street
POTTSTOWN PA – The patient wait for the debut of the Gazzos Steaks’ restaurant at 22 S. Hanover St. is due to end Saturday (May 11, 2024) at 11 a.m., with its official grand opening. A crush of admirers is expected there throughout the day.
Many among the steak sandwich-eating population within a wide radius of Pottstown know the date already. However, recognition for Gazzos’ transition from an Upper Pottsgrove food truck to fixed space in the borough’s downtown seems worth repeating.
Observers have noted that the willingness shown by owners Joe Lewis and Mike Lamson to invest substantially in Pottstown is the just latest indication that the borough continues to make progress as a food-and-fun destination. A look up and down East High Street, and elsewhere nearby, shows the extent of local restaurant, coffeehouse, and entertainment growth in recent years.
Gazzos’ truck location on North State Street closed days in advance to make the move, after selling out its remaining inventory. Shifting from the vehicle to the South Hanover Street building is no small undertaking. Its team budgeted eight days. Probably to no one’s surprise, workers were still inside the building Wednesday afternoon (May 8), making final adjustments and finishing tasks.
Receiving Public and Media Attention
The building itself has been painted and refurbished inside and out. It includes an abundance of seating, fast-service counters, colorful lighting and signage, hand-painted murals by Carrie Kingsbury of Promiseland Murals and, of course, grills and other cooking equipment ready to produce food that customers have clamored for.
The hard work by Lewis and Lamson has paid off, not only in developing revenue from a large and hungry audience of followers, but also in attracting media attention.
- Discover Pottstown, a non-profit organization created to promote businesses in the 19464 and 19465 zip codes, on Thursday (May 9) at YouTube said it will launch its first video promotion. Interviewers Joel Richardson, of Soul Joel’s and the SunnyBrook Ballroom, and Deanna Kozak will feature Gazzos and talk with the owners.
- The restaurants also drew the attention of Philadelphia television station 6ABC. It featured Gazzos impending opening on the April 30 edition of its FYI Philly program.
Besides its new setting, Gazzos also is introducing what its Facebook page described Tuesday (May 7) as a “life-changing option” to its menu: a “housemade béarnaise roasted garlic butter.”
It’s available as a spread option for any sandwich it serves, with flavors it said were “absolutely incredible, giving you that extra level of bite you never knew you needed. This is garlic bread on another planet,” the post stated.
Chili’s ‘3 For Me’ Menu Intended to Battle Fast-Food
DALLAS TX – Texas-based Chili’s Restaurants, which operates at locations in Pottstown and King of Prussia, said it launched a new menu called “3 For Me.” It’s intended to compete against fast-food chains by offering value-priced meals that include a hot sandwich, fries, a bottomless non-alcoholic beverage, and bottomless chips and salsa.
The menu’s new additions are a “Crispy Chicken” sandwich, and a new burger called “The Big Smasher.” The Smasher is made with diced red onions, lettuce, pickles, Thousand Island dressing, American cheese, and a nearly-half-pound, hand-smashed burger patty. The Crispy Chicken consists of hand-breaded crispy chicken, mayonnaise, and pickles on a brioche bun.
The “3 For Me” menu debuted April 29 (2024; Monday) at its restaurants nationwide, Chili’s said.
Photo provided by Chili’s
Watermelon is Auntie Anne’s New Favorite Summer Flavor
LANCASTER PA – Three new watermelon-flavored beverages have been added to the menu of Auntie Anne’s, the Lancaster PA-headquartered soft pretzel baker, QSR Magazine reported Monday (May 6). The chain operates at locations in Pottstown, Bechtelsville, Reading, East Greenville, King of Prussia, and Norristown.
The drinks are:
- Watermelon Lemonade Frost, with blended watermelon and frozen lemonade topped by real whipped cream and sprinkles;
- Watermelon Frozen Lemonade, a frozen combination of watermelon and Auntie Anne’s Original Lemonade; and
- Watermelon Lemonade Mixer, in which watermelon flavor meets iced Auntie Anne’s Original Lemonade.
All are available by pick-up or delivery for a limited time, through Aug. 25.
Top photo by Travels With The Post
“Pottstown Foodie” is a public Facebook page operated by The Post Publications and its Travels With The Post edition.
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