More FOOD for Thought, COVID or Not….
by Cate Murway
Since the first case of coronavirus in the USA was confirmed in February of this year, restaurants and food businesses across the country have been affected in a mixture of ways.
When the pandemic first hit, many didn’t know quite what was going to happen.
Some establishments had already been fast-casual and doing take-out food, but many were dine-in only. Creativity has been the key for these entrepreneurs as most never even wanted to think about shutting their businesses down. So they stayed opened, instituting take-out only and they managed to keep their businesses afloat, running with only delivery and pick up options.
Then, many employees began working from home, so people were spending more time than ever in their homes, on their porches, and in their yards, so that also caused a steep decline with some lunch and dinner business.
Business owners continued to take the protocols very seriously, but every day, one would have to watch the news because the rules were constantly changing. Just another obstacle!
Ideas were redefined while the proprietors figured out how to save their livelihood.
COVID-19 is a disease that is not forgiving, and decisions made yesterday cannot be taken back.
It was stressful out there on a whole bunch of levels but everyone had to agree that they would rather lose money than lose lives.
Finally, this last week has brought a tad of relief to restaurant owners across the state, a bridge to the next level. Philadelphia and the collar counties in southeastern PA, the last counties under the tightest virus restrictions, will shift to the yellow phase.
Now they are all brainstorming and trying to grow incrementally.
Some of the panic has died down, so perhaps this IS the right time to reopen.
Luckily for 19007, there is a plethora of eclectic dining locations in historic Bristol on the Delaware, and it sure is nice that people can, once again, leave their homes and enjoy a little fellowship with other human beings.
Now, just keep your immune system up, and stay into healthy eating. What one eats does matter!
ITRI Wood Fired Pizza
310 Mill Street
Bristol, PA 19007
215.458.8419
ITRI Wood Fired Pizza is Bristol’s famously enjoyed, rustic, industrial, “urban-chic” neighborhood joint. Besides their innovative, incredibly delicious, unmatched, better crust and crispier toppings cheesy pies, they serve up lots of other fare. Specialty burgers, cheesteaks, sandwiches, kid’s menu items, classic oven-baked calzones, family trays, and a variety of sides and snacks are all available selections.
Owner Greg T. Pezza’s wife Dana, along with chef, Joe, present a how-to cooking video every Monday, demonstrating some of their secrets for their unique, gourmet specialty meals.
Join their “Week's Supper Club” and order your dinner kit, complete with an appetizer, dessert, and sides. The kits include ingredients and, oh yes...the instructions!
Average cost per kit is $22.00 per person.
Call-ins and pre-orders [credit card payment suggested] start on Wednesdays for each week’s new “Supper Club” special meal that will be available Wednesday through Sunday.
Walk up to the door, or your food can be “curb-service” delivered to your car.
ITRI’s take out service hours are Tuesday 3:00PM-9:00PM, Wednesday & Thursday 12:00PM-9:00PM, Friday 12:00PM-10:00PM, Sunday 12:00PM-6:00PM.
Gift cards are available!
Order any of their regular menu items from www.itriwoodfired.com and your food selections can be delivered by DoorDash® or Grubhub EVERY day. *ITRI’s in-house Bristol Borough food delivery is available for any food order, including their Supper Club on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
They have received a green light on their classic, mixed drinks “Cocktails-to-Go”!
ITRI and Penelope Fox Art are running a collaborative Pizza - Paint - Party Promotion, complete with an art kit and pizza- at- home kit, running between Monday, June 1st and Friday, June 5th.
Just e-mail penelopefoxartstudio@gmail.com and mention “Pizza - Paint - Party” in the e-mail, and Penelope Fox will send a “pick a design” link for each kit that contains a pre-stenciled 8x10 panel canvas, a brush and paint. Choose any design from “something fun for the family” selections including everything from characters to animals, beach scenes and sports. Perfect for all ages!
Pay Penelope Fox with your Venmo or PayPal account for her Art Kit [typically $10.00 but only $9.00 during this promotion] and you will receive an ITRI coupon for a make-it-at-home pizza kit that includes a 12” parbaked pizza dough, sauce and toppings [typically $12.00 but only $10.00 for this promotion].
Then give a call to ITRI and order your pizza for curbside pick-up [you will pay for your pizza at pick-up].
One specially priced pizza kit per coupon with this Pizza - Paint - Party promotion.
You will be contacted when your art kit is finished and ready for a no-contact pick up in a brown craft bag marked with your name on the front table at Penelope Fox Art, 10 Canal Street, Studio 101, Bristol, PA 19007. Penelope Fox Art is opened Monday through Friday from noon until 4:00PM.
E-mail penelopefoxartstudio@gmail.com for hand sewn masks as well, [toddler sizes through adult] for $10.00 each. https://penelopefoxartstudio.com 267.307.0096
Stay tuned! Check social media for more updates.
Penelope Fox Studio will soon be launching another Art promotion along with Got Wine?, 483 Pond Street, Bristol, PA 19007. This promotion will include a bottle of wine, a mask and a glass for $29.50.
Dine out…. Royally!
King George II Inn
Radcliffe Street
Bristol, PA 19007
215.788.5536
Kings and presidents have enjoyed their hospitality, right along with pirates and politicians. For over 300 years, historic King George II Inn, established in 1681, has been THE place to be in Bucks County.
Co-owner Robert Strasser is happy to announce that Governor Thomas Westerman Wolf is permitting outdoor dining at restaurants with modified restrictions in this ‘Yellow’ Phase, starting Friday, June 5, 2020, but there will still be lots of rules in place. Previously, they all had been limited to that carryout and takeout regime. The focal point now is finding a way to open at just 50 percent occupancy.
KGII will re-open amid new-look dining areas, and continue to make every occasion, well, historic.
The KGII Patio is open!
There is limited outdoor patio seating at King George, as the capacity limits must be must strictly managed, and with social distancing, customers must be seated at tables 6 feet apart. Fortunately, Robert and his very capable core team are able to additionally provide an al fresco dining area on the front sidewalk of the Inn as a first step to increase capacity.
But alas, it’s first come – first serve! There will be NO reservations taken for outside dining.
If no tables are open, simply supply a CP number and guests will be notified via text upon availability.
King George is open Wednesday-Sunday 11:30AM – 9:00PM. Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Gift cards are available!
Since May20th, KGII staff has been keeping it simple by offering a scaled down, limited takeout menu on www.kginn.com, along with their daily specials.
But, have no fear, the celebrated and renowned executive Chef Fabian will be offering an expanded lunch, dinner and dessert menu, along with all of the King George II Inn favorites, starting Friday, June 5th.
Drive up curb side pickup is still available for all menu items. KGII provides contactless curb pickup ~ stay in your car and they will place your order in your car, or drop your foodstuffs in your trunk.
Call your order in and pay by credit card on the phone. Your order will be ready in 30 minutes.
They will bring it right out to your car when you get there. Can’t beat that!
Give your taste buds a treat!
Café Bombay
233 Mill Street
Bristol, PA
215.788.4239
Chef Gigi Eapen is bringing authentic Indian meals, an affordable, take-out dining experience with quality food, to Bristol Borough and the neighboring communities.
Choose from the intensely diverse menu including vegetarian appetizers, soups and salads, and dishes of meats, poultry, seafood, lamb and vegetables.
Add some oven-baked flatbread to your order for only $3.99! Gigi offers several varieties, including whole white Naan cooked with garlic and cilantro, deep-fried unleavened whole-wheat flour breads and even Naan stuffed with a mixture of dry nuts, raisins, and coconut.
Dessert selections include ice cream, rice pudding and fried pastry balls in sweet syrup.
Gift cards are available!
Give a call and add a whole new dimension to your taste palette. Orders can even be called from the curb! Order your food from https://www.cafebombay.biz, pay with a Visa or MasterCard, and pick up at the door.
Café Bombay hours are Tuesday- Saturday 11:00AM -8:00PM. [Closed Sunday & Monday]
Don’t dilly-dally… Do Deli!
Mazzanti’s Market
320 Lincoln Avenue
Bristol, PA 19007
215.788.2218
Owner Mario Jacob Marozzi is proud to announce, “We are open 9:30 AM - 4:00PM for takeout!”
Mazzanti’s is closed Sunday & Monday.
Just call ahead to have your order ready for pickup, and they’ll meet you at the door!
Mazzanti's Market is a traditional, family owned Italian deli established in 1917 that has been serving up delicious, fresh, high-quality ingredient foods for over 100 years.
They claim to do Italian stuff, and then they maintain their promise. Try their “original 2-foot Italian hoagie” and go home with a banquet on a 24” bun. Or create your very own masterpiece with Genoa salami or Sopressata, an Italian dry cured pork salami, or choose from their more traditional selections including Prosciutto, an Italian dry-cured ham, American, Cooper and Swiss cheeses, and roast beef and turkey, to fill up one or more of their ‘close to perfection’ Italian rolls and breads.
Or call for Pizza! Longo’s boxed Pizza is only $8.00. This unique pizza is topped with Parmesan and Romano cheese and cut into 3×3 squares, then packed 12 slices to a box.
Additional stocked food stuffs include chips, soda, milk, eggs, butter, hot dogs, and bacon, and jars of hot peppers, olives, and pickles, as well as a variety of Cento premier Italian fine food products.
Gift cards are available!
Need a treat? Try their delicious, traditional Italian waffle cookie pizzelles, or the twice-baked biscotti, or some of their Biscotti Di Regina, an Italian seed cookie. Don’t forget the ice cream!
These fine eating establishments maintain a strong rapport with their regular customers. They are built around community and fortunately, people always want to support them. The restaurateurs will NEVER take this for granted.
Instead of shaking hands, just bump elbows. There. That’s that!
Recommend a “Spotlight”. E-mail vjmrun@yahoo.com
