Grico’s Restaurant general manager Shauna Strellish serves dinner during Restaurant on the River, a first-of-its-kind event on the Firefighter’s Memorial Bridge between Pittston and West Pittston Thursday evening.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
French-inspired ‘Restaurant on the River’ brings food, entertainment to span
Enjoying a summer evening at the Restaurant on the River are, from left, Angela Sperrazza, Joe Homza, Stefanie Salvantis and Mary Knaus.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
Over 260 people were on hand for the Restaurant on the River event held by Downtown Pittston Partnership on Thursday. The new event was held on the Firefighters’ Memorial Bridge between Pittston and West Pittston.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
From left, Brittany Lombardo, Amanda Carmody and Matthew Carmody are seen attending Restarant on the River.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
City of Pittston Mayor Michael Lombardo, right, chats with Charles and Karen Adonizio at the Restaurant on the River dinner on the deck of the Firefighters’ Memorial Bridge Thursday.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
City of Pittston Mayor Michael Lombardo, right, chats with Charles and Karen Adonizio at the Restaurant on the River dinner on the deck of the Firefighters’ Memorial Bridge Thursday.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
From left, Brittany Lombardo, Amanda Carmody and Matthew Carmody are seen attending Restarant on the River.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
Over 260 people were on hand for the Restaurant on the River event held by Downtown Pittston Partnership on Thursday. The new event was held on the Firefighters’ Memorial Bridge between Pittston and West Pittston.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
Enjoying a summer evening at the Restaurant on the River are, from left, Angela Sperrazza, Joe Homza, Stefanie Salvantis and Mary Knaus.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
Grico’s Restaurant general manager Shauna Strellish serves dinner during Restaurant on the River, a first-of-its-kind event on the Firefighter’s Memorial Bridge between Pittston and West Pittston Thursday evening.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
PITTSTON — The City of Pittston held a unique event on Thursday evening when the Downtown Pittston Partnership presented Restaurant on the River, an event catered by Rikasa, Pittston, and Grico’s, Exeter.
The Firefighters’ Memorial Bridge was closed for most of the day, only slowing down traffic over the Spc. Dale Kridlo Bridge, the second bridge connecting Pittston with West Pittston, during rush hour in the morning and late afternoon.
Over 260 guests arrived before the 6 p.m. kick-off to Restaurant on the River, lasting until 10 p.m. The bridge was scheduled to reopen to traffic at 11:30 p.m.
The idea of the event was brought up two years ago when a city resident suggested having a dining event on the streets of Pittston as it is done in Paris, France.
Mary Kroptavich, Pittston City’s Main Street manager, never forgot that idea and the only thing that stopped the event from happening sooner was the pandemic in 2020.
The City of Pittston’s Mayor Michael Lombardo, along with Kroptavich, began to brainstorm until they decided on having a dining event on the Firefighters’ Memorial Bridge between Pittston and West Pittston.
“Preparations went smoothly today in setting up,” Kroptavich said, on getting the bridge ready for the evening event. “The response has been overwhelming and we are looking forward to having a lot of fun tonight.”
Kroptavich said there were 200 people on the waiting list for the first-time event.
“This is a great turn out for the first go at this and the team did a great job,” Lombardo said. “I think it’s an example of thinking outside the box and doing things different. In order to move forward, you have to look forward and see different things. If nothing else, this is a suggestion and demonstration of what can happen on this bridge if at some point in the future it becomes a non-traffic bridge.”
Lombardo seemed confident that the Restaurant on the River could lay a path for future events on the span. He thanked Luzerne County Council, which oversees the bridge, former County Manager C. David Pedri, and West Pittston Council for cooperating on the project.
The city partnered with Rikasa and Grico’s owner, Rob Friedman, to make the event happen.
“We are extremely excited to be a part of this just because we love being a part of the community,” Shauna Strellish, general manager of Grico’s, said. “I’m a little bit nervous because this is the first annual but we have a pretty good plan and a good team in place.”
Tickets for Restaurant on the River were $150 per person, which included a four-course meal, alcoholic beverages and desserts and live entertainment.
“I love when they do anything locally, I think it’s great for the area, it’s fantastic,” West Pittston resident Ed Perry said. “Anything local, my wife (Monica) and I will go to. It should be a lot of fun, good food, good wine and a chance to be with friends.”
Pittston resident Alfonso Gristina, a big supporter of his hometown, was very happy to make the list of attendees.
“I’ve lived in Pittston my whole life and I think of Pittston as before (Mayor) Mike Lombardo and after Mike Lombardo — and after Mike, I just see constant progression towards what I dreamed what the city could be. Tonight I think it is evident that we are there, taking a walk down the Main Street, it’s further evidence. Now you can go into the neighborhoods and you’re seeing development, removal of blight and he’s taking us to new levels.”
According to Kroptavich, profits from the event will go back to Downtown Pittston Partnership events.
With the success of Restaurant on the River, other such events will be planned for future dates, including a farm-to-table dinner with a lower price point, according to Kroptavich.
Lombardo said he would walk away feeling positive for future events after the evening’s success.
“All I see tonight is possibilities,” Lombardo concluded.
