New bar, furniture and menu items among changes at Taste of Italy

Fans of Taste of Italyin Hanover Township, Lehigh County, are enjoying an enhanced dining experience thanks to recent renovations and menu additions.

In mid-July, the restaurant in the Valley Plaza shopping center on Catasauqua Road debuted a four-month face-lift, with its most notable improvement being the installation of a 12-seat granite bar where the pizza counter once stood.

According to general manger Franco Grisafi, whose family also operatesCorked Wine Bar and Steak Housein Bethlehem andRoma Ristorantein the nearby Airport Center shopping plaza, the goal of the upgrade was "to transform the business from a pizzeria to a modern family restaurant."

New pendant and LED lighting was installed in the bar area, along with three flat-screen televisions and six draft lines (two additional wine taps to be added by the end of October).

Cosmetic touches to the rest of the 13-year-old restaurant include new wall paint, sconces, artwork, ceiling tile, Venetian plaster walls, waiting area furniture and tile flooring in the lobby, dining room and bathrooms.

Additionally, the menu was expanded to include items such as broccoli rabe (with choice of chicken, shrimp or sausage) and 12-oz. Sicilian steak with crab meat. Wine selections also were updated.

The upgrades are reflected in the restaurant's name change, fromTaste of Italy RistorantetoTaste of Italy Bar & Grill. Info: 610-266-8011 or tasteofitalypa.com.

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New bar, furniture and menu items among changes at Taste of Italy