Harrisburg-area diners ready to welcome Shake Shack, 7-Brew coffee, more

7 Brew Drive-Thru Coffee will open another Cumberland County location at the Beltway Towne Centre in Hampden Township. Pictured is the location along the Carlisle Pike in Silver Spring Township.

Restaurant openings in central Pennsylvania are heating up for spring and summer.

Several have already opened this year, including Hershey Social Restaurant + Bar in Derry Township, and Honeygrow and CAVA at the Beltway Towne Centre in Hampden Township.

Here’s a peek at some of the up-and-coming restaurant openings you can expect this spring/summer and beyond:

McGrath’s Irish Pub (expansion)

McGrath’s Irish Pub in Harrisburg is expanding into the former Arooga’s next door, at North Second and Locust streets.

Originally, owner Adam Sturges had aimed to open around St. Patrick’s Day, but encountered a few setbacks in hiring enough staff. He said it could open by the end of April.

McGrath’s will remain food-focused with late-night bar hours, though Sturges stressed it’s not a nightclub. A larger kitchen will allow the restaurant to handle more volume and variety, he said.

Minor renovations, including new floors, granite countertops, remodeled bathrooms and fresh paint, are almost complete, Sturges said.

“It’s really kind of coming along quite well. We’re making headway, and it’s looking good. I’m happy with it,” he said.

Madame Rochele’s Apothecary

Also in Harrisburg, Justin Browning, owner of several venues along the street, including Sawyers, Nocturnal and JB Lovedraft’s, is opening Madame Rochele’s Apothecary at 200 N. Second St.

In December 2022, the East Shore Diner was moved by truck to Waterford Drive in Silver Spring Township where the owners plan to open an ice cream shop called the Silver Scoop.

Browning is aiming to open the lounge on May 2 in time to host a grand opening on Mother’s Day weekend. He’s leasing the former Tacos Amigos, which closed last year.

“It’s an idea my staff and I have been playing with for a while, and this seems like the perfect space for it with large windows and a corner location,” Browning said.

Madame Rochele’s Apothecary bills itself as offering “carefully prepared remedies for everyday life.”

McGrath's Pub's expansion at the former Arooga's at North Second and Locust streets will open in the coming weeks.

It will serve creative alcoholic and non-alcoholic cocktails and small plates. On Sundays, it will be open as a tea house.

Browning describes the bar as “warm, cozy and comfortable” with lots of greenery similar to a fern bar.

Shake Shack

Shake Shack will make its Harrisburg-area debut soon at the Beltway Towne Centre in Hampden Township.

The chain hasn’t announced an opening date, but the restaurant’s signs have been put up.

The New York City-based Shake Shack is one of the most popular restaurant chains in the nation, serving Angus beef burgers, crispy chicken, crinkle-cut fries and milkshakes.

The company, a longtime partner with Franklin County-based Martin’s Famous Potato Rolls and Bread, uses Martin’s potato rolls for its sandwiches.

Shake Shack dates to 2001 when celebrity chef Danny Meyer opened a small hot dog cart at Madison Square Park in New York City. From there, the Shake Shack brand grew into a casual restaurant chain.

While this will be Shake Shack’s first location in the Harrisburg region, another one operates at the Crossings at Conestoga Creek in Manheim Township, Lancaster County.

Silver Side Café & Creamery

There’s good news for those waiting for the reopening of the former East Shore Diner.

It’s returning as Silver Side Café & Creamery on Waterford Drive in Silver Spring Township. Rumor is it might open in a few weeks.

Over the winter, the owners, the Katsifis family, announced on Facebook: “Silver Side Café & Creamery is almost here! Serving up fresh-baked treats, handcrafted coffee and delicious ice cream you’ll be craving all year long. A new sweet spot is coming to town!”

The family relocated the diner in late 2022 from 711 S. Cameron St. in Harrisburg, where they had operated it since 1985. They were forced to move the business to accommodate the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation’s I-83 Capital Beltway Project.

Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant

This summer, Iron Hill in Derry Township will reopen following bankruptcy.

A new company that includes one of the original Iron Hill founders, Mark Edelson, is reopening five Iron Hill locations, including the one at 101 W. Chocolate Ave. at the Hershey Towne Square.

An opening date has not been announced, but a company spokesman said the restaurant is expected to open sometime this summer.

The company, operating as Rightlane LLC, is also reviving brewpubs in Center City Philadelphia, Huntingdon Valley, Lancaster and Wilmington, Delaware.

The Philadelphia location will debut in mid-April with Iron Hill’s menus and handcrafted beer, including a new beer, “Unfinished Business.”

Mount Gretna Coffee Cottage

Desserts Etc. in Derry Township is opening Mount Gretna Coffee Cottage at the Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle Building at Carnegie Avenue and Chautauqua Drive in Mount Gretna.

The seasonal shop will serve coffee and Desserts Etc.’s pastries, including muffins, sticky buns, cookies and cake slices.

“We’ve always just liked the area and been involved in the Mount Gretna (Outdoor) Art Show for many years. It’s just quaint, and it’s a neat little spot,” said Reney Bartolomei, daughter of Desserts Etc.’s owners Jim and Cindy Hess, who will manage the coffee shop.

Planning is underway for the shop, Bartolomei said, adding the opening is tentatively set for Memorial Day weekend.

Denim Coffee

Denim Coffee Co. is opening another cafe in Harrisburg.

The Chambersburg-based specialty roaster signed a lease with Harristown Enterprises to open a 2,500-square-foot shop at 17 S. Second St. It will open this spring on the first floor of the Menaker Apartment complex.

Denim started in 2011 as a coffee roaster and operates shops in Harrisburg, Chambersburg, Mechanicsburg, Dickinson College, Lancaster and Carlisle.

Denim’s first Harrisburg shop, a small space with counter seating, opened at Walnut and Fourth streets in 2021. It also operates a kiosk inside Strawberry Square in Harrisburg.

Luna Italian Cuisine

Owners of Luna Italian Cuisine in Mechanicsburg are expanding to Dauphin County.

Giovanni Scotto and his family will open a Luna at Susquehanna Union Green, a mixed-use development in Susquehanna Township.

The family opened the authentic Italian restaurant in 2023 at Legacy Park, another mixed-use development.

Giovanni Scotto’s daughter and co-owner, Rossella Scotto, said the family was approached about bringing the restaurant to the community, which was developed by the Vartan Group.

7-Brew Drive-Thru Coffee

7-Brew is bringing a second location to Cumberland County in 2026.

The company confirmed a stand will open by summer at the Beltway Towne Centre at 5401 Carlisle Pike in Hampden Township.

7-Brew is the second largest drive-thru coffee chain in the nation, behind Dutch Bros., which surpassed 1,000 units last year, according to QSR, a restaurant industry publication.

Freshido

Freshido is expanding in Derry Township with a second restaurant.

The central Pennsylvania-based Asian chain announced it’s opening a Freshido Bar & Kitchen this year at the former Duke’s Bar & Grill at 1715 E. Chocolate Ave.

“This new location will bring our full bar, sushi, and a lineup of small plates and classic Asian dishes to a vibrant new space designed for memorable evenings out,” the owners shared on Facebook.

The message went on to say the restaurant will have “crafted cocktails, thoughtfully prepared dishes, and the welcoming experience you know us for.”

An opening date was not announced.

Owners Benson Chan and Shawn You have had the restaurant project in the works for some time.

The business partners purchased the former Duke’s restaurant in 2021 and last year hinted they were planning a restaurant project.

Reunion Cocktails + Provisions

Smoked Bar & Grill in Derry Township, which closed in November after about a decade, is being replaced by a new concept.

Matt Rabb and Brian Roadarmel, who also own Chocolate Avenue Grill in Derry Township, are heading the project.

Described as “layered, moody and meant to be experienced,” the restaurant will specialize in elevated cocktails and service with an atmosphere “designed for connection.”

Chocolate Avenue Grill (No. 2)

“Chocolate Avenue Grill is growing — we’re under contract to purchase the property at 1300 Camp Hill Bypass where we plan to open a second Chocolate Avenue Grill," they said on Facebook in October. “This next chapter is possible because of our amazing team and loyal guests who make every day sweeter.”

The Chocolate Avenue Grill is known for a modern American menu and was founded in 2007 by Tim and Jessica Demopoulos.

In 2024, the couple sold it to Matt Rabb and Brian Roadarmel. The owners have not shared a timeline for the opening.

The Hershey Tavern

A landmark restaurant on the outskirts of Hershey is undergoing a facelift with a targeted opening in late spring or early summer.

Paul and Brenda Sheehan are renovating the former Abraham’s Family Restaurant at 300 S. Hershey Road in West Hanover Township into the Hershey Tavern.

The owners of The Hershey Bistro in Conewago Township said the tavern will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week.

Over the years, The Manor Restaurant & Lounge and Pavone’s Restaurant operated at the site. At one time, a one-room schoolhouse operated on the restaurant’s tavern side.

The Sheehans said the location along the heavily traveled Hershey Road (Route 39), where more than 14,000 vehicles pass daily, was attractive.

They hope to draw local diners and tourists in town for attractions such as concerts at the Giant Center and Hersheypark.

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