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NANTICOKE — City residents know the face associated with the name Mark Neylon Jr. because his family owned and operated Ridge Street Cafe n’More.
The Neylons are expanding their breakfast business into a sit-down lunch and dinner business at their new venture, Hooligans Restaurant & Pub, 396 E. Washington St.
Ridge Street Cafe n’More offically closed on Oct. 4 after the breakfast rush and Hooligans officially opened for business during the dinner rush on Monday.
“I wouldn’t call it a soft opening,” Neylon said. “It’s just a Monday and it seemed like a good day to open.”
The business has a social media manager who runs its Facebook page. According to the page, individuals have been waiting since June for the opening of Hooligans. Those who ate a pre-opening dinner commented on how good the food is.
Neylon said it’s a family business, just like the Cafe. His sister is the front house manager, his father is general manager and he is the executive chef, but no one gets a title because “we’re all going to help each other out.”
Unlike Ridge Street Cafe, the bar and pub has a full bar and a liquor license. Neylon stresses that families can sit down and enjoy the food “without dropping $200.”
To the Neylons, Ridge Street Cafe was a stepping stone and, because the family enjoys the people and atmosphere of Nanticoke so much, they wanted to stay in the area. The family feels the new restaurant is in a good space because it’s close to those wanting to come in from the Back Mountain or Wilkes-Barre.
“It has a good population looking for something new,” Neylon said. “We’re at a great location.”
The menu, posted on the Facebook page when it reached 500 likes, boasts a butchers block, pasta and pizza selection, as well as the standard salad and chicken dishes. Appetizers are called “appeteasers.”
“The menu is a lot more varied, eclectic,” Neylon said.
The business is open 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. every day but Monday when it opens at 4 p.m.