Barletta’s is an inviting newly0opened bar & eatery in North Scranton. Christopher Vernon tries it out and gives us his hot take!
Christopher Vernon taste-tests the Mac N Cheese Balls from new restaurant Barletta’s in Scranton.
Family-owned business, Barletta’s breathes new life into the long vacant former location of Cosmos on Oak.
Located at 419 Oak Street in the North Scranton section of the Electric City, Barletta’s is a brand-new eatery and bar in the former location of Cosmos On Oak.
The lonely looking building sat vacant for what seemed like an eternity until the outside shell got revamped with some fresh bright paint, warm flower decor, and started looking like a booming neighborhood business again…And booming this family business sure is!
We were instantly greeted when we walked in and told we could sit and relax wherever of our choosing. Customer service is a big deal to me, you certainly do not always get it here in NEPA, and that is putting it kindly. The venue was spacious, with a private separate dining room, away from the bar if that is more your style.
As an appetizer, we started out with a plate of Homemade Mac N’ Cheese Balls. I was tempted to also order the Fried Pickles or Pop’s Sweet Fried Pizza Frita balls covered in confection powdered sugar too. I had to be held back! I tell ya, the only thing that saved me from barging into the kitchen to try those two in particular was looking down at my expanding waistline as we move into the upcoming holiday season. Lord knows my doopie is already starting to get mistaken for boasting two Christmas hams on my backside. The Mac N Cheese Balls came nestled on a bed of mixed greens for garnish and side of a savory red sauce for dipping.
Moving on towards our entrees I ordered my usual go to favorite, a generous portion of Wing Bites saturated in a mouth-puckering garlic parmesan sauce. It was the perfect amount of sweet and heat. The bites really were to die for! My guest went for the Veggie Burger, a balsamic marinated portobello mushroom handheld, partnered with fresh mozzarella and a heaping red pepper for extra splash. The handhelds came with a standard side of fries.
Although the food menu isn’t overly expansive, they also offer a smorgasbord of Flatbreads and some really yummy sounding salads at more than fair pricing. Specifically, the Citrus Shrimp and Avocado or the Strawberry Glaze. So if you want to bring your emotional support pet rabbit along for a night out, Thumper sure won’t go home hungry either!
As for their warm and cozy bar, they offer what looks to be the standard beer selections on draft, a varied can and bottled beer menu, along with an intriguing list of mixed drinks that are a surefire bet to please the ladies in your party. Watermelon Kiss Margarita, Passionfruit Aperol Spritz, or the Pear Martini will without a shadow of a doubt will be their first choices.
In addition, the staff passed around a heaping candy bowl to every table for each guest to satisfy their sweet tooth before hitting the road, which was a very pleasant touch. And a “Guest” you are surely made to feel like while chilling in this environment. The crowd was fun and were clearly out to have a good time at this new and welcome addition to the city landscape. The only downer I could honestly find was the music selection being piped in, as the speakers were set to an evening of down-home country tunes, which didn’t really seem to fit the clientele there on a Friday night. No offense either as I am also a sucker for some country jingles in my life from time to time, but just felt these selections didn’t fit the vibe.
Overall, in the end, Barletta’s when up to bat hits a home run. The owner came right over to our table, shook hands, introduced himself, smiled, and that acknowledgement makes Barletta’s a place to want to revisit again, and quite possibly, again after that! Needless to say it’s easy to “Fall”🍂 for Barletta’s, happy October folks!
