Grico’s South restaurant in Nanticoke will become Salt & Pepper Pub

NANTICOKE — Grico’s South Restaurant will be renamed and rebranded as Salt & Pepper Pub, owner Rob Friedman said Friday.

The new pub will open on March 1, Friedman said. The restaurant will be closed until the grand opening.

Friedman purchased the former Giuseppe’s restaurant and the building at 14 North Market St. in Nanticoke in December 2021 and renamed it Grico’s South.

“We found that fine dining was not getting the support we expected at that location,” Friedman said. “So we decided to go in a completely different direction and open a pub with a new menu.”

The Friedman Hospitality Group also owns the Beaumont Inn, Dallas; Bank & Vine, Wilkes-Barre; Kevin’s, Kingston; Fire & Ice, Trucksville; Rikasa, Pittston; Grico’s Exeter; Cork, Wilkes-Barre; and The Greens at the Irem Country Club.

Friedman said the menu at Salt & Pepper Pub was created by Chad Gelso, executive chef from Bank & Vine, South Main Street, Wilkes-Barre. Friedman said Gelso will work with the chefs at Salt & Pepper Pub, but he will continue as executive chef at Bank & Vine.

Friedman said the menu will feature items like homemade pierogies with flavors offered like potato and Cooper cheese, farmers cheese and onion, chipped kielbasa with mushrooms and sauerkraut, braised beef short rib and horseradish.

Friedman said the menu will also feature halushki, appetizers, wings, bar pies, baskets and platters, along with fine dining options and pasta.

Friedman said there will also be a large selection of beers available.