HANOVER TWP., Pa. — A new dining option is coming to thirsty and hungry travelers, with more food and beverage options expected to be available later this year at Lehigh Valley International Airport.
The ABE Drafthouse, a rectangular restaurant and bar serving freshly prepared food and drinks, held a grand opening Thursday morning in the center of the airport’s Wilfred M. “Wiley” Post Concourse, beyond the TSA checkpoint, in Hanover Township, Lehigh County.
Authorities cut the ribbon on Thursday grand opening of The Drafthouse, a new full-service dining option at Lehigh Valley International Airport in Hanover Township, Lehigh County.
The new dining option replaces the former PA Pub, which operated in a neighboring space from 2012 until earlier this year, and represents the first phase of a “major overhaul” of LVIA’s food and beverage offerings by new concession operator Tailwind Hospitality, according to Colin Riccobon, director of public and government relations for the Lehigh-Northampton Airport Authority.
Which Wich, a global sandwich chain, and Zekraft, a locally owned and operated coffee concept, plan to open new fast food outlets at the airport in the coming months.
Additionally, the airport gift shop will feature a newly renovated space and will emphasize Lehigh Valley-made items this fall.
The Drafthouse, which held a soft opening on Friday, has already proven to be a hit with airport travelers, with a steady stream of customers filling nearly every seat during opening hours in recent days.
“What makes me really happy is seeing the number of people that surround the bar as soon as we get here,” said Thomas Stoudt, executive director of the Lehigh-Northampton Airport Authority. “We get a lot of positive feedback. So we’re very excited.”
In early 2023, the authority began looking for a new food and beverage supplier, and Tailwind’s proposal stood out from the rest, Stoudt said.
The authority’s board of governors selected Tailwind in June 2023, with its 15-year contract beginning last September.
Tailwind has taken over concession operations from First Class Concessions, whose 10-year contract with the airport expired in August.
Thomas Stoudt, executive director of the Lehigh-Northampton Airport Authority, speaks at the grand opening of The Drafthouse, a new full-service dining option at Lehigh Valley International Airport in Hanover Township, Lehigh County.
“Tailwind’s proposition was really the one that caught our attention, and I think that’s because we’re already starting to see a number of different options here,” Stoudt said.
“Instead of offering the model we had before, which was just one core catering operator, we now offer a number of different options to customers. There’s the new Drafthouse, sandwich chain Which Wich and local catering operator Zekraft.”
The Drafthouse offers bar seating for about 30 patrons, about three times the capacity of the former PA Pub’s bar, according to Jess Backhaus, Tailwind’s senior vice president of operations.
The central and spacious layout of the bar in the LVIA lobby is a vision that Backhaus and his team have wanted to realize for several years at other airports.
Tailwind operates concessions for 45 airports across the country, and space limitations at other airports have prevented the team from executing its “grand vision,” Backhaus said.
“I’ve been working at Tailwinds for 20 years and this is the dream bar we always wanted to create,” Backhaus said.
“We work primarily in smaller regional airports, where we often don’t have a lot of space. So when the folks at ABE had this great idea to open up the middle of their concourse, it gave us an incredible opportunity to bring our prototype bar to life and spread our wings.”
The Drafthouse, with 10 TVs mounted above the back bar, features a full bar offering six beers on tap and classic and signature cocktails, including the “Autopilot” (Malibu rum, mango puree, orange juice, triple sec and lime juice) and the “Layover Lemonade” (Jack Daniels, Tito’s, lime juice, triple sec and soda).
Cocktails and hard liquor must be consumed in the bar area, but other drinks such as beer, wine and hard soda can be enjoyed throughout the lobby, bartender Tanya Soloski said.
Only people 21 or older can sit at the bar, Soloski added.
In terms of food, guests can order breakfast options such as French toast sticks, a breakfast burrito, and single and double breakfast sandwiches (one or two eggs; American cheese; choice of bacon, ham or sausage; and choice of wheat, sourdough or bagel).
Other menu highlights include chicken Caesar and chef salads, as well as grab-and-go items such as a Philly Cheesesteak, a chicken ranch club wrap, a Parmesan-crusted grilled cheese sandwich, a grilled chicken sandwich, chicken tenders, a chicken quesadilla, a cheeseburger and a PA burger (beef patty, cheddar, grilled onion, bacon, lettuce, tomato and pickle on a toasted potato bun).
The Drafthouse is open daily from 5am until the last flight departs.
Which Who
Which Wich, which offers “premium sandwiches,” including signature and build-your-own selections, is expected to open in September in the renovated space that previously housed The PA Pub, Backhaus said.
Jeff Sinelli, CEO and “chief ambience officer,” opened the first Which Wich location in December 2003 in Dallas, Texas.
The company started its franchising operations in 2005 and now has over 200 sites across the country as well as international sites in the UK, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Oman.
Another Lehigh Valley location operates at 5743 W. Tilghman St. in Upper Macungie Township, Lehigh County.
“We believe a great sandwich has the power to make any day better,” the chain’s website reads.
“Whether you need a break from your daily lunch routine, are looking for a meal that will delight everyone in your group, or simply need a little comfort, we are here to serve you. We prepare each sandwich with care, with a smile and a thank you, so you leave feeling refreshed and satisfied.”
Which Wich, whose slogan is “premium sandwiches,” allows customers to choose a signature sandwich or create their own selection.
More than a dozen signature favorites include the “Wicked” (turkey, ham, roast beef, pepperoni, bacon, cheddar, provolone, pepper jack, lettuce, tomatoes, red onions and mayonnaise), the “Reuben Wich” (corned beef, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese and 1000 Island) and the “Za Wich” (pepperoni, spicy capicola, marinara, provolone and hot pepper blend).
Other popular choices include the Meat Baller (Italian meatballs with marinara and provolone sauce), the Garden Party (avocado, provolone, cucumbers, lettuce, tomatoes, red onions, mayonnaise and 1000 Island), the Philly Cheesesteak (sirloin steak, provolone, caramelized onions and sautéed peppers) and the Buffalo Chicken (chicken, provolone, Buffalo sauce, lettuce, tomatoes and ranch).
Customers can also create their own sandwiches by choosing white or wheat bread, meats such as ham and roast beef or other options such as black bean patties and tuna salad and various toppings such as banana peppers, crispy onion strings and spicy ranch.
Sandwich sizes include 7, 10.5 or 14 inches.
Zekraft
Zekraft, which “manufactures and curates quality food and kitchen items” using ingredients from the Lehigh Valley and surrounding region, plans to open its airport location this fall — “probably October” — in a cafe space that is being reinvented, Backhaus said.
Husband and wife operators Zeke and Elaine Zelker opened their first Zekraft coffee shop in September 2021 at 306 S. New St. on Bethlehem’s South Side.
Husband and wife Zeke and Elaine Zelker launched Zekraft in the summer of 2020.
The couple also operates a cafe inside Capital Blue in the Promenade Saucon Valley shopping center in Upper Saucon Township.
Zeke, a filmmaker, and Elaine, a photographer and brand strategist, launched Zekraft in the summer of 2020. At the time, they were using a commercial kitchen to offer weekly deliveries of “consciously prepared, restaurant-quality meals” to Lehigh Valley residents.
“We are community-minded and inspired by the bountiful farms and artisan creators that make our region unique,” Zekraft’s mission statement reads. “We source products responsibly, conscious of offering a healthier option, and knowing that we all need to indulge from time to time.”
Zekraft continues to offer its items, including breakfast sandwiches, salads, tartines, appetizers and artisanal desserts, for home delivery and at local markets.
The company’s new airport location will offer a mix of made-to-order and grab-and-go food and beverage options for breakfast, lunch and dinner, Zelker said.
“We’re going to be making healthy salads, soups, breakfast sandwiches and tartines, which are open-faced sandwiches,” Zeke said. “We’re also hoping to make crepes.”
The menu will feature rotating seasonal ingredients, including fresh fruits and vegetables.
Many items, including salads packaged in clear cylindrical containers, are a great portable option for people who can’t finish them in the lobby or want to take them on the plane to eat, Zeke said.
Zekraft’s new location will also offer a variety of fresh pastries and baked goods, as well as specialty coffee drinks, chai tea, smoothies and other beverages.
Zekraft and Which Wich will share a new dining room, which will feature a mix of high and low tables, Backhaus said. Tables will seat about 46 people, and there will also be upholstered lounge furniture.
