PLAINFIELD TWP., Pa. – A one-time hot spot for sandwiches, sundaes and other tasty eats has found new life in Northampton County.
Diesel Dale’s Pitstop, a fast-casual eatery offering a wide array of freshly prepared eats and ice cream, opened Wednesday at 5879 Sullivan Trail in Plainfield Township, kitchen manager Hope Hernandez told 69 News.
Ryan Kneller
The site was previously home to Petey’s Eatey’s, a similar counter-service concept, which closed last May after more than 15 years of business.
“We’re having a great first day, and the community is really supporting us,” Hernandez said. “We also gave away some free food over the past couple of weekends, and everyone’s loving everything. The feedback’s been great.”
In closing Petey’s Eatey’s, owner Dennis Einfalt and his family were originally planning to expand retail operations of the adjacent Fuel Cell gas station and convenience store, but they instead decided to debut another food-service establishment.
Einfalt opened the former Petey’s Eatey’s in 2009 at the intersection of Belfast Road and Sullivan Trail.
Diesel Dale’s Pitstop operates at 5879 Sullivan Trail in Plainfield Township.
Ryan Kneller
He named the business after his late American bulldog, Petey, who passed away suddenly during the eatery’s conception. The story behind Diesel Dale’s is a similar one.
“I had another dog, Diesel, that died later,” Einfalt said.
“I also knew a guy named Dale, who died a while back, and he was really into diesel engines. So, everyone called him Diesel Dale. I was originally going to name the place after him, but Petey had just died. So, now I’m going to back to that original plan.”
Diesel Dale’s, featuring newly installed kitchen equipment and other updates, has a menu similar to the one that Petey’s Eatey’s offered, with popular items like burgers and hot dogs returning alongside some new additions like house-made beef empanadas.
Outdoor seating is available at the newly opened Diesel Dale’s Pitstop in Plainfield Township.
Ryan Kneller
Another new selection is sausage bread (freshly made dough stuffed with Italian sausage and mozzarella and baked).
Other menu highlights include Italian hoagies; cheesesteaks (Philly, chicken and California); chicken sandwiches (fried chicken and grilled chicken bacon ranch); and sides such as boardwalk fries, curly fries, pierogies, tater tots, onion rings and fried pickles.
Customers also can build their own sandwich (8-inch sub, roll or wrap) by choosing from a variety of Boar’s Head meats, cheeses and extras such as pickles, onions, banana peppers, jalapenos and sweet peppers.
Around a dozen rotating varieties of hard ice cream, available in a cup or cone, include chocolate, vanilla bean, strawberry, black raspberry, mint chocolate chip, coffee, peanut butter blast, banana fudge, cake batter, cookie monster and unicorn.
Ryan Kneller
Soft-service ice cream (vanilla, chocolate and vanilla-chocolate twist) also is available, along with other chilled treats such as sundaes, banana splits and milkshakes.
Optional ice cream toppings include rainbow sprinkles, chocolate sprinkles, hot fudge, peanuts, wet walnuts, marshmallow, pineapple, strawberry, caramel, peanut butter cup pieces, Oreos, Twix and mini gummy worms.
Certain menu items will be featured seasonally, including hearty soups and pasta dishes during the colder months, Hernandez said.
“We’ll also have weekly specials with different sandwiches and entrees being available on different days,” Hernandez said. “We want to keep the menu fresh and keep people wondering what’s coming next.”
Customers can place orders at walk-up windows as a well as an indoor ordering kiosk, Hernandez said.
Outdoor benches and picnic tables are available along with a few indoor dining tables.
To start, Diesel Dale’s Pitstop is operating 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sundays, Hernandez said.
“We’re very excited,” Hernandez said. “During the summertime, we’re also planning to offer some carnival-type foods like funnel cakes and fried Oreos.”