U. MACUNGIE TWP., Pa. – A new, family-friendly tavern is thanking the community for its support with a tasty giveaway.
U-MAC Tavern, offering a fusion of American and European cuisine, will hold its grand opening at 11 a.m. Saturday, July 11, at 6751 Ruppsville Road in Upper Macungie Township.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony (invitation only) will be held at 10:30 a.m.
U-MAC Tavern is pictured at 6751 Ruppsville Road in Upper Macungie Township.
Ryan Kneller
U-MAC Tavern held a soft opening on June 15, and to celebrate its grand opening this weekend, the tavern is hosting a raffle where individuals who “like, share and comment” on its grand opening announcement on Facebook will be entered into a chance to win a $150 gift card.
“We can’t wait to celebrate with you!” the announcement reads.
U-MAC Tavern is operating at the site of the former Sunset Grille, a full-service establishment that closed in 2024 after more than 30 years.
U-MAC Tavern Owner Emmanuel Teloniatis signed a lease for the Upper Macungie property in February and spent the next few months implementing renovations that include new flooring, lighting, wall paint and kitchen equipment.
U-MAC Tavern is pictured at 6751 Ruppsville Road in Upper Macungie Township.
Ryan Kneller
“We’re super excited to bring the property back to life and write history again like the Sunset Grille wrote history,” Teloniatis told 69 News prior to the tavern’s opening. “We’re going to be creating a must-go place for the community.”
Teloniatis, a resident of Whitehall Township, has more than 35 years of experience in the restaurant and hospitality industry, including owning and operating bars and nightclubs in Greece.
His foray into the restaurant world began as a child, when he worked at dining establishments that his parents operated in Reading, Berks County.
For the past five years, he previously owned The New Country View Diner on Route 873 in Washington Township, Lehigh County, which he ran through late March before new ownership took over operations in April.
Pictured is U-MAC Tavern’s housemade spanikopita.
U-MAC Tavern
“My wife and I were looking to do something different to showcase our European culture at a new restaurant,” Teloniatis said.
Teloniatis, 46, has a Greek background, and he is excited to showcase some Greek specialties along with dishes originating in Italy and other Mediterranean countries at U-MAC Tavern.
A variety of starters include burrata, wings (bone-in or boneless), shrimp cakes, shrimp skewers, fried oysters, lobster rolls, salmon Wellington, ranch fries, hash brown casserole, truffle cream-filled gnocchi, cucumber hummus bites (cucumber slices topped with hummus, black Kalamata olives, feta cheese crumbles and cilantro) and kataifi-wrapped halloumi (halloumi cheese wrapped with shredded phyllo pastry dough, baby kale and red pepper drops).
U-MAC Tavern
Guests also can enjoy handhelds (served with fries or tavern chips) such as a Buffalo chicken wrap, avocado turkey sandwich and Mediterranean sandwich (grilled chicken, hummus, roasted red peppers, black Kalamata olives, cucumber, bacon, lettuce, tomato and feta cheese); and main dishes (served with house salad, bowl of soup and one side) such as lamb chops, 8-ounce Atlantic salmon filet, 18-ounce porterhouse steak and a “land & sea” selection (12-ounce boneless ribeye and 5-ounce cold water lobster tail).
Nearly a dozen sides include options such as corn, rice, asparagus, broccoli, baked potato and sweet mashed potatoes.
Other menu highlights include salads such as Cobb, Caesar and Greek (with optional protein, including shrimp, salmon or chicken breast); and burgers (served with fries or tavern chips) such as a California, Spartan (grilled mushrooms, onion ring, Cooper cheese, avocado, lettuce, tomato, bacon and mayo) and Great Alexander (lettuce, tomato, onion, roasted red peppers, cucumber, fried egg, feta crumbles and bacon habanero pepper jam).
For the burgers, diners can choose from a 6-ounce beef patty, 5-ounce grilled chicken breast, 5-ounce fried chicken filet, two 3-ounce smashed beef patties or a veggie burger.
In the business’ first few weeks, the lobster rolls and burgers have proven to be customer favorites, general manager Jennifer Spiegel said.
“We also do weekend features,” Spiegel added. “Lately, we’ve been doing a lot of fresh fish features, and those have been selling like crazy, too.”
U-MAC Tavern
The restaurant’s menu will feature seasonal additions, and the U-MAC Tavern team is already planning some special dishes for the fall, Spiegel said.
The team also plans to introduce weekend brunch in the fall.
“Every day, we’re seeing more and more guests come through our doors, and the feedback from the community has been very positive,” Spiegel said.
“We’re super excited for brunch starting in the fall, and I’m also hoping that after the holidays, we’ll have that private dining facility ready to open upstairs. We’re also looking to do catering trays by the holidays.”
U-MAC Tavern is pictured at 6751 Ruppsville Road in Upper Macungie Township.
Ryan Kneller
U-MAC Tavern features bar and dining room seating for 160 guests, and an upstairs banquet room – expected to debut next year following renovations – will accommodate an additional roughly 80 guests, Teloniatis said.
Outdoor seating on a partially covered patio also is available.
The restaurant features a full bar, offering 12 draft beers, a variety of wines and classic and signature cocktails such as a blue lagoon, white Russian, Aegean cosmo, Kalliopi’s bellini, ouzo martini, Meraki espressotini and Santorini lemon drop.
U-MAC Tavern
“I was born in the United States, but my parents were immigrants from Greece,” Teloniatis said.
“I moved to Greece when I was 12 years old, and I came back to the U.S. in 2015. So, I was raised in restaurants, and I’ve done everything – from busboy to chef.”
Guests also can enjoy specialty coffee drinks such as double shot espresso, cold brew (with optional flavors) and Freddo cappuccino (iced), along with house-made desserts including peach crisp brioche bread pudding and lava labneh (chocolate lava cake with yogurt cheese labneh, pure honey and pistachio).
U-MAC Tavern’s current regular hours are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sundays.
For the latest U-MAC Tavern updates and to enter the gift card raffle, visit the business’ Facebook page.