The new owner of the popular Stahley’s restaurant has some changes for the menu and building in mind now that she has finalized her purchase of the decades-old establishment.
Zonia Sibri-Quinde has finalized the purchase of the restaurant at 1826 Hanover Ave. in Allentown, Lehigh Financial Group announced in a news release.
Sibri-Quinde said in the release that Stahley’s was the first American restaurant she visited after moving from Ecuador in 1995.
“My brother-in-law said the clams were the best, so we went,” she said. “I’d never had clams before, I came from poverty, but the food was great, the service was great, the atmosphere was great. It felt like family. I always kept that memory with me.”
She wants to keep the same menu items the restaurant has now, such as the clams, the cheesesteaks and the soups, but also bring back breakfast and serve expanded salad options, new seafood dishes, cream chipped beef, paninis and offer soup and fries with sandwiches.
Current staff will remain on alongside additional chefs, the news release added. Future renovations include replacing kitchen equipment, painting the exterior and possibly add a new outdoor sign.
“Sometimes I can’t believe it,” Sibri-Quinde said in the release. “I couldn’t sleep last night. From the first day I went there until now, it’s incredible. But I’ve been working hard. That’s why I came to this country, I left all my family behind to do my best here. And now I want to make something great for the community.”
Jeff Barber of Lehigh Financial Group arranged the financing for the sale.
Donald Stahley opened the family restaurant in 1968. His son Darryl announced the sale in June to Sibri-Quinde, who owns Sibri’s Restaurant in Bethlehem and the Hellertown Diner.