With more than 42 years combined in the hospitality industry, a pair of bar and restaurant veterans are bringing a unique drinking and dining destination to downtown Allentown.

Dan Gonzalez and Jesse Haik, best friends with an affinity for Pennsylvania rye whiskey, plan to open a neighborhood bar and restaurant celebrating the spirit, Pennsylvania Rye Company (PA Rye Co), later this summer in the former Grain space at 536 Hamilton St. The duo also is planning to open an adjacent retail wine shop in early fall in the former Cork & Cage craft beer shop at 538 Hamilton St.

Pennsylvania Rye Company (PA Rye Co), a neighborhood bar and restaurant celebrating Pennsylvania rye whiskey, is set to open later this summer in the former Grain space at 536-538 Hamilton St. in downtown Allentown. Co-owners Dan Gonzalez and Jesse Haik are also planning to open an adjacent retail wine shop in early fall in the former Cork & Cage space. (Ryan Kneller/The Morning Call)

The partners are returning to a growing downtown Allentown restaurant scene where they helped launch several prominent dining establishments over the years.

Gonzalez, born and raised in Allentown, has more than two decades of industry experience and was a head bartender at the former Hamilton Kitchen & Bar before becoming a corporate liquor sales representative for Breakthru Beverage.

Haik, from New Orleans, started working in restaurants at age 15 and has opened and managed restaurants in five states, most recently in Jersey City, N.J., where he served as general manager of Liberty House. In Allentown, he was the beverage manager for The Dime restaurant at the Renaissance Allentown Hotel.

“We are thrilled to be launching this summer in downtown Allentown,” Gonzalez said. “Although Jesse and I have worked in, launched and managed various locations nationwide, we both kept coming back to Allentown as the place we wanted to open our own bar.”

“Dan and Jesse’s history of launching top-quality hospitality spots combined with their passion for Allentown really set them apart from other interested operators,” added Jill Wheeler, vice president of sales and marketing for City Center Investment Corp., which owns the property.

Pennsylvania Rye Company co-owner Jesse Haik prepares a high tea-inspired cocktail in his former role as beverage manager at The Dime restaurant in downtown Allentown in 2015. (CHRIS SHIPLEY / THE MORNING CALL)

PA Rye Co will offer an extensive collection of rye whiskey, focusing on Pennsylvania producers, along with 16 rotating beer taps, a seasonal cocktail list and a boutique wine selection.

In terms of whiskey, the partners plan to feature more than 100 varieties, including “nearly every Pennsylvania rye whiskey produced” along with other types such as bourbon and four-grain, Haik said. They’re looking to carry rye whiskey from local distilleries such as County Seat Spirits and Eight Oaks Farm Distillery along with international whiskeys from Japan, India, Taiwan and other countries.

“We decided to use Pennsylvania rye whiskey as our coat of arms or statement outward to the world because Pennsylvania is actually where American rye whiskey was born and not a lot of people know that,” Haik said. “Also, Dan and I have always been huge fans of rye whiskey, and being involved in the cocktail world for quite some time, we always gravitated toward Pennsylvania rye due to its flavor profile. So, when we had the chance to open our own facility in Pennsylvania, we thought that a neighborhood bar that showcases what we consider to be one of America’s greatest products — Pennsylvania rye whiskey — was a no-brainer. "

PA Rye Co, with seating for around 110 customers on two levels, will feature a first-floor bar serving up signature and classic cocktails such as a Manhattan, Sazerac, old fashioned, rye whiskey sour, paloma and Negroni.

The food menu will include more than a dozen small plates ($7-$18) such as Bolognese, quinoa bowls, grilled octopus, roasted cauliflower, salmon carpaccio and goat cheese croquettes; and about a half dozen handhelds (starting at $10) such as a burger, Cubano, turkey club and fried chicken sandwich.

There also will be a variety of salads, which diners can customize with chicken, steak or shrimp.

Pennsylvania Rye Company co-owner Dan Gonzalez prepares a Manhattan in his former role as a head bartender at the former Hamilton Kitchen & Bar in downtown Allentown in 2015. (MICHAEL KUBEL / THE MORNING CALL)

The culinary team will be led by executive chef Eduardo Aburto, a seven-year Allentown resident hailing from Mexico City.

Aburto has more than 16 years of international kitchen experience, including stints in the Bahamas, Mexico and multiple states. He opened the Renaissance Allentown Hotel as chef de cuisine, and most recently, he served as chef at The Roof Restaurant in New Hope, Bucks County for the past year.

“We are planning a strong cocktail program with featured PA ryes, but we will be much more than just a rye bar,” Haik said. “We have an excellent chef coming from New Hope and have already been in conversation with whiskey and wine makers to host special exclusive cocktail events. Our plan is that PA Rye Co will be a place where everyone is welcome.”

Renovations are underway in the bi-level space that previously housed Grain, a restaurant offering contemporary takes on American-style comfort food, which closed in 2018 after less than three years of business.

The 6,200-square foot space, which also once housed the Federal Grill restaurant, is being revamped with new wall trim, artwork and other aesthetic touches along with updated equipment. Additionally, a room that was previously utilized for private parties is being converted to regular dining space.

“We’re removing the drink rail in the bar area and redoing that wall with one solid color to open the bar and make it more comfortable,” Haik said. “The bar’s really important to us because it’s the first thing you see when you walk in the door, and that’s where everyone wants to be — where the action is. So, we also changed out some beer tap equipment to support a funkier cocktail program. We’re going to be making some sodas that we’ll run off our keg system. along with some keg cocktails to help with getting through happy hour and making sure no one waits for drinks.”

Pennsylvania Rye Company (PA Rye Co), a neighborhood bar and restaurant celebrating Pennsylvania rye whiskey, is set to open later this summer in the former Grain space at 536-538 Hamilton St. in downtown Allentown. The space will feature new cushioned banquettes and other cosmetic upgrades. (PA Rye Co/Contributed photo)

The wine store next door to PA Rye Co will feature 75-100 wine labels, including international, regional and local selections.

Haik particularly enjoys New York varieties hailing from the Finger Lakes and Long Island, but he notes the store will feature a wide array of wines from around the world.

Customers also will be able to purchase beer and grab-and-go food, but “the shop’s focus will be wine,” Haik said.

“The whole point is to target a need in the downtown area,” Haik explained. “There are no liquor stores directly downtown. So, we want to fill that need for people living at Strata or any of the other new places being built. They can grab a bottle of wine to take home or enjoy on premises. We’re going to have a few tables outdoors.”

PA Rye Co will be open 3 p.m. to 2 a.m. Wednesday through Sunday, with happy hour specials being featured 3-6 p.m. each day. Private event space is also available for reservation by calling Jesse at 484-929-2729.

To stay up-to-date on Pa Rye Co’s progress, follow the business’ social media pages, instagram.com/pa.rye.co and facebook.com/PA-Rye-Co-107238648691994.