Chicken sandwiches your way? It's on the new menu at this refreshed Plumstead restaurant

Michele Haddon, Bucks County Courier Times
·3 min read

A Chalfont couple hopes to level up the chicken sandwich game in Plumstead when they open up a new restaurant in the former Lobster Claw spot.

Closing a chapter on the 30-year-old seafood market and restaurant they purchased in 2022, Paul and Andrea Markert are gearing up to roll out Dean’s Chicken & Seafood, a casual eatery specializing in chicken sandwiches in the Cross Keys section of Plumstead bordering Doylestown Township.

Paul and Andrea Markert, who purchased the Lobster Claw in the cross keys section of Plumstead in 2022, will soon transition the space into their new restaurant, Dean's Chicken & Seafood.
Paul and Andrea Markert, who purchased the Lobster Claw in the cross keys section of Plumstead in 2022, will soon transition the space into their new restaurant, Dean's Chicken & Seafood.

The new restaurant, named after their 9-year-old Bull Terrier dog, provides the chance for the Markerts to bring their own vision to life with a new look and taste centered around their passion for delicious homemade chicken and unique sandwiches.

“I’ve always liked the idea of chicken sandwiches. I love how versatile a chicken sandwich can be because you can put anything you want on it,” said Paul, who fell in love with the concept ever since working in a NYC restaurant where they had 20 or 30 different sandwiches on the menu.

Dean's Chicken & Seafood, expected to open this summer in Plumstead, will specialize in chicken sandwiches, like Dean's Hot made with fried chicken, Dean's Nashville hot sauce, housemade slaw and pickles.
Dean's Chicken & Seafood, expected to open this summer in Plumstead, will specialize in chicken sandwiches, like Dean's Hot made with fried chicken, Dean's Nashville hot sauce, housemade slaw and pickles.

Opening a place like Dean’s Chicken & Seafood has been a longtime coming for the Markerts, who before buying Lobster Claw, had spent 15 years together around the corner at Cross Keys Diner, which Paul co-owned and where Andrea was a manager.

The recent shift was an opening the couple needed to build something all their own.

“We both worked in restaurants our entire lives and we do it because we love it,” Andrea said. “I’m so excited about the menu, I really am. It’s a fun menu. It feels like us, it feels like Paul and I.”

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When will Dean’s Chicken & Seafood open?

Currently, the Markerts continue to operate Lobster Claw, as they refresh the space. They hope to open Dean’s Chicken & Seafood by July. Once the transition is complete, they will offer dine-in and takeout seven days a week with the following hours:

  • Sunday: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

  • Monday – Thursday: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

  • Friday and Saturday: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

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What’s on the menu at the new Plumsteadville restaurant?

Dean's Chicken & Seafood, expected to open this summer in Plumstead, will offer a number of sandwiches, including Connecticut- and Maine-style lobster rolls.
Dean's Chicken & Seafood, expected to open this summer in Plumstead, will offer a number of sandwiches, including Connecticut- and Maine-style lobster rolls.

The menu will largely focus on chicken sandwiches made-to-order and customizable in a variety of ways, including a choice between fried, chargrilled and blackened chicken and a number of toppings and housemade sauces. Dean’s will also have seafood options, such as flounder, coconut shrimp, fried clams and a lobster BLT sandwich, as well as salads, sides and their buttermilk fried chicken tenders.

A limited menu previewing some of Dean’s specials is currently available to try at the Lobster Claw. Here’s a a look at a few of their signature items:

  • El Camino – a blackened chicken sandwich topped with housemade guacamole, melted cheddar and bacon.

  • El Guapo – a fried chicken sandwich with a smoked poblano lime mayo, shredded lettuce, tomato and bacon.

  • Dee Fries - loaded fries topped with fried chicken, Dean’s Nashville hot sauce, fried pickles and white cheddar sauce.

  • Lobster Roll - Over a quarter pound of Maine lobster with clarified butter on a grilled split top potato roll. Served with a pickle and chips and available in Connecticut or Maine style.

Go: 800 N. Easton Road, Plumstead; deanschicken.com

Dee Fries, loaded with chopped fried chicken tenders, fried pickles, Dean's Nashville hot sauce and a melted cheddar sauce will be on the menu at the new Dean's Chicken & Seafood expected to open in Plumstead this summer.
Dee Fries, loaded with chopped fried chicken tenders, fried pickles, Dean's Nashville hot sauce and a melted cheddar sauce will be on the menu at the new Dean's Chicken & Seafood expected to open in Plumstead this summer.

Reporter Michele Haddon covers local news, small business, economic development, community revitalization, art and culture for The Intelligencer and Bucks County Courier Times at PhillyBurbs.com. Please considering supporting local journalism with a subscription.

This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: New chicken sandwich restaurant to replace Lobster Claw in Plumstead