Cashew Lounge opens in Carbondale

Robert Tomkavage, The Times-Tribune, Scranton, Pa.
·2 min read

Oct. 24—Michael Moran invites customers to break out of their shell at the Cashew Lounge.

Moran, 36, who operates the Peanut Bar on Cottage Street in Carbondale with his wife, Carla, eyed establishing a restaurant at the property since taking over the business more than five years ago.

"My aunt and uncle owned it from the early '90s," he said. "From the time I took over, I had the vision of expanding."

The Cashew Lounge — described by Moran as a spot for a date night or family dinner — compliments the Peanut Bar — a place to watch a game and have some fun while enjoying pizza, wings and burgers, he said.

A soft opening for the new, nearly 2,000-square-foot restaurant was held last week and a grand opening is set for this weekend, Moran said.

The menu will be geared toward homemade items — pork chops, fish tacos, steak — and feature an expansive liquor selection, Moran said.

Seating is available for about 75 people inside the restaurant with room for another 30 guests on the front porch, Moran said.

He maintains grander plans for the property — specifically a deck overlooking the Lackawanna River with space for 150 to 200 customers.

Moran, who was born and raised in Carbondale, appreciates the continued support from loyal patrons.

"A lot of them have been coming here for years and were so excited to see the new space because there are not a lot of places in the immediate area that have more than pizza and wings," he said. "I want something that targets every customer."

City Clerk Michele Bannon praised Moran for his ongoing commitment to Carbondale.

"This type of expansion of an existing business makes me excited because the owner is doing so well that they want to put more money into the city," she said. "His location is fantastic because he's right next to the river. He's taking advantage of the beautiful area which will draw more people to it."

Bannon believes the restaurant expansion ties into strategies to bring more visitors to Carbondale.

"This fits in with so many different plans we have in the city," she said. "We're an outdoor town with DCNR and one of the main goals of the program is to bring more attention to our trails with businesses and amenities. We're looking to make ourselves a destination."

Contact the writer:

rtomkavage@scrantontimes.com; 570-348-9131;

@rtomkavage on Twitter.