By Shirley Shuman
All new equipment and a great deal of cleaning to the site have prepared Leona’s Restaurant at 517 Elk Street in Gassaway for business. Owner Leona Lytle reports that “in the month or so” they have been open, “business has been amazing.”
Lytle explained her reason for opening the restaurant. She noted, “My mother owned one when I was younger, and I have done restaurant work.” The work and the opportunities it provides interest her.
The restaurant owner chose to provide home-cooked, country style food for her customers, and so far that has been a good decision. “Open from seven to seven five days a week and from seven until four on Sunday, we serve breakfast, lunch and dinner,” she said. In addition to Lytle, Tracy King and Derick McLaughlin cook. Two waitresses serve the food, and Austin Statts takes care of the business’s Facebook page.
The breakfast menu offers what one would expect, and a variety of sandwiches is available for lunch. The offerings here include subs, hoagies, the ever-popular BLT, hot ham and cheese plus others. Among the subs available are “nitemares,” which Lytle explained “have been in our family for a long time.” These contain breakaway steak, ham, onions, peppers, and cheese and have apparently become popular with her customers.
Dinner options include hamburger steak, country-fried steak, three-piece chicken dinners and salads. Several types of chicken—nuggets, popcorn chicken, chicken tenders, are also on the menu. “Everything comes at a reasonable price,” the owner stated.
The new business, which seats “around 60 customers,” is located next to Sports Connection on Elk Street In Gassaway.