Rosta's Cafe

Address: 1144 West 15th Street Hazleton, Pennsylvania 18201

Phone: (570) 455-3371

Est 1950 Italian Family Restaurant & Tavern best known for it's Sausage & Scamutz dishes and World Famous Tavern Pizza

History of the business

Rostas Cafe is a third-generation family-operated business that has been serving Hazleton for more than 65 years. The Highly-Regarded Tavern/Restaurant has become a Hazleton Icon/Landmark over the years. Opened in 1950, John "Kookie" Rostas and Grace Rostas, began serving pizza and burgers to their customers. Their daughter, Alfreda, got involved in the business as a teenager. Several years later, Alfreda and her husband, Tony Calucci, took over Rostas operations upon Kookie's retirement. Tony & Alfreda’s daughter, Melissa, has also been a significant part of the business since a teenager as well.

On October 22nd, 2018, Tony & Alfreda took their well deserved retirement and sold Rostas Cafe to Brian Berlanda & Judi Stroud, long-time patrons of Rostas. Brian and Judi (co-owners of JBBT Enterprises, LLC) are deeply rooted in the Hazleton area. Berlanda, (whose Father and Mother were from Ebervale & Tamaqua, Pa. respectively), spent 23 years working with DBI Services Corporation as Executive Vice President of Operations. Stroud (born and raised in Drums, Pa. attended Hazleton Area HS and graduate of East Stroudsburg University) spent 14 years working with DBI Services Corporation, as well, with responsibilities as Financial Analyst & Senior Accountant. Brian and Judi will be joined with the support of Brian’s wife Jane in the daily operations of Rostas Café.

Today, the Italian/American cuisine menu includes everything from salads to wonderful hoagies, specialty sandwiches and dinners… and of course, Rostas famous Tavern Pizza. Rostas Café also handles banquets and catering for special events. Rostas Café is open for lunch and dinners, and has a nice patio deck with outdoor service, as weather permits, with suitable parking for its customers.

Rostas is known as “THE” Friendly Neighborhood Cafe & Tavern… “Good Food & Nice People Since 1950”, and Berlanda and Stroud plan to keep it this way.