It was a sad day in Allentown in June of 2022 when the Brass Rail closed after 91 years in operation.
Generations had eaten there, enjoying the restaurant’s famous steak sandwiches, and many people mourned the loss of the establishment.
But fans of the Brass Rail steak sandwichs will soon get to enjoy them again, now that construction has begun to bring a smaller, more streamlined version of the restaurant to the Allentown Fairgrounds.
According to Mark Sorrentino, owner of the restaurant, the new spot will focus on serving a variety of steak sandwiches and cheesesteaks and will also serve hot dogs, fries and pierogies. Because the farmers market opens at 8 a.m. there will also be breakfast sandwiches served on a steak roll, and hash browns.
“We’re keeping it pretty simple to start, because it sounds like there’s going to be a big demand,” Sorrentino said.
He said he’s gotten plenty of requests for other favorite menu items, from the spaghetti to the pot roast sandwich.
However, until he sees what the demand is, there won’t be any major additions, although he hasn’t ruled out having specials in the future.
Sorrentino said he decided to locate in the Allentown Farmers Market after a two-year hiatus because it was a good fit, with many overlapping fans.
“I’d go to the market every week and I’d run into four or five customers every time,” Sorrentino said.
So, he reached out to the market’s owners to see if there was a spot for him.
The new Brass Rail will be located in an area of the market that was previously part of the grocery store.
The work is being done by general contractor Rick Sherer, who is a Brass Rail fan himself.
“I was so excited when I got the call that they wanted me for the job,” said Sherer. “This is bragging rights for this particular job. Everyone is happy that things are on track.”
Sorrentino said he’s talked to other merchants at the market and they’re happy to see Brass Rail coming in as well, as the popular steak sandwiches are likely to lure in even more customers to the market.
That’s what Sorrentino said he wants to see too.
“Everybody at the market has been great. We want to be able to do business for ourselves and bring business to each other,” he said.
He said he’s also happy that being a part of the market means less hours. It’s only open Thursday through Saturday, so manning the grill will be much easier for him than the 60-hour weeks he had been putting in at the former restaurant.
Sorrentino said he is enjoying watching the new Brass Rail come together.
“It’s a blank slate, not an existing stand,” he said.
That means they can create the space they want. Not that it’s been easy.
Sherer has a team of three, including himself, and general contractors at the site. The current challenge has been cutting up the floor for all new drain lines and electric that the space will need to be used for cooking.
“The major challenges have been the plumbing and electric,” he said.
But soon, the fun part will begin, putting in the kitchen and bringing in the counters and two-seat tables for customers to dine on.
While his crew tries to do most of the work when the market is closed, Sherer said there have been some “lookie loos” checking out the progress and peppering him with questions about the Brass Rail.
“Everyone is always asking, ‘is this the spot where the Brass Rail is going,” he said.
It won’t be a question anyone needs to ask anymore. He’s officially hung a banner announcing that the Brass Rail is coming soon.
If construction stays on schedule, Sorrentino said the space should be open by the end of summer, and said he is grateful for the overwhelming support he’s gotten from the public on the return of the restaurant.
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