Slatington has a new eating establishment.

The Slate Mill Tavern officially opened the first week in December at 751 Main St., the site of the former Shack.

Within the first two weeks, it already had three holiday parties booked.

The restaurant is the second venture for owner George Yaniger, who also owns the Gin Mill and Grille in Northampton.

Yaniger said family members, Mike and Ruth Turczyn, asked him if he would partner with them to open the new restaurant in Slatington, where they live.

“I wasn’t looking to start a second location,” Yaniger said. Between work and family, he wasn’t sure he wanted to take on another business, but ultimately he decided to go for it.

“It was a great opportunity to open another business,” he said.

They bought the building, got a liquor license, and named the restaurant Slate Mill Tavern because of the history of slate quarries in the town, Yaniger said. When the restaurant was ready, they announced a soft opening on social media for Dec. 4, and the people came.

“I was surprised at the response we got,” he said. They were busy.

Two days later, they had their official opening on Dec. 6.

The interior feels cozy with a muted charcoal tone on the walls, lighting in the dark-colored ceiling, and a shiny wood bar that warms the room with its dark brown color. A pool table in royal blue cloth sits nearby with bar stools available for people to sit and watch a game or wait for their turn. Patrons also can head out to the glass enclosed porch for dining or to one of the tables inside the restaurant.

The restaurant is open from 11 a.m. to midnight Monday through Sunday - seven days a week. Yaniger said that after the New Year, they plan to open at 9 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays for breakfast, which will be served up to 1 p.m.

As for other foods, the restaurant carries a variety of American cuisine and pub fare, such as cheese steaks, burgers, chicken wings, and roast pork sandwiches to name a few.

Yaniger said the restaurant is patterned off the Gin Mill.

“We’re going to piggy back off it, since it is an established family-friendly restaurant in the Lehigh Valley,” he said. “Everything is built around the kitchen.”

Takeouts are available, as well as catering or parties on the premises. Slate Mill Tavern has space for small to mid-sized parties, Yaniger said. There’s an area in the back with a bar and a dining room.

“I think it will be very popular in the spring time,” he said.

The restaurant is being managed by Shaun Papay, one of Yaniger’s employees from the Gin Mill.

“He’s been a great asset to us,” Yaniger said. “Being a native of Slatington, he puts his heart into it because it’s his hometown.”

Yaniger also feels a connection to the town. His father was a head football coach at the high school from 1971 to 1973, and he’s happy to be able to open a business in a town important to his father.