Breaking the Chains Hometown Restaurant & Tavern Opens in Clifton Park
There are a ton of chain restaurants in Clifton Park and a few locally owned non-chains. A local husband and wife team have built a new tavern restaurant that will bring the community together with a hometown feel.
Mel Hathaway is not unfamiliar with a chain restaurant. He has operated many but now he has opened up his own local restaurant in Clifton Park. He has built and created The Flats Restaurant & Tavern. It is located at 675 Grooms Road in Clifton Park. It sits at the end of retail space that is brand new according to Albany Business Review.
What Is The Flats Restaurant & Tavern?
Hathaway built it from the ground up because it is a new space. It's a 3600-square-foot restaurant with plenty of seating. There is room for 130 inside with 28 tables plus outside seating as well. 15 tables are on the 1000 square-foot covered patio accommodating 60 more customers.
What Is On the Menu?
Since opening on June 16th, The Flats is serving lunch and dinner. They plan on having brunch in the upcoming weeks. They have a menu with a Cajun twist because both chefs have trained in Louisiana. They feature a po'boy with fried shrimp, fried green tomatoes, pickles, lettuce, and a remoulade sauce on a hoagie roll. The Flats Restaurant & Tavern also has the "Rexford Burger". It features Kobe beef, lobster, tomato confit, bacon marmalade, crispy pancetta, roasted red onions, and gruyere cheese.
Mel Hathaway said this of the new eatery:
I think the area needs another restaurant tavern — someplace that we can all call home and be part of the community here and I'm pretty confident that community is going to support us. All the places up here are extremely busy. ... And I'm going to offer them just something a little bit different.