GoggleWorks opens Thorn Alley Kitchen in downtown Reading
Thorn Alley Kitchen, a new restaurant at GoggleWorks in downtown Reading, opens April 10 with a globally inspired menu, full bar and indoor and outdoor seating connected to the Thorn Alley Stage.
GoggleWorks Center for the Arts is expanding its offerings with the upcoming opening of Thorn Alley Kitchen, a new restaurant located at its downtown Reading campus.
The restaurant will officially open April 10, featuring a globally inspired menu of sophisticated comfort foods.
GoggleWorks said in a press release that the restaurant is part of its broader vision to transform the campus into a dynamic downtown cultural hub where food, beverage, art, and community intersect.
Thorn Alley Kitchen is connected to the newly constructed Thorn Alley Stage, an outdoor café seating area.
The concept for Thorn Alley Kitchen was shaped through an extensive research and development process led in close collaboration with GoggleWorks Board Chair and Sweet Street founder Sandy Solmon.
The menu emphasizes real ingredients, local sourcing, and farm-fresh foods that are decadent and craveable.
At the center of the menu is a Korean Fried Chicken dish. There will also be salads utilize seasonal veggies and savory soups.
Kimchi arancini, tostones and guacamole, and butternut squash hummus will also be offered alongside familiar handhelds such as smashburgers, handmade flatbreads, a savory Sweet Street pretzel dog, and vibrant pork belly and sweet potato tacos.
“We were incredibly intentional in developing Thorn Alley Kitchen,” said Solmon. “We wanted to create something undeniable: food made with real ingredients, full of flavor, artistry, and surprise. It was important to us that the menu feel indulgent and craveable while also reflecting a better way of eating. This is food with integrity, imagination, and joy.”
In addition to its culinary offerings, Thorn Alley Kitchen will feature a full beverage program designed with the same level of care and creativity as the food menu. Guests can enjoy a full bar featuring craft beers, curated wines, sangria and prosecco on tap, all intended to complement the restaurant’s distinctive flavors and lively atmosphere.
In addition to regular lunch and dinner service, the restaurant will include a morning café menu serving signature and custom breakfast sandwiches, delicious pastries from Solmon’s own Sweet Street, and craft coffees with every detail considered.
Designed to complement the Phase 1 construction of the outdoor Art Park, the restaurant will feature indoor seating for 75 along with outdoor café seating that roughly doubles this size. In addition to hosting the national and regional performances, kids events, and walk-in films, the Thorn Alley venue and stage can be rented for weddings, community events, and other gatherings.