Excellence is not dictated by zip code. While the majority of buzzy, award-winning restaurants might operate in big city centers, sometimes you’ll find a little gem outside of all the hubbub. Such is the case with The Refinery, an exceptional restaurant offering refined Italian fare and warm, attentive service in Pittston, Wyoming Valley, PA.
Chefs and owners Chad and Kristen Gelso spoke with PA Eats about fusing their culinary expertise and passion for hospitality in The Refinery, which they opened together in their hometown in August, 2024 to immediate acclaim. They shared insight into their vision for the venture, how they balance refinement with comfort, and some of the standouts from The Refinery’s menu.
The Buzz
It’s tough to score a table at The Refinery, which joins the ranks of hot spots like Zahav and Royal Sushi Omakase in Philadelphia, and FET-FISK and Pusadee’s Garden in Pittsburgh, with such covetable seating. Despite its sizable 90+ person capacity, The Refinery books out months in advance, a demand that’s shown no sign of slowing over the first year of business.
Kristen says, “When we first opened, we wanted to take it slow. We started with family, friends and a couple of VIPS and capped it. We were trying to keep it light and manageable, and I think that created a buzz in the community. We’re also right on Kennedy Boulevard and, when you drive by, you can see inside, see all the cars and see the people eating on the patio. We just kept increasing our limit, and now we’re at a cap where we can comfortably execute on a nightly basis.”
The reviews have remained stellar as well, with five-star ratings piling up online. Chad and Kristen are quick to express gratitude. “It’s really wild,” says Chad. “We’re very fortunate. It’s the team, managers to chefs. We really lucked out.”
The opening team at The Refinery
Kristen adds, “We wanted people to feel like we’re cooking for them at our house.”
Hospitality is a central ingredient to The Refinery’s Success. “It’s about how you feel when you sit down and what kind of impact we have,” says Chad. “Do we know your name? Are we anticipating your needs and fulfilling them?”
Their vision for refined hospitality was only reinforced by their co-owners, Jamie Granko, Kevin Kearney and Natalie Kearney, who own The Banks event venue complex overlooking the Susquehanna River, of which The Refinery is a part. The Banks is part of Pittston’s ongoing renaissance, with a focus on exquisite dining and entertainment experiences.
The Food
Chad and Kristen boast rockstar culinary resumes, with extensive experience in the high-end restaurant scenes of Philly, New York City, Chicago, Washington, D.C. and global destinations. “We’ve both done a good amount of Michelin and fine dining,” says Chad. “But we’re moving away from that as we get older. I don’t want anyone to feel uncomfortable about eating anywhere. What we’re trying to do is take those proper techniques and cuisine and do it in our hometown. We grew up around here, we know what we’d like to eat and we know the clientele. So we ask, ‘How can we get the best ingredients from the best farm and treat it properly?’ It’s about comfort done in an excellent way, and trying to refine — always.”
The Gelsos’ Italian roots in Pittston run deep. Both of their grandparents were born and raised in the Oregon section of the city, just 50 yards from The Refinery, where Sicilian immigrants established a community. This heritage stands out throughout the menu.
House-made pasta figures heavily, with eight entrees to choose from at present. “Pasta production is massive here,” says Chad. “I mean, we have guys making pasta right now as we speak. It’s every day. We’re constantly rolling pasta.”
This includes a veal osso bucco ravioli that’s been a star since day one. “It’s braised osso bucco that we mix with some really nice pecorino cheese and a little bit of fresh truffle and parsley. The ravioli is made with a nice elastic pasta dough from Central Italy with lots of milk and olive oil, so it’s very stretchy. We serve that with reduced Barolo red wine reduction and top with rosemary, garlic and toasted breadcrumbs,” says Chad.
Pinwheel lasagna is another standout. Chad says, “It’s inspired by a rotolo from Don Angie in New York, a classic Italian pasta preparation where you make fresh lasagna sheets, roll them up like sushi and slice them so you have this pinwheel shape. It eats a lot lighter than a traditional baked lasagna but still has all that flavor and texture with crispy bits on top, some basil pesto, whipped ricotta and a piece of Kristen’s focaccia. It’s nothing fancy or crazy, just really good food that hits all the notes.”
Beyond pasta, there’s “stuzzi” (Italian for “several things”) with small plates, like eggplant dip, fried long-stem artichokes, blue crab salad, and grilled Spanish octopus. A charcoal station serves up delights, like grilled branzino, pork belly porchetta, and 28-day-aged New York strip steak. Drinks span artisanal and seasonal cocktails, an elegant zero-proof selection, beer, and an extensive selection of Italian vino.
The Refinery’s sharable house-made pizzas are not to be missed. “We do nine-inch pizzas with super-fermented dough from Venice. They’re really crisp on the bottom, yet super-light and airy,” says Chad. The bread and pastry program, run by Kristen, includes that out-of-this-world focaccia with whipped ricotta and honey and an array of artful desserts, like olive oil cake with roasted figs, and “bomboloni,” fried donuts with vanilla custard and apple cider caramel.
Kristen says, “I personally like working with seasonal ingredients. How could you not? And I like doing desserts that are comforting and familiar to people, bringing about nostalgia while refining the recipes to the style we want to have here.”
The city of Pittston is renowned for its tomatoes, which gained recognition around the turn of the 20th Century. The Gelsos incorporate this ruby fruit throughout their menus and honor Pittston’s designation as the “quality tomato capital of the world” throughout the restaurant’s interior.
Looking Ahead
The Refinery quickly found its groove and will soon expand its offerings. Chad says, “Our next launch is our Chef’s Counter, which will be an eight-seat tasting menu curated on the spot. It will be based on your likes, dislikes, your palate, where you’ve been, how you take your coffee and so on. We’ll come up with a menu in the moment. It will be more multi-sensory dining, a little more theatrics. Guests should plan on being there for two or three hours and really kicking back. It will be for those who want to have a night out on the town and really enjoy a show, watching everything produced right in front of them as we explain it.”
The Refinery team will also continue catering with The Banks, who they’ve partnered with for weddings at the picturesque location just across the way.
However, the focus of The Refinery remains on steadfast hospitality, fantastic food and a culture of improvement. Chad says, “For us, the goal is to just keep it tight, and keep cooking the best we can.”
Find The Refinery at 350 Kennedy Blvd. #1, Pittston; (570) 299-5032. You can make a reservation online and follow it on Facebook and Instagram for highlights, updates and more.
- Photos: The Refinery and Kristen Gelso
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