You may be wondering what the “Pren” in Pren Kitchen stands for, but it’s best not to overthink it. In short, it’s a family nickname. However, Kraig Kalashian – owner of the new spot in downtown Chester – hopes it means something different for everyone. Either way, their menu of classic comfort food and limited seating offers a cozy dining option.
“It might be the place that has your favorite burger,” Kraig says on the website. “Or it might be where you go to do your homework and eat pie. Think of us as the ‘kitchen table of the neighborhood.’”
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Kraig wants the outside world to disappear for a little while when you’re dining. That’s why Pren Kitchen has an unofficial “no electronics in the dining room” rule. Instead, Kraig says patrons looking for more than food can enjoy board games as they listen to fun music.
A local in Chester, Kraig is an architect and developer who owns a hospitality design practice named KKAD in Newark. “Our practice designs hotels and restaurants all over the world, so designing one in our town was very personal,” he says.
Pren Kitchen Offers Cozy Dining in Chester
Pren Kitchen seats just 32 inside the restaurant, though they have plans to expand outside to add 8 more seats. In fact, the dining room is only 900 square feet. “The design is meant to be cozy and intimate, as though you’re eating at someone’s home,” Kraig explains.
When you visit this BYOB eatery, you can order either at the counter or from a waiter. Their signature menu items include the grass-fed burger (on a brioche bun with lettuce, tomato, red onion and fries); as well as their pastured pulled pork, which you can order on a hoagie or fresh-baked baguette. You can also order the pulled pork platter with mac and cheese, served with a house-made biscuit and roasted vegetables.
Other favorites include the crab cake, grass-fed meatloaf, and pastured grilled chicken, as well as home-made soups. But you should know; since Pren boasts a scratch-made kitchen, Kraig notes that items often sell out. Click here to see the full menu.
Pren Kitchen sources most of their ingredients locally and, in fact, most sauces come from the town’s Mercantile on Main. Their maple syrup also hails from the Maple Shop in Chester, while meat comes from the Pastoral Pig in Flanders.
You’ll find Pren Kitchen at 52 Main Street, Suite 1 in Chester. They are open Monday – Thursday from 11:00 am to 9:00 pm, Saturday from 10:00 am to 10:00 pm, and Sunday from 10:00 am to 9:00 pm. To learn more, visit their website or you can give them a call.
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All Photos: © Pren Kitchen / Facebook
