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Date: 10/12/2022
SOUTH HADLEY — Iona’s restaurant celebrated its grand opening for its new second location at 20 Main St. in South Hadley on Sept. 23.
The two restaurants are named after owner and chef Kelly Dobbins’s grandmother, Iona, whom he said played a significant role in his life while growing up. Because of her impact on him, opening the restaurant was a way to create a legacy and keep her memory alive.
Serving up “American food with a southern twist,” Dobbins opened the first Iona’s location in 2010 on 37 Oak St., in Indian Orchard; however, once the coronavirus pandemic hit, they were forced to relocate because the landlord decided to go a different route. In 2020, they relocated to 439 Main St. in Indian Orchard – only a few blocks away from the original location.
In choosing the second location in South Hadley, Dobbins said he thought it was time to expand and move to a different area to share the food that Iona’s offers. “I’ve been in Springfield ever since I opened my restaurant. So, I wanted to move out a little bit further and see how other people would take it, like how other towns take it and adapt to it. So, I just wanted to try it, and so far, it’s going pretty well, actually.”
At both the Indian Orchard and South Hadley locations, customers can find breakfast and lunch items such as “Iona’s Scrambler,” which comes with eggs, home fries, grits and bacon, ham or sausage for $13, or the “Blackened Chicken Sandwich” seasoned with Dobbin’s signature spices, lettuce, tomato, mayonnaise and fries for $12. They also have a variety of bottled beverages and hot coffee available.
Taking things up a notch, Dobbins, a graduate of the Connecticut Culinary Institute, said the South Hadley location will also be open for dinner come the second week of October, “We are going to have a variety of food coming through, maybe we’ll have a Caribbean night or a pasta night.” But as of right now, he is still working on the rotations and how the dinner menu items are going to look.
Iona’s South Hadley is located at 20 Main St. and can be reached at 285-8093. Their hours are Tuesday – Friday 6 a.m. – 6 p.m., Saturday 7 a.m. - 6 p.m., Sunday 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. (hours are subject to change).
Iona’s Indian Orchard is located at 439 Main St. Indian Orchard and can be reached at 285-8093. Their hours are Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday 5 a.m. - 2 p.m., Thursday 5 a.m. - 6 p.m., Saturday 7 a.m. – 3 p.m., Sunday 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.