SweetWater Bar & Grill Set to Open Next Month

It may not look like it yet, but in just a few weeks —a new restaurant from the owners of —will open to the public.

Co-owners and brothers George and John Kyrtatas have helped design every aspect of the new restaurant, from the LED fireplace, to the granite bar, to the high-top booths for extra privacy.

“Every detail,” John said, “we thought about it as carefully as we could.”

SweetWater is a completely different restaurant than Hathaway’s, however it’s attached to the longtime diner. Hathaway’s isn’t going anywhere but its hours will change once SweetWater opens. Describing it as a “destination” spot, George said he and his brother “really wanted to give our customers the best” with SweetWater.

The entrance to the new bar and grill sits where the bar entrance to Hathaway’s once was. Walking up the granite steps, the host stand is in the main dining room where you can sit and eat by the bar or fireplace, or outside on the balcony or patio.

There is covered seating available and two-tiered landscaping will line the outside perimeter of the balcony.

“You’re going to feel very private,” George said.

John called the back porch the “focal point” of the restaurant, which has views of Center City.

George, known to many in the foodie scene as the Little Greek Chef, designed the entire menu and said he’ll be in the kitchen cooking almost every night.

“I love getting to do a menu that we can play with,” George said. “It can change with the taste of our customers.”

The restaurant will boast 39 signature drinks, 12 draft beers, more than two dozen craft beers and about 25 wines.

Local brewers Flying Fish, the biggest craft brewers in the state, will be creating an amber ale specifically for SweetWater.

“We wanted to deal with the local people as much as we can,” George said.

The elder Kyrtatases—John and George’s parents—are “supportive” the brothers said, even though a business venture like this is out of their comfort zone.

“The industry has changed,” John said. “We have to evolve with it.”

In a previous Patch interview, George said this idea has been on the family’s mind for a while. Hathaway’s has been open since 1986 and recently, George said the dinner crowd has dwindled.

“We are putting our lives into this to make sure it’s a success,” George said.

George and John both grew up in Cinnaminson but now live in Medford and Marlton, respectively. But the brothers grew up at Hathaway’s—even doing their homework in the back room when they were kids.

“We’re very excited,” George said of the new restaurant.

SweetWater is still . The restaurant is expected to open by the end of September with a grand opening planned after.