Pioneer Restaurant celebrates 10th anniversary

WARWICK — On Friday, April 10, Town of Warwick Supervisor Michael Sweeton, Mayor Michael Newhard and members of the Warwick Valley Chamber of Commerce joined owners Paul and Cheryl Karas to celebrate the 10th anniversary of The Pioneer Restaurant at 49 Oakland Ave.

Paul and Cheryl Karas opened their new and popular eatery on Feb. 17, 2005.

Although this was their first restaurant, Paul Karas had been a professional chef at that time for almost 30 years.

He had cooked at restaurants from New York to California and for a time, owned a catering company. And before opening The Pioneer, Karas had served 20 years as the chef for the Warwick Inn, now the home of The Dautaj Restaurant.

When Paul and Cheryl purchased their new restaurant it was called Walsh's Restaurant.

It had been owned and managed by Christopher and Susan Walsh for the previous two years but when they purchased it from Tracy Ciliberti, it had been named and known as The Pioneer for about 40 years.

And longtime Warwick residents like Paul and Cheryl Karas, grew up in the days when they and their classmates at Warwick Valley High School would stop at the old Pioneer for a hamburger or an ice cream.

Today the new Pioneer, with its much more attractive décor and surroundings, serves mostly American cuisine and the atmosphere is casual and family friendly.

"We want to thank all our loyal patrons whom we had the pleasure of serving during these past 10 years," said Cheryl Karas, "and we promise to continue providing the best food and service for the next 10 years."

The Pioneer menu is extensive, ranging from casual sandwiches to gourmet entrées. And it also features slow-roasted Black Angus prime ribs, a popular favorite on Friday and Saturday nights. In addition, the restaurant offers catering services both on and off site.

For additional information call 986-6500 or visit: www.pioneereats.com.