- Petunia's opened in Windsor in April. The owner is moving the restaurant to Court Street in Binghamton.
- Petunia's owner Krysteena Race prioritizes gluten-free and vegan options on the menu.
- The restaurant also plans to involve the community with various engagement events.
A new restaurant is heading to downtown Binghamton, and its owner said it will be "a bunch of different types of eateries in one."
Petunia's is set to open at the former Chroma's Cafe and Bakery location, situated at 97 Court St., on Sept. 19, and the restaurant will feature everything from coffee and bakery items to all-day breakfast, burgers and quesadillas, most of which will have vegan or gluten-free options.
Krysteena Race, 24, of Harpursville, opened Petunia's in Windsor in April. Upon finding the Binghamton space, Race considered operating both locations but, due to the fact that the Binghamton restaurant is going to be a "much larger operation," Race said, she decided to close the Windsor location to focus solely on the Court Street spot.
While Race did appreciate the Windsor location, she said she was looking for a space with "a little more foot traffic," and "visibility on the customer end of it," specifically in the Binghamton or Endicott area.
The former Chroma spot "checked all the boxes," she said, as it is a high-traffic area and was already set up as an eatery, so she officially took over the building in the beginning of August.
In preparation for opening day, Race emphasized the restaurant's focus on inclusivity.
"We're welcome to anyone and everyone," she said.
What's on the menu at Petunia's?
There will be a little something for everyone, Race said, including gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan options.
"I think it's important that anyone can come in with whoever, and everyone will be able to find something that they can eat on our menu, regardless of their dietary restrictions," Race said. "You have all of these different combinations and it just allows for everyone to come in and have anything."
For example, the menu offers burgers, but those who cannot have gluten will have the option for gluten-free bread or those who are vegan will have an option to make it vegan.
The restaurant will also feature gluten-free and vegan desserts, and there will be designated times for making each dessert to ensure there is no cross-contamination.
For the regular menu, dish options include all-day breakfast and lunch staples like burgers, loaded fries, quesadillas and grab-and-go salads and rice bowls. The dinner menu will be available after 4 p.m. and will feature meals including meatloaf and pot roast.
While the cafe and bakery aspect is remaining at 97 Court St., the restaurant will also offer full-service dining.
There will be a vast drink menu, which is Race's specialty. Along with all of the classic coffee staples, Petunia's will offer dirty sodas — soda with flavoring and a splash of cream — homemade plant-based energy drinks, bubble tea and white espresso.
"I feel like we have a lot of different menu items, whether it's traditional or not," Race said. "I think it's just a different perspective on eating."
When is Petunia's open in Binghamton?
Petunia's will open to the public at 7:30 a.m. Sept. 19. The restaurant will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday-Saturday.
Race is also planning a grand opening celebration on Oct. 1.
She also plans to hold various events and specials in order to better connect with the community and give back to important causes. For instance, Petunia's will sell cookies baked in the shape of dog bones and with animal prints and, for each one purchased, part of the proceeds will be donated to the SPCA.
"I'm excited to see the type of clientele we're going to have, because we want to be able to have college students, business people, moms," Race said. "We want to welcome everyone. We'll have a strong focus in each of those categories, so I'm excited to see what kind of business we're going to have and be able to tailor things to the people coming in."
For more information and updates on the upcoming restaurant, visit Petunia's Facebook page.
