Regional brewery and restaurant chain Iron Hill Brewing is making a comeback after closing all its locations in 2025. Reopening under the “Reborn Better” identity, Iron Hill has opened five locations across Pennsylvania and Delaware, with one in Huntingdon Valley in Montgomery County.
The reopening is being led in part by Matt Gundrum, Director of Brewery Operations and a Montgomery County resident. After graduating from Methacton High School and spending some years working in other restaurants, Gundrum began his Iron Hill career as a server in 2006. He then became an assistant brewer at the restaurant, discovered a passion for brewing, and worked his way up to his current position as a brewery leader. Now, Gundrum hopes to restore Iron Hill to its former glory. His vision for the restaurant’s rebrand is to focus on straightforward recipes with simple ingredients.
“Sometimes the simplest and most obvious pairings are the absolute best,” he said. “Vienna Lager paired with Fish n Chips is a homerun pairing every time. The beer is used in making the batter, and the caramel malts pair perfectly with the melanoidins created by frying the fish.”
Rebuilding the restaurant is no small feat, given its long history. After the first Iron Hill location opened in Newark, Delaware in 1996, the chain expanded into 19 storefronts with locations in Pennsylvania, Delaware and New Jersey. The business ran for nearly 30 years until closing all locations in 2025 after filing for bankruptcy.
But as an American Brewing Guild graduate with over 20 years of hospitality experience, Gundrum is up for the challenge. And he isn’t doing it alone. Along with executive chef Walt Weddington and a staff of servers, brewers, dishwashers and cooks, Gundrum is working “to make sure that we are all, as a team, doing our very best every single day to ensure that our guests get nothing but the best from us.”
Iron Hill’s menu (Iron Hill Brewery | Thirty Years of Award-Winning Craft Beer, 1996-2026) has already undergone updates. Though the menu has been pared down somewhat, much of the drinks and dishes have remained the same, with classic brews like the Philly Phavorite IPA and Vienna Red Lager available on tap. “Our tap list is constantly rotating and evolving, so if your favorite beer isn’t on tap, it’s likely it will be soon,” offered Gundrum.
Iron Hill has a unique approach to the production of their beer. “We generally use the ingredients to brew styles of beer from the country of origin of the style,” said Gundrum, explaining that German malts and hops are used for German-style lagers, American malt and hops for IPAs, and so on. “When the opportunity arises, or a great partnership is found, we love to use locally sourced ingredients for our brews as well,” he added.
Iron Hill’s leadership invites residents to experience Iron Hill’s improved identity. In addition to the Huntingdon Valley storefront at 785 Huntingdon Pike, Iron Hill’s new locations include Center City, Philadelphia, Wilmington, Delaware, Hershey, and Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Gundrum expressed hope that all customers receive “world-class beer and top-notch food paired together with intent, and attentive, friendly service.”
Photo – Iron Hill Brewery, Matt Gundrum via LinkedIn