Food & Drink

J Rads Wood Fired Pizza fed Allentown Rescue Mission residents last week amid bitterly cold weather.

Crispy Halal, known for its other location at 514 N. Seventh St. in Allentown, serves up fried chicken, falafel, loaded fries, salads, cheeseburgers, Philly cheesesteak, desserts and family meals.

Barley Creek Brewing Company and Distillery announced its newest location now is open for business. After "unexpected delays" pushed back its initial opening in October, the Pocono-based company announced that it's ready to serve guests as of Friday, Nov. 28.

A local restaurateur is taking over day-to-day operations at one of Allentown's newest restaurants: Rosa Blanca. "Iron Chef" winner Jose Garces still owns the Cuban café, but asked the owners of Amigos, which sits next door, to help manage it.

Mangiacarne has rebranded, with Chef Luca Manfè taking sole ownership and changing the name to Luca and Sons, with promises of high-quality meats, cheeses,and a few new items as well.

Next month, Wind Creek Event Center owner Jeff Trainer plans to open The Broken Record, a restaurant in Lower Macungie Township that will combine a broad range of food offerings with a music theme — and perhaps more.

Rod's Dogs is coming back to Easton within the next few months under new ownership, but the beloved classic menu will remain just the same.

Easton City Councilman Frank Pintabone has confirmed he will host his annual free turkey giveaway for residents in need, set for Nov. 22.

Developers said the restaurant is planned to be open serving burgers, flatbreads and other American-style food by this time next year.

The Vegan Chef challenge was organized by Vegan Outreach and Animal Defenders Greater Lehigh Valley, and the challenge drew more than 400 community reviews between Sept. 15 and Oct. 15. Winners were honored at an awards ceremony Tuesday, Nov. 4, inside Swift at the Wilbur Mansion.

In February, Bell Hall joined a list of other downtown area restaurants that have come and gone in Allentown. Here's a rundown of those restaurants.

Lehigh Valley restaurant owners get candid on inflation, labor challenges and the state of the industry as they struggle to bring customers in the door.

While Philadelphians lament the end of Dollar Dogs at Citizens Bank Park, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms are keeping the tradition alive at the PPL Center, setting a new sales record at Friday night's game.

Sample beer from local breweries, plus Irish eats and other drink specials at these pub crawls in the Lehigh Valley.

Porters' Pub is celebrating the Pipers taking over the beloved bar this Saturday with a special ribbon cutting at 700 Northampton Street.

Sangriafest, which includes food, vendors, lawn games, live music and — of course — that namesake wine-and-fruit beverage, will be 4-7 p.m. June 15 at Grange Park in Upper Macungie Township.

At 1 Million Cups-Lehigh Valley event in Bethlehem, prospective entrepreneurs gain knowledge to help them realize their dreams.

After over a year of both the local pub and Macungie Diner being empty, businesses are re-emerging in the borough to the delight of patrons whose options have been limited.

The Phillies say they're retiring Dollar Dog Nights in part because fans were throwing them at each other last season. Their Triple-A affiliate Lehigh Valley IronPigs say at Coca-Cola Park, it's a whole different ball game.

Take a look at stories that ran throughout the week of which we are most proud, had a profound impact on readers or that you might want to look at again.

The first Easton Sweet Stroll will combine the excitement of a traditional pub crawl with the irresistibility of freshly baked goods. It's planned for noon to 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 23, and will feature 11 local sweet shops in Downtown Easton.

Bell Hall, a gourmet burger bar that opened its doors in October 2015, is listed as “permanently closed” on Google.