Food & Drink

ArtsQuest’s annual Souper Bowl, in which area restaurants compete to create the best bouillons and superior stews, will return for a 16th year, it was announced. The event will be at 1 p.m. Feb. 1 in Musikfest Cafe at ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks.

A hot dog for only a penny? Jimmy's Hot Dogs in Palmer Township showed some customer appreciation on New Year's Eve by offering up their beloved franks for 1-cent each.

The owners of Jimmy's Hot Dogs say they'll hold a customer appreciation day as a way of saying thanks for the loyalty folks have shown since they took over over the longtime Easton-area business a year and a half ago.

The Broken Record, whose decor and even food names follow a music theme, held a soft opening at its strip-center location at 6776 Hamilton Blvd. in Lower Macungie Township.

Griddle 145, which since 2011 has operated on MacArthur Road, will close Wednesday, Dec. 31, the restaurant announced in a Facebook post today, Saturday, Dec. 27.

A long-running Easton tavern announced its plans to close and asked patrons to visit in its last remaining days. It will close on New Year's Eve.

“Thanks for all the love and support, we will be back soon! Until then be sure to visit our Easton Location for the same great Pints Vibes,” Pints & Pies said on its website.

After customers speculated its permanent closure online, Casa Catrina shared an announcement on social media thanking patrons for their continued support over the past six years. This month, the Mexican restaurant posted on its doors a notice of a temporary closure.

Easton Farmers' Market will hold a Community Food Drive to collect fresh food, pantry staples and donations for SNAP at Scott Park on Saturday, Dec. 20.

After a decade of business, the restaurant inside the Renaissance Allentown Hotel is expanding its regional sourcing and guest experience with a new culinary concept and revamped interior. Director of Culinary and Restaurant Operations Nick Vogel said he intends to let local ingredients "shine" in the restaurant's four seasonal menus.

The festival will feature bachata and merengue music and Latin eats such as empanadas and mofongo.

The Lehigh Valley IronPigs will host the Bacon and Brews Festival at Coca-Cola Park on Sept. 30. There will be brewers, ciders, distilleries, wineries and bacon items from IronPigs Concessions and select food vendors.

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.

Lehigh Valley adrenaline destinations HangDog and Lehigh Valley Grand Prix have partnered with A-Treat and Jaindl Companies in an exclusive, Lehigh Valley-centric beverage partnership.

“I enjoy their other restaurants, but I didn’t think this would be a good fit. I didn’t see it lasting in this format for long,” one person said about the closing of TheMINT Gastropub.

TheMINT Gastropub, an American-style eatery in West Bethlehem, has closed after 12 years. Replacing it will be Retro Burger. Also proposed for the site are the construction of six apartments atop the existing structure and a rooftop dining area.

The 40th Musikfest drew to a successful close on Sunday night in Bethlehem. The nation's largest open-gate free music festival delivered more than 500 free performances, plus paid-ticket headliners. Organizers believe a record of roughly 1.25 million attended the 11-day event. An official count is expected to be announced Tuesday.

The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB) has unveiled plans to allocate expired restaurant licenses, marking the 12th auction since Act 39's implementation in August 2016.

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.

A new Sheetz at 2901 Lehigh St. is set to open on Saturday, Aug. 12. On the following Monday, Aug. 14, the store will host a grand opening event where customers can get free coffee and have a chance to win prizes.

Restaurant chain The Cheesecake Factory has posted job listings for a restaurant and kitchen managers at its first Lehigh Valley location on the official website.

Here are the Musikfest acts and more you should see today, Tuesday, Aug. 8.