HANOVER TOWNSHIP, Pa. – A tasty comeback is in the works for a popular destination for veal Milanese, lobster ravioli and other Italian specialties in Northampton County.
Fiamma Italian Grill, a full-service restaurant offering authentic Italian cuisine, in early January announced its temporary closure at 2118 Schoenersville Road in Hanover Township, Northampton County, due to damage from a broken water pipe.
Repairs are underway at Fiamma Italian Grill on Schoenersville Road in Hanover Township, Northampton County following damage from a broken water pipe over the winter.
Ryan Kneller
Owner and chef Joseph Jurkivo and his family have operated Fiamma for nearly a decade, and the team began repairs in mid-April in an effort to “hopefully reopen the restaurant in late July or early August,” Jurkivo told 69 News.
Jurkivo discovered the “substantial damage” after returning from a holiday trip.
“Our plane landed on Tuesday, Jan. 6, and when I came to the restaurant to turn everything back on to start prepping for the next day, I immediately saw the mess and called emergency services for them to take care of everything,” Jurkivo said.
“We’re not sure exactly how it happened. We think that there were probably faulty fittings, but the pipes broke inside the wall upstairs and caused extensive damage. Basically, the whole main level – which is the dining room and kitchen – got destroyed. We’re also not sure exactly when it happened, but it was sometime between Christmas and when we got back on Jan. 6. We’ve been told that it was probably leaking between 6 and 8 days.”
Repairs are underway at Fiamma Italian Grill on Schoenersville Road in Hanover Township, Northampton County following damage from a broken water pipe over the winter.
Ryan Kneller
The construction team is installing “new everything,” including plumbing, electrical wiring, dry wall and flooring, Jurkivo said.
Dumpsters have been situated outside of the restaurant to collect refuse and old materials.
“We’re putting in brand-new everything because we don’t want to risk any future issues,” Jurkivo said.
“We ripped out all of the wiring, and we’re also ripping out all of the old copper as we have a plumbing company to install new pipes.”
Jurkivo had hoped to begin repairs and construction shortly after the damage was discovered, but weather, and insurance-related delays, pushed back the work’s commencement.
“It was a few months until we started any work, and the major hiccups have been the really rough winter that made it difficult to schedule workers and also our insurance. In terms of finding workers, a lot of contractors were already booked out with jobs because they had to start jobs later due to the bad weather. In terms of dealing with our insurance, it’s been nothing but a headache. There have been so many hoops that we’ve had to jump through, and the insurance hasn’t even kicked anything in yet. We’ve been doing all of this initial work out of our own pocket because we couldn’t wait anymore.”
Repairs are underway at Fiamma Italian Grill on Schoenersville Road in Hanover Township, Northampton County following damage from a broken water pipe over the winter.
Ryan Kneller
Fiamma previously experienced misfortune a few years ago, when a February 2022 fire forced the restaurant to cancel Valentine’s Day reservations and temporarily close for repairs for nearly a year.
Jurkivo and his family are thankful for the community’s continued support as they endure another trying time.
Following a January social media post announcing the restaurant’s temporary closure due to damage from a broken water pipe, the restaurant team received “hundreds of messages extending kind and encouraging words,” Jurkivo said.
“We’re very blessed with a lot of great people who love us and support us,” Jurkivo said.
“The community has always been at the forefront of what we truly love: the people who walk through our door. They’re wonderful people who we love to serve, and ultimately, we’re here because of them. So, we’re extremely fortunate to have such a strong foundation in the community, and that’s how I know we’ll be back stronger than ever.”
Fiamma Italian Grill operates on Schoenersville Road in Hanover Township, Northampton County.
Ryan Kneller
Fiamma, which has a full bar, is known for its authentic Italian cuisine, including house-made meatballs, risotto dishes and chef specialties such as crab ravioli, veal chop parmigiana, angel hair bella Italia and 16-ounce rack of lamb Tuscana.
Other menu highlights include appetizers such as arancini and fried burrata, seafood specialties such as frutta di mare and mussels marinara, baked dishes such as eggplant rollatini and meat lasagna and chicken, veal and shrimp options such as cacciatore, Marsala, piccata and scampi.
For the latest Fiamma updates, follow the business’ pages on Facebook and Instagram. Info: fiammaitaliangrill.com.
Dining and Cooking