BETHLEHEM TWP., Pa. – The family behind a popular and longstanding sports bar with two Lehigh Valley locations is planning a new tasty concept in Northampton County.
Cousins Michael L. Dontas and Michael P. Dontas, owner-operators of Copperhead Grille in Allentown and Upper Saucon Township, are planning to open Utopita – a fast-casual eatery offering fresh Mediterranean cuisine – in February at 3650 Nazareth Pike in Bethlehem Township, Michael L. Dontas said.
Bethlehem Village Shoppes is located at 3650 Nazareth Pike in Bethlehem Township.
Ryan Kneller
The new restaurant, with seating for around 30 diners, will occupy a renovated space in the Bethlehem Village Shoppes.
The Dontases, first cousins both named after the same grandfather, founded Copperhead in 2002 on Route 378 in Upper Saucon Township.
The cousins – Michael L. goes by “Junior” and Michael P. goes by “Senior” based on their ages – opened a second Copperhead location on Airport Road in Allentown in 2007.
The duo is excited to open their first fast-casual eatery, focusing on Greek specialties.
Utopita customers will be able to enjoy various gyros, including pork, beef and lamb, chicken and falafel, Junior said.
Ryan Kneller
They’ll also be able to build their own bowls, with their choice of the aforementioned proteins and base options of lemon potatoes, yellow rice, French fries and two types of greens, Junior said.
Different toppings and dressings, such as tzatzki and hummus, will complete the dishes.
Utopita, a play on the words utopia and pita, is a nod to the cousins’ Greek roots.
“Utopia is a Greek word, and we were playing with different names like pita and utopia,” Junior said. “We were in a meeting one day, and it just came to me – utopia with a ‘t’ in it.”
Utopita also will offer platters for diners who prefer items separated instead of on top of each other in a bowl, along with other Greek specialties such as avgolemono soup – a Greek lemon chicken soup – and loukoumades – small, round Greek doughnuts soaked in hot honey syrup, Junior said.
Ryan Kneller
Greek frozen yogurt also will be available.
“It’ll be a low-fat option, with a base flavor of a Greek vanilla yogurt and your choice of toppings, like baklava crumbles, sour cherry preserves or Nutella,” Junior said.
Copperhead, which has a tagline of “where champions are fed,” is known for its award-winning wings, house-made mozzarella sticks, premium burgers and “fall off the bone” baby back ribs.
The locations also feature an array of steak, chicken, seafood and pasta dishes; full bars serving up hand-crafted cocktails and more than 50 craft, import and domestic beers; and state-of-the-art sound systems and TVs strategically placed to “make you feel like you are part of the action.”
A Copperhead Grille restaurant operates on Route 378 in Upper Saucon Township.
Ryan Kneller
“Copperhead Grille Restaurant is a place where handcrafted recipes and sports merge to form The Ultimate Sports Dining Experience,” a message on the restaurant’s website reads.
“Every morning our highly trained staff arrives to prepare all of our signature sauces, classic recipes, and handmade dishes. All items on Copperhead Grille Restaurant menu are crafted with painstaking precision and our team spends hours everyday tasting and monitoring our products to ensure that each dish meets our high standards.”
Ryan Kneller
In Bethlehem Township, Utopita will occupy a renovated space between Atlantis Aquatics and Callahan Driving School and Testing Center in the Bethlehem Village Shoppes.
The shopping center is home to around a dozen tenants, including other eateries Mitzi’s Table and Sorella’s Pizza & Pasta.