With over 60 years of experience combined, three restaurant industry veterans are working to build trust and a loyal following for their Italian restaurant’s new location in Upper Macungie Township.
Casa Di Italia opened in January at 6616 Ruppsville Road. The restaurant serves freshly made, customizable dishes like pizza, calzones, stromboli, pasta, chicken, veal, seafood and sandwiches.
It also provides delivery, takeout, catering and weekly dine-in specials such as children eating for free with a dinner purchase on Tuesday, free desserts with a dinner purchase on Sunday and 10 wings for $10 on Wednesday.
The restaurant is the newest venture for the owners of the former Arelis Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria in Salisbury Township, which Victor Sanchez and his father Alejandro first opened in 2013.
Tara Sanchez, Victor’s wife, joined as a co-owner about two years later — she has about 14 years in the restaurant industry, Victor has over 20 years and Alejandro has worked in the industry since the 1990s.
“This is my life,” Alejandro said.
Tara said they relocated and renamed the restaurant to avoid having people think it was still at the first property as well as to find better business.
“We feel like there’s more room to grow in this area,” she said, adding that “we were there 10 years and not everybody knew we were there all the time.”
Victor said they are ready to appear on the proverbial map in the Lehigh Valley and have residents try their restaurant.
“It’s stressful when you get slammed with tickets, but you also feel the happiness when every ticket comes out on time and there’s no complaints, and sometimes people even want to walk to the back to greet the chef or they ask for the chef to come out and [they] say thank you,” Victor said. “When you get those compliments, all that stress that was behind — it goes away once you get the compliments. … Sometimes people call back and say, ‘Hey, we just got the food, we just picked it up, and it was one of the best we had.’”
Casa di Italia is open 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and noon to 8 p.m. Sunday.
Victor Sanchez stands in his restaurant, Casa Di Italia, on Wednesday, June 25, 2025, in Upper Macungie Township. (Amy Shortell/The Morning Call)
Seafood Combo, seen Wednesday, June 25, 2025, is one of the dishes available at the new Casa De Italia restaurant in Upper Macungie Township. (Amy Shortell/The Morning Call)
Casa Di Italia, seen Wednesday, June 25, 2025, in Upper Macungie Township. (Amy Shortell/The Morning Call)
Casa Di Italia, seen Wednesday, June 25, 2025, in Upper Macungie Township. (Amy Shortell/The Morning Call)
Casa Di Italia, seen Wednesday, June 25, 2025, in Upper Macungie Township. (Amy Shortell/The Morning Call)
Casa Di Italia, seen Wednesday, June 25, 2025, in Upper Macungie Township. (Amy Shortell/The Morning Call)
Casa Di Italia, seen Wednesday, June 25, 2025, in Upper Macungie Township. (Amy Shortell/The Morning Call)
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Victor Sanchez stands in his restaurant, Casa Di Italia, on Wednesday, June 25, 2025, in Upper Macungie Township. (Amy Shortell/The Morning Call)
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Lehigh Valley retail and restaurant news in brief
The Soul Goods boutique celebrated its grand opening May 30 at 18 W. Race St. in Catasauqua, where shoppers can find items like clothing, jewelry and antiques.
Ranch City Brewing will hold a soft opening the week of July 7 ahead of its grand opening weekend starting July 11 at the Simon Silk Mill in Easton.
The new Mediterranean-style Swift & Olive restaurant will reopen Aug. 6 after it closed earlier this month for time to develop at The Wilbur Mansion at 201 Cherokee St. in Bethlehem.
The new 7th Studio nail salon will hold a ribbon cutting at 12:30 p.m. July 11 at 27 N. Seventh Street, Suite 120, in Allentown, the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce announced.
Services include manicures, pedicures, color changes and waxing, the salon website listed.
“We’re not here to just deliver a service — we’re here to build a relationship with you,” the website stated. “Every artist and technician at 7th Studio brings passion, ongoing education, and a commitment to helping clients leave feeling stronger, more radiant, and completely at home in their own skin.”
The operating hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday.
The Luxe Events & Designs studio will celebrate a grand opening week July 22-29 at Promenade Saucon Valley in Upper Saucon Township, it announced online, starting a ribbon cutting and later hosting guided tours, a comedy night and a kids party showcase.
A new Taco Bell location held a grand opening June 19 at 1620 E. Fourth St. in Bethlehem, District Manager Eduardo Lebron said.
The bowl and smoothie chain Playa Bowls will open a new location in July at 676 N. West End Blvd. in Richland Township, according to an online announcement.
In other news
Shankweiler’s Drive-In Theatre, the oldest operating drive-in theater in the country, will appear live on ABC’s “Good Morning America” July 11 at 4540 Shankweiler Road in North Whitehall Township.
Retail Watch is a weekly column covering retail and restaurant news in the Lehigh Valley. Have a question, tip, or want to see something in the area? Contact retail reporter Graysen Golter at retailwatch@mcall.com.