The building housing Arelis Italian Restaurant is currently for sale. Owner Victor Sanchez said the uncertainty surrounding the property’s future was a factor in his decision to relocate his business to the west Allentown area.
A popular Italian restaurant is leaving the Fountain Hill area.
On Friday, the owners of Arelis Italian Restaurant announced on Facebook that they will be closing their location at 1798 Broadway, Bethlehem, on New Year’s eve.
After Dec. 31, “we will be taking our talents to a new location,” said the post, which has generated an outpouring of support from loyal customers in the form of dozens of comments.
According to Arelis co-owner/chef Victor Sanchez, the eatery’s new location will be next to HiJinx Taproom–operated by Allentown’s HiJinx Brewing Company–and The Sports Factory at 6616 Ruppsville Road in Upper Macungie Township. Sanchez said the new location will provide a built-in clientele of bar patrons and sports enthusiasts, and mean a more secure future for his business.
The Salisbury Township property Arelis has called home since 2013 is currently for sale, and Sanchez said the decision to move the business was partly due to that.
He said the current location near the busy intersection of Broadway, Emaus Avenue and Susquehanna Street has also been challenging because of traffic congestion and difficulties with visibility.
“Here’s like a residential neighborhood,” he said. “Not a lot of businesses.” In contrast, he said the new location is along a commercial corridor that will be a better fit.
When the new restaurant opens sometime in mid-January, it will also have a new name: Casa Di Italia.
What won’t change is its extensive Italian menu, which includes classic entrees such as Veal Francese and Fettuccine Carbonara, traditional and specialty pizzas, calzones, salads, wings, hoagies, cheesesteaks, burgers, wraps, salads, desserts and more. In addition, Sanchez is considering offering specials like Taco Tuesday and Wing Wednesday in partnership with the taproom’s owners.
The restaurant will continue to offer fast, friendly delivery at its new location through DoorDash, which means customers in the Fountain Hill area can continue to have food delivered for a fee.
Sanchez said he will honor Arelis gift certificates at Casa Di Italia beginning in the spring, once the new eatery’s cash flow is established.
Unlike Arelis, the new restaurant won’t be BYOB, but customers will be able to purchase drinks from HiJinx Brewing Company’s taproom.
Catering will also be available, along with al fresco dining on a patio. Sanchez said the dining room at Casa Di Italia will be similar in size to the dining area at Arelis.
For updates on the opening next month of Casa Di Italia, follow Arelis Italian Restaurant on Facebook @arelispizzeria and bookmark the business’s new website, OrderCasaDiItalia.com. The restaurant’s new phone number will be 484-353-6616 and its hours will be Tuesday through Friday 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday 12 to 9 p.m. (closed Mondays).
Local customers still have a little time to order from Arelis before it closes on Broadway, as it will be open regular hours on New Year’s Eve. To order, call 610-419-3132 or visit OrderArelis.com.
After 13 years in business, Arelis Italian Restaurant is closing. The eatery at 1798 Broadway, Bethlehem, is one of several in the Fountain Hill area to close recently. Gametime Sports Bar on Broadway closed in August and The Vineyard Di Norma on Fiot Street closed on Christmas Eve. For fans of Arelis’ mouth-watering Italian cuisine and other menu items, the good news is that unlike those businesses, Tuesday’s closure isn’t the end for the restaurant. Co-owner and chef Victor Sanchez will continue serving his extensive menu at a brand new location under the name Casa Di Italia. Located in Upper Macungie Township, Sanchez said it will open in mid-January.
Dining and Cooking