Bolete to reopen indoor dining
The owners of Salisbury Township’s Bolete have announced they will reopen the restaurant’s dining room on Feb. 17 for the first time since the pandemic began.
The restaurant — which is arguably the most recognized and awarded restaurant in the Lehigh Valley — has relied exclusively on its chic garden sheds, outdoor dining space and curbside orders as the business navigated challenges throughout the nearly two-year-long pandemic.
“These past two years have taught us a lot. How change can bring new life, how perseverance pays off and how lucky we are to have the people who support us. And so it seems perfect to be coming back a little differently than the last time you visited,” owners Erin Shea and Lee Chizmar posted on
Bolete’s Instagram account.
Bolete is a small restaurant housed in a 200-year-old former stagecoach inn, so finding extra space to social distance during the pandemic was not practical. Health and safety were always top of mind for Shea and Chizmar.
The couple chose to keep the interior of Bolete closed, even as state-ordered restrictions on indoor gatherings eased and vaccines began to roll out because they were unsure whether rules would change. They watched as the virus’ variants emerged, causing new case counts to skyrocket.
They first relied on tents, like many other restaurants around the Valley, but later transitioned to garden sheds, which allowed guests to dine safely protected from illness and weather. Shea said they plan to continue to offer the option of dining in the 10 sheds as some guests still prefer not to eat indoors.
Shea and Chizmar have used the last two years to assess, plan and accomplish a full refresh of the interior of the restaurant. Floors were refinished, walls painted, new decor added.
And the heart of the restaurant, the kitchen, got a much-needed renovation.
The Tavern side of the restaurant, which features the bar and a more casual vibe and menu, also underwent renovations.
Shea also said later this year they will open, for the first time, the upstairs to diners. Shea and Chizmar lived in that part of the building for the first few years after the restaurant opened in 2007.
“Once you’ve had a place for that long, it’s great to be able to look at it with fresh eyes,” Shea said.
With all the interior work completed, Shea and Chizmar felt it was time to open.
“I am really excited,” Shea said. “It’s a little like the first time we opened.”
Bolete diners can experience a new “Supper Club” format, featuring a special menu. Here’s how it will work: Bolete will be open for reservations for the next six weeks on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays starting Feb.
17. The supper club menu will run for these six weeks and tickets will be sold on the restaurant’s website, boleterestaurant.com. There will be two seatings of 30 people each at 5:30 and 8 p.m. Beverages, tax and gratuity you’ll pay the night you’re there. Limited outdoor bungalow seating will be available
for supper club dining.
Along with the dining room’s reopening, the Tavern side of Bolete is scheduled to reopen Feb. 24 and will be available for walk-in diners. The Tavern will have its own menu.