Siblings take over iconic Fountain Hill restaurant
Luke and Rachael Prosseda are bringing passion and fresh ideas to The Vineyard Restaurant
A beloved Italian restaurant is beginning a new chapter while also paying homage to its past in Fountain Hill.
The Vineyard Restaurant, at 605 Fiot St., late last year changed hands from longtime owners, husband and wife Pietro and Maria DiMatteo, to brother-and-sister team Luke and Rachael Prosseda.
Prior to their retirement in 2021, the DiMatteos operated the restaurant for 31 years, building a loyal customer base devoted to traditional, made-fromscratch Italian fare.
Luke, who studied at New York’s Culinary Institute of America, serves as The Vineyard’s head chef and continues the restaurant’s longstanding practice of on-site butchering.
He and his culinary team also make other items from scratch daily, including
sauces such as alfredo and pesto, and rotating pastas such as pappardelle, tagliatelle and ravioli.
The menu, which the Prossedas describe as “Italian-inspired modern cuisine,” features a mix of old and new dishes, including minor twists on familiar favorites such as chicken or veal Marsala, parmesan, piccata and
Calabrese, along with new additions such as pasta Gorgonzola (with shrimp, broccoli rabe, Calabrian chili and Gorgonzola dulce sauce), Parisienne gnocchi (with foie gras double cream, onion jam and shiitake mushrooms) and Luke’s personal favorite, pork Milanese (with arugula, parmesan and lemon).
“Some of the sauces are slightly different due to a different way of making the stock and a few ingredients,” Luke said. “But we were lucky to have one of the longtime cooks stay with us, and he’s my number two in the kitchen.”
“We honor the traditions of an Italian kitchen in that it’s high quality and made with a lot of intention, love, passion and excitement,” Rachael said. “Often, Luke will make a couple of different things, and we’ll just give them to tables of customers to try, asking them what they think. We encourage the feedback.”
The Prossedas, who have an Italian background, grew up in Wellsboro, Tioga County before moving to Bethlehem seven years ago.
Rachael’s husband, whom she met while attending Bloomsburg University, is a Liberty High School alum, and the siblings found the Lehigh Valley to be a welcoming place to start their business.
The pair is supported by other family members in their new venture, including their mother, who bakes flourless chocolate cake, lemon ricotta cheese
cake and other desserts, and their father, who seats guests, clears tables and helps with other frontof-house operations.
Family photos are displayed throughout the restaurant, and the duo also pays tribute to their grandmother via the “Nona Salad,” a charcuterie board featuring olives, vegetables, meats and cheeses — “all the good stuff you might expect to eat at your Italian-American grandmother’s house.”
Other menu highlights include appetizers ($8-$15) such as burrata and shrimp fra diavolo and meat and seafood entrees ($25-$34) such as veal saltimbocca alla Roma and mussels, shrimp or clams scampi.
Several items are sourced from local businesses, including coffee from Monocacy Coffee Co. in Bethlehem, mushrooms from Primordia Mushroom Farm in Lenhartsville, eggs and ice cream from The Nesting Box in Kempton, and draft beer from Bonn Place Brewing Co. in Bethlehem, Sherman Street Beer Co. in Allentown and other breweries. More local produce will be incorporated during the spring and summer.
The restaurant, with seating for 70 guests on the main floor and another 70 guests in the lowerlevel banquet/overflow dining area, has a full bar and plans to introduce happy hour drink specials and a bar food menu in the coming months.
Hours are 4-9 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays, 4-10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 4-8 p.m. Sundays. Reservations are recommended, especially on weekends. Info: 610-867-2441.
More Italian spots
Speaking of Italian, Tony’s Pizzeria, which has operated for about 15 years at 200 Main St. in Tatamy, is planning to move in April to a larger space at 3417 Sullivan Trail in Forks Township, owner Tony Burriesci said.
The Sullivan Street space previously housed DeLorenzo’s Italian Restaurant, which closed in 2019.
Tony’s new location, about a mile east of its original spot, will accommodate more than 100 customers, roughly double its current seating capacity. It also will feature a larger parking lot.
Other upgrades will include an expanded kitchen, serving more dinner specials on the weekends, and a bar, serving beer, wine and cocktails.
“There will be a new kitchen equipment, furniture, everything,” Burriesci said. “We also painted the outdoor deck.”
Tony’s, which is hiring servers, bartenders, kitchen staff and delivery drivers, offers a wide array of Italian cuisine, including calzones and stromboli, specialty pizzas such as stuffed Philly and breakfast (egg, potatoes and bacon) and entrees such as lasagna, manicotti and chicken parmigiana. Info: 610-438-5517.
A final bit of news for Italian lovers: Family Pizzeria ,an eatery offering gourmet pizza, paninis, pasta and more for takeout and delivery, opened Jan. 24 at 120 S. West End Blvd. in Quakertown.
The renovated space, which previously housed a Little Caesars pizza shop, is next to Dunkin on the southbound side of Route 309.
Customers can choose from a wide variety of pizza, including Neapolitan, Sicilian, grandma and Chicago (stuffed with mozzarella and Parmigiana cheeses and a special tomato sauce). Glutenfree cheese pizza and tomato pie are also available.
Gourmet selections, starting at $12.50, include barbecue chicken, Genovese, German, eggplant parmigiana, Hawaiian, margherita, meat lovers and taco, among others.
Other menu highlights include appetizers such as chicken wings, fried calamari and loaded pierogies; baked pasta such as lasagna, ravioli and stuffed shells; hot sandwiches such as veal parm, Italian grinder, and sausage, pepper and onions; and other hand-held items such as hoagies, club sandwiches and wraps.Info: 215-645-9077; familypizzeria54. com.
Diner updates
A destination for meatloaf, chicken croquettes and other homestyle favorites has returned after a year-long hiatus in Lehigh County.
Santiago’s Diner & Family Restaurant, a Coopersburg eatery that announced its closure more than a year ago, reopened March 3 at its original location at 125 S. Third St. in the borough, according to a message posted on the business’ Facebook page.
The diner, which originally opened in May 2018, is operated by brothers Octavio and Rolando Zavaleta, who also co-own the two-year-old Limeport Deli & Cafe in Lower Milford Township. The pair decided to close Santiago’s, named after Octavio’s son, in January 2021.
“This was not our choice but something we had to do,” they wrote in last year’s announcement. “… Please continue to support local business during these tough times.”
Santiago’s, offering breakfast, lunch and dinner daily, is known for its freshly prepared dishes such as creamed chipped beef, chicken Francaise and shrimp stir-fry. Info: 484-819-0311.
Unfortunately, as one diner reopens, another one is closing: Nick’s Diner, a family-owned and operated restaurant at 1802 W. Tilghman St. in Allentown’s West End, is closing on Sunday after more than 20 years of business.
“As they say all beautiful things in life have an end,” a post on the business’ Facebook page reads. “…We are sad to announce that our business will be closing on 3/13/2022, but we are happy to announce that it’s time to rest and focus on our family.”
After 35 years of managing and running the kitchens of many local diners, Nick Nikolaidis and his family opened the restaurant at 18th and Tilghman streets in 2001.
“We never imagined all the love we would receive as years went by,” the post continues. “We would like to thank all of you one by one.”
Odds and ends
From food to fitness, HIT Fitness Boxing, offering 10-round bag and core training classes, will open this spring at 1247 Airport Road, according to a sign on the storefront.
The renovated space, in the Airport Plaza, previously housed a Fine Wine & Good Spirits store, which moved to the nearby Airport Center in January 2021.
HIT will offer one-hour classes, where instructors lead participants through 10 rounds of high-intensity bag, strength and core conditioning.
“Whether you’re looking to get ripped and fit, release daily stress, build confidence/self esteem, burn calories, or just looking to have a great time while burning fat, we are here to help you achieve your goals,” a message on the business’ website continues.
HIT Fitness Boxing will offer socially-distanced workouts, where a maximum of 25 members per class will train in their own 9-foot by 8-foot areas. Info: hitfitnessboxing.com.
Another fitness spot coming soon: Vibe Power Yoga, offering yoga instruction, cycling classes, boot camps and more, is expected to open in May at 7525 Tilghman St. in Upper Macungie Township, owner Gabrielle Jackson said.
The studio, between Iron Run Beverage and Rush Veterinary Urgent Care in the Iron Run Center, aims to help participants ignite their power and tap into their personal growth by “connecting the mind, body and spirit.”
Vibe, which has a tagline of “discover your light,” aims to build a community that is stronger together, free of judgment, comparisons, stresses and expectations.
The facility will welcome individuals of all ages and fitness levels with a wide array of classes, including beginners yoga, intermediate yoga and little yogis (recommended for ages 2-5). Heated and non-heated yoga will be available.
Jackson, who moved to the Lehigh Valley from Lancaster several years ago, has a 3-yearold son, Kashton, and knows how difficult it can be for parents to work out while juggling other responsibilities. At Vibe, a supervised childcare area will be available Monday through Friday. Info: vibepoweryoga.com.
I’ll finish with news on the Lehigh Valley’s latest Wawa convenience store and gas station, which opened Friday at 364 Susquehanna St. in Allentown.
Its grand opening marks Wawa’s sixth store to open this year out of 54 stores projected to open across Wawa’s operating area in 2022.
The Delaware County-based chain, with more than 860 stores in six states and Washington D.C., also opened a location Feb. 3 at 6680 Route 309 in Upper Saucon Township.
Other area outposts have been proposed or are under construction at 774-784 Hellertown Road (Route 412) in Bethlehem; 40890 Jandy Blvd., Lower Nazareth Township; 90 Highland Ave., Hanover Township, Northampton County; and Route 309 and Chapmans Road, South Whitehall Township.