The People’s Kitchen, which opened in the fall of 2014, is
located at the corner of North Street and Linden Street in Bethlehem, somewhat near
the Downtown/Historic area. The restaurant occupies the spot that once held
Theo’s Gyros, which is in a row-home in a somewhat residential area. The front
of the restaurant contains the grill/open kitchen, followed by a lunch counter
that seats about eight patrons. Three or four tiny tables for two are
positioned against the wall and windows across from the counter, with another
four tables in the rear, some of which can be pushed together to make larger
configurations. (The maximum capacity of the restaurant is about 25 people at a
time.) The staff performs all work in front of the diners (for example, cooking,
food prep, dishwashing); there is no kitchen hidden in the back room. Space is
at a premium; to reach the basement storage area, staff must open a floor panel
behind the counter and descend right from the dining room/kitchen. The overall
feel is a trendier version of a neighborhood luncheonette/diner. The walls are off-white,
and feature framed black-and-white artwork and silhouettes with a bicycle theme;
one wall also contains silhouettes of the Bethlehem Steel blast furnaces and a
bicycle jump that highlight the flat-screen TV. It is easy to appreciate the decorative
pressed-tin ceiling because of the many windows that allow light to reflect off
the wood floors and wood counter top. Light jazz music provides a nice buzz. Bill
Gruenewald owns the People’s Kitchen; he is a graduate of Liberty High School
and Penn State, with a degree in hospitality management. Gruenewald also
operates The Bolt & Key Café on the campus of Lehigh University, and he has
been integral in opening the new Tavern at the Sun Inn.
The People’s Kitchen serves American cuisine. Our group of
three shared three entrees: the breakfast macaroni and cheese (which is served
in a small cast-iron skillet, with pasta, cheese, bacon, and potatoes; add an
egg on top for an extra dollar), the shrimp and grits crepes (an abundance of
large shrimp drizzled with barbecue sauce set atop crepes filled with grits),
and one daily special, the chicken and waffles (shredded chicken in a cream
gravy spread atop a thin sweet potato waffle). Everything was tasty and
creative; however, although all entrees were priced the same, the portion size
and heartiness varied greatly. The chicken and waffle was the least substantial,
and the mac and cheese skillet was the most filling. More standard breakfast
options like eggs, omelets, pancakes, and French toast are also offered on the
smallish menu that arrives attached to a small clipboard. The lunch menu
includes burgers, salads, and sandwiches, as well as some interesting-sounding
specialties (such as crab bread, chicken tempura, hummus, and flatbread). Most
of the entrée items on both the breakfast and lunch menus are priced in the $8
to $9 range. The People’s Kitchen does not serve alcoholic beverages. Service
was extremely pleasant.
We enjoyed the unique breakfast dishes at the quaint hipster
hangout, The People’s Kitchen.
