The famous hot dog brand established more than a century ago in Coney Island, New York is coming to the Lehigh Valley.
Nathan’s Famous Hot Dogs is set to be constructed at 328 W. Linden St. -- across from American Plaza -- in Allentown. Developer Nat Hyman, who has built 700 apartments in the city’s downtown, received zoning approval on Aug. 30 for the project. He expects work to begin in January.
Plans call for a 1,300-square-foot restaurant, complete with drive-thru and walk-up window but no indoor seating. The building is being constructed on an existing parking lot. Nathan’s new restaurant design features modern New York City loft-style elements next to classic features of historic architecture.
Once complete, Nathan’s will have a full menu, complete with hot dogs and burgers; chicken tenders and sandwiches; hot wings; crinkle-cut fries and onion rings; as well as milkshakes and other beverages. Patrons also will be able to order “Nathan’s Premium Heroes,” which are known for their authentic flavor and having a half pound of meat, said Hyman, the eatery’s franchisee.
Sandwich selections will include the “New York cheesesteak by Pat LaFrieda;” three-cheese meatball parmesan hero; and a premium pastrami and sauerkraut hero. Hyman anticipates a spring 2022 or summer 2022 opening.
Hyman said he wanted to bring Nathan’s to the city in its first regional freestanding eatery because he sees a void in fast-casual options. The downtown area -- from the Lehigh River to 30th Street and from Tilghman Street to Martin Luther King Drive -- has only two drive-thru restaurants that aren’t coffee shops, he said. These include McDonald’s McDonalds at 14th and Tilghman streets and Burger King on 18th and Tilghman streets.
“There is no fast food to serve the downtown clientele,” Hyman said.
Hyman’s three apartment complexes -- The Adelaide, The Tribeca and The Bindery -- all sit within a block of the Nathan’s site. He believes the new business venture will be ideal not only for those tenants but others living and working in the city’s downtown.
It’ll also likely bring back some nostalgia for New Yorkers who have since moved to the Lehigh Valley.
Nathan’s roots began in 1916 as a nickel hot dog stand in Coney Island and bears the name of the late co-founder Nathan Handwerker. Handwerker famously started the venture with a $300 loan from two friends and his wife’s secret spice recipe.
Today, the original Nathan’s restaurant still stands at the corner of Surf and Stillwell avenues in the Coney Island neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York. There are Nathan’s restaurants across the globe, products in most supermarkets in the United States, and millions of fans.
The Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest, famously televised each year, also takes place at the original location.
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Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com.
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