WHITEHALL TWP., Pa. – After nearly five decades of business, a popular destination for sauerbraten, wienerschnitzel and other staple German dishes has shared an update regarding its future in Lehigh County.
Dunderbak’s, an independently owned, family-run restaurant located on the lower level of the Lehigh Valley Mall in Whitehall Township, has committed to a one-year extension of its lease to give original owners Bill and Katy Baker the flexibility to continue to market its sale, according to an announcement on the business’ Facebook page.
The extended lease will expire on Feb. 28, 2027.
The sale of Dunderbak’s is represented by Howard Hanna the Frederick Group, and interested parties should contact agent Steve Haddad at 610-587-3712.
“On a personal note: My wife and I have been overwhelmed by the kindness and best wishes you have given us,” the Bakers announced Friday on the restaurant’s Facebook page.
“48 years. So many memories. So many lives touched. We can never, ever give you as much as you have given us.”
In July, Bill shared that he and his wife, both 78 years old, had decided to step away from the business due to age-related concerns.
In the summer announcement, he announced that they were seeking a buyer to take over the business and their target date to close or transfer the business was Feb. 28, 2026.
“For the last 10 years, our children have been encouraging us to retire,” Bill announced in the summer. “We have decided that now is the time to take their advice.”
Friday’s announcement is a follow-up to a previous update that Bill shared in late December.
In the December announcement, Bill noted that he and his wife were in discussions with interested parties for the purchase of Dunderbak’s and should any of the inquiries lead to the sale of the restaurant, the transition to new ownership would be after Feb. 28, 2026.
“Therefore, we intend to operate afterwards on a month to month basis until a settlement date is determined,” he announced in December.
Dunderbak’s opened on Nov. 11, 1977 and is the oldest independently owned and operated business in the Lehigh Valley Mall.
The restaurant’s menu showcases German/American cuisine with various categories, including soups and munchies, specialty sandwiches and salads, burgers and wurst, and haus platters.
Popular selections include Bavarian mushroom soup, ultimate pierogies, the rathskeller sandwich, sauerbraten and wienerschnitzel.
The restaurant also offers more than 100 bottled beers and 12 specialty draft beers from more than a dozen countries. The German beers are the focus of the beer menu, and Spaten Oktoberfest is served on draft all year around.
Dunderbak’s features vibrant décor that emulates the Oktoberfest held each year in Munich, Germany.
There’s large beer steins, colorful wall art, decorative tile tabletops and striped canvases on the ceiling that evoke the Oktoberfest tents. Polka music also plays in the background.
“Dunderbak’s theme is ‘Where every day is Oktoberfest,’” read a message on the restaurant’s website. “Our goal is to everyday provide good food and service in an old world atmosphere of fun and relaxation.”
For the latest Dunderbak’s updates, including future announcements regarding the business’ possible sale, follow the business’ Facebook page.