With her new Bethlehem shop, a baker with over a decade of experience plans to not only serve goods inspired by her background, but also give staffers a better working experience than she had in the past.
From Lino held a grand opening Nov. 1 at 802 Spring St., owner Melanie Lino said, where she and staffers offer baked foods like quesitos, medialunas, cookies, sourdough Danish pastries, pan de cristal, palmeritas, espresso drinks and pantry items like eggs, cheese, sauces, olive oil and seasonings.
“I tried a lot of hobbies and baking was the one that stuck,” Lino said. “It was very therapeutic to me, but also I felt like, well, this is a way that I can create a work environment for myself and others that felt safe and healthy and empowering.”
Lino, who previously operated under the brand Made by Lino, also co-owned Lit Coffee Roastery & Bakeshop at 26 E. Third St. She co-founded Lit in 2017 and sold her stake in 2023 “because I just wanted to grow in a different direction, and just needed a little more room for growth. My kitchen in that space was really small, and I was just ready to grow differently.”
Lino added that the new venture is also an opportunity to honor inspirations and history from the Dominican Republic, where her family is from, while also sourcing ingredients from local farmers as much as possible. Her techniques include baking Danishes and croissants that use passion fruit curd, caramelized sweet plantains or pink peppercorn glaze.
“Only within the last few years, I’ve learned how a lot of my ancestors also were bread bakers in the Dominican Republic and food preparers and offered nourishment to their community,” she said. “So it felt even more so, like on a spiritual level, like this just felt like the right path for me.”
Finally, Lino also wants to use the new bakery to avoid previous workplace issues like ego in leadership, disrespect and a lack of growth.
Her practices include factoring labor into costs to avoid reliance on tips, being open to feedback and suggestions from staff and supporting staffers’ growth into other roles or even their own entrepreneurship.
“I feel like people in service are so essential to our society but are still undervalued and underappreciated,” Lino said. “And I really am on a mission to try to change that dynamic.”
The bakery currently operates 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday and Friday and 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday. The menu is subject to change depending on available ingredients, Lino added.
Lattes and mantecados cookies — both savory and sweet options — are among the offerings at From Lino bakery Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2025, in Bethlehem. Melanie Lino, a self-taught baker with over a decade of experience, opened the bakery Nov. 1.(Amy Shortell/The Morning Call)
From Lino Bakery is seen Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2025, in Bethlehem.The bakery opened Nov.1.(Amy Shortell/The Morning Call)
From Lino Bakery is seen Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2025, in Bethlehem.The bakery opened Nov.1.(Amy Shortell/The Morning Call)
Baked goods bake in the oven at From Lino bakery Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2025, in Bethlehem. Melanie Lino, a self-taught baker with over a decade of experience, opened the bakery Nov. 1.(Amy Shortell/The Morning Call)
From Lino Bakery is seen Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2025, in Bethlehem.The bakery opened Nov.1.(Amy Shortell/The Morning Call)
From Lino Bakery is seen Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2025, in Bethlehem.The bakery opened Nov.1.(Amy Shortell/The Morning Call)
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Lattes and mantecados cookies — both savory and sweet options — are among the offerings at From Lino bakery Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2025, in Bethlehem. Melanie Lino, a self-taught baker with over a decade of experience, opened the bakery Nov. 1.(Amy Shortell/The Morning Call)
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Lehigh Valley retail and restaurant news in brief
Rosa Blanca, the first of two Allentown restaurants owned by Iron Chef Jose Garces, is now being operated by a familiar face. Angel Ramirez, owner of nearby Amigos Mexican Grill, announced on Facebook that he’s been tapped as a partner in the Cuban cafe. “We had an amazing opportunity to be the new partners of Rosa Blanca,” Ramirez said in a video posted to Facebook.
Ramirez said the restaurant is looking for new servers, bartenders and other staff.
The Gemeral Store, which was forced to close over the summer due to a fire, is finally reopening at its new location. The Bethlehem mineral and gem store at 216 W. Broad St. in Bethlehem, reopens just in time for Small Business Saturday. It will be open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; the first customers will receive free merchandise and a free tumbled stone for everyone. “We wanted to take a second to thank the community and our friends and family for all of your help and support through each step of the way,” the store said on Facebook. “[We] couldn’t have done this without all of you.”
Roasties officially opened its new cafe in downtown Macungie on Wednesday. Taking over the former Mad Dogs Hot Dogs & Sugar Shack at 17 N. Poplar St., it’s the first brick-and-mortar location for the popular coffee trailer owned by Josh Elmer and Melinda Schneck. “A massive, huge, can’t-put-it-into-words THANK YOU to our friends and family for the many many unpaid hours put into building the cafe,” the cafe said on Facebook. “We are eternally grateful that you’ve believed in our dreams.”
Retail Watch is a weekly column covering retail and restaurant news in the Lehigh Valley. Have a question, tip, or want to see something in the area? Contact retail reporter Graysen Golter at retailwatch@mcall.com.