PALMER TWP., Pa. – A longstanding, family-run eatery is moving to larger digs this week in Northampton County.
Adobo Latin Kitchen, a fast-casual restaurant specializing in authentic Puerto Rican cuisine, will move from its eight-year-old location at 2429 Nazareth Road in Palmer Township to a larger location a few doors down in the same 25th Street Shopping Plaza, co-owner Jose Pinargote told 69 News.
Adobo’s new location, roughly triple its current size, will operate between 25th Asian House and H&R Block.
During the transition, the restaurant will temporarily close on Monday and Tuesday and reopen at its new location on Wednesday, Pinargote said.
At its new location, Adobo will have the same address, 2429 Nazareth Road, as the restaurant’s original location, Pinargote said.
“We’re very excited,” said Pinargote, who operates the restaurant with his wife, Nilda Pinargote.
“We’ve been working on this since March and can’t wait for everyone to see it. It’ll be bigger, brighter and a better overall experience for both our customers and staff.”
The expansion was prompted by a multitude of factors, with a primary one being the business’ continued growth.
The new location will feature “new everything,” including new flooring, dry wall, counters, electrical upgrades, plumbing, lighting, HVAC units and kitchen equipment such as stoves, fryers, steam tables and a walk-in cooler, Jose said.
The restaurant’s new space was vacant for more than a decade, and the Pinargotes “completely tailored it to the restaurant’s needs,” Jose said.
“We built it from the ground up, keeping the same warm, welcoming atmosphere our customers love — just reimagined in a more modern and sleek way,” Jose said.
“We’ve expanded both our kitchen and dining areas, which will allow us to add even more dishes to our already well-rounded menu. We’ll also be launching a new website and mobile app, where customers can order delivery directly from us — saving on third-party fees.”
Adobo’s new location totals 3,600 square feet – three times the size of its original location, Jose said.
Seating at low-top tables and a counter will be available for 42 guests, nearly double the capacity of the restaurant’s original space.
“We also added larger tables to accommodate bigger parties,” Nilda said.
The couple designed the new space to be sleek and modern while maintaining a cozy and welcoming vibe.
Aesthetic highlights include porcelain tile flooring that resembles natural stone and accent walls featuring black subway tiles, hexagonal wood tiles and faux greenery.
“It’s the same layout – just a lot bigger,” Nilda said.
“So, even though the customers will be walking into a new space, it will feel familiar with the same kind of design, ordering process and experience.”
The Pinargotes opened Adobo Latin Kitchen in March 2017.
The fast-casual restaurant offers a wide array of freshly prepared Puerto Rican specialties, including appetizers such as canoas, alcapurrias and rellenos de papa.
There are also various plates, served with white or yellow rice and beans, including fried chicken, fried pork, roast pork, pork ribs, cubed steak (bistec), rotisserie chicken, chicken stew and beef stew.
Other menu highlights include mofongo (fried mashed plantains with choice of meat); sandwiches (made to order on Cuban bread) such as ham and cheese and roast pork (pernil); and sides such as tostones, yuca fries, maduros (fried sweet plantains) and potato salad.
Various empanadas, including beef, beef and cheese, chicken, pork, shrimp, guava, pizza and ground beef with plantains, are top sellers, Jose said.
“Our menu is going to stay the same at the new location, but we’ll be adding some of our daily specials, like fish specials, pork chop specials and certain soups and salads, to our regular menu,” Jose said.
“Among our most popular current selections is rice and beans with roast pork. We also sell hundreds and hundreds of empanadas every day. Currently, we have six or seven flavors, but we’re going to expand that to 10-12 flavors at the new location. We also do tons of family combos, like roast pork, chicken and chicken stew.”
In addition to brand-new kitchen and dining areas, Adobo also will feature a refreshed logo at its new location.
“Everything’s been awesome since we launched in 2017,” Jose said.
“We’ve continued to grow, but now we’re bursting at the seams. We have so many catering orders and are busy throughout the day. So, it was time to expand in a refreshed space. We originally thought about remodeling our existing location, but even if we made our original space perfect cosmetically, it wasn’t solving our major problem, which was we just needed more space. Our cooks are on top of each other, and the customers don’t have enough seating. So, we decided to take the leap and build this new space right next door.”
At Adobo’s new location, Online ordering will continue to be available, with an added delivery option.
Operating hours of 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily also will continue at the new location.
The Pinargotes are no strangers to the Lehigh Valley’s restaurant scene.
The couple partners with their friends, Anthony and Bridget Sherman, at Bun Busterz, an eatery specializing in gourmet hot dogs, in downtown Easton.
Additionally, Jose operates Pints & Pies neighborhood pubs in Wilson and Bethlehem with his friend, John Kehm.
For the latest Adobo Latin Kitchen updates, follow the business’ pages on Facebook and Instagram. Info: adobolatinkitchen.com.