BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Omelettes, sandwiches and other breakfast and lunch staples are returning to a familiar spot in Northampton County.
North Street Cafe, a full-service restaurant serving breakfast and lunch daily, will hold a soft opening at 11 a.m. Monday, March 2, at 46 W. North St. in Bethlehem, co-owner Rogelio Lazaro told 69 News.
Grand opening festivities are planned for Friday, March 6.
Lazaro is partnering with his brother, Rodrigo Lazaro, and his friend, Victor Morales, to run North Street Cafe, which will operate at the site of the former Darto’s breakfast and lunch eatery.
Darto’s closed in March 2025 after more than 40 years of business, and another restaurant, Bilal’s Breakfast & Sandwiches, featuring a unique blend of American and Turkish flavors, operated at the site for around seven months until its closure in December.
North Street Cafe will feature “from the griddle” selections such as buttermilk pancakes, stuffed French toast and Belgian waffles; omelettes such as such as mushroom, meat lovers (ham, bacon and sausage) and Mexican (pork, cheddar, pico de gallo and chipotle with hollandaise sauce, home fries and toast); and other breakfast dishes such as avocado toast, creamed chipped beef, huevos rancheros, Florentine eggs Benedict and 8-ounce ribeye steak with two eggs, home fries and toast.
Signature items will include Rico’s Combo (two eggs any style with choice of bacon, ham, sausage, scrapple, pork roll or turkey bacon; and home fries and two pancakes or French toast); Roy’s Signature Omelette (roasted peppers, onions, hash browns, cheddar cheese and scallions, served with toast); North Street Skillet (home fries, bacon, onions, peppers and eggs topped with melted cheddar cheese and pico de gallo); and house burger (6-ounce patty with gouda cheese, topped with bacon, apple and red onion house-made jam).
Customers also will be able to enjoy burgers (most served on brioche bun) such as a California, mushroom and Swiss and burger melt (griddled rye bread with Swiss cheese, mushrooms and onions); lunch wraps such as grilled or crispy chicken, turkey and Greek (gyro meat, lettuce, tomatoes, feta cheese and tzatziki sauce); and lunch sandwiches such as a BLT, Cubano, reuben and ham or turkey club.
Other menu highlights will include a wide array of breakfast sandwiches and wraps, quesadillas, salads and sides such as coleslaw and French fries.
The Lazaros each have more than 20 years of culinary experience, cooking primarily in the kitchens of other Lehigh Valley restaurants, and are excited to open their own dining establishment.
“We’ve been thinking about opening our own restaurant for a while,” Rogelio said.
“During the pandemic, things got put on hold, and then we kind of forgot about it. But everything happens for a reason, and this was the right time. We had the opportunity to open this restaurant a few months ago, and here we are!”
North Street Cafe will feature the same cozy interior that Darto’s customers knew for decades.
North Street Cafe
Wooden booths, green light fixtures and other longstanding pieces remain.
“We’re keeping it the same way that Darto’s was,” Rogelio said. “We know that Darto’s was there for so many years, and we’d like to honor that and keep the decorations that people remember.”
North Street Cafe will operate 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily. For the latest updates, follow the restaurant’s pages on Facebook and Instagram.