Bolete is located at 1740 Seidersville Road, Bethlehem. A former stagecoach inn, the restaurant has won numerous accolades for its farm-to-table cuisine prepared under the direction of chef-owner Lee Chizmar. Chizmar and Erin Shea–his wife and co-owner of the restaurant–recently announced the reopening of their inside dining area as a supper club on Feb. 17.
It’s been almost two years since Bolete–a Salisbury Township restaurant renowned for its innovative farm-to-table menu–was open for indoor dining, but that is about to change.
Starting Thursday the restaurant will begin a new chapter in its storied existence; a chapter owners Erin Shea and Lee Chizmar say was forged during the dark days of the pandemic.
“We are not the same, the world we live in is not the same and we are looking forward to showing you who Bolete is now,” they said in announcement to patrons last month. “This is not only in some exciting changes to the space, but also (in) how we look to serve you.”
The big change Shea and Chizmar announced is the launch of the Bolete Supper Club.
For those who may be new to the concept of a supper club, the couple said they have traditionally been located in rural restaurants that function as community spaces; places “where people could meet, share a cocktail, a meal and an evening of connection.”
“This is how we always envisioned Bolete–a place where people were able to stop the noise of the outside world for a while and enjoy time with friends, family and us,” they said. “After this past two years we think this is more important than ever.”
“We look forward to hosting you and creating a respite from the outside world in what we still consider our home,” Shea and Chizmar added. “We see this as a way to return to days of past when things were simpler and help us move forward.”
How will the supper club work?
Bolete will be open for reservations on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays in six-week increments, the first of which begins this Thursday, Feb. 17.* Each night it is open, the restaurant will host two seatings of 30 people each: one at 5:30 and the other at 8 p.m.
Each six-week supper club period has a preset menu available for $85 per person, plus tax, alcoholic beverages and gratuity. Tickets can be purchased on the restaurant’s website and are refundable up to 48 hours in advance of a reservation.
Items included on the inaugural supper club menu include Lee’s Local Supper Club Crudite; a Steak Tartare; a Rustic Mushroom Tart; the Perfect Bite of Cheese; and Amy’s Vintage “Pink Squirrel” Mousse Cake. Supplements to the menu that are available for an upcharge include East Beach Blonde oysters and Siberian or Ossetra sturgeon caviar.
For those who may be more comfortable dining outdoors, limited bungalow seating is available and can be requested at the time of supper club ticket purchases.
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Shea and Chizmar said Bolete’s tavern dining area will reopen Feb. 24 with its own menu that will be available for walk-in guests who don’t want the full supper club experience.
Judging from the number of sold-out supper club evenings so far, however, many local foodies want exactly that.
*As of Monday, only 10 of the inaugural 36 Bolete Supper Club dates were not yet sold out, and the first available evening was Thursday, March 3.
To learn more, visit BoleteRestaurant.com.
