Palmer Park Mall welcoming 2 restaurants, retro arcade | Eat, Sip, Shop

PALMER TWP., Pa. – New dining and entertainment options are breathing new life into a prominent shopping mall in Northampton County.

Palmer Park Mall, at Nazareth Road and Park Avenue in Palmer Township, on Sunday welcomed a new full-service restaurant, Aroma Authentic Indian Cuisine.

In the coming weeks, two other businesses – Wrap’d Tight 2.0 Fully Loaded and Back to the Arcade II – are set to join the Palmer Park Mall’s roster.

Aroma Authentic Indian Cuisine

Aroma Authentic Indian Cuisine, offering Indian, Chinese and Pakistani specialties, opened Sunday, co-owner Yasdeep Singh said.

The space previously housed The New Ranchito, a former restaurant offering Mexican and Puerto Rican dishes.

Singh is operating Aroma with his wife, Harsharan Kaur.

Customers can enjoy starters such as chicken and vegetable samosas, soups such as corn and manchow, breads such as garlic and butter naan and popular entrees such as chicken tikka masala, kadai chicken, goat curry, goat korma, lamb chops, saag lamb, fish pakora and tandoori shrimp.

Other menu highlights include biryani selections such as chicken, goat and lamb; karahi options such as chicken, goat and shrimp; South Indian dishes such as cheese dosa, onion chili dosa and pav bhaji; and Indo Chinese dishes such as hakka noodles, vegetable fried rice and gobi Manchurian with gravy.

All dishes are halal.

“These are not just meals, they’re experiences, transporting you straight to the bustling streets and serene landscapes of India,” a message on the business’ website reads.

Aroma, with seating for approximately 90 guests, also offers a variety of gyros, burgers and desserts such as gulab jamun, malai kulfi and ice cream.

Hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.

Wrap’d Tight 2.0 Fully Loaded

Wrap’d Tight 2.0 Fully Loaded is expected to open in about two weeks, chef and owner Heather Griffith said.

The fast-casual restaurant, with seating for around 20 customers, will fill a renovated space that was previously home to a Subway eatery.

Wrap’d Tight was established in 2005 on Bethlehem’s South Side, originally operating at the Five Points intersection before moving to a now-demolished building at South New and Third streets in Bethlehem and then moving again to its current location at 2027 Willow Park Road in Bethlehem Township.

The business offers catering, delivery and pick-up services from its Willow Park Road location, and Griffith also hosts events for up to 60 people at a catering hall in the same shopping plaza.

In addition to preparing for Wrap’d Tight’s new location at the Palmer Park Mall, Griffith also is bringing the business’ new mobile food trailer to local events as well as breweries and other venues.

The trailer is making appearances at festivals and other public events, and it can also be rented for private functions such as birthday parties, graduation parties and corporate gatherings.

“We’re super excited to be expanding operations with our food truck and also our new location at the Palmer Park Mall,” Griffith said. “We’re going to be tapping into a whole new audience in the Easton area, and we’re super pumped and grateful for the opportunity.”

Wrap’d Tight is known for its gourmet wraps, salads and loaded baked potatoes.

Customers can enjoy original wraps such as BLT, tuna salad, turkey bacon cheddar and ham Swiss veggie, along with specialty wraps such as chicken Caesar, chicken spinach feta (fresh spinach, red onion, seasoned crumbled feta cheese, sauteed chicken breast and balsamic vinegar), chef salad (crisp green lettuce, turkey, ham, Swiss and American cheeses, red onion, boiled egg, lightly crumbled croutons and zesty ranch dressing) and bacon cheeseburger deluxe (seasoned hamburger strips, melted cheddar cheese, bacon, lettuce, tomato, red onion, pickles, ketchup and tomato bacon sauce).

Customer favorites include the “Hunny on Honey” wrap (lettuce, honey turkey, honey ham, onions, sweet peppers and honey mustard) and “The KRIT” wrap (seasoned chicken, avocado, tomato, red onion, mixed greens and garden vegetable sauce).

Wrap Grillers,” wraps that are toasted on the grill, include options like chicken fajita, chicken cordon bleu, meatball parmesan and “Monte Crisp Griller” (ham, Swiss, turkey, mayonnaise and mustard, dipped in batter, grilled and lightly dusted with powdered sugar with jam on the side).

“We do hot wraps, cold wraps and even lettuce wraps for our gluten-free customers,” Griffith said. “We have items for everyone, including vegans. We take care of everybody.”

By just reading the business’ name, most people wouldn’t know that one of Wrap’d Tight’s most popular selections is its wide array of overstuffed baked potatoes.

Around a dozen baked potato varieties include a “Steak ‘n Potato” (slow-cooked sliced steak with sauteed onion gravy) and “Southwest Chicken” (chicken, black bean corn salsa and cheese).

Top-sellers include the “All or Nothing” (butter, sour cream, chives, crumbled bacon, melted cheddar cheese, broccoli, chili and chicken) and “Hot Potato” (Buffalo chicken, cheese and hot peppers).

“We can’t wait to bring all of our favorites to our new mall location,” Griffith said. “This is a great next step for us, and we’re very much looking forward to expanding our reach and meeting new friends. Everyone’s been super nice and giving us a warm welcome before we’ve even opened up.”

Back to the Arcade II

Back to the Arcade, a popular arcade featuring more than 70 retro and modern arcade games, is planning to open a second location by early November at the Palmer Park Mall, owner Mark Paden said.

Back to the Arcade has operated at the South Mall since November 2021, and before that, Paden ran the business out of the now-closed Merchants Square Mall in Allentown.

The South Mall location will continue to operate as normal, Paden said.

“I’m really excited,” Paden said. “The Palmer Park Mall is beautiful, and I’m excited to create another great spot for people of all ages to have fun.”

“Back to the Arcade has a great following and is very family friendly,” Saavedra added. “I think it’s going to be a wonderful addition to the Palmer Park community.”

Back to the Arcade’s new Palmer Park Mall location, which Paden hopes to open on Nov. 7, will operate near Spin Me Round record store.

Paden estimates that the new location will have between 30 and 40 arcade machines to start before growing to include several more in the months following its debut.

At the South Mall location, guests can play classic 1980s upright cabinet games like Burger Time, Donkey Kong, Double Dragon and Galaga.

There is also a wide variety of other types of games, including air hockey, Skee-Ball, Super Chexx bubble hockey, immersive shooting games such as “Jurassic Park” and Big Buck HD Wild and claw machines where you can move a metal claw for a chance to win prizes.

More than a dozen pinball machines include classic selections such as Jaws, The Munsters and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, along with selections modeled after new pop culture favorites such as Stranger Things and The Mandalorian.

No quarters or tokens are needed to play the games.

Guests pay one price for all-day play. The cost is $20 for adults, $15 for ages 18 and under and $10 for veterans and ages 60 and older.

“When I designed the arcade, my goal was to offer something for everyone in every age group,” Paden said.

“So, we have a lot of retro games and pinball machines, and we also have some newer games as well. It’s a beautiful sight when younger kids are playing the older games. It’s almost like they’re excited to step back in time.”

As is the case at the South Mall arcade, the new Palmer Park Mall arcade will feature brightly colored walls, black lights and television and film memorabilia, Paden said.

There will be a direct entrance from the mall’s parking lot, and the arcade may stay open past regular mall hours, Paden said.

Originally, the arcade will occupy one Palmer Park Mall space, but Paden said he eventually plans to add a connection to an adjacent unit.

“I’m only going to build in one of the spaces first, and when I get done with the first one, we’re going to put a hole through the wall, which will be like a time portal,” Paden explained.

“You’re going to walk into the next room, and that’s going to be a place where you’re really going to go back in time. It’s going to be wild. I’m not doing both at the same time because it would be too much work and I won’t have enough machines at first.”

Paden said he is excited to expand his vision for family fun at the Palmer Park Mall.

Like the South Mall location, the new location also will host birthday parties and other private events, including bachelor parties, Boy Scout events and sports team celebrations, Paden said.

“It’s a business, but I don’t do it for the money,” said Paden. “I only charge $15 and $20 for people to have fun all day, and I donate a lot of the money to no-kill shelters and various charities.”

Changing roster

Back to the Arcade II, Wrap’d Tight 2.0 Fully Loaded and Aroma Authentic Indian Cuisine are joining a growing roster of businesses at the Palmer Park Mall.

Blue Flame Events, known for organizing festivals, vendor events and other functions throughout the Lehigh Valley and Poconos, in early April opened its first brick-and-mortar store – featuring items from more than 100 local crafters and small business owners.

Shoppers can browse a wide array of hand-crafted items, including home decor, children’s toys and fashion accessories such as jewelry and handbags.

The store also features selections from Blue Flame Events co-owners Timothy and Kimberly Stockers’ own business, Candleman Creations, such as all-natural soy candles, wax melts and bath and body products such as soaps, moisturizers and beard care products.

Also opening at the mall in April was Lehigh Valley Fashion Week Shops, an extension of the biannual Lehigh Valley Fashion Week event.

Cyrie Jackson-Robinson founded Lehigh Valley Fashion Week in 2014 with a goal of spotlighting the creative work of local fashion designers and models.

The new store carries the latest fashions as shown in various Lehigh Valley Fashion Week runway shows, along with a rotating selection of pieces from top designers based in New York and other prominent cities throughout the world.

Individuals can browse seasonal men’s, women’s and children’s fashions, including dresses, pants, shorts, shirts, sweaters and outerwear. A mix of formal wear and casual wear are featured, along with shoes and accessories.

Another new addition is Santalexa & Fitness Love, offering hair care products and services, eyelashes and more, which opened in mid-March at the eastern end of the mall, near Boscov’s.

Shoppers can browse 100% human hair extensions and wigs, eyelashes, laminated eyebrows and hair care and weight loss products.

Santalexa is owned and operated by Santa Martinez, an entrepreneur who expanded her brand to include educational training in 2022.

Martinez educates women looking to acquire knowledge about hair extensions by teaching different techniques.

Santalexa offers high-quality, natural hair extensions and various hair vitamins, containing ingredients such as Morrocan oil, jojoba oil, camellia seed oil, aloe vera and Vitamins A, C, E and B5.

Other Santalexa items include a professional hair iron, electric comb with diamond handle and brush with pink diamond accents.

In addition to these most recent additions, businesses opening at the mall over the past year include: Asante Art Gallery, showcasing a variety of African artwork; and Hocca Bubble Tea, specializing in freshly prepared bubble tea and bubble waffles.

Additionally, Cloud City, which buys, sells and trades games, comics, toys and collectibles, moved in summer 2023 from its two-year-old location at the western end of the mall (near Decor Home Furniture & Mattresses) to a larger location at the eastern end of the mall (near Boscov’s).

American Eagle Outfitters, a popular clothing chain, closed its Palmer Park Mall store in January; Day 2 Night Style, a business offering women’s clothing, shoes and accessories, closed its store in February as it transitioned to a primarily online enterprise; Milford Furniture, selling a wide variety of household furnishings, closed its Palmer Park Mall store in March; and The Arcade Era, offering retro and modern arcade games, closed its Palmer Park Mall location in the summer, but it is continuing to operate a location at the Stroud Mall in Stroud Township.

The mall now features three vacancies – the spaces that previously housed American Eagle, Milford Furniture and The Arcade Era, according to Karla Saavedra, the mall’s general manager.

The mall is open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays.