UPPER NAZARETH TWP., Pa. – A popular Lehigh County pub, serving up pizzas, pints of beer and plenty of entertainment, is looking to replicate its successful concept in Northampton County.
The Catty Corner Neighborhood Pub & Pie, at 301 Mulberry St. in Catasauqua, is aiming to open a second location in early October at 394 N. Broad St. Ext. in Upper Nazareth Township.
The building was the home of the former Mivajo’s Pizzeria & Restaurant for about 20 years before rebranding to Stonewood Tavern in 2019.
Most recently, it housed the former Sean Gall’s Dublin Pub & Grill, which closed in 2021 after about a year of business.
The Catty Corner’s owners, father and son Jay and Tyler Cimerol, bought the Catasauqua restaurant and bar in September 2018 and reopened it with a new look, menu and slightly different name – adding “Neighborhood Pub & Pie” at the end – in November of that year.
Jay, who lives in Catasauqua, and Tyler, who lives in Upper Nazareth, were attracted to the Northampton County site for several reasons. They plan to name their newest location either “Catty Corner Neighborhood Pub & Pie of Nazareth” or “Catty Corner Neighborhood Pub & Pie of Nazzy.”
“We’re very excited to be expanding in Nazareth because just like Catasauqua, Nazareth is a really nice, tight-knit community that fits in well with our concept,” Jay said. “Nazareth also is beautiful, has a great school district and is home to Martin Guitar, which would be our next-door neighbor.”
“There are other pizza places in the Nazareth area, but everybody’s is different, including ours. We’re going to be coming in with a lot of unique food.”
The Cimerols plan to close on the Upper Nazareth property on June 30, Jay said.
They then plan to start cleanout of the space before taking a break and temporarily closing their Catasauqua pub the week of July 10 for vacation.
“We’re taking one week off to relax with the family, but as soon as we get back, it’s full steam ahead in Nazareth,” Jay said.
Planned renovations at the Upper Nazareth building include new flooring, lighting, furniture and kitchen equipment, including a new Roto-Flex pizza oven that can cook up to 24 pies at the same time.
A bar on the main floor is going to be moved to the opposite side of the room and reconfigured into a U shape, Jay said. An additional bar is set to be constructed on the building’s lower level, which will be utilized for overflow dining and private event space for bridal showers, birthday parties, sports gatherings and other special occasions.
“We’re not gutting the space, but we’re planning a pretty extensive overhaul,” Jay said. “Starting off, we’re going to do a facelift outside where we’re going to get rid of the green brick. We haven’t figured out exactly what we’re going to do yet, but it will probably be a nice stone facade.”
The Catty Corner, which bills itself as “not your typical neighborhood corner pub,” is known for its more than two dozen specialty pizzas, featuring hand-tossed dough made daily.
Popular varieties include pickle, pierogie, chicken carbonara and “Catty Mac” (fresh seasoned burger meat, pickles, onions, lettuce, cheddar cheese and 1,000 Island dressing). Twelve- and 16-inch sizes ($14.95 and $21.95 respectively) are available along with 10-inch, gluten-friendly pies ($11.95).
Customers also can build their own 12-, 16- or 20-inch pizza by choosing from around two dozen toppings, including bacon, grilled chicken, hot peppers, mushrooms, pineapple and sausage.
The same menu will be offered in Nazareth, with other staples including calzones, strombolis, burgers and chicken wings.
“We’re in the process right now of tweaking the menu, but whatever changes are made, they will be reflected on the same menu at both locations,” Jay said. “We’re going to add to the Mexican part of the menu, and we’re also going to be adding two or three more burgers along with two or three more sandwiches as well. We’ve been testing certain items’ popularity by asking for customers’ opinions on our Facebook page.”
Other menu highlights include appetizers such as mac-n-cheese bites, Old Bay shrimp and Inner Harbor fries (fries topped with crab meat and house-made hollandaise sauce); sandwiches such as chicken parm, cheesesteaks and the Catty Corner Cuban; Mexican dishes such as tacos, quesadillas and nachos; and char-broiled burgers such as the “Iron Works” (sauteed onions, bacon, pepper jack cheese, jalapeno peppers and barbecue sauce) and “Rough Rider” (bacon, hot sauce, pepper jack cheese and onion rings).
“We sell a ton of wings – both bone-in and boneless, available in roughly a dozen house-made wing sauces,” Jay said. “We actually make a ton of items from scratch, including our mozzarella sticks and rice balls, and we only intend to expand this practice over in Nazareth. With three times the amount of kitchen space over there, we also plan to expand the catering aspect of our business.”
The Catty Corner’s new location will feature two full bars – one on each level and each featuring 12 taps, along with an array of entertainment options that includes a jukebox, sports viewing on TVs and drop-down big screens and various live events.
“All of the activities that are offered in Catasauqua will be offered in Nazareth,” Jay said. “We do trivia, music bingo and karaoke. Once a month, we also host bingo to benefit a local nonprofit group, which we plan to do in Nazareth as well.”
The Cimerols aren’t exactly sure what the hours will be at the Upper Nazareth location, but they are thinking of operating the pub 11 a.m. to midnight most days.
The Catasauqua pub stays open until 2 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, but that probably won’t be the case at the new location, Jay said.
“We’re very grateful to the Catasasuqua community for its strong support, and we can’t wait to form a close relationship with the Nazareth community as well,” Jay said. “My son’s fiance’s family is from Nazareth, and my mom and my sister live in Nazareth. So, we’re familiar with the area and have ties to it.”
For the latest Catty Corner news, follow the business’ Facebook and Instagram pages. Info: 610-443-2284.
Lehigh County news
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