TATAMY, Pa. – A new pizzeria is slicing into the Lehigh Valley’s dining scene this weekend.
Hot Spot Pizza Shop, serving a variety of freshly prepared American and Italian dishes, will hold a grand opening at 11 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 1, at 200 Main St. in Tatamy.
The grand opening will include raffles, free popcorn and a $5 special featuring one plain slice of a pizza and a medium soda.
Additionally, a ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held at 11 a.m., and an appearance by local sidecar dog Riley.
Hot Spot Pizza Shop will occupy an updated property that previously housed other dining establishments.
The Tatamy space was the longtime home of Tony’s Pizzeria, which moved in 2022 to a larger location at 3417 Sullivan Trail in Forks Township.
From June 2022 to June 2023, the Main Street spot also housed Mersin on Main Mediterranean restaurant, and over the past couple of years, the space was home to Leo’s Pizza.
Hot Spot Pizza Shop is coming soon to 200 Main St. in Tatamy.
Hot Spot Pizza Shop
Hot Spot Pizza Shop will be operated by husband and wife Hector and Andrea Perez Cruz of Bangor and their partner, Alex Flores.
Hector has been cooking in restaurants for 16 years, while Alex has more than 15 years of pizza-making experience.
At Hot Spot, guests will be able to able to enjoy New York-style pizza in 12-, 14- and 16-inch sizes and with more than a dozen optional topping choices such as banana peppers, black olives, mushrooms and pepperoni.
There also will be specialty pizzas such as chicken bacon ranch, German, margherita, white ricotta, grandma’s (fresh mozzarella, basil and garlic) and supreme (pepperoni, sausage, olives, peppers, onions and mushrooms).
The restaurant, with seating for around 40 guests, also will offer appetizers such as fresh wings (with choice of sauce), garlic knots, pierogies and fried calamari; cold subs such as Italian, tuna, turkey and roast beef; and hot subs such as a hoagie cheesesteak, Buffalo chicken cheesesteak, vodka sauce chicken parm and sausage, pepper and onion.
All subs are available as wraps.
Two unique offerings will include a “Belly Buster Cheesesteak” featuring up to five toppings (cheese whiz, bacon, onion, peppers, sauce, mushrooms, lettuce, tomato, banana peppers, onion rings, mozzarella sticks and French fries) and “Krazy Fries” featuring up to three toppings (cheese whiz, bacon, steak, chicken, ranch, hot sauce and blue cheese).
Around 20 dinners (served with side salad and bread) will include cavatelli with broccoli, tortellini alfredo, chicken Marsala, chicken piccata, eggplant rollatini, frutti di mare and chicken or shrimp Francese.
Other menu highlights will include a wide array of salads, burgers and kids meals.
Fresh, homemade desserts and weekend lunch and dinner specials will regularly rotate, Andrea said.
Hot Spot Pizza Shop, which has tagline of “doughlightfully delicious,” will operate 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday.
Dine-in, takeout and delivery services will be available.
For the latest updates, follow Hot Spot Pizza Shop on Facebook.
