El Jefe’s Taqueria in Bethlehem to reopen after fire

BETHLEHEM, Pa. — El Jefe’s Taqueria will reopen its South Side Bethlehem location Aug. 30, months after a fire forced the restaurant and other businesses in the Five 10 Flats apartment complex to close.

El Jefe’s will be open 8 a.m. to 3 a.m. daily, serving breakfast from 8 to 11 a.m. and lunch and dinner until closing.

“The fire in May was a difficult moment for our Bethlehem team and community, but the incredible outpouring of support we’ve received has been inspiring,” El Jefe’s owner John Schall said in a news release. “This reopening is more than just turning the lights back on — it’s a celebration of resilience, community and the love our customers have shown us. We can’t wait to serve Bethlehem again — morning, noon, late night, and everything in between.”

Schall thanked DoorDash for matching the restaurant’s $10,000 donation to a relief fund for residents displaced by the fire.

El Jefe’s was founded in 2015 in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and has expanded to multiple locations in Massachusetts, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Its menu features tacos, burritos, bowls and chimichangas.

El Jefe’s is the first business to reopen in the complex since the fire. Mr. Lee’s xNoodles, which operated next door, is expected to reopen in the coming weeks.

Future tenants include a Mediterranean restaurant in the former HandHeldz space, which closed last year, and a coffee shop.

Starbucks, which was also forced to close after the fire, has not confirmed whether it will return. The space has been gutted. Starbucks did not respond to multiple requests for comment.