ALLENTOWN, Pa. - Potato lovers, rejoice! A new restaurant "specializing in all things spuds" – including baked potatoes, sweet potatoes, French fries, pierogies and tater tots that can be customized with a host of toppings – is now open in Lehigh County.
The Potato Factory, a fast-casual eatery offering a wide array of freshly prepared, customizable potato options, held a soft opening Tuesday at 921 Hamilton St. in downtown Allentown, owner Francisco “Macho” Velez said.
The restaurant, with seating for around 25 guests, occupies a renovated space that previously housed other dining establishments, including Island in the Sun and Culture Jam Jamaican restaurants.
Individuals place custom orders at The Potato Factory in a similar fashion to how customers order food at Chipotle Mexican Grill, Velez said.
But instead of picking ingredients for tacos, burritos and other Mexican dishes, they choose from a wide selection of toppings for baked potatoes, sweet potatoes, deep-fried pierogies, boardwalk French fries and tater tots.
Toppings include meats and seafood such as steak, shrimp, brisket, pulled pork, pulled chicken, turkey, chopped ham, chopped steak, hot dog, mini meatballs, chili, sloppy Joe, bacon and pepperoni; vegetables such as corn, onions, tomatoes, lettuce, spinach, banana peppers, green peppers, red peppers, jalapeno peppers and cauliflower; and other items such as mac and cheese, coleslaw, black olives, mushrooms, mozzarella cheese, liquid cheese and sour cream.
Customers also can choose from various sauces such as alfredo, barbecue, honey barbecue, A1, hot sauce, mild sauce, ranch, chimichurri, balsamic vinaigrette and spaghetti sauce.
Around two dozen signature loaded potatoes, starting at $8.25, include varieties such as broccoli cheddar cheese, chicken bacon ranch, loaded cajun shrimp (butter, seasoned cajun shrimp, potato sticks and chipotle sauce), pizza (butter, marinara sauce, mozzarella cheese and pepperoni), steak (butter, shredded cheese, steak strip, peppers, onions, mushrooms and A1 sauce) and original loaded (butter, cheese, sour cream, bacon and chives).
“We’ve got something for everyone – meat lovers, vegans, everyone,” Velez said.
“For example, vegans could get the spinach artichoke potato with no butter, and meat lovers could get the Philly cheesesteak potato. A lot of people are really loving our smoked turkey barbecue ends, and our sloppy Joe potato has also been a huge hit. Whatever you prefer, you’re getting a really great deal because all of our portions are huge.”
Build-your-own potatoes (regular baked potato, sweet potato, three fried pierogies, boardwalk fries or tater tots) start at $3.75-$4.50, and prices increase based on which meats and other toppings that you want.
To celebrate the restaurant’s opening, Velez is offering a promotion of free veggie toppings this week and next week.
The restaurant’s potatoes are primarily sourced from Pennsylvania, and each one weighs at least a pound, Velez said. Many customers could get two meals from one order.
“These potatoes are big, not like the little ones you get at most restaurants,” Velez said. “You’re likely to have leftovers when you come here.”
Velez is no stranger to the restaurant industry.
He previously operated the former Macho’s Sports Bar from 2018 to 2020 at 39 S. 9th St. in downtown Allentown.
After closing Macho’s amid the pandemic, he moved to Puerto Rico where he ran another sports bar – Famous Macho’s – for the past few years.
“I opened up a sports bar right across from the beach,” Velez said.
“I was enjoying life in Puerto Rico, coming back to the Lehigh Valley occasionally, and then someone from Brooklyn came and purchased the building off me. So, now I’m back in the Lehigh Valley with a whole new concept.”
Velez was inspired to open The Potato Factory after noticing similar build-your-own potato businesses proliferating in Puerto Rico and California, among other places.
As a fan of potatoes himself, Velez decided to open his own restaurant “specializing in all things spuds” in Allentown.
“There’s not many places in the Lehigh Valley where you can build your own potato with this many toppings,” Velez said.
“So, I really just wanted to open a new concept – a family-friendly place where you can enjoy a great, quick meal at an affordable price.”
The Potato Factory serves breakfast, lunch and early dinner, with operating hours of 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily, Velez said.
The restaurant may stay open later on select nights when there are concerts or sports games at PPL Center as well as other events at other nearby venues.
Other menu highlights include fish tacos; mini Mexican-style corn-on-the-cob; soups such as loaded potato and chicken noodle; appetizers such as chicken wings, empanadas, onion rings and bang bang shrimp; and sandwiches such as cheesesteaks, chicken cheesesteaks, California cheeseburgers and chicken parmesan sandwiches.
Breakfast selections such as egg sandwiches, pancakes and breakfast baked potatoes (with meat, cheese and any style egg) are available all day.
Customers can place orders at the counter or a self-service kiosk.
“Our breakfast options have also been very popular,” Velez said.
“Our breakfast sandwiches consist of a 6-inch hoagie roll with two eggs, cheese and your choice of meat – such as bacon, sausage, Vienna sausage, SPAM, Dominican salami, ham, cheesesteak meat and scrapple. The sandwich comes with tater tots and a cup of coffee all for $10.”
Velez, who also owns two Allentown pest control businesses - All Affordable Pest Control and Do It Yourself Pest Control, fully renovated the Hamilton Street space to include new lighting, counters, kitchen equipment and other improvements.
The dining room features refurbished hardwood flooring, artwork depicting cartoon potatoes and a variety of furniture, including booths and tables with chairs. Velez plans to add outdoor dining furniture in the coming weeks.
“I’m excited,” Velez said. “We’ve only been open two days, but we’ve already had a really great response from the community. Everyone - local residents, workers and business owners – are really loving what we’re offering.”
