Taco Tek Mexican Grill plans to mark its first Pennsylvania restaurant with a grand-opening offer: free bowls for walk-in customers from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 19. The Bethlehem restaurant is at 3211 Schoenersville Road, inside the Schoenersville Centre shopping plaza.
The restaurant began serving customers during a soft opening in September, according to WFMZ.com. The Nov. 19 event will be the chain’s official debut in Pennsylvania.
The restaurant occupies an updated section of Schoenersville Centre that previously housed Moe’s Southwest Grill. The restaurant closed in spring 2026 after about 14 years, WFMZ reported. Other plaza businesses include Haaz’s, Saladworks, Starbucks and Manhattan Bagel.
What's on the Menu at the New Bethlehem Spot
The restaurant seats about 50 and offers takeout, delivery and catering. Its menu includes burritos and bowls, tacos, quesadillas, nachos, salads, crunch stacks and loaded fries, with customers able to build meals from a range of bases, proteins and toppings.
Choices include cilantro-lime, Mexican or brown rice; black or pinto beans; and sauces such as sweet mango verde, chipotle, habanero and cilantro. Sides include seasoned fries, fried cauliflower and chips with salsa, queso or guacamole. Desserts include dulce de leche or Oreo churros and tres leches cake.
Birria is a prominent part of the menu, including chicken or steak tacos, quesadillas and pies. The meats are braised in chili sauce and served in corn tortillas with consomé and pickled onions. Manager Jerry Patel told WFMZ that birria tacos are the restaurant’s top seller. He also said the meat is halal and the sauces are made in-house. A June report from Lehigh Valley Live described Taco Tek as a fully halal-certified fast-casual chain.
No Freezers, No Preservatives, Fresh Daily
The company says it prepares ingredients daily and makes its salsas in-house, and its online message says, “We don't do freezers and we don't do preservatives.” Taco Tek’s website describes its aim as serving Mexican dishes quickly without cutting corners.
The company has invited Bethlehem-area residents to visit the new restaurant and try its menu.
A Chain on the Move
Before opening in Bethlehem, Taco Tek had four New York City locations and one in Paterson, New Jersey, WFMZ reported. The chain is considering expansion in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Maryland, Virginia and Delaware. The Bethlehem team also hopes to open more Lehigh Valley restaurants, but no additional local sites had been finalized as of Nov. 2.
Halal dining in the Lehigh Valley
Taco Tek is not the only halal food business in Bethlehem. Lehigh Valley Press reported that Sizzling Bites opened May 13 and served about 900 free chicken platters at its June 2 ribbon cutting. That separate event provides local context, but does not establish a broader trend. The Muslim Association of Lehigh Valley says its community center serves the religious, educational and social needs of Muslims in Allentown, Bethlehem, Easton and surrounding areas. That description establishes the organization’s service area, not demand for any particular restaurant.
A June report on the Bethlehem project said a company representative hoped for a late-August opening. That schedule shifted: the restaurant began its soft opening in September, followed by the Nov. 19 grand-opening event. The free-bowl offer gives local diners a chance to try the new restaurant.
