Bell Hall has a lot going for it. First and foremost, its name references the Revolutionary War, when the Liberty Bell was hidden in the church-turned-museum next door. The space is roomy and lives up to its namesake, as it’s one big, long, hall-like structure that spans the entire block. Bell Hall is approachable and laid-back, with a universal American appeal, but not in the sports bar, cheap-beer-and-wings way. Instead, the concept here is gourmet burgers and craft beers—American style.
The expansive nature of the location in Downtown Allentown strongly informs the restaurant’s aesthetic. The décor is post-industrial chic—a look that comes naturally to these old renovated spaces in urban centers, with the requisite exposed HVAC and brick walls. The central design concept, though, like the menu, requires close attention. The walls are lined with whimsical vintage images that conjure the word bell; quite a few are downright subtle and many engage in some serious word play. Jeff Brown, who owns Bell Hall with his brother David, spent many hours of the wee morning sourcing images and working with their interior designer to find just the right mix. I won’t spoil too many of them, other than to say that apparently there’s a comic book heroine named Liberty Bell(e). Brown took me to his favorite—an image of a pig flying over a bell. “This is my favorite because my dad said to me, ‘You’ll own a restaurant when pigs fly,’” because, “restaurants are notoriously bad investments with low margins.” They carry lots of risk—most don’t make it a year. Well, pigs are flying and Brown couldn’t be more enthusiastic.
Just shy of its first birthday—Bell Hall will celebrate its one-year anniversary on October 15—Maggie Prorok, who handles the marketing and public relations for Bell Hall, says it’s been “surprising how quickly the downtown embraced us. We came into a tight market, and we were the last to hit.” She’s referring to the fact that The Hamilton Kitchen, The Dime, Roar, Centro and Grain all opened before Bell Hall did. But it’s easily differentiated; Bell Hall is the only burger-driven spot. The fact that they’re close to the PPL Center and serving something so universally appealing is by design. “We are wall-to-wall with hockey jerseys when the Phantoms are in town, and the staff does an amazing job” says Prorok. “But we have people who come in for lunch every other day, too.”
Bell Hall is able to appeal to the downtown workweek lunch crowd, the influx of retired folks Prorok is continuously surprised by, families (yes, there’s a kids’ menu) and everyone else in between. “That’s why we are priced the way we are. We want to appeal to a wide demographic,” says Brown. And that’s why you’ll also encounter pasta, entreés with salmon, a chicken sandwich and several salads, including one with quinoa, edamame and a sesame-ginger vinaigrette.
Bell Hall has that going for it—burgers range in price from $8 (for the black bean veggie) to $13 for the lamb, bison and Iron Pig burgers (with both bacon and prosciutto). All of them arrive with hand-cut fries—ask for some garlic, maple, chipotle or Old Bay aioli for dipping. These juicy and flavorful burgers are ground twice a day on site, a fact that enables Executive Chef Mike Honeywell (who was the closing chef at Shula’s in Allentown) to maintain strict control on the quality and to keep the grind mix and seasonings consistent. “We grind it a little bit bigger, so the burger is, well, meatier,” he says. Sounds funny, but what he means is that it’s just more substantive when you bite into it; it stays together better.
A burger is only as good as its roll, and this one, Honeywell says, is an all-natural product, which means it’s fermented with a real starter and not commercial yeast. A dark and shiny top speaks to its brioche-like egginess, but remains light. “It’s the perfect burger-to-bun ratio,” says Prorok. (That’s 8 ounces, in case you are one to inquire about size.) Everything is made fresh to order. “No product goes bad here. We are prepping every day; nothing lasts more than 48 hours around here; we are busy enough,” Brown says. “It’s labor intensive, for sure, but well worth it.”
Brown, whose background is in real estate development and investment banking, is a newbie when it comes to restaurant ownership. He splits his time between Allentown and New York City, is a self-professed “foodie” and spends more time in restaurants than the average person. He’s a food lover, through and through. Sometime in his 20s, he discovered a couple of things. First, the only way to eat good food consistently is to learn how to cook it. Plus, he learned that he really enjoyed being around “food and beverage people.” (Some of his friends are chefs.) It’s also clear, as he speaks, that he relishes putting together all these disparate parts—working with designers, contractors and so forth—to create one final product.
One of the surprises, he says, about opening Bell Hall is how “people intensive the business is.” He is referring not only to chatting with customers but also the employee side of it—servers, line cooks, chefs and beyond. He brought in executive chef Honeywell, a seasoned veteran with a military past who’s worked in New York, Philadelphia and the Lehigh Valley. Honeywell is a distinct (and affable) balance of chef and manager. “It is rare to find someone who can do that,” says Brown.
To his credit, Honeywell says throughout his career, he’s been “yelled at by celebrity chefs enough. I just don’t pass that on to the kitchen.” In fact, he runs a more gracious kitchen, relaying a story of how he typically calls previous chefs he’s worked with and asks their permission to re-use a dish, with his own tweaks.
“Mike is really a mentor. He brings a classical sensibility to the kitchen,” adds Prorok.
After spending 16 years in different types of kitchens, a chef becomes versatile. Honeywell has worked at brewpubs (Allentown Brew Works), steakhouses (Morton’s in King of Prussia in addition to Shula’s) and Pan-Asian spots, such as Nectar, in Berwyn. Honeywell says his experience with fine dining means he brings that approach to Bell Hall, setting high expectations for food and service.
Those expectations—of kitchens, consumers, the service staff and beyond—are a small but significant part of a very large picture. “Restaurants are a thousand details,” says Brown. Attending to all of those details every day, in a consistent manner, is an enormous challenge, especially given all the variables involved with running a restaurant—human, culinary and otherwise. You need to stay focused and on task, but flexible and open. “Bell Hall is a living thing. We will continue to evolve and change and improve,” he says.
Bell Hall
612 W. Hamilton St., Allentown | 610.437.1825 | bellhallallentown.com
Hours
Mon.-Thurs.: 11-1 a.m., Fri.-Sat.: 11-2 a.m., closed Sun.
Parking
Street and parking decks in downtown Allentown
Reservations
Walk-ins are always welcome and Bell Hall accepts reservations, except not on event nights. They’re recommended for larger groups.
Payment
Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, Cash
What to Order
There’s enough here to keep you coming back for repeat visits. The wonton nachos take an Asian concept to the popular bar food, and the flash-fried, honey-stung Brussels sprouts put a crispy twist on a formerly reviled veggie. Salted pretzels go with any one of the 20 beers on tap (Weyerbacher, HiJinx and Soles are regulars). As for burgers? Well, the Old Hickory is a classic, with a smoky barbecue sauce, cheddar and bacon, but the Phantom and Iron Pig are crowd pleasers too. Drinks? They’ve got you covered. Bell Hall has hurricanes and sangrias on tap. Don’t miss their popular Moscow Mule, with zippy Reading Ginger Beer, served in a burnished pewter mug. Save room for dessert, because there’s a milkshake with your name on it. What’s a burger place without a milkshake?
Specials
Milkshake special rotates every two weeks along with other menu items. Happy Hour: Mon.-Fri. from 4:30-7 p.m.; live music on the weekends.
