BETHLEHEM, Pa. – A destination for Latin-fusion cuisine is nearing completion in downtown Bethlehem.

Birriaholic, a family-run eatery specializing in birria tacos, is planning to open its second Lehigh Valley location within a couple of months at 81 W. Broad St. in downtown Bethlehem.

“We are shooting for early December,” co-owner Lina Cardona said.

The space previously housed other restaurants, including Petra Mediterranean, True Blue Mediterranean, Cilantro Mexican Cuisine, Talavera Mexican Cuisine and, most recently, Coal Winery & Kitchen, a West African fusion restaurant.

Cardona and her partners — her husband, Christopher Peralta, and her brother and sister-in-law, Joel Almonte and Shayna Mora — are overhauling the space with new wall paint, lighting, countertops and other improvements.

The BYOB restaurant will feature a restored kitchen linking a full-service restaurant in the front with a fast-casual venue, Birriaholic Express, in the rear (accessible via the property’s corridor).

The dining room in the front is set to open first, with the fast-casual portion – serving up customizable burritos, rice bowls, salads and more – expected to open a few months later, Cardona said.

Birriaholic opened its original location in 2021 at 343 Hamilton St. in downtown Allentown. The business’ menu incorporates aspects of various Latin American cuisines, including Mexican and Dominican.

Customers can enjoy quesadillas, burritos, yaroa, guacamole with tostsones, “que lo que” chimis and customizable nacho, salad and rice bowls.

The main draw is the business’ namesake dish, birria tacos, featuring slow-cooked meat and other selections inside tortillas that have been immersed in a spiced broth.

Options include chicken, shrimp, jackfruit and the business’ most popular option, beef.

For more information, visit the restaurant’s Facebook and Instagram pages.