Bangor and Mount Bethel
BY TIM VETTER | PHOTOS BY HELEN HO
THE TOWNS OF BANGOR AND MOUNT BETHEL are nestled into the northernmost region of Northampton County, situated between Stroudsburg and Easton. The food and drink offerings in this picturesque agricultural region, part of the Slate Belt, are necessarily and happily supported by those who live here.
When the main artery of Route 611 was closed for road work recently, businesses more heavily relied on the local community and vice versa. Residents are no strangers to hard times. They have historically pulled together during catastrophic events like Superstorm Sandy and the Covid pandemic, when farms continued to provide food for local residents and patrons kept businesses afloat through no-contact purchases. Vineyards have long found the soil hospitable here—Franklin Hill, arguably the most well-known, dates to 1982 and has won countless awards for its wines.
But anyone winding through the back roads through beautiful green farmland, down the small-town main streets and past the herds of deer gathering by the roadside at dusk, have been rewarded with phenomenal food and drink. There’s no fanfare or bells and whistles; you’re not likely to find a whole lot of tourism directed here. As lovers of food, farms and community, we’re kind of OK with that. (And we kind of realize the inherent irony in sharing a community with you that is just a normal albeit pretty place where people live and work and not an obvious destination.)
Because the nature of a drive through this region is leisurely and residential, our road trip reflects just a small glance at what you might find. There are always more discoveries. Take a slow drive. Expect detours and serendipity.
8AM
FRANK’S DELI & FARM MARKET
A trip to Mount Bethel has to start at Frank’s Deli & Farm Market with some stick-to-your-ribs breakfast comfort food. Owned by local residents Michelle and Brad Kinney, Frank’s Deli & Farm Market serves omelets, pancakes and egg platters, but their specialty is breakfast sandwiches, which are salty, gooey and delicious. Frank’s is a mainstay during the weekday morning work rush and lunchtime, but on weekends, hungry patrons come at all hours. Frank’s will also draw travelers on their way to the wineries in late spring and summer—and in autumn, when the out-of-town crowds flock to the area to watch the leaves change color. You can also find some items from local farms such as milk, honey, eggs and some veggies.
10AM
THE MARKET AT JOHNSONVILLE FARM AND GARDEN
“You want some food?”
It’s a common greeting from Aline Haddad as she bounces between the interior and exterior of the market, while ladling homemade chicken noodle soup into bowl for hungry customers. The business began as Johnsonville Farm and Garden, which still prospers directly across Johnsonville Road as it supplies local farmers and producers with all of their needs. The market, which was a gas station in its former life, is where locals and regulars fill their bellies and shopping bags.
The small but mighty grocery, founded by Haddad and run by four women, is a one-stop shop, with everything from raw dairy to locally grown and dried herbs and spices. Depending on when you travel, you may be able to sample local cheeses, the latest local produce or, in the fall, apple cider freshly pressed on-site. But because it’s rural and miles away from a grocery store, you’ll find everything from toilet paper and cereal to Soom Tahini and grass-fed beef.
The market’s magic comes from Haddad, who rarely advertises, often barters for wares from local producers and provides Mount Bethel with a market where all can find what they need. “Community is the reason for doing this,” she proudly explains.
NOON
MOUNT BETHEL FARMS
Mount Bethel Farms is a fully operational farm, with over 200 animals, including ducks, goats, turkeys sold around Thanksgiving, and even emus. The farm prides itself on its pesticide- and herbicide-free farming practices. Vegetables such as corn, pumpkins, peppers and potatoes are available in season. They sell cuts of meat as well as whole cattle, pigs, emu, goats, ducks, eggs, honey and a variety of wines including Merlot, apple wine, plum wine, and even pawpaw wine. Mount Bethel also ferments its own mead and melomel, a type of mead combined with fruit. The historic property was left untended until Steve and Jaimie Ortiz began to repurpose it in 2020. The farm, however, traces its history to the 1800s, when it was home to a bank barn. Their growing alcohol business began as a way to add value to the farming business. It’s paying off; the offerings of fruit wines and honey-based drinks are growing quickly.
2PM
RICHMOND FARM AND BREWERY
This former barn-turned brewery is another example of ingenuity in a region where many older structures have been given new life. The brewery boasts a gorgeous taproom with a custom-built walnut bar top and a curved wooden roof that mimics the inside of a cask. With plenty of seating outdoors for the warmer months, live music on weekends and a beer list that changes to include seasonal offerings, Richmond Farm and Brewery is a must-stop all year long. The atmosphere is warm and inviting, whether you are a family with hungry kids, a couple on a date night or a solo craft beer lover sampling your way along Pennsylvania’s beer trails. Leashed four-legged guests are allowed in the outdoor picnic area.
Start with a flight so you can sample a variety of Richmond Brewery’s options. Make sure you include the Dill Pickle Ale, brewed with pale malt and pickle brine. It’s a salty, somewhat spicy and altogether unique beer. The business is well-known for its food as well. Sandwiches and burgers are the go-to for regulars, and the French fries smothered with homemade beer bacon jam are an ideal snack to accompany a cold pint.
4PM
HARDBALL CIDER
Stop here for a portal into summer, no matter the season of your visit. You would be forgiven for thinking this is one giant family picnic. Families gather on the rolling green lawn at on weekends to listen to live music, play games and drink the ciders on offer. And if you’re thirsty, you came to the right place.
At this fifth-generation orchard, fruit is pressed on site and turned into crisp, delicious ciders. Hardball Cider was founded by Geoffrey Todd Deen, whose grandfather, Herbert Deen, married Doris Mack. When that happened, he entered into a family that had been farming since 1860. While fruit has been turned into cider for many years, it was Geoffrey Deen who experimented with fermentation using a home brew kit. Geoffrey is an avid baseball lover, having played for Bangor High School and Monrovia College. So he chose baseball-themed cider names: Their popular Curveball has a traditional cider taste that is sweet, fizzy, and refreshing. The perennial favorite cider is White Wash, a sweet, fizzy white peach cider that will make prosecco drinkers very happy. The scenery is especially picturesque at sunset when light glimmers off the pond’s surface. Come sip a refreshing cider in the early evening before heading to dinner.
6PM
MOUNT BETHEL DINER
This place has a classic East Coast diner feel, with an all-day breakfast menu, steak and seafood options, and a fantastic burger. You might see some familiar faces, others you’ve encountered earlier in the day. For anyone who has moved away from a small town to a big city, take heed. Mount Bethel Diner will scratch the itch of nostalgia you might be feeling. Remember those late nights drinking endless cups of coffee in a corner booth with friends?
There’s plenty of small-town charm in the Slate Belt, and the ingenuity of local businesses and fantastic food and drink are sure to lure visitors from near and far.
