Bites Nearby: Ray's Famous II Italian Restaurant and Pizzeria

Just down the road from the Palmer Park Mall, tucked between the and , is an Italian restaurant serving up more than just the average pizza.

, located at 2928 Old Nazareth Road in Palmer Township, has been in the business of serving up a large selection of gourmet pizzas for the past six years.

But there's much more than pizza on the menu.

Seven days a week, from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m., there's a full menu of classic-diner and country-style breakfast items.

“We serve everything like any diner would do,” according to manager Frank Kodza who started running the Old Nazareth Pike location after leaving Ray's Famous Pizzeria in Allentown -- the two locations are affiliated.

The breakfast menu is chock full of diner and country-classics like eggs, a variety of omelets (Western, mushroom, bacon, sausage, cheese steak and plain) and pancakes (banana, chocolate chip and blueberry), french toast, waffles, sausages, scrapple, ham and bacon. Prices range from as little as $1.95 for an egg sandwich to $10.95 for a steak and egg breakfast -- sides included.

Diners Jerry and Barbara Rinehart are regulars for breakfast. The couple travels from Belfast to eat at the restaurant every day except for Wednesdays.

“That’s when we go somewhere else,” Barbara chuckled. “We usually go and have lunch with our son on that day.”

Inside, the restaurant décor is somewhat modern with pendant lighting and lots of mauve vinyl-clad booths lining the windows on one side of the restaurant. There’s also a large screen plasma television mounted on the wall. In the center of the restaurant is the counter area and pizza ovens where take-out orders can be picked up or curious visitors can get a glimpse of pizzas being made.

For lunch and dinner, “classic Italian dishes” are served, according to Kodza.

“The best in Lehigh Valley,” Kodza added. “That’s what everyone says."

The buffalo chicken pizza is a fan favorite, but there are many other varieties made each day. Forget plain and pepperoni pizza, there’s broccoli, taco, chicken ranch, German and bacon pizzas. Prices for one of these pizzas starts around $10, but there are plenty of daily specials and coupons available on the restaurant's flier.

Wraps, hoagies, calzones, strombolis, cheesesteaks, seafood dishes and burgers of all sorts are also sold. Lunch and dinner is available from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Sodas and fountain drinks are available, but the restaurant is also BYOB.

And finally, there is free wi-fi and delivery available. Your order can be faxed or taken over the phone. All major credit cards are accepted.

For even more information on Ray’s Famous II Italian Restaurant and Pizzeria, visit www.rayspizza2.com.