The Melting Pot restaurant on Route 38 in Maple Shade is set to close after this weekend, with Istanbul Bay Premium Mediterranean Turkish Restaurant signed on to take over the space.
Opened in 2015, Melting Pot occupies a distinctive modern looking building not too far from the Moorestown Mall. The restaurant has decided not to renew its lease, bringing its run at the property to an end after approximately 11 years.
Over the weekend, 42Freeway heard from real estate agent Emre Yusel of Home Smart, who worked with Istanbul Bay to secure the property. He confirmed that Melting Pot was closing and that Istanbul Bay would be taking over.
Over the weekend the Melting Pot further confirmed their closing with a text-based TikTok post. (Thank you 42Freeway follower for tagging me)
While this is sad news for local fans of the fondue restaurant, it also brings an opportunity for a new Mediterranean and Turkish dining experience in South Jersey.
Melting Pot Maple Shade
Long before the recent wave of Korean “cool at your table” barbecue restaurants in the area, Melting Pot was offering its own interactive dining experience built around fondue.
The meal can include cheese fondue with bread, fruit and vegetables for dipping, an entrée course with food cooked at the table, and chocolate fondue for dessert. Dipping sauces accompany the entrée selections, adding another layer of flavor to the experience.
It’s been a while since I visited a Melting Pot, but I remember the experience being as much about spending time together over the meal as it was about the food itself.
For South Jersey customers willing to travel for their fondue fix, the company still lists restaurants in King of Prussia and Wilmington, Delaware. I also remember the former Center City Philadelphia location directly behind the Marriott hotel, which closed several years ago.
Istanbul Bay Premium Mediterranean Turkish Restaurant
The incoming Istanbul Bay Premium currently operates a restaurant on Route 9 in Englishtown, New Jersey.
The restaurant focuses on Mediterranean and Turkish cuisine, although a look through its offerings shows a menu that extends beyond those categories.
On its website, highlighted dishes include shepherd’s salad, mixed grill, chicken Alfredo, hummus with pastrami, smoked eggplant salad, branzino and baklava. That makes for a broad mix of salads, appetizers, grilled entrées, seafood, pasta and desserts.
The Englishtown restaurant also appears to have built a positive following. When I checked Yelp, it carried a 4.2 rating, and scrolling through the most recent reviews, I saw many four- and five-star assessments.
An opening timeline for Maple Shade has not been announced. I would expect some upgrades and remodeling as the building transitions from Melting Pot’s fondue setup to the new restaurant concept, but details on that work are not yet available.
Another detail I’m watching is the beverage service. The Englishtown restaurant operates as a BYOB, while Melting Pot’s Maple Shade location has a liquor license.
That raises the possibility of Istanbul Bay offering a full bar here, although I have not confirmed whether the liquor license is part of the incoming restaurant’s plans.
Links and Location
Address:
584 Rt 38 East
Maple Shade, NJ 08052
- Melting Pot Maple Shade Website (Last day October 25th)
- Istanbul Bay Premium Website (Coming Soon)
