The GoggleWorks Center of the Arts has been a community hub since it opened more than 20 years ago. But it’s been missing something since 2019. That’s when the Belly Kitchen & Drinkery, the last restaurant to operate inside the center, closed its doors.
A new restaurant was announced in August of 2022 as part of a mult-year expansion project. In April 2026, nearly four years later, Thorn Alley Kitchen finally made its debut.
On a Friday afternoon in late May, Julie and I took a lunch date into the city to try Thorn Alley for the first time. We arrived a little after 11 a.m. and headed through the main entrance of the art center. Straight ahead is the GoggleWorks store and the Boscov Theater. To the left, a short hallway opens up into the restaurant.
While we stood at the order counter and looked over the menu, we watched as the two people seated at the bar got their burgers. Only one other table was in use, a single remote worker sat at one of the two-seaters in the expansive indoor space.
After ordering, we headed outside to the namesake “Thorn Alley” where tables were spread out between the two largest buildings on the Goggleworks campus. Umbrellas covered many of the tables, but the ex-factory buildings blocked a lot of the sun already.
We were the only ones outside, though a few groups passed through the seating area to head inside as we waited.
The food arrived after about 20 minutes. I had heard good things about Thorn Alley’s Korean fried chicken, but I didn’t think I could handle the full five-piece chicken meal at lunch. Instead, I ordered the chicken nugget version of the dish.
Both the dinner and the nugget version feature chicken marinated in soy and ginger and battered in rice flour. (The use of rice flour makes it gluten free). It’s served with four bottles of sauce: honey mustard, yuzu black pepper, sweet gochujang, and hot honey.
The presentation – with the chicken literally served on a pedestal – was top-notch, and the flavors were delicious. The chicken, itself, was very good. You could taste a little soy and ginger in every bite, and the breading was light and airy.
And I really enjoyed the sauces – the gochujang was the closest to a true BBQ sauce with a sweet and hot combination. The hot honey had similar notes while the yuzu black pepper brought a little more heat to the dish.
The only disappointment was the portion size – the five nuggets were one- and two-bite. They were gone quickly and not filling. Delicious? Yes. But I would have liked one or two more for the money.
Everything is ala carte at Thorn Alley so we also ordered a side of fries to share. The fries are listed as russet potatoes, twice-fried. These are essentially the same fries they serve at Cafe Sweet Street (whose owner is the board chair at the Goggleworks), and Sweet Street has some of our favorite fries around. These were just as good, just served in a smaller portion than we expected.
Julie ordered the pork belly tacos, a dish that immediately caught her eye. The tacos featured corn tortillas topped with pork belly stir-fried with carrots and scallions, topped with shredded cabbage and pineapple salsa.
Just like everything else, the tacos were delicious. The pork belly was perfect, a savory treat . There were also brief hints of sweet and sour from the salsa. Most places we visit will double-up on the corn tortillas, but Thorn Alley used one per taco, and the tacos held together. Most local spots also give three tacos to an order, but Thorn Alley serves them in orders of two.
In addition to our food, Julie ordered a lemonade, and I ordered an iced tea that was more ice than tea. With the drinks, it brought our total to $38.
We have paid more than $20 per person at other places in Berks County, but the portion sizes left us wanting more: one or two more nuggets, another taco, a few more fries.
I’m sure Thorn Alley Kitchen will continue to change and adapt – it’s only been a month since they opened – and we’ll be watching to see what changes come before we head back.
BCE Rating
Food: Very Good
Ambiance: Excellent
Service: Good
Price: $$$
Thorn Alley Kitchen
GoggleWorks Center for the Arts
201 Washington Street
Reading, PA 19601
