The ever-growing downtown Allentown dining scene is truly mind-blowing. The promise of the PPL Center on 7th and Hamilton, along with business relocations, has brought with it the hope of housing, retail, and restaurant redevelopment. It still has a long way to go but every time we visit a new downtown eatery, we are amazed at the plethora of choices on Hamilton Street tha… »
Porters’ Pub has been a cornerstone of Easton’s dining scene for 25 years and remains a go-to eatery for those seeking a dose of comfort food, great beer and spirits with friendly service as an added plus. It truly is a place where everyone seems to know your name; but if they don’t, they will before you leave. Tom and I stopped in for lunch after shopping downtown … »
Anyone looking for a friendly neighborhood pub “Where Good Friends and Good Food Meet” will not be disappointed in the Alburtis Tavern and Lodge. The railroad that brought business and prosperity to the sleepy town of Alburtis in the early 1900s runs across the street reminding diners that where they now sit was once home to The American House. Unfortunately, that original… »
My daughter Katie is a big fan of Mojito Cuba Caribe in New Hope so I was very happy to have the opportunity to review Mojito’s sister restaurant, Casa Toro Mexican Grill. Located just four miles south on Route 309 from its junction with Route 78, Casa Toro is tucked into a corner of the Fairmont Village Shopping Center in Coopersburg. Be careful – if you blink your eye, y… »
Across from the Courthouse in Downtown Easton sits a magical spot called Black and Blue. Co-owners Kelly-Jo Ditze (formerly of Which Brew fame) and Larry Porter (Porters’ Pub) have created an atmosphere at Black and Blue that is both creative and off-beat yet inviting in a crazy, whimsical sorta way. We arrived early on a Saturday and took a table in the dining room … »
I am not usually a fan of sports bars. However, over the years, I have stopped by the Copperhead Grille on Airport Road many times. This is a convenient location with an eclectic menu and an interesting Lehigh Valley history to boot. This is NOT a sports bar chain but a family-owned and operated brand with two locations. Tom and I stopped in early on a Wednesday evening an… »
Some friends and I chose Roar Social House for our recent Girl’s Night Out and we had a blast. Roar is an attractive, welcoming restaurant and a unique addition to the burgeoning downtown Allentown dining scene. We sat at the bar for drinks where Danny, bartender extraordinaire, not only mixed up a wonderful Cosmo for me but a very dry Svedka Martini for Sandi and a Heming… »
Tom and I hadn’t been to Kingfish in a while so we were very happy to meet friends there for dinner recently. Mother and son co-owners Cheryl and Cale Beck (of Beck’s Land and Sea House fame) have made many changes in the last few months, which, in my opinion, have truly enhanced the ambience. We joined our friends and Kingfish “regulars” Nancy and Bob at the attractive sq… »
As we entered the front door of the Rennaissance Allentown Hotel, a friendly greeter led us to an elevator that would take us to the third floor. We were amazed at what we saw when the elevator doors opened. The Dime is one of the newest additions to the burgeoning Allentown restaurant scene and it is very impressive. Shiny dark floors and wooden wall accents lead to the h… »
Editor’s Note: The Holiday 2014 edition of Lehigh Valley Marketplace featured an article detailing the then upcoming SkillsUSA Culinary Challenge. Following is a recap of the Challenge which took place on March 30th. Please visit our archives at lehighvalleymarketplace.com to read more about the background of this event. Five popular local chefs combined their talents with… »
