Restaurants in Allentown, PA

In article , [email removed] (John B.
Pfeiffer) wrote:

> Does anyone know of a really first class restaurant in Allentown?  I know
> the Lehigh Valley has many Dutch spots, but I'm looking for a good
> Italian place.
>
> John Pfeiffer
> [email removed]

Are you IN Allentown?  Or are you going to visit?  I'm asking because it might affect where you're willing to go.

Italian restaurants, huh?

Louie's is OK.  People will tell you it's the best, but it's just OK. Pasta Bella in the mall is pretty good.  A surprise for a mall.

The best in the area that I've been to is Pane e Vino in Bethlehem on Shoenersville Road near Westgate Mall.  They have phenomenal entres that range from $15-$20; and they have pizza cooked in wood-burning ovens that is out of this world.  They hand out snacks while you wait for your table, you get wonderful garlic bread and free wine (or you can take your own bottle; Louie's is like that, too.  Take your own bottle I mean.  Louie's doesn't have free wine.)  Their salad is also great . . . I've never had a meal there that was less than exceptional.  They've been open a year. Family owned and operated.  I've eaten there at lease 8 times in a year.

The other hidden wonder is Vito's La Trattoria out on Rte. 100/29.  I guess it's southwest of Allentown/Emmaus.  If you go there, their pizza is phenomenal, and the Italian owner makes her own pesto.  Again, take your own wine.

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 Karen Spilman ([email removed]
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    Il faut cultiver notre jardin
                    --Candide
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>Does anyone know of a really first class restaurant in Allentown?  I know
>the Lehigh Valley has many Dutch spots, but I'm looking for a good
>Italian place.

Well, it's not a Michelin multi-star kind of place, but the Aspen Inn on Rte 512 just off off 22 is kind of nice ... it's not Italian, sorry. But it's decent. If you go, ask to be in the Monocacy Room (I think that's the name) it's the one that looks out on the creek.

Mary.

In article , [email removed] (John B. Pfeiffe
r) writes:
>Does anyone know of a really first class restaurant in Allentown?  I know
>the Lehigh Valley has many Dutch spots, but I'm looking for a good
>Italian place.
>
>John Pfeiffer
>[email removed]
>

A very nice place is Appeninos, which serves italian inspired food of high quality. It is located on Cedar Crest Boulevard a few miles north of 22.  The main dining room has stone walls and is very cosy and pleasant, but I think they require men to wear jackets.

Marie Johansson

 Karen S. wrote:
>In article , [email removed] (MARIE
>ANNA J. wrote:
>
>> A very nice place is Appeninos, which serves italian inspired food of high
>> quality. It is located on Cedar Crest Boulevard a few miles north of 22.  The
>> main dining room has stone walls and is very cosy and pleasant, but I think
>> they require men to wear jackets.
>>
>Appeninos is also embarrassingly, ridiculously expensive; keep that in
>mind.
My former roommate does recommend it, though, for the ambiance.  I have to second the recommendation that was made for Pane e Vino.  When my husband and I had narrowed our choice for a new apartment to two locations, one of the benefits of the place we chose is that it is just down the road from Pane e Vino.  I have heard a rumor that the restaurant is so popular that they may be expanding soon.

--Cheryl

>
>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> Karen Spilman ([email removed]
>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>    Il faut cultiver notre jardin
>                    --Candide
>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>