A record 15,000 votes poured in for the fourth annual Best Of competition. While some businesses took home their fourth consecutive wins, others were honored for the very first time. Scroll through to discover who received a golden ticket and why you (our readers) named them the best in the Valley!
Daddy's Place
Best Hummus
Try the Daddy's Style Hummus: chickpeas blended with garlic, olive oil, lemon juice and tahini sauce, topped with sautéed beef, onions and pine nuts.
650 Northampton St., Easton | 610.438.4442 | daddysplaceeaston.com
Social Still
Best Local Distillery
This distillery has more than a variety of spirits, with cool merchandise and good small-plate options.
Fun Fact: This distiller's mom owns Franklin Hill Vineyards.
530 E. 3rd St., Bethlehem | 610.625.4585 | socialstill.com
Two Rivers Brewing Company
Best Crispy French Fry
Whether it's Duck Fat or Disco (that is, Belgian-style with cheese curds and ale demi-glace), these frites are made for noshing—and for pairing with one (or more) of Two Rivers' excellent house brews.
542 Northampton St., Easton | 610.829.1131 | tworiversbrewing.com
Lehigh Pizza
Best Pizza by the Slice
They go through 2,000 pounds of fresh dough a week.
Staff Favorite: Chicken Pesto Pizza.
13 W. 3rd St., Bethlehem | 610.866.1088 | lehighpizza.com
Wally's Deli Best Sandwich
Though Wally's is “Home of the Hog,” and invites all guests to pig out, they'll happily un-hog it to serve in a bowl, not on a roll.
711 N. 17th St., Allentown | 610.435.7177 | 1245 Chestnut St., Emmaus | 610.967.1347 | wallys-deli.com
Queen City BBQ
Best Hometown Barbecue
Get a heap, pile or mound, and bring the heat with their many sauces.
27 N. 7th St., Allentown | 610.351.4072 | qcityq.com
Full of Crepe
Best Crepes
Savory or sweet? Take your pick!
Staff Favorite: Old Glory—strawberries, blueberries and cream cheese.
333 S. New St., Bethlehem | 610.419.6400 | 325 Northampton St., Easton | 610.829.2444 | facebook.com/fullofcrepellc
Mitzi's Table
Best Grilled Cheese
Mitzi's, the brainchild of Susan and Matt Roth, is named after Matt's late mother who went by the nickname Mitzi. And it's just the kind of cheery, scratch-made place you'd expect from the popular Northampton Community College culinary professor and her hot- sauce-loving husband. (It also regularly features employees who came up through the ranks as Susan's students in the culinary program.)
Mitzi's excels at creative brunch fare, culled from family recipes and gussied up with modern twists. Grilled cheese ranks pretty high up as the epitome of comfort food, and Greg's Grilled Cheese is loaded with four different types—and served alongside its obligatory companion, a cup of creamy tomato soup.
Want something a little more fancy? Try the ABC Grilled Cheese, grilled on sturdy slices of Texas toast. It's the result of a sandwich Susan made for a catering job, and they use Scholl's apples when available, cheddar and their own house-made, cider-brined bacon.
What makes theirs so good? “I think folks enjoy the amount of melted gooey cheese—we use American, cheddar, provolone and Swiss, grill it open-faced, and then put it in the oven to melt it more.”
3650 Nazareth Pike, Bethlehem | 610.730.1670 | mitzistable.com
Geakers Tacos
Best Taco
Beef, chicken, gator, fish, shrimp—take your pick!
3531 Freemansburg Ave., Bethlehem | 610.419.4869 | geakers.com
Bethlehem Dairy Store
Best Ice Cream You Could Eat a Gallon Of
Some call it "The Cup,” due to the store's original shape, some call it “Mowrer's,” after the original owners, but all call it delicious.
1430 Linden St., Bethlehem | 610.691.8422 | 2 Farrington Sq., Bethlehem | 610.865.4360 | bethlehemdiarystore.com
Fegley's Brew Works
Best Local Brewery
They've been brewing beer long before microbreweries became cool.
812 W. Hamilton St., Allentown | 610.433.7777 | 559 Main St. Suite 101, Bethlehem | 610.882.1300 | thebrewworks.com
Blue Sky Café
Best Savory Breakfast
Like to mash your eggs with your sausage, home fries and ketchup? Get an All Stirred Up breakfast that comes pre-mixed.
Staff Favorite: Sweet Potato Quesadilla—topped with two scrambled eggs, black bean salsa and sour cream.
22 W. 4th St., Bethlehem | 610.867.9390 | facebook.com/blueskycafebethlehem
Jenny's Kuali
Best Vegetarian Dish
With nearly 30 menu items marked V for vegetarian, it's no surprise readers vote Jenny's the best.
102 E. 4th St., Bethlehem | 610.758.8088 | jennyskuali.com
Vegan Treats
Best Cheesecake Without the Trip to NYC
Regardless of your dietary preferences, Vegan Treats is an absolute headline-grabbing hot spot, a destination bakery for many vegans and vegetarians who make pilgrimages on a monthly basis. So good are owner Danielle Konya and her small army of employees at creating sweet desserts that lack butter, eggs, dairy and honey that many people say “You'd never know it was vegan,” a sentiment Konya echoes.
Readers have lauded the cheesecake in particular, which seems like a tough thing to pull off without dairy. All of them start with a tofu base, she says, and the most popular ones include the raspberry white chocolate, brownie chunk, key lime and, seasonally, a pumpkin spice iteration with a gingerbread cookie crust around the holidays.
However, if you were to go to New York City, you might be in luck: Vegan Treats wholesales its goods to 65 spots there, as well as Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., New Jersey and Virginia. Konya and her staff are experiencing tremendous growth, and despite the endless absorption that results from operating a 24/7 bakery, there's no stopping. “I've grown to love the challenge and will stop at nothing to get people to think with their fork,” she says.
1444 Linden St., Bethlehem | 610.861.7660 | vegantreats.com
Wert's Café
Best Soup
Their famous seafood bisque, available every Tuesday, is what keeps people coming back.
515 N. 18th St., Allentown | 610.439.0951 | wertscafe.com
PrimoHoagies
Best Hoagie With All the Fixings
We're in true hoagie town here, and Primo nails it, with bread that's not too thick and not too thin.
Staff Favorite: Turkey Diablo—Thumann's home-style turkey breast and hot pepper cheese with a blend of spices.
4 area locations | primohoagies.com
Bell Hall
Best Juicy Burger
Non-red meat eaters, try the turkey, salmon or bean burger, all grilled to perfection.
612 W. Hamilton St., Allentown | 610.437.1825 | bellhallallentown.com
Egypt Star Bakery
Best Bread That is Totally Worth the Carbs
Though the classic dough has become Valley famous, Egypt Star also serves goods like cheese buns, challah bread, Pennsylvania Dutch cookies and sticky buns.
Staff Favorite: Lekvar buns!
3 area locations | 610.434.3762 | egyptstarbakery.com
Black Forest Deli
Best Pierogi That Tastes Like Your Grandmother Used to Make
This mother-daughter team, hailing from the Ukraine, has kept tradition alive—and patrons stuffed and satisfied—for eight years now. Keep an eye out for PierogieFEST, which is known to bring some of the most peculiar flavors, like apple pie, beef stroganoff and more!
745 Union Blvd., Bethlehem | 610.865.3036 | bethlehemdeli.com
Highest number of votes ever: 1,400!
Cali Burrito
Best Burrito
Although the competition seems to stiffen every year from an increasing number of Mexican-styled food spots, Cali Burrito pulls off the top honors for the fourth year running. Founders and owners Shawn McHugh and Nick Sorrentino opened the business ten years ago—after living in California for ten years, surfing (and presumably eating lots of burritos) up and down the state's coast—but these days McHugh's running it.
In case you didn't know, Cali Burrito just moved from its long-standing Hamilton Boulevard location to Reading Road, home of the former Lupo's. There's ample parking, which takes away some hassle, and enough seating to encourage a longer, lounging-around kind of stay, with a deck overlooking Cedar Beach Park. Cali Burrito offers a variety of homemade salsa and jam-packed burritos with plenty of options for carnivores and vegans alike, including ingredients such as organic tofu (from Fresh Tofu in Allentown), grilled veggies and black beans. It's not hard to see—and taste—why people happily line up for one of their burritos.
2149 Reading Rd., Allentown | 610.351.1791 | caliburrito.com
P.J. Whelihan's Pub + Restaurant
Best Place for Wings
Order naked or classic, in quantities of five, 10 or 20, or douse ‘em in the signature sauce, hot ‘n honey.
3 area locations | 610.395.2532 | pjspub.com
Menchie's Frozen Yogurt
Best Frozen Yogurt
Satisfy your sweet tooth anywhere in the Valley, as Menchie's is now on grubhub and available for delivery! Don't forget to flag them for your next special occasion—their cakes are as delicious as their self-serve.
Staff Favorite: Peanut butter cup delight.
3 area locations | 610.841.1900 | menchies.com
The Grille at Bear Creek
Best Outdoor Dining
Their expansive deck allows for a multi-level dining experience. May through September, enjoy live entertainment with Music Under the Stars, an outdoor music series that takes place every Thursday.
101 Doe Mountain Ln., Macungie | 610.682.7100 | skibearcreek.com
Apollo Grill
Best Appetizer/Small Plate Menu
Where the starter menu is as long as your arm! Their Lump Crab and Avocado Cocktail is renowned.
Staff Favorite: Shrimp Limoncello—garlic butter, lemon, Italian bruschetta.
85 W. Broad St., Bethlehem | 610.865.9600 | apollogrill.com
The Bayou
Best Gourmet Mac & Cheese & Best Stick-to-Your-Ribs Comfort Food
Mac and cheese served in an iron skillet, with an order of fried chicken and Voodoo Juice on the side? Yes, please!
Staff Favorite: Apple Barrel cocktail—apple pie moonshine, Goldschlager, cider beer and ginger ale.
702 Hawthorne Rd., Bethlehem | 610.419.6669 | dat-bayou.com
Easton Baking Co.
Best Doughnuts
Be sure to preorder on Fasnacht Day—there will be a line down the street, and the bakery is sure to sell out before the last ones make it inside!
34 N. 7th St., Easton | 610.252.6343
Stahley's Family Restaurant & Sports Bar
Best Cheap Eats
Stahley's is the original neighborhood bar. Don't miss their clambakes.
Staff Favorite: Philly Cheesesteak—chip steak, fried onions and Cheez Whiz.
1826 Hanover Ave., Allentown | 610.433.2468 | stahleys.com
Shawn Fortley, Ringer's Roost
Best Waitress
“BEST WAITRESS EVER!” – actual reader submission entry.
1801 Liberty St., Allentown 610.437.4941 | ringersroost1801.com
Griddle 145
Best Breakfast that Tastes like Dessert
People say breakfast is the most important meal of the day. But then they also say that you should save room for dessert. Food can be so confusing!
Readers love Griddle 145 because you can do both of those things—have the proverbial cake (for breakfast, or lunch, for that matter)—and eat it too. Sherry and Taylor Eisenhard have been combining the best of dessert into homemade breakfast dishes since Griddle opened in August 2012. The Red Velvet Pancakes are the stuff of legends, as are the Bananas Foster French Toast. Vegans like the coconut banana French toast, which Sherry describes as “a thick, hand-cut French toast cooked with a layer of coconut and topped with a layer of bananas.” All three of those are always on the menu. Popular recurring specials permit the Eisenhards further creativity, with lemon ricotta pancakes, cinnamon roll pancakes or a recent special, the Sherry Berry French Toast.
“The category win sure is a pleasant surprise. We are happy to be recognized for our sweet side of breakfast but we also put as much effort into our savory side,” says Sherry.
With a win like this, it raises the question: Why didn't the Eisenhards open up a bakery?
1146 MacArthur Rd., Whitehall | 610.351.9898 | griddle145.com
Franklin Hill Vineyards
Best Place for Wine Lovers
For purchase at their locations in Easton, Bethlehem and Bartonsville—and now online! Or check out their winery in Bangor.
Staff Favorite: Sir Walter's Red—distinct fruitiness with a light and delicate finish, named in honor of the owner's father, Walter Pivinski.
4 area locations | 888.887.2839 | franklinhillvineyards.com
Northampton Seafood Market
Best Place to Buy Fresh Seafood
Take advantage of the freshest seafood at the best prices—try their tasty Heat-N-Eat meals for easy weeknight dinners.
Rte. 329, Northampton | 610.262.3333 | northamptonseafood.com
Josh Early Candies
Best Sweet Shop for Classic Candy or Chocolates
We're warning you: Do not go here hungry! The ability to customize and pick your own candies can be a dangerous thing when they taste this good.
Staff Favorite: Nonpareils—a dollop of chocolate topped with tiny sugar balls.
4640 Tilghman St., Allentown 610.395.4321 | 3620 Nazareth Pike, Bethlehem | 610.865.0580 | joshearlycandies.com
Wegmans
Best Place to Grab Dinner on the Way Home
Choose from every specialty cuisine, ranging from Italian to Asian, under one roof. Better move fast for sushi; it goes quick.
Staff Favorite: Spicy tuna sushi roll.
3 area locations | wegmans.com
Sweet Memories
Best Girls Lunch Location
It's a restaurant, bakery and gift shop all in one—need we say more?
180 Main St., Emmaus | 610.967.0296 | sweetmemories180.blogspot.com
Keystone Pub & Grill
Best Bar Food & Best Beer Selection
Get ready. The Keystone Pub in Whitehall, which opened in 2012 as an offshoot of the mainstay location in Bethlehem, has 57 taps as of Keystone's fifth anniversary this past April. Yes, you read that correctly. Owner Savvas Kiprislis fills those lines with everything from everyday brews such as Coors and Miller Light to select imports and a heavy selection of American craft brews, especially regional ones. Beer-centric events are definitely part of the mix that's earned them accolades. “We have had so many tap takeovers, I cannot keep count,” he says.
All the staples of bar food are here—pierogies, fries, nachos and so forth. But devotees know that Keystone's really known for its wings. “They are prepared daily, never frozen, always fresh jumbo wings, with signature sauces made in-house, such as grilled pineapple and Sriracha lime,” he says. Other bar specials keep people coming back, whether it's wings, $1 sliders or buy one burger, get the second half off. ‘These features aren't always the same day between the pubs, so you can enjoy them at different times at both locations,” he explains.
Happy Hour Monday through Friday, from 4–6 p.m., helps solidify Keystone's role in community building; a little shuffleboard doesn't hurt, either. Between the taps and bottled beers and the 35-plus HDTVs all around, you'll catch up with your friends and on all the games you can imagine, all at the same time.
1410 Grape St., Whitehall | 610.434.7600 | 3259 Easton Ave., Bethlehem | 610.814.0400 | keystonepub.com
Blondies
Best Cupcake You've Ever Tasted
Known for their mega, muffin-sized cupcakes, available in every flavor one could dream up—and plenty of gluten-free options—Blondies is worth the splurge.
Staff Favorite: PB Black Out—chocolate cake topped with peanut butter frosting, chocolate and peanut butter chips and drizzled with fudge sauce.
3 area locations | 610.443.1741 | blondiesfood.com
Cozze Cakes
Best Place for a Special Occasion Cake
Searching for a true cake artist? Look no further. Go big or go home with Andy's 11-layer Nonsense Cake: fudge brownie, peanut butter filling, chocolate chip cookie, cheesecake, chocolate ganache, graham cracker, repeat.
143 S. Main St., Nazareth 610.746.9175 | cozzecakes.com
White Orchids Thai Cuisine
Best Gluten-Free Menu & Best Pad Thai
White Orchids: where you can choose your spice level and the chicken lettuce wraps are to die for.
Staff Favorite: Lemongrass soup, Tom Yum—a citrusy lemongrass broth with aromatic herbs, mushrooms, scallions and cherry tomatoes. Choice of chicken, shrimp or organic tofu.
2985 Center Valley Pkwy. Suite 200, Center Valley | 610.841.7499 | whiteorchidsthaicuisine.com
Vince's Famous Cheesesteaks
Best Cheesesteak
You know something's being done right—cheesesteaks, namely—if a business has been around since 1957. And that's the case with Vince's, which spans five generations and a few people named Vince—including current owner Vince Cocca Jr.
Vince's has been around long enough to weather lots of different shifts, but their success suggests that there's always love for classics. Says Chris Cocca, who works the business with his dad, Vince Jr., “I think one of the things people like about our offerings is that we're proudly faithful to the traditional-style Lehigh Valley cheesesteak—sauce, onions, peppers, hot peppers and American cheese.” He's just described their best seller, the Vince's Classic, but Vince's boasts nearly a dozen varieties, some of them a bit unorthodox—chicken bacon ranch, for example.
Like many other businesses featured here, Vince's likes to keep it local.
“We are also a PA Preferred business, using as much local produce as possible when in season. We've been using Amoroso's rolls for over 20 years,” he says, referring to the Philadelphia company.
806 W. Hamilton St., Allentown | 610.841.7999 | thecheesesteakplace.com
Yocco's
Best Hot Dog
Want to show someone that you care? Send them a Yocco's Doggie Pac, which includes 12 uncooked dogs and buns, along with all the fixings, down to the chili.
6 areas locations | yoccos.com
Don Juan Mex Grill
Best Nachos
You can order your nachos in advance online, and pick them up specific to your liking. Their standard nachos are served with cheese, sour cream, pico de gallo and jalapeños, but you can add lettuce, fresh cilantro, corn, BBQ sauce, chipotle dressing, hot sauce, ranch, beans, rice, fried egg and, for a price, as many extras as your heart desires.
3 area locations | 610.438.5661 | donjuanmexgrill.com
KOMÉ Fine Japanese Cuisine
Best Sushi & Best Hibachi
At KOMÉ, the entire dining experience is truly elevated, with modern-Asian, gourmet dishes and a team that values forward thinking. Enjoy one of the area's largest sushi selections, and pull up a seat at the sushi bar to watch as it gets made.
Staff Favorite: Creamy King Crab Roll—king crab, cucumber and albacore, topped with avocado, creamy sesame sauce and “masago.”
2880 Center Valley Pkwy. Suite 600, Center Valley | 610.798.9888 | komerestaurant.com
Tapas on Main
Best Sangria & Best Place for a Casual Date
Sangria is such a laid-back, dine-outside kind of a drink—and it's something Tapas on Main has made its business to excel in since the restaurant opened in May 2011. You can order any one of 8–10 options daily, and they're made in-house with fresh fruit. Seasonal variations are popular—summer brings flavors such as watermelon, ginger peach, cucumber lime and pineapple mint. Cara Paredes, regional manager (and wife to owner Juan Carlos), says that a few classics are kept on the menu, such as the popular Blood Orange Berry, which starts with a red wine base.
“It's such a pleasure to generate new recipes for our customers and bring back favorites each season.
I know that's why we win Best Sangria each year. We will never stop inventing unique flavors,” she says.
Readers simply love Tapas on Main for a casual date. Maybe it's the menu of small plates that are just so easy to share—and the lack of a structured menu means it's easy to try different things, which makes dining an easier experience. Maybe it's the décor. Maybe it's the warm walls and dim lighting.
“We are the perfect spot. We are rustic, funky upscale, but in a relaxed setting. We've had numerous proposals, photos and date-related events.”
500 Main St., Bethlehem | 610.868.8903 | tapasonmain.com
blue grillhouse
Best Happy Hour Spot
Nobody will ever turn down an invite to blue, where part of the drink menu is dedicated to champagne cocktail creations! The three-season patio makes it the perfect happy hour destination.
4431 Easton Ave., Bethlehem | 610.691.8400 | bluegrillhouse.com
The Joint
Best Coffee Shop
The Joint is what some might call the anti-Starbucks.
Fun fact: The members of DNCE (hey, Joe Jonas) once imbibed here.
77 W. Broad St., Bethlehem | 610.419.9237 | facebook.com/TheJointCoffeeShop
The Taza Truck
Best Food Truck You Wish Was in Your Backyard
Catch the moving truck, or stop by their permanent location at the Easton Public Market.
610.442.1769 | thetazatruck.com
Grille 3501
Best Business Lunch Location
You'll always impress your client here.
Staff Favorite: Sea Salt Seared Rare Tuna—coconut curry grits, bok choy, yellow pepper miso and spicy kimchi.
3501 Broadway, Allentown | 610.706.0100 | grille3501.com
