Each November, we celebrate the region’s culinary offerings with our reader-voted Restaurant Awards. And it’s fitting, right? Because when I think about an idyllic fall evening, I think about an espresso martini from Grille 3501, or a giant bowl of gnocchi from Fiamma, some hot stew at McCarthy’s and a glass of red wine near a fire pit on the rooftop of Three Oak Steakhouse. It’s the season of cozy, and what’s more comforting than a good meal? Turn to pg. 42 to find your next one. You’ll notice that we’ve expanded our categories and our reach this year, so you’re sure to see some new favorites on the list—like The Barbecue Boys in Phillipsburg, NJ, run by two young brothers who started smoking meats professionally during the pandemic, or Family Chicken & Waffles in Easton, serving up seafood and soul food, including the most incredible fried chicken and Oreo waffles you’ve ever seen.
While we love shining a light on the area’s incredible restaurants, we recognize that many residents do not have access to fresh, local food. In November 2015, we did a piece on the local food insecurity, and the United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley shared that 75,000—or one in 10—people in the Lehigh Valley are hungry, meaning they are suffering from malnutrition or are eating foods that are not good for them. In this edition, we’re highlighting the strides of the Bethlehem Food Co-Op. Ten years and one thousand members later, the co-op has begun construction on its first brick-and-mortar grocery store—a major milestone for the community-run organization that seeks to fix our broken food system. The grocery store will support the co-op’s mission of making healthy, affordable, locally-focused food and educational offerings available to all (particularly those who don’t have immediate access to these options). Read more about the team leading the charge on pg. 32.
We hope this month’s issue inspires you to support our region’s wonderful restaurants as well as the organizations making fresh, healthy food more accessible to all of our neighbors.
