Food & Drink

ArtsQuest said it will be a day filled with tacos from throughout the Lehigh Valley, along with music, game shows, Margarita Madness, the Chihuahua Beauty Contest, and food and drinks from a ton of vendors.

With restaurants facing high inflation, food and labor costs, Juan Martinez believes eventually, everything is going to level out and "good times will come."

The Rutter's slogan is ‘Why Go Anywhere Else?’ — a loaded question in a Lehigh Valley landscape dotted with a Wawa or a Sheetz at seemingly every turn.

Eric Cutting, owner of Blended Bar + Grill in downtown Allentown, is among those battling higher food costs, labor challenges and fighting each night to get folks through the door.

Representatives from convenience chain Rutter's appeared before Palmer Township's planning commission to discuss opening a new location in the Lehigh Valley.

In February, Bell Hall joined a list of other downtown area restaurants that have come and gone in Allentown. Here's a rundown of those restaurants.

Lehigh Valley restaurant owners get candid on inflation, labor challenges and the state of the industry as they struggle to bring customers in the door.

While Philadelphians lament the end of Dollar Dogs at Citizens Bank Park, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms are keeping the tradition alive at the PPL Center, setting a new sales record at Friday night's game.

Porters' Pub is celebrating the Pipers taking over the beloved bar this Saturday with a special ribbon cutting at 700 Northampton Street.

Sangriafest, which includes food, vendors, lawn games, live music and — of course — that namesake wine-and-fruit beverage, will be 4-7 p.m. June 15 at Grange Park in Upper Macungie Township.

The International Cultural Festival will he held at J. Birney Crum Stadium in Allentown from noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 22.

The foodie festival is now in its ninth year and will occur from noon to 10 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 21, showcasing "diverse options" of food, drinks and concerts.

The 2024-25 Pennsylvania State Budget introduced updates to the state's complex liquor laws, including extended happy hours and ready-to-drink cocktails. The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board already received over a thousand RTDC applications and has begun permitting with the law effective Sept. 16.

Colonial Intermediate Unit 20 in Forks Township celebrated the grand opening of Colonial Cafe 71, a coffee shop which helps teach employment and life skills.

The Allentown Fairgrounds Farmers Market officially added The Brass Rail to its list of merchants Thursday morning — the first time the eatery has been in operation since it shuttered on Lehigh Street in June 2022.

The North Street spot has been known locally for its affordable, yet classic, early morning and lunchtime eats, including pork rolls, pancakes, cheesesteaks and more. The news of the sale comes after 41 years of business.

South Whitehall Board of Commissioners on Wednesday heard a proposal for a new PJ Whelihan’s in Ridge Farms, a mixed use housing development at the intersection of Cedar Crest Boulevard and Walbert Avenue.

Organizers of the beer festival have teamed up with Allentown Mural Arts for a day of craft beer tasting, mural unveilings, live music and local eats on Saturday, Sept. 7.

Chef Ryan Lukow of the Savory Grille unseated reigning champion Chef Courtney Davenport on Sunday to win the Allentown Fair’s annual Iron Chef cooking competition.

The scrapple contest was held on Saturday, Aug. 31 at the Great Allentown Fair.

Baseball, food and fun family offerings are out there if firing up the grill is not your thing.

The Lehigh Valley's newest bagel shop is officially in full swing, holding its grand opening Wednesday Aug. 28. Customers have continuously raved about the bagel spot since its soft opening mid-July.