Date Nights and Local Farm-to-Table Restaurants

Writing that last post about our anniversary made me think about how we usually spend our date nights together.  Anytime that we have something to celebrate (birthdays and anniversaries, mostly), we like to do it by scheduling a date night and making reservations at a local farm-to-table restaurant.  

Because we don’t eat out very often – as a family or as a couple – we don’t mind splurging for a delicious meal made with local ingredients.  And it’s important to us to support our local farmers and restaurant owners.  We love that the food and drink on the menu at these restaurants is always changing with the seasons and that we can recognize the names of the farmers that supplied the ingredients that went into making our dinner.  Call me crazy but I think it’s so cool to feel connected to your food and your community!

Since many of you have been asking, here are some of our favorite go-to date night locations…

LOCAL FARM-TO-TABLE RESTAURANTS:

Bolete (Bethlehem) – save this one for a special occasion and you won’t be disappointed – also a great spot for Sunday brunch!

The Bookstore Speakeasy (Bethlehem) – step back into time for something fun and different; their cocktail menu changes seasonally as well!

Brew Works (Allentown or Bethlehem) – locally brewed beer and a classic menu that keeps the husband happy because you can order a burger and fries 😉

Lost Tavern (Hellertown) – great locally brewed beer with rotating local food trucks and live music

Maize (Perkasie) – small, intimate setting with gourmet menu selections

The Mint Gastropub (Bethlehem) – funky and unique setting and menu

Molinari’s (Bethlehem) – authentic Italian menu (including drinks) with most items made from scratch

Social Still (Bethlehem) – order hand-crafted cocktails made with locally made spirits or try a flight of their whiskey options or order something fun from their menu – we’ve also been known to browse their on-site store at the end of our date night – one of Joe’s favorite local bourbons is sold here and we have a Social Still bourbon barrel in our basement that we use as an end table (the dangers of shopping after sampling their cocktail menu!)

Tapas on Main (Bethlehem) – a great spot for a double date or a group night out because you can order lots of small plates and pass them around the table – they also make a great pitcher of sangria!

The Trapp Door Gastropub (Emmaus) – cozy atmosphere, interesting menu options and great beer – check their schedule for live music on Saturday nights

Two Rivers Brewing (Easton) – fun bar atmosphere with their own twist on classic bar food, like the duck fat fries or the peanut butter bacon burger – they also brew their own beer!

And here are some of our favorite local spots to eat out as a family, which doesn’t happen very often so it’s always a special treat for the boys!

FAMILY FRIENDLY OPTIONS:

O Wow Cow Creamery – hands down the BEST local ice cream you will find (although, to be fair, we haven’t tried Klein Farms Creamery yet and we hear good things are happening there) – this ice cream is made from scratch with local ingredients – we like to go here on the first and last day of school each year and anytime that we spend a day at Lake Nockamixon – and we are so excited to see a new location opening up in Easton!

Switchback Pizza – great outdoor space where the kids can draw with sidewalk chalk or watch the brick oven in action while you wait for the pizza to be made to order

Lost Tavern – the novelty of the food trucks is fun for the kids and there are stacks of board games inside on shelves plus shuffleboard and darts (although we have yet to try the darts with the kids – seems like a safety hazard for anyone within a 2-block radius!)

Vassi’s Drive-In – this is our version of “fast food” for the kids but we love to support this local family-owned restaurant because they are very friendly and use local beef in their burgers 

Where do you like to eat locally?  My birthday is coming up in October and we would love to hear your recommendations for the next place for us to try!

(scroll down to the bottom of the page to leave us a comment…)