Restaurant Week has become one of the most anticipated food events in the Lehigh Valley. Actually, make that restaurant weeks, plural. The region now hosts multiple restaurant week events across different sub regions, giving diners weeks of opportunities to try prix fixe menus at restaurants they might not visit otherwise.
Bethlehem Restaurant Week
The biggest and most established is Bethlehem Restaurant Week, typically held in late February or early March. Participating restaurants offer multi course meals at fixed prices, giving diners a chance to experience upscale kitchens at a fraction of the regular cost.
The 2026 lineup includes some of the Valley's heaviest hitters: 1741 on the Terrace at the Hotel Bethlehem, Apollo Grill, Edge Restaurant, Fegley's Bethlehem Brew Works, Tapas On Main, the Historic Hotel Bethlehem Tap Room, Tavern at the Sun Inn, The Melting Pot, Twisted Olive, and Urbano Mexican Kitchen and Bar.
That's a murderer's row of restaurants, and the fixed price format means you can eat at Edge for the cost of a casual dinner elsewhere. If you've been wanting to try a restaurant you've heard about but never quite gotten around to visiting, Restaurant Week is your moment.
Beyond Bethlehem
Restaurant weeks have spread across the Lehigh Valley. Southern Lehigh, East Penn, Greater Northern Lehigh, and the Hellertown and Lower Saucon area all host their own versions throughout the year. Each spotlights the dining options in that particular community, which is a smart way to drive traffic to restaurants that might not get the same attention as the Bethlehem and Easton spots.
The format varies slightly by event. Some offer a strict prix fixe at one or two price points. Others let restaurants design their own special menus. All of them share the same goal: get people into chairs trying food they wouldn't normally order.
How to Make the Most of It
A few tips from regulars who have been doing this for years. First, make reservations early. The popular restaurants fill up fast, especially on Friday and Saturday nights. If you can go on a Tuesday or Wednesday, you'll have better availability and a less hectic dining room.
Second, be adventurous. The whole point of Restaurant Week is to step outside your comfort zone. Order the dish you can't pronounce. Try the restaurant you've never been to. The fixed price takes the financial risk out of experimentation.
Third, check the menus online before you go. Most participating restaurants publish their Restaurant Week menus in advance, which lets you plan your week strategically. If three restaurants are offering dishes you love, make three reservations.
Why It Matters
Restaurant Week is good for diners, obviously. But it's even better for the restaurants themselves. The event drives traffic during what is typically one of the slowest times of year for the industry. It introduces new customers who may become regulars. And it generates buzz and media coverage that keeps the Lehigh Valley dining scene in the conversation.
For a region that is still building its culinary reputation, events like Restaurant Week are essential. They demonstrate the depth and quality of the local dining scene in a format that's accessible to everyone. You don't need to be a foodie or a restaurant critic. You just need an appetite and a willingness to try something new.
The Lehigh Valley's food scene has grown dramatically over the past decade. Restaurant Week is the best way to experience the full range of what's happening in kitchens across the region, one prix fixe meal at a time.
