Hellertown: 1774 Tap and Grill

1774 Grille and Tap - Upscale Pub Food; Want to Try Fine-Dining Menu Options Next Time

My spouse and I visited the 1774 Grille and Tap for an early dinner/late lunch on a Saturday afternoon in late-November 2017. Although we arrived without a reservation, you can book a spot using the online Open Table reservation system. The 1774 Grille is open for lunch, dinner, and drinks (until at least 10:00 pm, and later on some nights) from Wednesdays through Mondays (closed Tuesdays).

The 1774 Grille and Tap is located on Main Street in Hellertown, in the former space of Ricardo’s Original Tavern House. Opened in March 2017, the restaurant occupies an historic stone corner building that dates back to 1774, hence the restaurant’s name. Inside, more original stonework is visible on the walls in the bar area, which offers high-top table seating in addition to 15+ seats at the wooden bar itself. You can also sit in the main (larger) dining room, or in a (smaller) more private dining area. In appropriate weather, you can also dine al fresco on a side covered porch. Décor is minimalist, with the most unique feature a series of framed drawings by a Pennsylvania artist that feature Trappist monks. Limited complimentary parking is available in an attached lot, or you can park on the street.

The 1774 Grille serves American cuisine. We sampled the bacon macaroni and cheese and the blue cheese-grit sticks as starters, followed by the cheeseburger. The mac and cheese had a pleasant truffle taste, and although we liked the originality of the grit sticks, we would prefer to have them paired with a lighter, fruity dipping sauce rather than the accompanying heavy onion barbecue sauce. The cheeseburger (served with your choice of fries or side salad) was the highlight of our meal, with a buttered/toasted ciabatta roll and beef patty expertly prepared medium rare (as we requested) and topped with lettuce, tomato, onion, and sweet bacon jam  – it was really the best burger that we have eaten in recent times. For dessert, we ordered the seasonal bread pudding, which had just switched over from pumpkin-flavored to walnut. Served hot and accompanied by maple ice cream, it was a great ending to our meal. We also sampled one of their craft beers and a seasonal pumpkin cocktail.

We enjoyed our meal at the 1774 Grille and Tap, and we will return again to try some of the pricier, more formal menu items. Our sampling of the smaller plates was a success!