Corked is located in Downtown Bethlehem on Main Street, in a
building occupied by the Morning Call newspaper until 2008 and then vacant for the
next five years. The location has been completely transformed into a chic
restaurant and nightclub. Since Corked opened in summer of 2013, it has
undergone a few interior changes, most for the better in our opinion. Upon
entering the restaurant through a double set of doors, you encounter an attractive
small wall of water prior to the hostess stand. Dining is available in several
areas: at tables towards the front of the restaurant (which features a really
unique “wavy wall” on one side that continues through the bar back to the rear
of the restaurant space), at the long bar, in a lounge-type area towards the
rear of the restaurant, or in the main dining area that offers a choice of
regular booths, rounded booths, and tables. Sidewalk dining is available in
warmer weather. The kitchen area used to be open to the dining room, but it has
since been closed (walled) off; another welcome touch was the addition of sheer
curtains between the main (booth) dining area and the bar that provide
additional privacy. After 10:00 pm on weekend nights, Corked takes on a
club/lounge vibe, with DJs (reportedly from Las Vegas, NYC, Philadelphia, and the Lehigh Valley), dancing, a
VIP guest list, and velvet ropes. The restaurant’s VIBE dining area offers a
late night menu until 1:00 am. Corked offers valet parking on weekends
after 5:00 pm, or you can find metered street parking or space in a nearby
surface lot or garage.
Corked serves upscale American food. Originally designed as
a steakhouse, the menu has undergone several iterations before reaching its
present offerings. A nice selection of appetizers, salads, pizzas, entrees, and
steaks are available at various price points. Our current favorite appetizers
are the “crispy mix” (a fried sampling of calamari, shrimp, artichokes, and
caper berries), and the antipasti board (assorted meats, cheeses, pickled
vegetables, and olives). We also enjoy the flatbread pizzas at Corked (the short
rib and Gouda as well as the chicken and fig), the beef tip risotto, and the
braised short rib entrees. Desserts, other than the Moravian sugar cake bread
pudding, are fairly standard (carrot cake, tiramisu, chocolate-peanut butter
cake). Corked also offers a huge selection of wines, over 20 draft beers (and
more by the bottle), and cocktails. In fact, wine is available in four sizes (a
2.5 oz-sample, 5-oz glass, 10-oz glass, and by the bottle), which we have not
seen at other Valley restaurants.
We wish that Corked were open for lunch (it used to be!)
because it better fits our plans, but if we are looking to dine in Downtown
Bethlehem during their regular business hours, we always consider Corked.
