The Bookstore is a Roaring Twenties/Prohibition/Jazz Age
speakeasy that opened in 2009 in the space previously occupied by The Grotto
(and more recently, by The Element). The Bookstore location is easy to miss, which
is sort of in the basement of a building at the corner of Adams Street and
Fourth Street on Bethlehem’s South Side. The entry of the restaurant features a
check-in desk and lots of books. Years ago, there were many more books and
bookshelves in the entry area, including a black curtain that separated the
entry from the restaurant itself, working into the speakeasy theme in which
drinking establishments hid the bar from one’s initial view. (The restaurant
has since removed the curtain and realigned the bookshelves, which expanded the
foyer/waiting area.) The dining area features additional books, oil lamps, and countless
candles, but the overall environment is still quite dark and atmospheric. You
can dine at the bar, in the main dining room, or at one of two tables on a
raised platform connected to the entry area and overlooking the rest of the
space. The antique wooden bar features a copper top (which is attractive but is
not absolutely smooth, so you must find just the right spot to balance your
glass) and an old cash register. Menus are pasted inside of old books, which
are left out on the tables and bar. Because The Bookstore is located in the
basement of an old building, it really is not suitable for the mobility
impaired; you must step over a door threshold to go from the sidewalk to the
restaurant interior.
The bartenders at The Bookstore do an incredibly good job of
serving their customers. Three bartenders were on duty on the night that we
visited, making drinks for the entire restaurant as well as serving the bar
patrons both food and drinks. Each bartender spoke to us at some point in the
evening, explaining that they hand-craft cocktails, and telling us that if we did
not see something that we liked on the drink menu, they were more than willing
to customize something for us.
The Bookstore serves upscale American cuisine, where you can
order anything from a small snack to a small plate to a formal entrée. We
ordered a selection of three meats and cheeses as an appetizer, which included
duck prosciutto (delicious) and manchego and savahschaff (unusual!) cheeses,
which was served on a slate accompanied by thinly toasted baguette slices,
Mediterranean (and a bit spicy) olives, brandy-soaked cherries, and whole grain
mustard. (You can order one meat and/or cheese to five meats and/or cheeses,
depending on your appetite.) As entrees, we chose the chicken (served Frenched)
and the short rib. With entrees, you had a choice that evening of mashed
potatoes, quinoa/farro, mixed vegetables (including French green beans that
were slightly under-done [still preferable to over-done], carrots, mushrooms,
and cauliflower), or sautéed bok choy. (We tried three of the four side dishes,
excluding the bok choy.) For dessert, we shared the chocolate bread pudding,
which the chef served warm and accented by whipped cream and a strawberry.
We suggest that you try The Bookstore – it provides a
unique dining experience unlike that at any other restaurant in the Lehigh
Valley area.
