My
spouse and I visited Adagio for dinner on a Saturday night in early August
2017. The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner on Tuesdays through Saturdays
(closed on Sundays and Mondays). You can book a table online using the Open
Table reservation system or via telephone. The owner of Adagio also operates
Sotto Santi, a pizzeria in Southside Bethlehem. You can park in a dedicated
surface parking lot (although a few of the spots are reserved for a nearby
house/apartment); if the small lot is full, you can also park across Pembroke Road
at the Salvation Army.
Adagio
opened in September 2015 in the space previously occupied by 530 Grille (and
before that, Nueva Lanterna and the Lantern). The restaurant
space seats patrons in two different rooms, plus additional seating in the
large bar room. A basement banquet area offers a dance floor, separate bar, and
private entrance to accommodate large parties and events for up to 150 people,
whereas a second-floor private room can hold 100 guests. The interior of the
restaurant offers recessed lighting that accents the neutral walls hung with
tasteful framed prints and paintings. Both the bar area and the main dining
room offer windows that allow light into their respective spaces for a spacious
feel.
The Adagio fine-dining menu focuses on seafood,
but it also offers a few chicken, pasta, and steak options. Lunch entrees cost
approximately $10, whereas dinners range from $15 to $35 and include a salad
(Caesar or house) and a choice of a side dish (such as a starch or vegetable). The
bar offers a separate tavern menu with casual fare (such as quesadillas and
cheesesteaks), and happy hour drink and food specials (including a two-item
complimentary buffet table on the night that we visited). Our group ordered four
entrees: two orders of crab cakes (which the waitress described as “to die
for”, and we agree because they were all lump crabmeat with no filler, lightly
sautéed for a slightly crisp exterior), Caribbean jerk tuna served with
pineapple salsa, and one of the daily specials (a shrimp scampi pasta dish).
The food was nicely presented using quality ingredients.
Having
dined at the Lantern years ago, we were pleasantly surprised by the attractive
dining room and the tasty higher-end food. Be sure to give Adagio a try!
