Allentown PA: The Dime (December 2015)

My spouse and I dined most recently at The Dime with extended family on a Friday evening in late December 2015 (Christmas Day). (We dined previously at The Dime in early 2015 as a party of two.) The Dime is open daily for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. They accept reservations by telephone or via the Open Table reservation system. Parking is available in the Renaissance Hotel/PPL Center garage; valet parking is also available for $6. You can also choose to park on the street (meters run until 10:00 pm except on Sundays) or in a nearby surface parking lot.

 

The Dime, which opened in January of 2015, is so named because it is the location of the former Dime Savings Bank. The restaurant is located on the third floor of the Renaissance Hotel at the corner of Seventh and Hamilton Streets, directly above the main entrance to the PPL Center. (There are doors on the third floor, adjacent to where the Dime is located, that lead directly to the PPL Center, although we have never seen them open. It would be difficult to control the crowd entering the arena;, but perhaps the hotel unlocks the doors when an event is over.)

The restaurant space is gorgeous, with large tall windows that overlook the square. The kitchen is open to the restaurant, so you can see the chefs work. Several large semi-circular booths (which easily sat our party of 7 adults) are available, as well as smaller tables that can be joined into any configuration. A private event space is also available. The bar area has a hip and trendy look, with a glass wine cellar and seating at the bar, tables, and in a lounge-type area. Another lounge area that is shared by hotel guests is located outside of the restaurant and bar. An elevator leads from the parking garage and lobby to the third floor, where The Dime is located; a separate elevator bank leads to guestrooms.

On our most recent visit, we ordered several entrees among our group: monkfish wrapped in bacon, crabcake sandwich (but without the bread), romaine lettuce salad, salmon, lamb shank, chicken, and stroganoff. The half-roasted chicken (served with sweet potato wedges and French green beans), and the lamb shank (served with polenta and grilled onions and tomatoes), were our favorites, as well as the short rib and mushroom stroganoff. We shared several desserts: the peanut butter gelato, the pear and apple pie (which was enormous and served warm), and the pumpkin marscapone mousse (served in a jar and layered with different ingredients). On a previous visit, we ordered the nutella dessert, which was delicious and served in a similar jarred/layered presentation to the pumpkin mousse. 

Although we will not rush right back to The Dime (there are so many other nearby restaurants such as the Hamilton Kitchen, Centro, Grain, and Roar), it presents a dining option that is always open in Downtown Allentown because it is the hotel restaurant.