Allentown

1741 on the Terrace isn't trying to be a wine destination, but the fortified and dessert wine program alone is worth the visit — it's genuinely rare to find this much care put into the end-of-meal pours. Come for the atmosphere, stay through dessert.

Edge is a dependable night out for wine in a market that doesn't always take the glass seriously — the list won't dazzle you, but it won't embarrass you either. Send a friend here knowing they'll drink well; just steer them away from the rosé markup.

Twisted Olive is a solid neighborhood wine stop — fair prices, familiar faces on the list, nothing that'll blow your mind but nothing that'll ruin your night either. Send a friend here for a casual Wednesday dinner, not a special occasion splurge.

Chop House does what a casino steakhouse wine list is supposed to do: it stocks the names people recognize, charges casino prices for them, and gets out of the way. If you're here for the prime ribeye and a bottle of Jordan, you'll leave happy — just don't look too hard at the markups.

Zest isn't where you go to geek out on wine, but it is where you go to drink something decent while watching the sun dip over Bethlehem without dropping $100. For a rooftop bar, this list is honest, fairly priced, and does exactly what it promises.

Bolete is the best wine list in the Lehigh Valley by a comfortable margin, and it would hold its own in most major cities. If you're driving 45 minutes for dinner, the wine list alone makes it worth the trip.

Westside Grill is the dependable date-night wine list you've seen a hundred times — California hits, a few smart French imports, markups that lean steep but not insulting. It's not a destination for wine lovers, but it won't ruin your dinner either.

Hook is a Wild Card through and through — a 250-bottle list in a $20-entree seafood spot is not something you expect to find in downtown Allentown, and that ambition deserves recognition. The markups keep it from being a true destination for wine, but if you're already here for the crab boil, there's enough on this list to drink well.

Biaggi's wine list is better than it needs to be for a chain, especially on the Italian side — but steep markups and a crowd-pleaser mentality keep it from being anything more than a reliable option. If you navigate past the California marquee names, there's a genuinely good meal-and-wine combo waiting for you.

Copperhead Grille is a perfectly fine place to catch a game, eat some wings, and drink a beer — and that's exactly what you should do. The wine program exists out of obligation, not passion, and the markups don't reward the loyal few who order a bottle anyway.

Copperhead Grille is not a wine destination — it's a wings-and-beer destination that happens to have eleven wines on the menu. Order a draft, enjoy the game, and save your wine curiosity for literally anywhere else.

Madeline's won't be the reason you plan a trip to Fogelsville, but if you're already there, the wine list earns a solid passing grade. Fair prices, decent range, and a few genuinely good picks make it worth ordering a bottle instead of defaulting to the bar menu.

Okatshe is a Wild Card in the truest sense: a Tokyo-inspired izakaya inside a Moxy Hotel in Allentown, Pennsylvania, pouring orange Chenin Blanc from South Africa and Finger Lakes Riesling to people who mostly came for the sushi. The markups are real and the list is small, but the curation punches above its weight — and that counts for a lot.

Notch is a cocktail bar that takes its wine list seriously enough to deserve credit, even if it isn't trying to win any awards. Send a friend here if they want a solid glass without drama — just steer them toward the Barnard Griffin and away from the Seeker.

Union & Finch isn't trying to be a wine destination, and that's fine — it's a solid neighborhood spot where the list is priced fairly and gets the job done. Send your friends here for the burger and a comfortable glass of something familiar, not for a deep-dive wine moment.

The Dime is a competent hotel wine program — reliable, inoffensive, and priced for the room rather than the wine. If you're staying at the Renaissance or grabbing dinner before a show, you'll find something drinkable; just don't come here expecting to geek out.