Solid Hotel Pour, Nothing to Argue About
Downtown Allentown · Allentown · Hotel Restaurant / New American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed July 4, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The Dime sits inside the Renaissance Allentown, and the wine list feels exactly like that — polished enough for the room, but not pushing anyone to think too hard. Eight labels, eight by-the-glass pours, and a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence on the wall that suggests someone at least tried. It's a hotel bar that knows its audience.
With only eight labels on the list, there's not a lot of range to work with — you're getting a greatest-hits package of recognizable names rather than anything that'll make you lean in. Toad Hollow Pinot Noir, Altosur Malbec, Davis Bynum Chardonnay, The Huntsman Cabernet Sauvignon — these are crowd-pleasing picks that won't offend anyone at a business dinner or a pre-show drink. There's a nod to Pennsylvania on the cocktail side of things, but the wine list doesn't lean into local producers the way you'd hope from a hotel rooted in Allentown. The Wine Spectator award is a nice credential, but with a list this compact, it's more of a participation trophy than a deep endorsement.
The entire list is available by the glass, which is the right call for a hotel bar crowd that mostly wants one or two pours before dinner. At $12–$15 a glass, you're paying hotel rates — fair enough for the setting, but the markup on bottles suggests you're better off sticking to singles. No rotation or seasonal additions are evident, which means the BTG list sits still between menu refreshes.
Davis Bynum Chardonnay 2023 — $12/glass
Davis Bynum is a legitimate Russian River Valley producer with real history, and at $12 it's the most restrained ask on the list. It's the one pour here that feels like you're getting something rather than just paying for the zip code.
Altosur Malbec 2024
Nobody orders Malbec at a hotel bar — they're reaching for the Cab without thinking. Altosur punches above its price tier as a Mendoza producer, and in a list this short, it's the most interesting red option most people will walk right past.
The Huntsman Cabernet Sauvignon 2024
At $15/glass or $65/bottle, The Huntsman is the priciest pour on the list and the least exciting. It's a safe, generic Cab that doesn't justify being the premium option — you can do better elsewhere on the same list for less.
Toad Hollow Pinot Noir 2023 + Sustainable Verlasso Salmon
Toad Hollow's Pinot is light enough to not steamroll fish and has the structure to hold up against the richness of salmon. It's the obvious move on this list, and obvious is sometimes right.
✔️ The Bottom Line
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.
Downtown Bethlehem · Allentown · Upscale American
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.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Bethlehem Historic District · Allentown · Upscale New American with French-Asian influences
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.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Bethlehem/Lehigh Valley region · Allentown · Fusion/Eclectic Bistro
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.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Bethlehem/Wind Creek Resort · Allentown · Steakhouse
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.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Bethlehem · Allentown · Contemporary American Rooftop
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.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Seidersville / Allentown–Bethlehem Border · Allentown · Farm-to-Table New American
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.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Seasonal Rotation
Proper
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