Ethnic Restaurants

(Allentown, unless otherwise noted)

*This is a partial listing of ethnic restaurants in the Lehigh Valley.  Moravian College and Moravian Theological Seminary do not endorse any of these establishments but simply list them for informational purposes.

• Asian Grocery Stores
• Caribbean
• Chinese
• Halal
• Indian
• Japanese
• Latin
• Mexican
• Middle Eastern
• Soul Food
• Thai
• Vietnamese

Asian Grocery Store

A Dong Grocery Store
1202 Walnut St.
(near 12th)
(610) 821 4559

Panda’s Pantry
901 North 7th St.
(at Washington)
(610) 439 1132

Far East Grocery Market, Inc
734 Park St.
Whitehall
(behind Whitehall mall)
(610) 266 8968

Caribbean

Caribbean Delight
465 Washington St.
(near 5th)
(610) 770 9830

Chinese

Tsang's Bistro
2730 Walbert Ave.
(610) 433 8188

Halal

ACI Halal Turkish
34 North 2nd St.
Restaurant at corner of Linden St.
(610) 439 8782

Indian

Nawaab Indian Restaurant
13 East 4th St.
Bethlehem
(610) 691 0388

Spice of India
2407 Mickley Ave
(610) 432 0980

Japanese

A-1 Japanese Steakhouse
3300 Lehigh St.
(610) 709 0998

Asian Bistro & Sushi Bar
24 East Third St.
Bethlehem
(610) 867 5979

Musashi Japanese Restaurant
1146 MacArthur Rd.
Whitehall
(610) 820 9138

Robata of Tokyo
39 South 9th St.
(610) 821 6900

Teppan Hibachi Steak house
3227 Hamilton Blvd
(near Dorney Park)
(610) 841 479

Ichiban
1914 Catasaqua Rd.
(In Carmike Theatre complex)
(610) 266 7781

Latin/Mexican

El Barrio
937 Hamilton St.
(610) 439 2400

Additional Information: Open daily except Sunday 10 am – 6 pm. Puerto Rican dishes, with the best chicharron (fried pork rind), pastelillos (turnovers), and roast chicken in town. The menu is varied, ranging from fried snacks to Latin style sandwiches, to full meals. Servings are massive here—go hungry! No credit cards but very affordable.

La Mexicana Grille
407 North 7th St.
(610) 776 1910

Additional Information: Open daily 11 am – 10 pm, with a brunch on Saturday and Sunday 11 am – 3 pm. Authentic Mexican specialties, no nouvelle cuisine or Taco bell here! Truly amazing soups, wonderful enchiladas and tacos, sensational chilaquiles (for brunch)….This restaurant was the first, and continues to be the most successful, at drawing diners downtown, A good place to take your parents, a great place on your own! Ample seating in an attractive setting. No credit cards.

La Placita Mexico
158 North 12th St.
(12th and Turner)
(610) 821 4549

Additional Information: Authentic home style Mexican dishes and groceries. Excellent pozole rojo and pozole blanco (hominy corn based soups) and very good, very cheap tacos. A wide variety of Mexican sodas is available. There is a small seating section at the rear of the restaurant, beyond the long deli style counter. No credit cards, but very affordable. Take out party trays are available and very well done!

Churro’s Café
959  Tuner St.
(near 10th)
(610) 437 5511

Additional Information: Open daily except Sunday 10 am – 7 pm.
Cuban and Caribbean cuisine: daily meat and fish specials, amazing pressed (grilled) hoagie size Cuban sandwiches, fried turnovers and other snacks, vegetarian offerings. Also serving strong Cuban coffee and tropical fruit shakes. Small seating area. No credit cards but very affordable.

Caribeno Restaurant
345 Ridge Ave.
(At Gordon)
(610) 432 5459

Additional Information: A small Dominican restaurant, though a new seating area allows you to eat in now.

Amigo Mia Restaurant
545 Cleveland St.
(610) 776 2026

Additional Information: The tiny gem of a restaurant has a limited, but both good and reasonably both authentic Tex-Mex/Mexican menu. They also have a liquor license. A good place to take parents!

Cuquita Restaurant
960 Broadway
Fountain Hill, PA 18015
(610) 868 5558

Additional Information: Though it is a bit beyond Allentown (almost to the South side of Bethlehem), this is the best Columbian restaurant in the area. Massive servings of fresh, prepared to order steaks, seafood and the ever daunting, always delicious bandeja paisa (they call it bandeja montanera here), a platter of steak, chorizo, chicharron, rice, beans, fried eggs, and avocado. Credit cards accepted, very much worth the short trip.

Rinconcito Salvadoreno
958 Hamilton St.
(610) 351 5153

Additional Information: Open Monday-Thursday 9 am - 4 pm, Friday and Saturday 9 am – 7 pm. Delivery available. This restaurant with an oft-changing name (hint: look for the address not the name!) offers a variety of Latin dishes with an emphasis on Salvadoran and other Central American specialties. The prices are unbelievably low and the food is quite good. Try the pupusas (stuffed tortillas with cheese, cheese and bean, chicharron, and chicken fillings), enchiladas, and quesadillas! The seating area is fairly small but immaculate. Credit cards accepted.  

Cactus Blue
2915 Schoenersvile Rd.
(at route 22), Bethlehem
(610) 814 3000

Taqueria La Lupita
Corner of 4th St and New St.
(South Side), Bethlehem

Solido’s/El Rincon Criollo
802 North 7th St.
(610) 439 6065

Additional Information: Open daily except Sunday 11 am – 6 pm. Puerto Rican dishes, from the freshest in fried foods (great alcapurrias (fried stuff yuca!)) to rich stews, pernil, and roasted chicken. Served with rice and beans, to be washed down with tropical sodas. This restaurant is one of the city’s original, and has just moved to an easily-reached, totally renovated downtown location. Ample seating area. No credit cards but very affordable.

Mambo Restaurant
1902  West Allen St.
(610) 351 4070

Additional Information: Dominican food with some mexican specialities as well. The pollo al carbon is quite good here, as is the cangrejo mambo (crab) and bacalao (salt cod) with large servings and your choice of sides. Offering lunchtime specials every day. Credit cards accepted. Free delivery with a $15 minimum order!!

Sunlight Restaurant
801 Hamilton St.
(entrance on 8th St.)
(610) 770 0713  

Additional Information: Free delivery available. Opne daily. Dominican cuisine with an every changing set of fresh daily specials. Amazing stews: the carne guisada, pollo guisado, and cerdo guisado (stewed beef, chicken, and pork respectively) are all good, but don’t be shy! Try the chivo (goat), patita (pig’s foot) or other unfamiliar but delicious meats! The best deal on a cubano (Cuban sandwich) in town. Everything looks fabulous, and the location is both easy to get to and very attractive. Catering for all size events. A great place for group meetings and activities! Credit cards accepted.

Tu Neuva Casa Restaurant
American Plaza 
223 Hamilton St (Hamilton and American Parkway)
(610) 433 2012

Additional Information: Excellent Dominican specialties as well as a range of Latin dishes. The meal size asopao de camron (shrimp and rice stew) is particularly good. They have several really yummy fish dishes as well. Open very late on the weekends! The room size TV screen keeps the latest novelas and videos front and center.

3-J’s Bakery
612 N. 7th St.
(610) 351 9914

Additional Information: The Dominican Republic is famous for its baseball players and its baking. 3-J’s has it all, from fancy cakes to plain bread with an ample selection of guava and pineapple treats in between. They will make just about any design cake for a special event. Now also offering take out sandwiches and full meals.

Jarabacoa City
44 North 8th St.
(8th and Linden St)
(610) 435 0781

Additional Information: Dominican foods, to eat in or take out. Will cater large orders.

Casa Latina Restaurant
527 N 7th St.
(610) 821 2748

Additional Information: A small but extremely popularDominican restaurant.

Sandwicheria El Punto
410 Tilghman St.
(610) 435 9170

Additional Information: Take out sandwiches, featuring the huge and delicious cubano as well as many other warm and cold options.

Mangos Coastal Cuisine
375 Hamilton Blvd
(610) 432 2025

Additional Information: Monday – Friday: 11 am – 10 pm, Saturday: 4 – 10 pm, Sunday: Closed. An elegant and newly innovative restaurant, with prices to match. Offering a traditional and vegetarian paella, through reports indicate that both have been tailored to local tastebuds.

PACIFICO Neuvo Latino Seafood
The Promenade Shops
2960 Center Valley Parkway
Center Valley
(610) 798 9666

Mexican

Johnny’s Manana’s
The PPL Plaza
835 Hamilton St.
(610) 434 6100

Middle Eastern

Aladdin Restaurant
651 Union Blvd.
(610) 437 4023

Additional Information: Open 11 am – 2pm Tuesday to Friday and 5 – 10 pm Tuesday to Sunday. Closed Monday. Reservations required on Saturday might when belly dancers performs ($2.50 cover charge per person). The extraordinary décor of Aladdin---over the top Moroccan and Moroccan inspired painted wood and cushions—whisks diners’ right out of the Lehigh Valley and into an exotic haven. The food is fresh and good, pulled from across the Middle East. A belly dancer enlivens Saturday dinners.

Damascus Restaurant
449 North 2nd St.
(610) 432 2036

Additional Information: At the heart of Allentown’s large Syrian neighborhood, Damascus Restaurant is an icon. Delicious meat and vegetarian dishes leave the family style restaurant redolent of warm spices and a close knit community. Their fetoosh salads, dusted with ground pomegranate, stand out as either side dishes or more than hearty main courses.

Olive Branch
355 Broadway
Bethlehem
(610) 814 0355

Soul Food

Black Orchid
Chew St at 12th St.
(484) 664 7733

Additional Information: Lunch, Dinner, Take out.

Thai

Kow Thai Take out 
12th and Linden St.
(610) 770 9100

Thai Kitchen
347 Broadway
Bethlehem
(610) 814 2670

Touch of Thai
123 North 2nd St.
Easton
(610) 250 0716

White Orchids
The Promenade Shops
At Saucon Valley
2985 Center Valley Parkway, Center Valley
(610) 841 7499

Vietnamese

Little Saigon
1033 North 6th St (at Sumner)
Whitehall

Pho Vung Tau Vietnamese
500 Union Blvd
(610) 433 3405