Rooftop restaurant ready for November debut

In November, a $20M office complex long championed as a catalyst for helping to revitalize South Side Bethlehem will see its newest tenant open a rooftop restaurant.

The creators of Grille 3501 in South Whitehall Township plan to open a second restaurant, Zest Bar and Grille, on the sixth floor of the new building at 306 South New St. in Bethlehem.

Zest will offer a menu of New American cuisine in a 280-seat space for both indoor and outdoor dining, said manager Anthony Trapani. The restaurant also offers two private dining areas.

Weather permitting, rooftop seating would be available year-round, he added.

Guests can view the SteelStacks, Hill-to-Hill and Fahy bridges and other areas of the city, a rarity for a restaurant in that area.

“We like the location and what’s going on down there,” Trapani said. “It’s far enough away from our other location. There aren’t any other kinds of views like that in the Lehigh Valley.”

The restaurant is hiring and expects to have about 60 to 75 employees once it is operating, he added.

The food will be similar to the Grille 3501 menu and include appetizers, seasonal salads, entrees and desserts, plus a variety of beer and wine. Hours are Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to midnight and Saturday from 4 p.m. to midnight. John Trapani, owner, and John “JP” Pukanecz, executive chef/owner, will operate the restaurant.