It’s Friday afternoon and you’re scrambling to find a good place to eat with friends, a significant other, or a family member. Downtown Easton has a myriad of dining options ranging from late night eats, Downtown Dawg and Porters’ Pub, to classy upscale restaurants, Oak Steakhouse and Sogo Fusion. Below you’ll find both casual and fancy restaurant recommendations for a night on the town or a romantic dinner, complete with general price indicators (out of five), menu highlights, and weekend hours.
For very fancy occasions: (Parents in town, celebrating an anniversary)
Oak Steakhouse – 323 Northampton Street, Easton
$$$$
A gorgeous rooftop, bar provides an open air view of the sky, is the icing on the cake for this elegant dining venue nestled right next to the Easton Public Market. The service is fast, responsive, and extremely polite, and the wait staff has an excellent knowledge of the menu. The prime New York strip steak is an excellent choice paired with brussels sprouts and mashed potatoes, especially if your parents are taking you out and can afford the $48.95 price. Oak also has a decadent lobster tail topped with sea salt and butter, and shrimp if you’re looking to stay on the cheaper side. The wine list is a full page and contains an impressive array of bottles from around the world in addition to an extensive cocktail list.
For classy, but not too serious occasions: (Date night, going out with friends)
Mesa Modern Mexican – 42 South 3rd Street, Easton
$$$
If you’re looking for fresh flavors with a lighter take on traditional Mexican cuisine, Mesa is the place to go in Downtown Easton. The co-owners also own the popular Tapas on Main restaurant in Bethlehem, and have created a personal dining experience with a pleasant, and dimly-lit, ambiance just south of the center traffic circle. The guacamole, made right in front of you at your table, is an excellent starter or pair to any meal. The traditional “Palomino” guacamole comes with tomato, onion, cilantro and lime juice, while the “Zapata” guac comes with a bit of a kick thanks to the spicy chorizo (pork sausage) mixed in. The tacos are delicious albeit rather small, and the burrito bowls compare in flavor but are both high in volume and variety when paired with rice, beans, pico de gallo, plantains, a choice of meat, veggies, or shrimp all for between $9-$15. Mesa also offers margarita specials on Mondays and the restaurant is open until 10 pm on weekdays and 11 on weekends.
Stoke Coal Fire Pizza & Bar – 1 Lehns Court, Easton
$$
A modern interior and close-quarters dining provides an intimate environment to enjoy Stoke’s coal-fired pizzas. The fan favorite, Margherita pizza is a fresh, flavorful choice that comes as tasty as it is affordable ($12). But if you’re a meat-lover, the Carnivore comes with homemade sausage, salami, pepperoni, and mozzarella cheese. Stoke also offers a selection of soups, salads, meats and cheeses, along with some unique options, such as the Stoke Sticks, which are polenta fries with garlic aioli. Both Carmela’s Lasagna, made with a three-cheese blend and homemade Bolognese sauce, and the Chicken Parmesan come recommended as an excellent entrées as well. In addition, Stoke often offers a student discount (half-price pizzas) on Wednesday’s and there is also often live jazz or country music offered on week nights and DJ’s on weekends.
For casual trips with friends, or a solo venture:
Downtown Dawg – 77 North 4th Street, Easton
$
If you’re hoping for something remotely healthy, look elsewhere. But if you’re hoping to reward yourself with some junk food after a long week of classes, look no further than the Downtown Dawg. This hole-in-the-wall restaurant offers a variety of pleasure food such as French fries, mozzarella sticks, milkshakes, hot dogs (duh), hamburgers, and desserts. The “Xtreme” burger comes with cheese, bacon, BBQ sauce, and is topped off with both an onion ring and mozzarella stick for just $5.25. The “Farmer Sandwich” is packed with a chicken patty, bacon cheeseburger, and mozzarella sticks in between two grilled cheeses. Again, this is not a healthy option, but it tastes positively splendid. Several great sides and desserts include chicken fingers ($5.75), wings ($5.75), mac and cheese ($1.50), and four deep-fried Oreos for $3.50. Downtown Dawg is open from 11am-8pm from Monday-Thursday, and on Friday and Saturday nights, it’s late hours allow you to order food through Grubhub until 3am.
Whenever you find yourself in Easton, know that there are numerous options for every type of food outing. Sogo Fusion, The Bayou, Sette Luna, Ocean, River Grille, Two Rivers, and the 3rd & Ferry Fishmarket are all excellent options for fine dining, but there are also a number of cheaper, laidback choices in the Easton Public Market and scattered throughout the downtown. Check out more information online at Yelp and TripAdvisor, as well as food reviews in the Morning Call for more information.