A modern American rooftop restaurant in Bethlehem, PA, known for its stunning views, contemporary cuisine, and handcrafted cocktails.
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ItalianSteakhouseLatin AmericanMexicanVegan-friendlyUpscaleLunchDinnerRooftopCocktail Bar
Last updated: 8/13/2026, 5:30:34 AM
Key Information
ZEST bar+grille is a modern American restaurant located on the rooftop floor of 306 South New Street in Bethlehem’s South Side Arts District. Opened in January 2019 by the creators of Grille 3501, it offers stunning views, a warm modern ambiance, and handcrafted cocktails, making it a popular spot for special occasions and a sophisticated dining experience.
Customer Perception
Customers consistently praise ZEST bar+grille for its stunning rooftop views and excellent service, often highlighting the attentive and courteous staff. The food receives high marks for amazing flavors and presentation, with many recommending it for special occasions like anniversaries. Vegetarian options are also well-received. Some minor criticisms include being charged for extra bread without prior notice and occasional issues with dishes being too salty or dry, but these generally do not detract from the overall positive experience.
Additional Details
ZEST bar+grille is an offshoot from the acclaimed Grille 3501 of West End Allentown, bringing a similar commitment to quality dining to Bethlehem. Its location provides a unique vantage point over the city.
VegetarianVegan (e.g., Crispy Chickpeas with vegan feta)Gluten-free options likely available upon request, given the modern menu and accommodation for vegetarians.
Best Times to Visit
ZEST bar+grille is open for dinner Tuesday through Saturday, and for lunch on Sundays. Given the emphasis on rooftop dining and stunning views, evenings, especially around sunset, and days with good weather would be ideal. It's recommended to make reservations, particularly for weekend evenings or special occasions.
This place has always been a dream of mine to go to due to its rooftop dining experience. My husband surprised me on our anniversary by taking us here and wow, what a night! I had an amazing time with my husband and the food was amazing. We got the butchers cut and it blew me away with how great the flavors burst in your mouth.. I will definitely be coming back here again but with my kids next time! Thank you zest for making our first experience an amazing one!
Generally speaking a good place to go on a good day. Parking is free on Sundays. Eating on the outside patio would’ve been nice. It was windy on the day we went so we elected to stay inside.
Went for Sunday lunch. Was fairly good service (attentive & courteous waitress and staff) until the end. We ordered the bread appetizer and when we ran out the waitress asked if we wanted more we said yes (but didn’t know, till we got the bill, they were going to charge us for the extra bread). A little notice would’ve been nice! We had leftovers that we wanted to pack to go. The container never came so we thought they would pack it when they collected the dishes. Leftovers never came back!
5
My partner and I made a last-minute reservation on a rough day, called to say we were running late, and the staff couldn’t have been kinder. They not only accommodated us without issue but actually thanked us for calling- which immediately set such a positive tone.
The host had the kind of welcoming energy that makes you instantly feel you’re in the right place, and that impression was only confirmed by how wonderful our server Johnny was. We were celebrating an anniversary, and he surprised us with half glasses of Prosecco! 🩷 Since we were short on time, he helped us choose dishes that would come out quickly and still be delicious.
We ordered cocktails, the short rib tacos, and the bread tray and everything was absolutely phenomenal. The flavors, presentation, and pacing were perfect- nothing could have been improved.
We sat outdoors for the view, which was stunning (easily one of the prettiest spots we’ve found since moving to the city). The indoor seating looked beautiful too with huge windows and a warm modern vibe.
We’re already talking about coming back soon. Zest has officially become our new go-to place for nights when we want great food, great service, and a little pick-me-up after a long day. Highly, highly recommend!
5
Every single bite better than the last!!
We ended up here on a whim and were seated right away on a Saturday night. Our server Hannah took great care of us, and the restaurant is up on the 6th floor with an incredible view.
The food was stunning. We have 2 vegetarians in our group and were thrilled with our options - the appetizers had creative flavor combinations and everything was so unique. Kimchi roasted cauliflower, roasted crispy chickpeas, incredible asparagus in a delicious bed of sauce, a roasted corn risotto… ridiculously good. My dad said the short rib was a bit dry, but the flavors were excellent and that it didn’t detract from the overall strength of this meal.
Would strongly recommend for a nice date or fancy occasion!
3
This was not my first time visiting zest. The past experiences were much better than the one yesterday. The drinks were always delicious. Our order, however, not so much this time the crispy chicken and dumplings were pretty good. The lobster mac & cheese was salty undercooked noodles. The crabcake was almost as if it wasn’t cooked at all just mixed in a bowl pat it together and placed on a plate. The presentation was beautiful. I ordered the scallops dinner with an extra side of scallops in total I spent $60. Needless to say it was horrific.. The scallops was seared perfectly. The sweet potato purée had no flavor. The side of cauliflower and potatoes was bland. I also order a side of brussels Hash. This was thoroughly disappointing. The brussels sprouts were sliced raw brussels sprouts no seasoning the sweet potato chunks that was mixed in with it was just boiled plain sweet potato. There was no seasoning no sugar there was nothing on it other than bland, potatoes and raw Brussels sprouts. My husband ordered a half pound burger. The presentation of that was good burger was cooked. Well he was pleased with that. Overall, the meal was not worthy of $188.52. I still decided to tip the waitress as she was nice, very courteous and friendly. Her main focal point is to serve the food not to make the food. I don’t think we’ll be revisiting. We’ll be trying something else within our area.
