History is once again making its modern debut in Bethlehem.
The Sun Inn, opened in 1760, has welcomed guests like George Washington, Benjamin Franklin and Samuel Adams, to name a few. It closed in the early 1960s, but is now reopened as an operating tavern and soon-to-be microdistillery called the Tavern at the Sun Inn.
The established Sun Inn Preservation Association took it upon itself to restore the building on Main Street around the 1970s, adding a few more stories and rooms to fulfill the renovation.
Thanks to the association, the structure’s main entrance now gives way to the historic museum. The restaurant and future microdistillery are the work of six friends under their newly formed company, Christmas City Spirits LLC.
The building might not look like a restaurant from the outside or even from the main floor. But once upstairs, two dining rooms are adorned with square tables that host blue tablecloths and rustic centerpieces. It’s quaint—a perfect intimate setting.
Chef Billy Gruenewald and his team are the creators behind the tavern’s menu. Although limited, it allows Gruenewald to take extra time with each dish to make sure it’s perfect.
Try the mini Chicken Pot Pie, a staple of the restaurant, which includes six little handmade pies. Or start off with the daily chef selection of meats and cheeses that change weekly.
The limited menu and item variation pay homage to colonial times, when tavern menus were ever-changing. It’s also a reminder to patrons that each dish is made with the freshest ingredients sourced from local providers.
Since the Tavern at the Sun Inn opened December 2016, its menu has changed five times. Although some menu items may seem the same, be on the lookout for small differences in glazes, sauces and side dishes. For example, the current menu offers the same elk sausage that was on the last list, but its glaze is made with Troegs beer paired with veal stock-based gravy.
The Inn is so historical that Chef Gruenewald develops every dish with a colonial-inspired ingredient to pay respect to its history.
Enjoy a rib eye with peppercorn rub, tarragon butter fingerling potatoes and carrots, or indulge in the prosciutto-wrapped chicken confit with pear glaze, sweet potato mash and green beans.
Portraits of George Washington adorn the restaurant’s walls and old flags and other historical items decorate the entire inside of the building. There are no TVs but definitely enough culture to keep you interested.
The tavern’s bar is located in another room with wooden floors and a beautiful ambrosia maple bar top. Comfortable high blue chairs add a pop of color to the old woody look that envelops the area. The drink list is limited but offers local wines that are within a 30-mile radius from the Inn as well as Pennsylvania beers. Once the restaurant receives its final licensing, a full bar menu will be available to patrons.
There’s also the Rathskeller—or bottom floor of the building—which serves a limited bar menu including local beer and wine. Satisfy your thirst with a Vynecrest Pinot Grigio or a Wyndridge Crafty Cider.
The tavern’s licensing will allow the owners of the Tavern at the Sun Inn to open a microdistillery. Some spirits are to be made on location, with a tasting room for guests, and many of the tavern’s cocktails will be based with its distilled products. Co-owner Colin Anderson believes the distillery will open sometime this year.
With warmer months on the way, the tavern plans to expand its hours to include days for lunch. The North Green, or patio in the back of the building, will become an open area for customers to enjoy a meal and drink outside. The large space is a welcoming setting for those who want to enjoy the sunshine and people watch on Main Street.
Find the Tavern at the Sun Inn at 564 Main St. in Bethlehem; phone: (610) 419-8600.
- Photos: Davin Jurgensen
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