Liked Tap & Table? You'll Love The Trapp Door

Many were disappointed with the closure of Tap & Table in April – it was a unique gastro pub and restaurant with a medieval feel and an up-scale menu. But mourn no more! Tap & Table employees Jennifer Funk and John Kerstetter re-opened the business as The Trapp Door, and I’m happy to say not much has changed.

The building is the same – exposed wooden beams and red and gold walls, with a large chalkboard behind the bar advertising daily specials. The atmosphere is still dimly lit, with dark wooden tables and the same copper-topped bar, but the candles in the chandeliers have been replaced with electrical lights and the long picnic-style tables are now a smaller, more traditional size. 

The Trapp Door is still labeled a gastropub, so you’ll find a ridiculous selection of beers, including six unique drafts, two cask ales, and over 100 bottled from Belgium, Germany, England, Italy and America. There’s also a handful of specialty cocktails and red and white wine.

The menu is limited, but features fresh meat and produce from local farms in Emmaus, Hamburg, Lancaster and Coopersburg. Under “Starters” you’ll find things like fondu, pork belly, oysters and pierogies. Then, under the “Cheese and Meats” section, you can pair one of their fresh cheeses (like Aged Paulin or Drunken Goat) with a meat (like Spicy Soppressata or Calabrese Salami). Next, there’s a handful of salads, soups, and sandwiches like the Fresh Autumn Salad, the Honey Butternut Squash Bisque and the New Cuban sandwich. 

Then when you venture into the entrées, you’ll really get a glimpse of the fresh food they use. The Penne & Scallops is served with aged gruyere, zucchini, organic turnips and cherry tomatoes. And the Mahi Mahi is served with forbidden rice, zucchini, a coconut reduction, compressed pineapple and pomegranate seeds.

My meal: A Klosterbrauerie Weissenohe Monk’s Fest draft (try saying that three times fast) and The Trapp Door Burger. The burger was delicious – the meat was flavorful even by itself and it was cooked perfectly. Plus, the fries were awesome. I also got to try my dad’s cheese-and-meat plate, which was quite delectable as well. A definite 5/5.

Details: 
4226 Chestnut Street, Emmaus
(610) 965-5225
Open Tues. – Fri. 4 p.m. to midnight, Sat. noon to midnight (the kitchen is open til 11); closed Sunday and Monday

Price range: $$ - $$$ (the average salad or sandwich is around $13, but entrées are around $24)

Bonus! The Trapp Door has ½-price drafts and casks during happy hour and live music Tuesday, Friday Saturday.