Paris has its Eiffel Tower. For London, it’s St. Paul’s Cathedral, while New York boasts the Statue of Liberty. Here in Allentown, we have the Brew Works. We jest, yes, but only slightly: the 400-seat, $7 million brew pub has quickly become, since its 2007 opening, the nerve center of life downtown. One payoff: we no longer need to slog to the Fegley family’s original outpost, in Bethlehem (see page XX). The Brew Works occupies four enormous (wide-planked) floors of an old silk factory, and “soaring” seems a feeble description of the steel-beamed ceilings. The food—look out for “beer-enhanced” dishes—is much better than your typical pub fare. We like the pizza special ($9) and the juicy “bacon me bleu” burger ($8.50), though our first love is the mysteriously delicious chicken cheesesteak ($8). And then there are the beers, all brewed on site: five standbys (our favorite is Hop Explosion) and a rotating cast of seasonal offerings (like the high-alcohol Rude Elf Reserve). You could easily get lost here: the ground-floor space, with its underlit bar and glimmering stainless steel brewing tanks, opens onto an outdoor “Biergarten.” Downstairs is the “Silk Room,” with its L.A. hipster vibe—low-slung black leather couches, votive candles, and a startling two-way mirror (you have to see it). Take the wide staircase to the second floor “High Gravity” bar and dining area, which hosts live music on the weekends and comedy on Tuesday nights. Thursday is “College Pub Night,” so bring your Muhlenberg ID for specials. And don’t forget to leave with a “growler” ($3, $8 to fill) of craft brew. (Open daily 11a-2a.)