"Where should we eat?" is a question easily answered no matter where you are—or what time of day it is—in Lancaster County.
Stroll down a city street in the morning and the smell of freshly baked bread and pastries or locally roasted coffee might draw you in for breakfast. On the same block, you might pass a restaurant offering international cuisine or upscale fare in a historical building. At night, live music and local brews pair with classic bar food in pub—style settings. Drive outside the city limits and deeper into the county and your options expand to include homestyle buffets, on-the-farm creameries, and classic diners.
Lancaster might not be the first city that comes to mind for vibrant food scenes but the region is quickly becoming a foodie paradise—and locals aren't the only ones who know it.
One Lancaster County establishment—Chella's—has consistently landed in the Yelp Top 100 Places to Eat in the United States. Two others—Josephine's and The Belvedere Inn—were recently included on Open Table's 100 Most Romantic Restaurants. Another—Route 66 Restaurant—boasts one of the 50 Best Cheeseburgers in the United States, according to Yelp.
From fine dining and farm-to-table to PA Dutch cooking and international fare, Lancaster County is home to hundreds of eateries featuring delectable dishes that can please any palate.
If you're a local looking to try a new place or a visitor wanting to sample some of the best the county has to offer, let our guide give you a taste—pun intended!—of what Lancaster has to offer. (For all restaurants, check websites or call to confirm hours. Many of Lancaster's eateries are closed on Sundays, Mondays or Tuesdays.)
Whether it's to celebrate a special event or simply a fancy night out, Lancaster has myriad options for fine dining experiences.
401 Prime is a luxury steakhouse with menu items such as wagyu steaks, chilean sea bass, quail breast, salmon and lobster tail. Also known for their cocktails, 401 Prime features a happy hour bar menu from 4-6 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays. And those looking for a one-of-a-kind experience can reserve the chef's table with 72 hours' notice and dine at a private table in the kitchen, feasting on a custom multi-course tasting menu.
Josephine's is a French-inspired locally sourced establishment in the heart of downtown Lancaster that made the list of Top 100 Romantic Restaurants, according to Open Table. Featured menu items include duck breast, swordfish milanese, and Josephine’s Garden of Eatin (cucumber tofu tzatziki, roasted farmers market vegetables, baby kale & basil, citrus pesto, and spiced cashews). The restaurant also has a menu of Hollywood cocktails, named after some of the biggest stars to grace movie and TV screens.
Also on the list of romantic restaurants is The Belvedere Inn. Housed in a 19th-Century Italianate mansion, the restaurant boasts an elegant dining experience. Live jazz music is a regular event in the piano bar, and the food garners some of the most enthusiastic recommendations from its patrons. The signature Belvie Bread—french baguette, garlic, sun-dried tomato aioli, parmesan cheese—is a not-to-miss starter and the Grilled Caesar Salad makes a perfect complement to the bread. Regulars also mention the espresso martini as a drink that keeps them coming back.
Another French restaurant in Lancaster is Citronnelle offering a seasonal, locally sourced, globally inspired menu. Citronnelle is BYOB and offers a range of non-alcoholic drinks such as ginger beer, hot teas and espresso. Be sure to end your meal with a soufflé, either the signature or decadent dark chocolate, both of which require 25 minutes to prepare and are worth the wait.
At The Greenfield Restaurant and Bar, diners can enjoy the culinary creations of former White House Chef John Moeller, who sources most of his ingredients from local farms and farm stands. Menu highlights include the prime pork schnitzel (spaetzle with smoked bacon, brussels sprouts, mushrooms, leeks, carrots and grilled lemon with a mustard brandy cream sauce on the side) and a chef's choice daily preparation of fresh fish for entrees and the short rib egg rolls and PA Preferred cheese plate featuring a selection of local cheeses served with date nut bread, Stockin’s Apiary honey comb and seasonal fruits, for starters.
Outside the city just off of Oregon Pike, Gibraltar is a seafood lover's dream. With a raw bar and caviar selection along with entrees like whole roasted branzino and yellowfin tuna tataki, patrons will not soon forget their dining experience. Gibraltar emphasizes sustainable and ethically cultivated food, whether it's wild-caught seafood or organic meats and produce.
Lancaster County is known for the farmland that dots its rolling rural hills, and with fertile farms comes an abundance of locally grown fruits and vegetables and family farms producing meat and dairy. Many local restaurants take advantage of this bounty with seasonal dishes that feature locally grown, baked or raised ingredients.
Amanita serves breakfast and lunch and features items like shakshuka, smoked salmon tartine, smoothies and deli sandwiches.
Passerine includes such dinner items as local cabbage, a local cheese plate, fusilli Amatriciana (with locally made pasta) and brunch items like biscuits and mushroom gravy, beef shakshuka, and stracciatella & peach toast (made with heirloom tomatoes). The restaurant sources more than half of its wine from the East Coast and strives to showcase the best of what the region has to offer.
Besides delicious seasonal food, at John J. Jeffries inside the Lancaster Arts Hotel, patrons can dine in a converted tobacco warehouse that adds a character all its own to the experience. Menus here change seasonally depending on what's available from the restaurant's partner farms, so what is listed online may not always be what is on the menu. Whatever they're serving is sure to be fresh and delicious. Highlights include the House Smoked Limestone Springs Trout Caesar Salad, which features not only fish caught locally but goat cheese from Linden Dale Farms and local lettuce. And the grass-fed dry aged beef tartare will make you think twice about ever cooking meat again. Dishes are elegantly plated and taste as good as they look.
Inside the historical Urban Place, The Cork & Cap Restaurant offers locally sourced comfort foods such as meatloaf with three cheese macaroni, short rib Wellington, ratatouille, hush puppies served with a sriracha aioli, and edamame potstickers.
One of the main attractions in Lancaster County is the Pennsylvania Dutch smorgasbord, and there are plenty to choose from. Shady Maple Smorgasbord is perhaps the most well-known. The buffet features a 200-feet array of food and was recently voted the No. 1 Buffet in a USA Today Readers Choice poll.
But Shady Maple isn't the only option for a PA-style Dutch buffet.
Miller's Smorgasbord took third place on the USA Today Best Buffet list. In operation for 95 years, Miller's offers such PA Dutch delicacies as chicken and waffles, chicken pot pie (with noodles), potato stuffing, Swedish meatballs, baked cabbage in cream sauce, and shoo-fly pie.
Hershey Farm Resort has many options for your dining preferences. Enjoy an all-you-can-eat buffet that offers Pennsylvania Dutch staples. Head over to their cafe for made-to-order items. Treat yourself to their dessert bar featuring desserts from their own bakery. Hours vary in the fall so be sure to check the calendar before you go.
Dienner's Country Restaurant has a different special each weeknight. Choose from meatloaf (Monday), hamloaf (Tuesday), pork and kraut (Wednesday) and Chicken Pot Pie (Thursday). Weekend buffets include fish and shrimp.
If it's global flavors you're after, grab your culinary passport and take a trip around the world—without leaving the county. Influenced by its rich heritage of welcoming immigrants and refugees, Lancaster's international cuisine is not only vast but delicious. Local restaurants represent every continent (minus Antarctica) and showcase the unique dishes and flavors that comprise a particular region's cuisine.
Awash Ethiopian Cuisine serves such traditional fare as Doro Wat (chicken stew), beef tibs, as well as lentil and spilt pea combinations all served with the spongey injera bread the county is known for.
Big Five African Cuisine offers a rotating menu of beef and chicken stews, fresh chapati, beef and vegetable samosas, rice and veggies.
Flavors of Morocco, located inside Lancaster's Southern Market food hall, serves up chicken tagine, chicken tikka masala and a vegetarian combo, all of which are served with rice and a trio of veggies. Chef Bushra Fakir also hosts Authentic Moroccan Dining Experiences complete with music and traditional decor.
Koshary Station features Egyptian and Middle Eastern food such as shawarma, falafel, moussaka, samosas, hummus, and baklava. Check them out to see if the recently viral Dubai Chocolate Bar is available for order or purchase.
When it comes to Asian food, Lancaster diners have more than enough destinations for their culinary pursuits, among them: Korea, Nepal, India, Bhutan, Vietnam, China, and Thailand.
Chi Maek is a recent addition to the Lancaster food scene featuring Korean fried chicken, as well as udon noodle soup, bibimbap, pork buns and potstickers.
At Taj Mahal the menu includes a variety of traditional Indian food like curry, vindaloo, biryani and pakora.
Himalayan Curry and Grill features Nepalese and Indian cuisine such as mouth-watering curries and dals for vegans or meat-eaters, tandoori chicken, and pakoras that are crispy fried on the outside and tender and juicy on the inside.
Diyo Fusion is associated with Himalayan Curry and Grill and features Nepalese street feed. Samosas, mo-mo, chow mein, naan, and a variety of entrees (choice of chicken, lamb, goat and vegetarian) served over basmati rice provide a filling lunch or dinner option in the heart of Lancaster city.
Along those same culinary lines, Norbu is a Bhutanese/Nepalese restaurant whose ambiance is as good as its food. Diners can sit at tables with chairs or at a more traditional setting with a low table and cushions. As for the food, the datsi—vegetables stewed in a smoky cheese sauce with rice—takes center stage. The national dish of Bhutan is the Ema Datsi, chili peppers cooked in the smoky cheese sauce, making it super spicy. (If it says "spicy" in the description, believe them!) The spicy noodles with cheese is another memorable dish.
If it's noodles you're after, make sure to check out Issei Noodle at its new location: 38 W. Orange, Lancaster. (If you spot the ramen mural on the side of the building, you've found it!) With almost a dozen types of ramen on the menu, it's almost expected that you'll slurp your food. And good news for the gluten-free—Issei has GF noodles (available for an extra charge).
Yi Pin and Yang's are two places that come up often when restaurant-goers are looking for traditional Chinese food. Yi Pin offers Szechuan-style food, some of which might be familiar to the western palate like soup dumplings, kong pao chicken and orange chicken and some of which might be new: hot and spicy pig feet, whole striped bass, and deep fried squid. At Yang's, the General Tso chicken—listed on the menu as spicy—can be ordered with the customer's preferred spice level. Some say Yang's has the best egg rolls in the county.
Rachel's Cafe & Creperie will bring to mind Paris, and not just because of the food. The charming corner restaurant on West Walnut Street in Lancaster city is decorated with all things French and feels like a trip without leaving home. And if when you hear "crepe," you think "thin pancake," be forewarned, these vessels are stuffed full of a rotating menu of sweet and savory fillings. (Local tip: add the hash browns to the crepes; it's worth the extra charge.)
Another local eatery that'll have you feeling like you're in another country is Annie Bailey's Irish Public House. The dark-paneled wood accents and a stone fireplace create a cozy environment no matter the time of year. Locals love the shepherd's pie and the Irish nachos (served over waffle fries), and the menu is full of other tasty comfort foods like fish and chips, mac and cheese, and bangers and mash. For current menu and seasonal specials, visit
In Lititz, the Bull's Head Public House will transport you to England with its classic pub fare such as welsh rarebit, scotch egg, chicken and leek pie, and chicken or vegetarian tikka masala. Every Saturday, first-come, first-serve, they offer a full English breakfast.
The European fare doesn't stop there.
Bierhall Brewing offers German food such as bratwurst, schnitzel, currywurst, potato pancakes and black forest cake.
Bert & the Elephant bills itself as the Lancaster city's first Belgian cafe, offering such dishes as Belgian meatballs, Belgian egg noodles, Moules Frites (mussels and fries) and Bitterballen (a beef and gravy croquette).
Quip's Pub is another English-style pub serving colcannon, sarnies (British for "sandwich"), cottage pie and pan-seared Scottish salmon.
Luca features handmade pasta dishes and wood-fired entrees (including the Luca Sunday meatballs, only available on Sundays until sold out) from a James Beard nominated culinary team. On the dessert menu, the salted butterscotch budino has patrons raving. Their sister restaurant Pizzeria Luca offers 12-inch pizzas made to order from their slow-fermented pizza dough.
Lombardo's Italian American Kitchen has been serving the Lancaster community since 1946 with classic Italian pastas, panini (for lunch), seafood appetizers such as calamari, and comfort food dinners like veal paramesan, risotto, and short rib cannelloni.
If it's Greek food you're craving, looking no further than Souvlaki Boys for street food such as pitas (with a variety of meat and filling options), bowls, dips and spreads, and skewers.
At Nord Scandinavian Food, located inside Central Market (Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays only), be sure to grab a refreshing lingonberry or elderberry juice or try the Nord Dog, a hot dog served on a brioche bun and topped with mustard, crispy onions and pickles.
If your tastes are more classic American, numerous diners throughout the county offer extensive menus of whatever you're in the mood for, whether it's an early morning or a late night. Knight & Day Diner is a popular spot and is open 24 hours. Park Place Diner sits near the intersection of the Pennsylvania Turnpike and U.S. Route 222 and is a perfect spot to grab a bite while traveling in the area. Other favorites include the Lyndon Diner and Park City Diner both of which are open 24 hours.
The Neptune Diner offers a unique setting—a circa 1950s rail car—with breakfast items patrons rave about. DJ'S Taste of the '50s is another blast from the past where diners are surrounded by 1950s memorabilia and classic music plays in the background.
On the edge of Lancaster city, on the corner of Liberty and Prince streets, sits a small eatery with big flavor. Route 66 Restaurant is the place for one of the 50 best cheeseburgers in the country, according to Yelp, and customers consistently recommend the Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich. There's limited seating, so takeout is a good option here.
Cabalar Meat Co, a combination butcher and burger joint, opened at its new location this fall, 501 W. Lemon St., Lancaster, and continues to serve up its popular smashburgers, along with the MacDaddy (a local take on a famous fast-food burger) and sandwiches such as the Cuban and Pastrami Reuben.
Sandwiches are the story at Bobby Bay's Sandwich Shop where the rolls are handmade and the fillings are full of flavor. Each sandwich is served on a 10-inch roll and topped with unique combinations of Italian meats and cheeses. The Don Parma, for example, is layered with prosciutto crudo, fig jam, fresh mozzarella, and arugula, and every bit contains a taste of something besides bread. For those who like to live on the spicy side of life, the Diablo hits with spicy soppressata, habanero jack cheese, Calabrian chili-honey and arugula. Full menu available on the website and will have you salivating.
Bacon lovers will find their needs more than met at Gracie's on West Main where scratch-made food is served in a comfortable setting that feels a bit like home. The Grilled Banana Nut Bread is a must-try, along with the not-your-average grilled cheeses (including breakfast grilled cheeses!). And don't let the word "salad" on the menu fool you--the delicious burger salad contains two beef patties atop spring greens and shredded iceberg along with sliced tomato, onions, pickles, shredded cheese, fries and special sauce. It has no business being called a salad, but it is mouthwateringly good.
As if the food wasn't enough, each dining room at Gracie's is covered in chalkboard walls with encouraging quotes and sayings to lift patrons' spirits. It's a fun place for locals and visitors alike.
And the world tour doesn't stop there.
Hudson Botanical Cafe brings an Australian flair with its farm-to-table menu in a bright and plant-filled setting. Featuring an array of "bevvies" (smoothies and wellness drinks) alongside coffee and teas, the cafe's small menu belies its big flavors and hearty portions. The truffle fries are an addictive blend of truffle powder, parmesan, aioli, and scallions atop a platter of fried potatoes. (Add an egg, and you've got a breakfast you won't soon forget.) Fusion dishes like pork belly chao dan—a mix of scrambled eggs, parmesan, and sticky pork belly served on sourdough—and thai peanut curry showcase Executive Chef Brent Hudson's knowledge and experience with global cuisine.
Eating at Chella's, a food truck parked at 1830 Hempstead Road (with a brick-and-mortar store slated to open on Queen Street in the former Cabalar space), is like attending a backyard barbecue with a South American twist. As patrons wait for food, they can play games or sit under an umbrella at a picnic table listening to the Latin music piped through the outdoor speakers. And when the food is ready, it's the party's main event. The Venezuelan-inspired arepas—and everything else on the menu—are gluten-free and Chella's offers vegan and vegetarian options. These crunchy-on-the-outside, soft on the inside corn cakes are topped with pork, steak, chicken or vegetables and served with a choice of Mad Llama hot sauce, homemade chimichurri or cilantro aioli. The arepas and bowls are filling all on their own, but no visit to Chella's is complete without an order of yuca fries.
If the food scene feels overwhelming and you're not sure where to start, check out Lancaster City Restaurant Week. Twice a year, usually in the spring and the fall, a variety of local eateries participate in a week of special deals, giving diners the opportunity to try new or familiar places. They also highlight new establishments on their blog and socials throughout the year:
A Facebook group that started during the early days of the COVID lockdown—Lancaster County Take Out and Dining—is another resource for finding well-loved entrees and unique places to eat.
If a sampling tour feels like more your speed, check out Taste The World, which a few times a year offers walking and sampling tours (usually in the summer and early fall) that highlight cuisine from around the globe.
Red Rose Walking Food Tour offers food experiences on days when Lancaster Central Market is open (Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays).
We've highlighted many of the tasty options in the county, but we're sure to have missed some! Let us know what we should include next time!