LCM ArticlesOnline Exclusive

The Best of Lancaster 2024

Posted on by Lancaster County Magazine in LCM Articles · Online Exclusive

Your votes have been cast and the results of our sister publication Lancaster County Magazine‘s annual Best of Lancaster Readers’ Survey are in. 

Photos seen throughout this section are a mix of LCM file photos from photographers Nick Gould, Jordan Bush and others, as well as from the winning company’s/individual’s social media and websites.

RESTAURANTS

The secret’s out: Lancaster is a foodie paradise! “Forget the Hudson Valley. New Yorkers looking for a quiet respite from city life without sacrificing culture, design and a rich culinary scene should look further west, to Lancaster, Pa., to wile away a weekend. The best thing, however, is the food. Young chefs are coming to the city in droves, opening new spots …” New York Post, September 20, 2016. The October issue of Food & Wine magazine deemed the Lancaster food scene “travel worthy” and suggested 19 restaurants and food venues to visit. 

Breakfast

  1. Gracie’s on West Main (Leola)
  2. Whisk Café (Elizabethtown)
  3. Gus’s Keystone Restaurant (Mount Joy, Ephrata)

Brunch

  1. Whisk Café (Elizabethtown)
  2. (Tie) Rachel’s Café & Creperie (Lancaster) and Ida’s Café (Rohrerstown)

Lunch

  1. Cravings Gourmet Deli (Lancaster)
  2. Isaac’s Restaurants (multiple locations)
  3. CoffeeCo (multiple locations)

Dinner

  1. The Belvedere Inn (Lancaster)
  2. Lancaster Brasserie (Lancaster)
  3. Ciro’s Italian Bistro (Lancaster)

Buffet/Smorgasbord

  1. Shady Maple Smorgasbord (East Earl)
  2. Miller’s Smorgasbord Restaurant (Ronks)
  3. Dienner’s Country Restaurant (Ronks)

Casual Dining

  1. Mick’s All-American Pub (Mount Joy, Lititz, Willow Street)
  2. The Brickerville House Restaurant (Brickerville)
  3. Gus’s Keystone Restaurant (Mount Joy, Ephrata)

Outdoor Dining

  1. T. J. Rockwell’s (Elizabethtown)
  2. Tobias Frogg Restaurant (Lancaster)
  3. Funck’s Restaurant & Bar (Leola)

Celebrating/Special Occasions

  1. The Belvedere Inn (Lancaster)
  2. Fireside Tavern (Strasburg)
  3. (Tie) Josephine’s Downtown (Lancaster) and The Log Cabin (Leola)

Hotel Restaurant

  1. Plough, Lancaster Marriott Penn Square (Lancaster)
  2. Cork & Cap Restaurant, Cork Factory Hotel (Lancaster)
  3. Osteria Avanti, Inn at Leola Village (Leola)

Pub/Bar

  1. Frogtown Café (Marticville)
  2. McCleary’s Public House (Marietta)
  3. Annie Bailey’s Irish Public House (Lancaster)

Take-out

  1. Caruso’s Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria (multiple locations)
  2. Rice & Noodles (Lancaster)
  3. Jade Garden (Mount Joy)

New Restaurant

  1. BierHall Brewing (Lancaster)
  2. The Coffin Bar (Lancaster)
  3. Bert & The Elephant (Lancaster)

FOOD & DRINK

Lancaster has regained its reputation as a brewing powerhouse and it’s definitely gaining ground as a coffee mecca. Ice cream? In the opinion of Lancastrians, it’s an integral part of the food pyramid. History? Lancaster Central Market is the oldest publicly owned farmer’s market in the United States!

Coffee/Tea Shop

  1. CoffeeCo (multiple locations) 
  2. Square One Coffee Roasters (Lancaster)
  3. Mean Cup (Lancaster)

Bakery

  1. Rise Bake Shoppe (Mount Joy)
  2. Lancaster Cupcake (Lancaster, Granite Run)
  3. Achenbach’s Pastries (Leola)

Specialty Cakes

  1. House of Clarendon (Lancaster)
  2. (Tie) Rise Bake Shoppe (Mount Joy) and Oregon Dairy (Lititz)

Ice Cream

  1. Fox Meadows Creamery (Ephrata, Leola)
  2. Pine View Dairy (New Danville)
  3. Splits & Giggles (Lancaster)

Pretzels/Snack Food

  1. Hammond’s Hand-Made Pretzels (Lancaster)
  2. Dutch Country Hand-Rolled Soft Pretzels (Mount Joy)
  3. Auntie Anne’s Pretzels (multiple locations)

Candy

  1. Evans Candy (Lancaster)
  2. (Tie) Miesse Candies (Lancaster) and Spence Candies (Elizabethtown)

Brewery

  1. Mad Chef Craft Brewing (East Petersburg)
  2. Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant (Lancaster)
  3. Moo-Duck Brewery (Elizabethtown)

Winery

  1. Nissley Vineyards Winery & Estate (Bainbridge)
  2. Waltz Vineyards Estate Winery (Manheim)
  3. Grandview Vineyard (Mount Joy)

Catering

  1. Cracked Pepper Catering (Lancaster)
  2. Gourmet Julie’s Way (Lancaster)
  3. Rettew’s Catering (Manheim)

Farmers Market

  1. Lancaster Central Market (Lancaster)
  2. Root’s Country Market & Auction (Manheim)
  3. Harvest Lane Farm Market (Lititz)

Food Truck

  1. Chellas Arepa Kitchen (Lancaster)
  2. Gourmet Julie’s Way (Lancaster)
  3. (Tie) Fuego Latino Food Truck & Catering (Elizabethtown) and Walk-O Taco (Lancaster)

Grocery/Food Store

  1. Stauffers of Kissel Hill (Rohrerstown, Lititz, Mount Joy)
  2. Giant Food Stores (multiple locations)
  3. Weis Markets (multiple locations)

SPECIALTIES OF THE HOUSE

“A Global Feast in an Unlikely Spot: Lancaster, PA.” Headline from The New York Times, July 23, 2019.

Asian-Fusion/Sushi

  1. Oka Asian Fusion (Lancaster)
  2. Ginza Sushi (Greenfield)
  3. Mojo Asian Cuisine & Sushi Bar (Lititz)

Chinese

  1. Hong Kong Garden (Lancaster)
  2. Café East (Centerville)
  3. Jade Garden (Mount Joy)

Indian/Nepalese

  1. Himalayan Curry and Grill (Lancaster)
  2. Norbu (Lancaster)
  3. Taj Mahal Restaurant (Lancaster)

Italian/Mediterranean

  1. Ciro’s Italian Bistro (Lancaster) 
  2. Lombardo’s Restaurant (Lancaster)
  3. Nonna Rosa Traditional Italian Kitchen (Akron)

Mexican/Latin American

  1. El Serrano (Lancaster)
  2. Tequila Mexican Grill & Bar (Lancaster)
  3. Cocina Mexicana (Lancaster)

Pennsylvania Dutch

  1. The Restaurant & Buffet at Oregon Dairy (Lititz)
  2. Dienner’s Country Restaurant (Ronks)
  3. Shady Maple Smorgasbord (East Earl)

Burgers

  1. Cabalar Meat Co. (Lancaster)
  2. Route 66 Restaurant (Lancaster)
  3. Horse Inn (Lancaster)

Pizza

  1. Caruso’s Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria (multiple locations)
  2. Pizzeria LUCA (Lancaster)
  3. (Tie) Pizzeria 211 (Southern Market) and Hot Z Pizza (Landisville) and DiMaria’s NY Pizza and Italian Restaurant (Mount Joy)

Sandwiches

  1. Isaac’s Restaurants (multiple locations)
  2. The Sandwich Factory Sports Lounge (Neffsville)
  3. (Tie) Cabalar Meat Co. (Lancaster) and Bruno’s Hoagies (Greenfield and Lititz)

Wings

  1. Beanie’s Bar & Grill (Mount Joy)
  2. American Bar & Grill (Lancaster)
  3. Mick’s All-American Pub (Mount Joy, Lititz, Willow Street)

Seafood

  1. Kyma Seafood Grill (Stevens)
  2. Gibraltar Restaurant (Lancaster)
  3. The Fat Crab Café/Mr. Bill’s Seafood (Lancaster)

Steak

  1. 401 Prime (Lancaster)
  2. The Belvedere Inn (Lancaster)
  3. Johnny’s Bar & Steakhouse (Stevens)

Vegetarian/Vegan

  1. Root (Lancaster)
  2. Harvest Seasonal Grill (Lancaster)
  3. (Tie) Himalayan Curry and Grill (Lancaster) and Norbu (Lancaster)

Beer Selection

  1. The Fridge (Lancaster)
  2. Mad Chef Craft Brewing (East Petersburg)
  3. Funck’s Restaurant & Bar (Leola)

Wine/Spirits Selection

  1. Harvest Seasonal Grill (Lancaster)
  2. Gibraltar Restaurant (Lancaster)
  3. Ciro’s Italian Bistro (Lancaster)

Cocktails/Mocktails

  1. The Belvedere Inn (Lancaster)
  2. Horse Inn (Lancaster)
  3. Proof Lancaster (Lancaster)

Dessert

  1. Bistro Barberet & Bakery (Lancaster)
  2. Lancaster Cupcake (Lancaster, Granite Run)
  3. Fox Meadows Creamery (Ephrata, Leola)

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