Pennsylvania Dutch: Miller’s Smorgasbord Restaurant

What defines Pennsylvania Dutch cuisine? According to Sam Wolf, the chef at Miller’s Smorgasbord Restaurant, it constitutes “lots of butter, which makes it rich. People aren’t expecting that,” he says of first-time visitors. “They’re expecting rather plain food but that’s not the case,” he says, pointing to staples such as pickled items, ham balls that are finished with a mustard glaze and Miller’s classic dessert, chocolate pecan pie, which is shipped to fans all over the country.

“Pennsylvania Dutch food is also hearty,” he continues, alluding to signature dishes such as scrapple, strata, chicken corn soup, creamed chipped beef and chicken pot pie, which also stymies first-time visitors. “They’re expecting something with a crust,” Sam shares.

Sam estimates that 80% of Miller’s menu is made from scratch in-house, using fresh products from local farms and vendors as much as possible. “We go through 500,000 pounds of chicken in a year’s time,” he reports.

Undoubtedly, Miller’s claim to fame is the dish that started it all, Chicken and Waffles. In 1929, Enos Miller opened a gas station and truck-repair business on the Lincoln Highway in Ronks. To keep customers happy and coming back, Enos’s wife, Anna, fortified them with homemade food. Word spread of her cooking skills and before the Millers knew it, people were arriving for fill-ups of Anna’s delicious food, notably her chicken and waffles. Recognizing an opportunity, the Millers closed the automotive business and opened a restaurant in its place.

In 1948 the Millers sold the restaurant to long-time employees, Thomas and Beatrice Strauss. In 1957 the restaurant evolved, becoming a smorgasbord-style eatery whose “7 sweets and 7 sours” became a well-known catchphrase and remains part of the menu offerings. Miller’s proved to be a boon to Lancaster’s growing tourist industry, prompting several building expansions and redecorating projects.

Miller’s is part of Thomas E. Strauss, Inc., a local hospitality group that is owned by the Strauss family and includes a bakery, retail shops, a hotel and another restaurant, Smokehouse BBQ & Brews.

In preparation for its 95th anniversary in 2024, Miller’s lobby was renovated; archival photos, a mural and a vintage truck were used to pay homage to the restaurant’s origins as a truck-repair business. The space will also be home to something weary tourists will appreciate: a full-service bar.   

2811 Lincoln Highway East, Ronks
Details: Millers1929.com