trip to amish country

am planning a september trip to lancaster county pa....driving from denver.......any suggestions on routes/points of interest/good eats??

I have been there quite a few years ago when my girls were small. I can't remember the names of some of the restaraunts we went to but one stands out it was an Amish type buffet it was great. I do remember a trip to a flea market that is open during the day mid week called the Green Dragon that was super, I was buying breads and pies and my asked me what the hell I was doing because we were staying at a hotel and not going home any time soon. Also bought all kinds of jams and peserves there also. I'll watch this thread with great intrest as I'm considering going back after I return from Italy in May. I'll try to look for the flea market info and post it here. Chow Jim

Do the market downtown. It is only open 3-4 days a week but it is very nice with lotsa of great food and Amish crafts.

It is downtown Lancaster.

There is a huge buffet just east of town that has a nice appearance and cost a bundle. In my opinion, it was not worth it but there are numerous places that are smaller and nicer.

Intercourse which is just east of Lancaster has several neat places in their small downtown. The craft shops are wonderful. I bought two wagons for my grandchildren. They were expensive but they will last until their children come along.

Enjoy this beautiful area. I saw 10 year old children driving a four horse team in the fields and the buggies that are horse drawn are everywhere. Be careful after dark as they become almost invisible.

The farms are beautiful.

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

Although I do not live in the area at the moment I grew up there. I second the motion that you do the Green Dragon farmers market. Open only on Fridays. Another great market is Root's farm market open only on Tuesday.
If you google Lancaster County you will also find a ton of information. Check the forums on this site for diners etc. New Holland stands out as I hear it is pretty good. The trip from Lancater to Intercourse is quite interesting as well. You pass through Bird in Hand where there is also a small but pretty good farmers market on the right hand side in B in H. Hours vary according to the time of year but open Friday and Saturday for sure. Several nice bakeries on this road as well.
I suggest you AVOID all the big splashy tourist stops and follow your nose and you will find some mighty fine eats.
Rt. 30 east has lots of shopping as well I hear. Don't be afraid to get off the main roads and look for farm stands. They sell some very good pastries and crafts.
Check with your local AAA and get some good guide books and maps if you can. There is a very good map of Lancaster County that shows all the back roads.
What time of the year will you be there? Happy Eating.

Found it www.greendragonmarket.com sorry thought it was mid week but fridays only. Chow Jim

Grew up in Lancaster County. September is a great time for the Farmers Markets.
For a Kitschy truly authentic local experiencxe go to either Green Dragon or Roots (Open Friday and Tuesday respectively). Sort of a combination Flea Market Farmers Market. In September the fruit and produce selection should be excellant

For a diferent sort of Farmers Market experience go to the Central Market in Downtown Lancaster. Open Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturday. Try to go Tuesday or Friday, because some of the true Farm stands are not open Saturday. The market is housed in a Gothic Revival Building built in the 1880's just of Lancasters Penn Square. There is a Quilt Museum, and a Musuem of Lancaster County History and Art within Walking Distance. The Central Market has become more of a Yuppie Market in recent years but still
has excellant Produce stands, bake shops and meat stands. Get there early (7am is not too early) definitely before noon.

What a lovely time of year to be in this area.
I second the careful driving, especially at night.
make sure to bring home some Amish cheese and Lebanon Baloney.
I'm trying to remember if the cheesemaker who gives tours of the factory is here, or in Ohio.. I'm coming up blank, but it is a neat look at the cheesemaking process.

I've spent a fair amount of time in southern PA over the years (less now that they're shipping Yuengling out of state), and theres a question thats always bugged me. Who named some of these towns? Bird in Hand, Intercourse, King of Prussia. Although I do have some fond memories of good old Intercourse.

Hey how about a side trip north to Centralia, home of the underground mine fire. Been burning since the sixties from what I understand, now thats a tourist destination.

On a more serious note I recommend a trip to Gettysburg, town and battlefield are very scenic whether or not your into the historical aspect. I can't recall any specific roadfood type places, but I've definitely eaten well all around the region.

Vayo con Queso

Be sure and eat a supper at a Pennsylvania Dutch "family-style" restaurant. Can't remember any names, but ask the locals for recommendations. You'll be seated at a big table with other diners, and they bring out the plates full of food to pass around. Great local food, and a great experience all around.

Try Haag's Hotel in Shartlesville. It was great 40 years ago and, I'm told, it still is. pb

quote:

Originally posted by Bushie

Be sure and eat a supper at a Pennsylvania Dutch "family-style" restaurant. Can't remember any names, but ask the locals for recommendations. You'll be seated at a big table with other diners, and they bring out the plates full of food to pass around. Great local food, and a great experience all around.

Willow Valley in Willow Street
Good n' Plenty in Intercourse
Miller's Smorgassbord in Kinzer are some of these. But they are in the touristy areas (take it from an old Amishman

Try to get on one of the Red Lion bus tours. The lady that hosts them has known the Amish people for many years, and she's one of the few "outsiders" that they trust. I forgot her name, but the information she provides during the tour is outstanding, and they stop for lunch at an Amish family's house (NOT a restaurant; you'll eat right in their house, and be treated to a truly home-made meal). Their website is: www.redlionbus.com.

quote:

Originally posted by porkbeaks

Try Haag's Hotel in Shartlesville. It was great 40 years ago and, I'm told, it still is. pb

They have seemed to "cut corners" in the last couple of years, and I wouldn't put that at the top of my list.

One caution: Any authentic PA Dutch places will be closed up tight on Sundays so keep that in mind when making your plans.

Definitely don't miss "Country Table" in nearby Mt. Joy for excellent regional eats like pork and sauerkraut, turkey and filling, red beets, chow chow, etc. The baked goods are homemade and out of this world. Try their pecan pie, raisin pie, whoopie pies, shoefly pie, ohhhh just try everything.

For regular menu service Pennsylvania Dutch places my top picks would be Country Table on Route 230 south of Mount Joy and Peoples on Route 23 in the middle of New Holland

Peoples has the added advantage of being open Sundays (but closed Saturdays).

For Family style all-you-can-eat my top pick would be the Stoltzfus Farm Restaurant on Route 772 Southeast of Intercourse. Stolzfuss also has a butcher shop. Of the three meats they currently serve as part of the meal -fried chicken, Ham loaf and sausage- the ham loaf and sausage are their own product. Both are very good.At Stotzfuss each family sits at their own table.

If you want a place where you sit at the same table with other groups, as Bushie suggests, then your best bets are Good 'n Plenty or Plain and Fancy
Both in my experience (which is not recent) serve only average food.

Another option would be to look for a local fair or festival (September is a good time for them) or church or grange supper. The food is likely to be better than the tourist places, the costs less, and you'll meet local people.

We had a neat experience when we visited Amish country about 20 years ago. We were trying to avoid the "touristy" places and ended up at Yoder's Restaurant in New Holland. After finishing our meal, we struck up a conversation with the owner. It turned out that she knew some folks in Chattanooga, our hometown. She and her husband invited us to their house for dinner, where they were having a cell group meeting with some of the other members of their Mennonite church. We kept in touch with John and Darlene Yoder for many years thereafter but unfortunately we eventually stopped corresponding. I doubt if their restaurant is still there, but that is our fondest memory of our trip to Amish country.

MY GOODNESS!!!!! I never dreamed I would get so many responses!!! I found out about "this place" thru the travel editor at the Denver Post Newspaper..and this was my first post.......many thanks to all of you and will do my best to hit every spot all of you mentioned. And I do have some travel books from AAA, but I wanted some first hand info from those who have "been there, done that"! Again, many thanks.............

quote:

Originally posted by ms mac

MY GOODNESS!!!!! I never dreamed I would get so many responses!!! I found out about "this place" thru the travel editor at the Denver Post Newspaper..and this was my first post.......many thanks to all of you and will do my best to hit every spot all of you mentioned. And I do have some travel books from AAA, but I wanted some first hand info from those who have "been there, done that"! Again, many thanks.............

Definately do the public market in downtown Lancaster and also travel just a few miles east to Intercourse, PA. In my opinion, that is the heart of the Amish community and the restaurants there are few but great and the crafts are super.

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

Welcome to Roadfood, ms mac. Hope you tell us all about your trip when you return.

I can't remember whether it's in BlueBall or New Holland, but one of them has a VFW that serves good dinners. My mom used to sell in flea markets in that area and liked to stop there to eat.

quote:

Originally posted by RubyRose

quote:

Originally posted by porkbeaks

Try Haag's Hotel in Shartlesville. It was great 40 years ago and, I'm told, it still is. pb

They have seemed to "cut corners" in the last couple of years, and I wouldn't put that at the top of my list.

Sorry to hear this. I first went to Haag's with my parents back in the late 1950's. I believe the prices for the family-style, all-you-could-eat dinners were $1.95 for just chicken, $2.95 for chicken and pork, and $3.95 for roast beef, pork, and chicken. Of course, this included all the sides and there must have been 20 or 30 counting the relishes and such. As a teenager with a driver's license, I returned with a carload of hungry friends. The prices may have been a little higher, but not by a lot and I doubt they made much profit from us. Those were the days, my friends! pb

Also, try some of the country restaurants, like Lapp's, or Kreiders. They have the home-cooked dishes and local items. Other treats are the local neighborhood bars and grills which advertise some specials on weeknights in the local paper. Great pricing and good eats. Fulton Bar, Hall's Cafe, Oregon Tavern, etc., Never a need to visit a chain restaurant.

You're driving from Denver to Lancaster, Pennsylvania to visit the best publicized Amish community in the country. I assume that you will travel one direction on I-70 and the other direction on I-80 if for no other reason to have some variety as you travel.

As you drive these routes you will pass very near some other good-sized Amish communities in Indiana and Ohio. There are sights to be seen and restaurants to try in these communities as well, and I will suggest a few.

As you travel I-80, at this point the Indiana Turnpike, you will pass by a large Amish community in northern Indiana. The Village Inn, one of the restaurants in Middlebury, 5 miles off I-80, is reviewed by the Sterns on this website - this is a local restaurant, and some of the customers will be Amish. Other restaurants such as the Essenhaus in Middlebury and the Blue Gate in Shipshewana are geared toward the tourists, although the food in these establishments is still very good. Shipshewana is known for the flea market held there every Tuesday and Wednesday, May 1 through October 31.

Also on I-80 is Toledo, Ohio, home of Tony Packo's Cafe and their Hungarian hot dogs. This restaurant has received a lot of publicity by being mentioned in several episodes of M*A*S*H - and their food is still good.

Further east, in Ohio, the largest Amish community in the country is found between I-70 and I-80 centered on, but not limited to, Holmes County. One place not to miss is Lehman's Hardware in the tiny village of Kidron, Ohio. Restaurants I remember there (I'm not all that familiar with that area) are the Chalet in the Valley Restaurant near Millersburg, across the road from the Guggisberg Cheese plant, and the Old Warehouse Restaurant at Roscoe Village in Coshocton. Holmes county can be easily reached from both I-80 and I-70.

Also just off I-70 in western Ohio is Young's Jersey Dairy just north of Yellow Springs for ice cream, and about 5 miles away, the restaurant at the Clifton Mill in Clifton. Good food (breakfast & lunch) served in an interesting location - with your camera, take a walk around the grounds and over the covered bridge.

I agree with Ardee, having lived near Lancaster County, PA and then having moved to Ohio. The Ohio Amish country is far superior and the traffic is much less horrendous, especially during the week. Lancaster County is one big traffic jam, especially in good weather. All the places Ardee mentioned are worth going to; my neighbor and I head out there when she needs quilting material (Mrs. Miller's Quilt Shop, in Charm, Ohio) and we eat ourselves silly on the way. Have a wonderful time!

Again, thanks for all the info.....and yes, Ardee, I-80 out, I-70 back!! Those little towns are just what we are looking for......now if I could find another forum on where to stay would be great!!! I called my sister and told her of all the places everyone has mentioned, and I think she might be ready to go NOW!!!

Again, thanks to all of you for your input.............can hardly wait for September to get here.........

I stayed at the Red Roof Inn right on rt 30 in Lancaster, just a few doors down from Dutch Wonderland.........rooms were very modern
(it was a former Mcintosh Inn that just converted to Red Roof)

I was just there last month.....

You should print this thread of good advice, so you'll have it come September! (seems like a long time away to me,......as right I'm just looking forward to SPRING (and warmer weather!!)

let us know how your trip goes..
ellen in nj

I know the OP has long taken her trip, but we recently visited the Amish area in Ohio and I thought we'd share in order to add to the knowledge base (as we say in the library business).

We visited Lehman's in Kidron first - what an experience! Not much food in the area (if you don't count the ice cream stand with the gasoline run churn) though and we headed out with a very nice map the gisrl in Leham's provided us. We found Mrs. Yoder's Restaurant in Mt. Hope about 2:45. Luckily it is not a busy time of the day. I think every Amish community has a Yoder's restaurant, or dairy, or bakery. Although we got the buffet (which I usually avoid) it was very good with fresh broasted chicken and many wonderful sides. Very beautiful, tasty fresh tomatoes. And the pie! I now know why people go into esctasy over pie. I had a peach pie that reminded me of my grandmother's cherry pie - the kind with a cream cheese base and the fruit on top. the crust was much better, though! Light, crispy, flakey, yummy heaven!

After a visit to Miller's dry goods (bit dsappointed in that, would have expected more natural materials - wool & linen were non-existant) we headed up the road to try to find Trail Bologna. We'll we found the place where they make and sell it, but they close around 3:00. Luckily a hepful couple who owned the junk shop up the road told us where to find some - Winesburg. That was the prettist little spot we stopped in. I would have liked to explore it some more but many places were closed by that time (almost 6).

I wish we could have sampled more Amish cooking, but we weren't hungry at that point. We ended up eating pork tenderloin sandwiches at the Golden Plaza (in one of the Roadfood books) on the way back to Marietta. I've got to say - the Stern's have a lot more tolerance for cigarette smoke than I do.

Cathy

Miller's Dry Goods specializes in quilting material; I know because when I moved here my neighbor ( a master quilter, judge and teacher) took me there. That's why there's so much cotton and not much else. Unbelievable selection of printed cottons, though.
If you go to the town of Berlin you will find a little restaurant in the middle of town where the specialty is pie. I can't remember the name of it but the pie is awesome.