4 Best Restaurants in Pennsylvania Dutch Country, Pennsylvania

Located in a Victorian-era building in downtown Lancaster, Annie Bailey's is a traditional Irish pub, from the dark wooden bar and furnishings sourced in Ireland to classic menu staples like shepherd's pie and fish-and-chips. There are at least 10 rotating beers on tap and an impressive selection Irish whiskey. The owners have transformed the second floor into Conway Social Club, a speakeasy (you knock and wait for the green light to enter) serving craft cocktails and globally inspired small plates.

This family-friendly restaurant is a beloved favorite among locals for its hearty breakfast lineup. Portions are generous, the menus are huge, and the food is unpretentious in a good-ole-diner sort of way. Reservations are not taken, and no is alcohol served, but they welcome BYOB.

This buffet-style eatery has been a local institution since 1929, offering views of Amish farmland and enough food to satisfy any appetite. The spread here is lavish, with a good selection of Pennsylvania Dutch specialties at the daily smorgasbord. There's an à la carte menu, and even beer, wine, and spirits are now available. The attached shopping complex includes a quilt shop.

In a restored 1869 railroad hotel, this eatery has the atmosphere of a speakeasy from the Roaring '20s with newspapers from the era and gangster portraits adding to the period flavor. Entrées include broiled crab cakes, seafood pasta, and tenderloin tips on toast, a Lancaster County tavern favorite that dates to Prohibition, as well as items with some cutesy, Prohibition-era names like machine gun linguine and a flapper salad. The menu is huge, but there are a variety of plates both big and small.