Looking for gluten-free products in Lancaster when I moved here 12 years ago made me feel like…read moreCharlie Bucket looking for Wonka's golden ticket. But today I discovered this gluten-free local bakery with a convenient stall at Market! (This easily makes my Top 5 food highlights of 2020.) I love Thom's, Ric's, Bistro Barbaret, the Amish bakers of Bird-in-Hand, and Porch & Pantry's (Mt. Gretna) baked goods, but my husband can't enjoy the same variety of goodies as I can from these local favorites. Amaranth has such a great selection, including all the Hubs' favs -- Whoopie pies, cinnamon coffee cake, loaves of cinnamon raisin bread, and maple almond granola. There were also a variety of cookies on display that looked really good as well as flat rounds for flatbread pizza -- we'll be back for those! And if you think finding good quality gluten-free baked goods is hard, try shopping for a gluten-free vegan loved one! Amaranth has me covered there, too with vegan bread loaves. There also are bags of flour and oats, if you'd like to take some good quality ingredients home to bake your own goods. So come visit this big stall of goodness and support a local business that sources as many local ingredients as possible! They have a nice big, corner stall near Mean Cup that makes it easy to find and navigate.

Incredible gluten free cookies. They have locations in the city and in the market. Best gluten…read morefree cookies I've had

If you're looking for a world-class dining experience tucked right into Central PA, LUCA is the…read moreabsolute gold standard. Since opening its doors in the summer of 2016, this West James Street gem has been marrying Old Country Italian traditions with the incredible bounty of Lancaster County agriculture. It's no surprise they've caught national attention, earning a James Beard Award semifinalist nod for their culinary excellence. Even culinary icon Alton Brown has sung the praises of the team behind this kitchen. The atmosphere is buzzy and warm, anchored by the beautiful glow of their wood-burning hearth. To kick off the night, you have to dive into their incredible beverage program--specifically the amaro selection. Their curated bittersweet herbal liqueur flights are unmatched and provide the perfect, authentic start to the meal. As for the food, the menu is a masterclass in balance: Little Gem Salad: Do not skip this. It sounds simple, but the crunch of the lettuces paired with a flawless lemon-garlic dressing, shards of grana padano, and crisp house croutons ruins all other Caesar-adjacent salads for you. Carpaccio: Melt-in-your-mouth tender, perfectly seasoned, and beautifully presented. It showcases their commitment to high-quality sourcing. Wood-Fired Octopus: Impeccably charred on the outside while remaining incredibly tender on the inside, avoiding the chewiness that trips up lesser kitchens. Gnocchi Amatriciana: Absolute pillows of perfection. The handmade gnocchi holds onto the rich, savory, and slightly smoky Amatriciana sauce beautifully. Olive Oil Cake: A phenomenal finish. It's dense yet moist, perfectly sweet, and lets the fruity notes of a high-quality extra virgin olive oil shine. Note for pizza lovers: While LUCA used to sling their famous wood-fired pies at the main restaurant, they actually moved their entire pizza operation to focus on it full-time. If you are specifically craving their incredible blistered crusts, you'll want to head to Pizzeria LUCA, their second location over at The Crossings (Christopher Place). It's a bit more casual but carries the exact same ingredient-driven ethos.Five stars all day. Make your reservations weeks in advance--you'll need them!

Dined here recently with our family. The menu offerings are eclectic and different than other…read moreItalian establishments in the Lancaster area. The good: The food was very delicious. We enjoyed our wine, olive appetizer and entrees. I got the ravioli and my wife enjoyed the guinea hen dish. The portions here are not large, so it's good to get a few dishes. The ambience in the side dining room was nice and much easier to converse in than the louder, main room. Our server was very knowledgeable and excited about the menu. The not so good: The wait between our appetizers and entrees was nearly an hour. We had another event to get to and were somewhat pressed for time.

Introduction:…read more Representing 2018 in alphabet series, O is for On Orange. The letter O only has 5 of the 8 possible years represented in the alphabet series. Interestingly, 2 of them are in Lancaster County, PA. This was prior to my parents moving to Lancaster in 2021. In March 2018, my girlfriend of that time & I took a day trip to Lancaster. I lived in Montgomery County, Maryland (near DC) at the time, and we were meeting up with a friend who was living in New Jersey kind of in the middle. We agreed to meet at On Orange at 12 PM on that Sunday, March 25 since we were driving from far away, and I think they were doing a day trip too, but possible they stayed a night in town, not sure. Also, On Orange closes at 1 PM too, so even more reason to be punctual. My g/f of then was notoriously late & took a long time to get ready. She was taking too long to get ready, and I knew we needed to leave if we even had a chance of making it on time. After a while I said I don't want to do this, but I will leave without you & meet my friend (& his girlfriend). I started the car and texted you have 1 minute to come out, and if you aren't out, I'm leaving without you. My timer reached 0, and I slowly was driving off, but I saw her shuffling with her coat and what have you leaving, so I waited. We got in the car, and I rushed off. If that weren't bad enough, my g/f said we needed to stop at her bank to get cash. Of course, there was none right within route, but saw a location right off I-83 in northern MD, Hunt Valley, but we wasted more time to get off the freeway, for her to go to her ATM, & get back on the freeway when we were running significantly late. I said we are running significantly late as it is, so why are we wasting more time. She claimed in case there was something she wanted to buy in Lancaster, but that was not the primary purpose, but I'll get to that at the end. I was panicking on the significant late, and that the restaurant closes at 1, and I drove above 100 mph at times on I-70, which I think was the only time I've ever gone that fast on 70, and maybe only 4 times ever in my life reaching that speed. Experience with the Restaurant: This is street parking around here, which was free meters on Sunday. We got a decent parking spot a block away. We walked in at 12:50 PM, which was 50 minutes LATE and 10 minutes before On Orange's closing time of 1 PM. My friend & his girlfriend were already done eating. He said that they had their stomach set for eating at 12, and there was pressure to order since it's not a huge place and pretty busy. I was annoyed with my friend for not waiting for us, but I get it because let's be honest, my g/f fault on that one. Server was cordial, and my g/f & I quickly ordered. Food came out quickly. We ate quickly, and my friend & his g/f watching us eat. Food was delicious, and they were quick, but to be fair, they were closing in 10 minutes, so they were motivated to get out of there. I got a pancake & egg dish as I recall. This was a top notch brunch. In spite of the negative experience of being so late because of my g/f, the experience at the restaurant was excellent. Conclusion: After brunch, we looked around downtown, Amish Farm (see my 5-star review of them written in April 2018), etc. and was overall a nice day with the 3 of them albeit very cold. After we left, I took the back road from I-83 all the way back to Germantown, MD where she lived to see something different and to save a little gas too since it's pretty direct going that way. My g/f was complaining about it taking so long getting back. I knew she was meeting up with a friend that night. But what I later realized, she wanted to stop at an ATM that morning really because she needed cash to pay that friend for cannabis that night. So, she disrespected everyone's time for this. I guess on a positive at least she wasn't cheating on me with that guy and really was just for pot. In conclusion, I thought On Orange was top notch, and they were accommodating to our time schedules.

Stopped by on a Tuesday morning and had just the best experience. The owner created us and took us…read moreto the patio. It had a little bit of a magical feel for a Tuesday morning. It was a very intimate space. We ordered an Indian omelet and a peasant omelet. Both were delicious, had there not been more people on the patio we may have licked our plates. The side of sautéed tomatoes with garlic were out of this world.

When we visited Lancaster, we had to stop by Chellas Arepa Kitchen, and it absolutely lived up to…read morethe hype. The food is a delicious mix of Peruvian and Venezuelan flavors, and you can really taste the freshness and quality in every bite. Their arepas are crispy on the outside, soft inside, and packed with flavorful fillings. Everything felt comforting yet unique at the same time. One thing I really appreciated is that the entire menu is 100% gluten free, but honestly, you wouldn' even notice because the food is just that good. Also, don't be deceived if the food doesn't look super "picture perfect" online or in photos (or at least my photos lol). It may not be the most photogenic food, but it's sooo worth it! I actually ordered almost everything on the menu because I had no idea when I'd be back in Lancaster again . My favorite was the fried rice with chicken and plantains, so flavorful and satisfying! My husband's favorite was the Lomo Saltado Bowl and Pernil Arepa. We also loved the yuca fries, which were perfectly crispy without being overly greasy. The only thing that disappointed me a little was the Esquites. It just didn't stand out and probably wouldn't order it again. Parking is limited and there's outdoor seating only.

Our first time here and we were amazed !! The staff was helpful even though they were incredibly…read morebusy and the total atmosphere was great . Fire pit burning , Latin music blasting , people laughing and talking , the smell of meats and spices filled the air . I ordered the Lomo Arepa which was a fresh arepa filled with delicious seasoned steak , onions , yuca , tomatoes and fresh chimichurri on the side . Absolutely delicious !!! My boyfriend had the Chicken Lomo Arepa which was delicious grilled chicken, yuca , tomatoes and onions . Also delicious !! We also ordered the white rice and black beans and the Grandma Chellas fried rice packed with eggs , plantains and red onions. Loved the fried rice and its unique flavors . Chellas Arepa should definitely be on your list of places to try in Lancaster . The delicious foods , outside dining atmosphere, music and friendly staff all combine to make it one heck of an experience . Since it's literally only 5 minutes away we're definitely going back soon . Thank you Chellas Arepa !!

Back again recently and have to share just how wonderful this cafe is. The service is so friendly…read more I came here with my son and he accidentally knocked his entire glass of milk all over the table, window, my jacket, and seemingly just about everywhere in that cafe. The worker at the register didn't hesitate and got out the mop and towels and cleaned it up within minutes. I didn't even have to ask, and he said they'd of course get him another glass of milk. I was impressed and the server was just a kid himself, and was truly so nice. I spent about another hour here and ordered several more items. The coffee was tasty. The food was good and the vibe was relaxing. I love the floor to ceiling windows that bring in the natural light. The place was packed and had such a good energy. We'll keep coming back!

We enjoyed our late breakfast at this casual cafe! I tried the special Horchata latte- flavorful…read moreand not too sweet, and the ham and cheese breakfast burrito. I loved the inclusion of garlic aioli! This would have been a five-star review, but my friend's soup came out completely cold. The staff was very apologetic and quickly warmed it for her. Otherwise, the food and drinks were delicious. I'd love to come back and try the baked goods!

This place came highly recommended by my niece, and it did not disappoint. My husband and I went…read morefor breakfast on a Sunday morning. There was a long wait, but it was absolutely worth it. The restaurant is small and quaint with a very friendly staff. I ordered the salted caramel Nutella mocha along with the French toast crêpes and hash browns--everything was delicious. My husband had the Nutella crêpes with bananas and ordered two. The waitress gave him a side eye, and for good reason--they were huge! He could only finish one, so we took the second one to go. At $6 each, the crêpes were an amazing value for the size and quality. We would definitely return.

Great experience! Second time here for Sunday brunch and it did not disappoint!…read more I ordered the everything breakfast (crispy bacon) and a green smoothie (without protein powder). Green smoothie tasted healthy and very refreshing. Just what I needed. The crepe came out pretty quickly. It was HUGE (so come hungry). I was so tasty, I appreciated how much it tasted like a NYC bacon egg and cheese on an everything bagel. The service was amazing, friendly, accommodating and attentive. We were seated outside this time and it was still pleasant though I prefer inside seating. There was a long line and we were seating with a 20 minute wait time probably because we were open to outside seating. Overall it was a great time, great for groups and great food!

If you like true french pastry and are not looking for overly sweet,american crap, this is the…read moreplace to go. I have picked up desserts a few times here over the years.Although they got rid of one of the best employees, still consistent for takeout dessert.

Okay so I wanted to try something different and my friend and I tried this place because we never…read morehad French cuisine. It was good the rib steak special was a bit too salty for me but everything else was good. I don't think I would go back though the menu was a bit bland for me. I like a variety of things though, but give it a shot. We tried the maccaorones and they were okay.

As a family of four, we eat here about once a month and it's our favorite resturaunt in Lancaster…read more Very kid friendly, always exceptional service, clean (my wife would know, not me), and everything on the menu is flavorful and always made with love.

There are moments in life when you set out in search of dinner and instead discover a small,…read morebenevolent corner of the universe. My wife, acting as both navigator and oracle, found Norbu after I asked for something within walking distance of our hotel. Four Himalayan restaurants, all within a short stroll, which felt statistically suspicious in the heart of Amish country. We chose Norbu because it had the best reviews and, more importantly, because it offered Nepalese and Bhutanese dishes, which none of us had ever tried. We are a family that tries to make it a point to say yes to the unknown. Finding it is part of the adventure. Norbu is tucked along North Christian Street, though calling it a street feels optimistic at best. It is more of a very committed alley. The restaurant sits inside an office building with a few brave parking spaces placed carefully on postage stamp sized lot out front. Had we been driving, I am certain we would have missed it and continued on, poorer for the experience. Fortunately, we were on foot and arrived intact. Inside, the place was alive at 7 PM. There were low tables with stools that suggested a more traditional way of dining, and a couple of unoccupied standard tables for those of us still learning. We took one of the latter and were seated quickly. We began with momo, a dish that seems like could quietly solve many of the world's problems if placed on the right tables. Soft, hand folded dumplings, steamed and served with a savory chutney. We ordered the "Mix It All" option, which gave us vegetable, beef, and chicken. Each had its own personality, its own quiet argument for why it should be your favorite. My older son ordered the Sweet N Sticky Tofu, which was the most familiar thing we ate all night. It tasted like a thoughtful conversation between General Tso and sesame tofu. Very good, very well executed, just less novel. I had the Pak Sha Datsi, the national dish of Bhutan, which I did not know until I read it on the menu and our server filled in the missing information with patience and enthusiasm. Norbu itself, we learned, is rooted in Himalayan traditions and a desire to share the food and culture of Nepal and Bhutan with a wider audience, which feels like a noble use of time. The dish arrived as a gently spiced stew with pork and a blend of aged and smoked cheeses. It was creamy, delicate, and somehow grew more interesting with every bite. It did not resemble anything I had eaten before, which is a rare and welcome thing as I grow ever older. My wife and younger son both ordered the Nepali Thali, a kind of edible symphony made up of curry, lentils, vegetables, chutneys, pickles, and a dessert pudding. My wife chose the fish curry, which was tender and lightly flavored. My son chose the chicken curry, which quietly became the star of the table. It had a familiar warmth, something like Indian curry, but with its own distinct voice. The accompanying mustard greens, curried potatoes, and a simple mix of green beans, corn, and carrots, were so flavorful that we found ourselves marveling at them like tourists at a natural wonder. Service was excellent. Our waitress guided us through the menu, made thoughtful suggestions, and shared a bit of the restaurant's story. By the end of the meal, we felt not just fed, but informed. Our only failure was not saving room for dessert. There was a chai flavored cashew cheesecake that sounded like it might change a person's outlook on life. We will have to return to test this theory. Norbu is the kind of place you hope to find and rarely do. It is hidden, a little hard to reach, and entirely worth the effort. Five stars, because sometimes you find something amazing and new, and that reminds you that the world is still full of good surprises.

Very good brunch. A simple place with delicious food. I…read moredidn't take a pic of the blueberry muffin but it was fresh and amazing I could eat that everyday

Delicious breakfast, great service, chill ambiance. There were all kinds of people grabbing…read morebreakfast, from families & tourists to locals working remotely. The baked oatmeal with berries was so good!

For an entirely all vegan restaurant I would say I was pleased with everything about my first…read moreexperience at Root. The atmosphere is very chill, they have music playing (which I saw some sort of digital machine on the wall that you could possibly pick what music you want to put on? I didn't really investigate it but I thought it was interesting as I've never seen that in a restaurant before). The restaurant wasn't too loud and it was very modern and clean. There is a bar area as they do sell beer on tap. The food was delicious, all of us enjoyed our meals. The Pocket was very spicy (so be mindful if you order that and don't like spiciness). But everything else actually tasted very good. We even brought our very carnivorous friend and she enjoyed the food as well. The coffee wasn't bad either. Not sure what type of cream they used as the server didn't really say. I did ask for sugar and I never got it, but the coffee still tasted fine without it. The service was good, took a bit for our food to come out but I think it's because of the Pocket meal being larger and made at the time (dough and mashed potatoes inside like big pan-fried pierogis). Everything came out super hot off the stove. Price of each entree was between $13-$14. Overall not a bad first experience. Would return in the future if craving vegan food again.

We strolled to Root on a pleasantly cool day, excited to indulge in their entirely…read moreallergen-friendly menu, at least for me. It's refreshing to experience how delicious and beautifully presented vegan food can be. I savored a delightful Avocado Reuben Sandwich, featuring sliced avocado, tomatoes, sauerkraut, and their homemade Thousand Island on Thom's Bread. My husband opted for the standout Country Fried Mushrooms, accompanied by corn, potatoes, and rich gravy. I had a taste and it was the best fried mushrooms I've ever had. Each bite was a testament to the creativity and flavor of plant-based cuisine! They have a hip vibe decor.