Barns are a familiar sight throughout Lancaster County, and many have been repurposed to serve as restaurants, event venues, etc. Zig’s Bakery & Café is one such example, as it makes its home in a renovated barn along Newport Road outside of Lititz.

“I grew up in this area,” says Brandon Ziegler, owner of Zig’s. (His nickname is “Zig”, hence the name of the business.) “It’s fun to be able to use an old barn as a gathering space. The café has a lot of warmth to it – there’s stone, wood and a bit of a modern feel.” Ten years ago, Brandon partnered with family members to repurpose an 1800s brick-end barn. It’s now home to not only Zig’s Bakery & Café but also Brick Gables, an event space operated by family members. 

Zig’s Bakery & Café’s roots can be traced back to Minnich’s Farm Bakery, which opened in 1970 and operated from a farmhouse on Green Acre Road in Lititz. New owners took over in 1988. Brandon became its owner in 2006, combining his business degree with his culinary skills to operate the bakery, which he initially called Zig’s Bakery and Deli. With the move to Newport Road, he renamed it Zig’s Bakery & Café. 

Zig’s cozy seating area, with a mix of hi-tops and tables, can accommodate about 70 people. There’s also a patio for seasonal outdoor dining. Brandon describes Zig’s as offering fast casual dining. Guests take a menu, select a seat and then proceed to the counter when they’re ready to order. 

Included among Zig’s offerings are coffee, espresso, tea and specialty drinks such as frappés, smoothies and hot chocolate. “Coffee is a big part of what we do, but it’s not our main focus. People come for coffee and a bakery treat, as well as deli items, which are all made in-house. Our focus is quality food and great customer service,” he explains. 

Bakery treats include cupcakes, scones, biscotti, pies and cookies, as well as items such as bear claws, pecan sticky buns and apple dumplings. Specialty cakes can be ordered, as well. Zig’s also specializes in Moravian sugar cake. “It’s something that’s unique to Lititz, and is one of our more popular items,” he notes of the yeast-raised coffee cake. Zig’s also bakes its own breads and rolls. Deli items include soups, side salads, quiche, cream dry beef, barbecue, tuna, chicken and ham salad, cracker pudding and coleslaw. Soups and deli salads are available by the pint or quart to go. 

The breakfast menu includes baked oatmeal, bagel with cream cheese and egg & cheese sandwich. There’s also a kid’s menu (for kids of any age) with fun favorites such as fluffernutter sandwich, PB&J and grilled cheese (made with American cheese).

The sandwich selection includes ham-and-brie panini; turkey bacon; meatball sub (available only on Mondays); grilled cheese (sharp cheddar cheese on toasted white, wheat or rye bread); and veggie (portobello, cucumber, roasted red pepper, tomato, cheese, with hummus on toasted rye or flax bread). “The café’s sandwich menu is pretty stable, but people can change them. The tuna melt can become tuna on a croissant,” Brandon points out. The menu also features two hot soups daily, and Brandon says they’re based on what’s fresh and in season. Soups are available by the cup or bowl. The café menu also includes quiche, yogurt parfait, granola, and ranch or honey-nut snack mixes. 

With the holidays fast approaching, Zig’s selection will pivot to include seasonal favorites. “In November, it’s all about pumpkin – pumpkin pies, pumpkin whoopee pies, pumpkin bread and pumpkin roll,” Brandon says. The cookie selection includes holiday favorites such as sand tarts, snickerdoodles, sugar cookies and Wilbur chocolate chip. The deli offers a wide range of items that make entertaining easy. Zig’s does take holiday pre-orders. “We ask that pre-orders be placed about two weeks prior to the holiday or event to ensure that we have adequate prep time,” Brandon notes.

Zig’s Bakery & Café is located at 800 East Newport Road, Lititz. Regular hours are 7 a.m.-7 p.m., Monday through Friday and 7 a.m.-3 p.m., Saturday. Thanksgiving eve hours are 7 a.m.-7 p.m.; Christmas eve hours are 7 a.m.-3 p.m. Zig’s also has stands at Lancaster Central Market and Lebanon Farmers Market. 717-626-7981, zigsbakery.com and Facebook.