The Best of Lancaster 2025

It’s that time of the year! You’ve cast your votes and they’ve been counted. As has become a tradition, the results of our annual Best of Lancaster survey are shared in the November-December issue.

In looking over archival material, we decided that Lancaster is best in a way that wasn’t covered in the survey. At holiday time, Lancaster is simply beautiful. Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah or Kwanzaa, we hope you have the most wonderful holiday season.

Restaurants

It’s no longer a best kept secret that Lancaster is a foodie paradise! Visitors are coming from all corners of the globe to sample everything from traditional Pennsylvania Dutch fare to cuisine that represents a global tour de force. Publications ranging from the New York Post, Food & Wine, Better Homes & Gardens and The New York Times, as well as online sources, have been singing Lancaster’s praises for the past decade. Another nod to Lancaster’s culinary prowess is reflected in the fact that Lancaster City Restaurant Week is now in its 11th year and holds events in both the fall and spring.

Breakfast

1 The Whisk Café, Elizabethtown

2 Brickerville House Restaurant, Lititz

3 Gracie’s on West Main, Leola

Brunch

1 The Whisk Café, Elizabethtown

2 Gracie’s on West Main, Leola

3 Shot & Bottle, Lancaster City

Lunch

1 The Whisk Café, Elizabethtown

2 Brickerville House Restaurant, Lititz

3 Miller’s Smorgasbord, Ronks

Dinner

1 The Belvedere Inn, Lancaster City

2 Miller’s Smorgasbord, Ronks

3 Brickerville House Restaurant, Lititz

Casual Dining

1 Brickerville House Restaurant, Lititz

2 Smokehouse BBQ & Brews, Bird-in-Hand

3 Lucky Ducks, Elizabethtown

Take Out

1 Hokkaido, Elizabethtown

2 Chellas Arepa Kitchen, Lancaster

3 Smokehouse BBQ & Brews, Bird-in-Hand

Outdoor Dining

1 TJ Rockwell’s, Elizabethtown

2 Tobias Frogg, Lancaster

3 (tie) Funck’s Restaurant, Leola
Stubby’s Bar & Grill, Lancaster

Hotel Restaurant

1 Plough, Marriott at Penn Square, Lancaster City

2 Per Diem, Rock Lititz, Lititz

3 John J. Jeffries, Lancaster Arts Hotel, Lancaster City

Pub/Bar

1 Bulls Head Public House, Lititz

2 McCleary’s Pub, Marietta

3 Lucky Dog Café, Lancaster & Willow Street

New Restaurant

1 South County Brewing, Lancaster City

2 Chellas Arepa Kitchen, Lancaster City

3 Josie’s Pub, East Petersburg

Lancaster City

1 The Belvedere Inn

2 (tie) C ‘est La Vie
Cabalar
Horse Inn

Southern End

1 Speckled Hen, Strasburg

2 Frogtown Café, Marticville

3 (tie) Conestoga Wagon Wheel, Conestoga
Lucky Dog Café, Willow Street

Route 30/340

1 Miller’s Smorgasbord, Ronks

2 (tie) Dienner’s Country Restaurant, Ronks
Smokehouse BBQ & Brews, Bird-in-Hand

Route 23 Corridor

1 Gracie’s on West Main, Leola

2 Funck’s Restaurant, Leola

3 BierHall Brewing, Lancaster

Lititz/Manheim

1 Bulls Head Public House, Lititz

2 Brickerville House Restaurant, Lititz

3 Tomato Pie Café, Lititz

The North

1 Nonna Rosa, Akron

2 Gus’s Keystone Family Restaurant, Ephrata

3 (tie) Johnny’s, Stevens
Kyma, Stevens
Olde Lincoln House, Ephrata
St. Boniface Brewing, Ephrata

Mount Joy/Elizabethtown

1 TJ Rockwell’s, Elizabethtown

2 The Whisk Café, Elizabethtown

3 Lucky Ducks, Elizabethtown

Hempfield & Manor

1 Trio Bar & Grill, Silver Spring

2 Mad Chef Craft Brewing, East Petersburg

3 Blue Collar, Landisville

Rivertowns

1 John Wright Restaurant, Wrightsville

2 McCleary’s Pub, Marietta

3 Railroad House Inn, Marietta

Food & Drink

How many times have you made plans to visit family or friends who live out of the area, only to be instructed to bring along pretzels, beer, chocolate milk, fresh produce, whoopie pies, candy, baked goods or even Lebanon bologna? Lancaster definitely can impress the taste buds, whether they lean sweet or savory!

Grocery Store

1 Stauffers of Kissel Hill, Lititz & Rohrerstown

2 Giant, multiple locations

3 Weis Markets, multiple locations

Farmers Market

1 Lancaster Central Market, Lancaster City

2 Root’s Country Market, Manheim

3 Hoover’s Farm Market & Greenhouse, Lititz

Coffee/Tea Shop

1 (tie) CoffeeCo, multiple locations

Mean Cup, Lancaster City

Folklore Coffee & Co., Elizabethtown

Food Truck

1 Chellas Arepa Kitchen, Lancaster

2 Spud Muffin, Marietta

3 Fuego Latino, Elizabethtown

Bakery

1 Rise Bake Shoppe, Mount Joy

2 Miller’s Bakery, Ronks

3 (tie) Achenbach’s Pastries, Leola
Zig’s Bakery & Café, Lititz

Specialty Cakes

1 The Bake Shoppe at Oregon Dairy, Lititz

2 Rise Bake Shoppe, Mount Joy

3 Cake & Cup Bake Shoppe, Lititz

Catering

1 Cracked Pepper Catering, Lancaster

2 (tie) Gourmet Julie’s Way, Lancaster
Rettew’s Catering, Manheim
Simply From Scratch, Lancaster

Pretzels/Snack Food

1 Hammond’s Pretzels, Lancaster City

2 (tie) Philly Pretzel Factory, Lititz
Dutch Country Hand-Rolled Soft Pretzels, Mount Joy

Candy Shop

1 Evans Candy, Lancaster

2 Candy Unicornium, Elizabethtown

3 Sweetish – Swedish Candy & Goods, Lancaster City

Ice Cream

1 Fox Meadows Creamery, Ephrata & Leola

2 Figments in Sprinkles, Elizabethtown

3 (tie) Little Dippers Ice Cream, Mount Joy
Scoops Ice Cream & Grille, Mountville
Son’s Ice Cream, Quarryville & East Petersburg
Udder Bliss Creamery, Ephrata

Winery

1 Nissley Vineyards Winery & Estate, Bainbridge

2 Waltz Vineyards Estate Winery, Manheim

3 Grandview Vineyard, Mount Joy

Brewery

1 Mad Chef Craft Brewing, East Petersburg

2 Moo-Duck Brewery, Elizabethtown

3 (tie) Lancaster Brewing Co., Lancaster City
Spring House Brewing Co., Lancaster City

Specialties of the House

“A Global Feast in an Unlikely Spot: Lancaster, PA.” Headline from The New York Times, July 23, 2019.

Steak

1 401 Prime, Lancaster City

2 The Belvedere Inn, Lancaster City

3 (tie) Johnny’s, Stevens
The Log Cabin, Leola

Seafood

1 Gibraltar, Lancaster

2 The Belvedere Inn, Lancaster City

3 Kyma, Stevens

Burgers

1 Cabalar, Lancaster City

2 Route 66 Restaurant, Lancaster City

3 Horse Inn, Lancaster City

Sandwiches

1 Isaac’s Craft Kitchen & Brewery, multiple locations

2 P&J Pizza, Elizabethtown

3 Bobby Bay’s Sandwich Shop, Manheim

Pizza

1 DiMaria’s Pizza & Italian Kitchen, Lititz

2 Pizzeria LUCA, Lancaster

3 Caruso’s Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria, multiple locations

Wings

1 Beanie’s Bar & Grill, Mount Joy

2 Lucky Dog Café, Lancaster & Willow Street

3 (tie) American Bar & Grill, Lancaster
Stubby’s Bar & Grill, Lancaster

Vegetarian/Vegan

1 Bad Garden Kitchen, Lancaster City

2 Harvest, Lancaster

3 Norbu, Lancaster City

Italian/Mediterranean

1 Ciro’s Italian Bistro, Lancaster

2 Lombardo’s Restaurant, Lancaster City

3 LUCA, Lancaster City

Mexican/Latin American

1 El Serrano, Lancaster

2 Tequila Mexican Grill, Rohrerstown

3 Chellas Arepa Kitchen, Lancaster

Chinese

1 Jade Garden, Mount Joy

2 Hong Kong Garden, Lancaster

3 Café East, Centerville

Asian Fusion/Sushi

1 Oka Asian Fusion, Lancaster City

2 (tie) Blue Pacific, Lancaster
Ginza Sushi, Greenfield
Yuzu Asian Cuisine, Lancaster City

Indian/Nepalese

1 Himalayan Curry & Grill, Lancaster City

2 Taj Mahal, Lancaster

3 Norbu, Lancaster City

Pennsylvania Dutch

1 Dienner’s Country Restaurant, Ronks

2 Miller’s Smorgasbord, Ronks

3 Shady Maple Smorgasbord, East Earl

Cocktails/Mocktails

1 The Belvedere Inn, Lancaster City

2 Hi-Fi Itzakaya, Lancaster City

3 Shot & Bottle, Lancaster City

Dessert

1 Fox Meadows Creamery, Ephrata & Leola

2 Miller’s Smorgasbord, Ronks

3 The Whisk Café, Elizabethtown

Things to See and Do

There is so much to see and do in Lancaster County that it’s mind boggling! From local talent to the stars of stage, screen, politics and music making special appearances, the world has become our oyster, whether we want to have fun, be entertained or become more knowledgeable.

Performing Arts Venue/Theater

1 Fulton Theatre, Lancaster City

2 Sight & Sound Theatres, Ronks

3 American Music Theatre, Lancaster

Art Gallery

1 Lancaster Art Vault, Lancaster City

2 Red Raven Art Company, Lancaster City

3 Freiman Stoltzfus Gallery, Lancaster City

Museum/Heritage Site

1 Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum, Lancaster

2 Historic Rock Ford, Lancaster

3 LancasterHistory, Lancaster

Golf Course

1 Overlook Golf Course, Manheim Township

2 Crossgates Golf Club, Millersville

3 (tie) Bent Creek Country Club, Lititz
Lancaster Country Club, Lancaster

Family Fun

1 Dutch Wonderland, Lancaster

2 Cherry Crest Adventure Farm, Ronks

3 Go ‘N Bananas, Lancaster

Pick Your Own Produce/Flowers

1 Cherry Hill Orchards, New Danville

2 Country Joy Flowers, Elizabethtown

3 (tie) Harvest Lane Farm Market, Lititz
Hoovers Farm Market & Greenhouse, Lititz
Masonic Village Farm Market, Elizabethtown
Shenk’s Berry Farm, Manheim

Park/Recreation Area

1 Long’s Park, Lancaster

2 Lancaster County Central Park, Lancaster

3 Muddy Run Park & Campground, Holtwood

Special Occasion Venue

1 Cameron Estate, Mount Joy

2 Star Barn/Stone Gables Estate, Elizabethtown

3 (tie) Excelsior, Lancaster City
Mill at Manor Falls, Millersville
The Booking House, Manheim

Fair/Festival

1 Elizabethtown Fair

2 Lancaster VegFest, Lancaster City

3 Ephrata Fair

Art/Craft/Maker Show

1 Long’s Park Art Festival, Lancaster

2 Heart of Lancaster Arts & Craft Show, Manheim

3 Mount Gretna Outdoor Art Show

Shopping

Lancaster has become a shopping mecca for those in search of everything from clothing and jewelry to quilts, handmade furniture, antiques, collectibles and vintage.

Clothing Store/Boutique

1 Filling’s Clothing, Lancaster City

2 Boscov’s, Park City

3 Déjà vu Consignment Boutique, Landisville

Vintage Shop

1 Space Lancaster, Lancaster City

2 Building Character, Lancaster City

3 (tie) Always Never Done, Landisville
Main Men, Lititz
Purple Turtle Consignment, Lititz
Antique Village of Strasburg
Re-Uzit Shop, multiple locations

Consignment

1 Fashion Cents, multiple locations

2 Next to New, Lancaster

3 Déjà vu Consignment Boutique, Landisville

Thrift Store

1 Community Aid, Lancaster

2 Mount Joy Gift and Thrift

3 Re-Uzit Shop, multiple locations

Jewelry Store

1 Brent Miller Jewelers, Lancaster

2 Koser Jewelers, Mount Joy

3 Finch Jewelers, Lancaster

Antiques/Collectibles

1 Burning Bridge Antiques, Columbia

2 Bootleg Antiques, Columbia

3 (tie) Antique Village of Strasburg
Brickerville Antiques Barn, Lititz

Aesthetics

From the most current hair styles to the latest skin and body treatments and cosmetic dental procedures, they’re all available in Lancaster!

Hair Salon

1 Attitudes Hair & Nail Salon, Lancaster

2 (tie) Omni Beauty, Landisville
Tangles Salon, Rohrerstown

Barber Shop

1 Elizabethtown Barbers

2 The Black Comb, Lancaster City

3 (tie) Baron Barbers, Manheim
Gary & Joel’s Barbershop, Lancaster
Izzy’s Fast Fades, Elizabethtown
The Gentlemen’s Barbershop, Mount Joy

Tattoo Studio

1 Obscure Tattoo Studio, Centerville

2 Skintonz Tattoo Studio, Lancaster

3 (tie) Kingdom Ink Tattoo, Lititz
She Hurt Me Tattoo Studio, Leola

Manicure/Pedicure

1 Attitudes Hair & Nail Salon, Lancaster

2 Creative Nail Studio, Mount Joy

3 Universal Nail Studio, Mount Joy

Day Spa

1 Kairos Massage & Skincare, Elizabethtown

2 Luxe Salon & Spa, Lancaster City & Lititz

3 (tie) Salon Synergy, Lititz
The Spa at Leola Village
The Spa at The Hotel Hershey

Med Spa

1 Aesthetix Lounge, Lancaster

2 Blossom Med Spa, Lancaster City

3 Face Forward Skin Care Center, Lancaster

Cosmetic Dental Practice

1 White Family Dental, Elizabethtown

2 (tie) LOA Orthodontics, Lancaster, Landisville, Lititz
Dr. Jason Phillips, DDS, Horan & Phillips, Lancaster City
SmileBuilderz, Lancaster

Fitness

Fortunately for us, Lancaster County is brimming with parks, trails, conserved spaces and waterways that allow us to exercise without even realizing it! If you’re not the outdoorsy type, our rec and fitness centers and yoga studios offer the latest innovations in classes and equipment.

Fitness/Rec Center

1 Hempfield recCenter, Landisville

2 Universal Athletic Club, Lancaster

3 Elizabethtown Fitness Club

Yoga/Barre/Specialty Studio

1 West End Yoga, Lancaster City

2 (tie) E-Dance Center, Elizabethtown
Vital Tree Co., Marietta

Pool

1 Hempfield recCenter, Landisville & East Petersburg

2 (tie) Conestoga Community Pool
Lititz Springs Pool/Lititz recCenter
Overlook Park Pool, Manheim Township

Bicycle Shop

1 Bicycle Outfitters, Elizabethtown

2 Lancaster Bicycle Shop, Lancaster

3 The Common Wheel, Lancaster City & Columbia

Biking/Hiking/Jogging Trail

1 Northwest Lancaster County River Trail

2 Warwick-Ephrata Rail Trail

3 Kelly’s Run Nature Preserve, Holtwood

Pets

From dogs and cats to horses, goats, chickens, exotic birds, lizards and the list goes on, Lancaster loves its furry, feathered and scaly animals. Fortunately, the love extends to animals who are not fortunate enough to have homes, thanks to the many shelters and rescue organizations that exist in the county.

Pet Supply Store

1 That Fish Place – That Pet Place, Centerville

2 Keystone Pet Place, Mount Joy & Lancaster

3 Basset & Lab, Lancaster

Groomer

1 Country Canines, Elizabethtown

2 Gochenauer Pet Resort, Lititz

3 (tie) Country Pets Grooming & Mobile Service, Lancaster
Keystone Pet Place, Mount Joy & Lancaster
The Caticorn Pet Grooming, Manheim

Pet Boarding/
Daycare/Sitter

1 Playful Pups Retreat, Elizabethtown

2 Gochenauer Pet Resort, Lititz

3 Companion Animal Hospital, Mount Joy

Veterinarian

1 Dr. Jeffrey Steed, Metro Pet Vet, Lancaster & Leola

2 Dr. Carla Douple, Landisville Animal Hospital

3 Dr. Lynn Libby, Companion Animal Hospital, Mount Joy

Rescue Organization

1 Pet Pantry of Lancaster County, Lancaster

2 Pitties Love Peace, Elizabethtown

3 Centerville Pet Rescue, Centerville

Home & Garden

Whether we live in a city rowhouse, a suburban neighborhood or a country farmhouse, we love being “home,” where we can relax, be creative and welcome friends and family. Lancaster’s kitchen industry is renowned nationwide. Our greenhouses draw fans from the Mid-Atlantic region and beyond. Art is a drawing card in Downtown Lancaster. Lancaster’s quilting tradition is known the world over.

Kitchens/Baths

1 Choice Home Remodeling, New Holland

2 Bomberger’s Flooring & Cabinets, Lititz

3 McLennan Contracting, Lancaster

Roofing

1 Sunnyside Roofing, Lancaster

2 Choice Home Remodeling, New Holland

3 (tie) Joyland Roofing, Elizabethtown
Klausmair Construction, Silver Spring

Flooring

1 Martins Flooring, Denver & Lancaster

2 Grove’s Flooring, Elizabethtown

3 D&S Flooring, Ephrata

Windows/Doors/Exteriors

1 Choice Home Remodeling, New Holland

2 Fisher Brothers, Gap

3 (tie) George J. Grove & Son, Lancaster
Klausmair Construction, Silver Spring

Interior Design

1 INTERIORS HOME, Lancaster

2 (tie) Choice Home Remodeling, New Holland
Bomberger’s, Lititz
Henrietta Heisler, Lancaster City

Painting/Paperhanging

1 Ville Painters, Lancaster

2 Two Dudes Painting Co., Lancaster City

3 Mitchell Forry Wallcovering, Elizabethtown

Plumbing/Heating/Cooling

1 Haller Enterprises, Lititz

2 Axel Mechanical Services, Lancaster

3 Reider Plumbing & Heating, Elizabethtown

Electrical Work

1 Haller Enterprises, Lititz

2 Iddings Electric, New Holland

3 Lancaster Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Electrical, East Petersburg

Carpet Cleaning

1 Certified Carpet, Lancaster

2 Rug Beater, Brownstown

3 Wood’s Carpet Cleaning, Lancaster

Furniture

1 INTERIORS HOME, Lancaster

2 Always Never Done, Landisville

3 (tie) Martin’s Furniture, Ephrata
Peaceful Valley Furniture, Strasburg
Martin Furniture & Mattress, New Providence

Home Accessories

1 INTERIORS HOME, Lancaster

2 The Quilt Shop at Miller’s, Ronks

3 (tie) Always Never Done, Landisville
Olde Mill House Shoppes, Lancaster

Paint/Wallcovering Center

1 Grauer’s Paint & Decorating Center, Lancaster & Lititz

2 Phillips Paint & Decorating Center, Lancaster

3 Longenecker’s True Value, Manheim

Appliance Center

1 Martin Appliance, Brownstown & New Providence

2 JB Zimmerman, New Holland

3 Longenecker’s True Value, Manheim

Hardware Center

1 JB Hostetter & Sons, Mount Joy

2 Bomberger’s Store, Lititz

3 (tie) PaulB Hardware, Lititz
JB Zimmerman, New Holland

Outdoor Living

1 Stauffers of Kissel Hill, Lititz & Rohrerstown

2 Bowman’s Stove & Patio, Ephrata

3 INTERIORS HOME, Lancaster

Greenhouse/Garden Center

1 Stauffers of Kissel Hill, Lititz & Rohrerstown

2 Ken’s Gardens, Smoketown & Intercourse

3 Esbenshade’s Garden Centers, Lititz

Lawn/Yard Maintenance

1 Landscape Impressions, Mount Joy

2 Clover Cutter Landscaping, Marietta

3 Home Grown Outdoor Finishes, Elizabethtown

Residential Builder/Remodeler

1 Choice Home Remodeling, New Holland

2 Ebersole Builders, Mount Joy

3 McClennan Contracting, Lancaster

Professional Services

Whether you need financial advice, the expertise of a realtor or attorney, or a head shot for a website, Lancaster is home to a “wealth” of professionals who can help you navigate the issue.

Accountant

1 Brian Rosenberg, CPA, MBA, Brown Plus Accountants & Advisors, Lancaster

2 Brian D. Wassell, CPA, Trout CPA, Lancaster

3 (tie) Brad Rausch, CPA, Cloister Group, Lancaster
Jason Gerber, CPA, RKL, Lancaster

Attorney

1 Thomas J. Sabatino, Georgelis, Larsen & Sabatino, Lancaster

2 John T. Reed, Barley Snyder, Lancaster City

3 Justin J. Bollinger, GKH, Lititz

Insurance Agent

1 Greg Sallade, State Farm, Mount Joy

2 (tie) Lynda Evans, Hinkle Insurance, Lancaster
Corey Faus, Hess Agency, Mount Joy
Liz Martin, Martin Insurance Agency, Lancaster
Stacy Zook, Aetna Insurance, Elizabethtown

Real Estate Agent

1 Craig Hartranft, Craig Hartranft Team, Berkshire Hathaway, Lancaster

2 Tony Zook, Remax Pinnacle, Elizabethtown

3 Denny Brandt, Berkshire Hathaway, Elizabethtown

Bank/Credit Union

1 Members 1^st Credit Union, multiple locations

2 Fulton Bank, multiple locations

3 First National Bank, multiple locations

Photographer

1 Kat Dicomo Photography, Lancaster

2 Jessica Mae Photography, Lancaster

3 Jeremy Hess, Premise Studio, Lancaster City

Auto Repair

1 Thru-It-All Auto Body Shop, Mount Joy

2 Steffy’s Garage, Leola

3 (tie) Good’s Auto Service, Lititz
Loren Kreider Automotive, Mount Joy
Park Place Automotive, Akron

Health

When it comes to healthcare, Lancaster is fortunate to have access to facilities, doctors and other medical professionals that are associated with the foremost medical schools in the state, including the University of Pennsylvania, Penn State University and the University of Pittsburgh. Our dental and eye professionals also represent some of the best schools in the state, as well as the country.

Hospital

1 Penn Medicine Lancaster General Hospital, Lancaster CIty

2 Penn State Lancaster Medical Center, Landisville

3 WellSpan Ephrata Community Hospital, Ephrata

Family Physician

1 (tie) Scott C. Conley, MD, LG Health Physicians Family Medicine Norlanco, Elizabethtown

Christopher G. McCarty, DO, WellSpan Health/East Earl

Christopher J. Putney, MD, LG Health Physicians Family Medicine, Strasburg

Robert Sallavanti, MD, Sillavanti & Cotter Family Medicine, Lancaster

Pediatrician

1 Pia Boben Fennimore, MD, Lancaster Pediatric Associates, Lancaster

2 Katherine J. Kereshi, MD, Penn State Health, Elizabethtown

3 (tie) Heidi J. Erdman, MD, Penn State Health, Elizabethtown
Nathan H. Keller, DO, Eden Park Pediatric Associates, Lancaster
Vinitha M. Moopen, MD, FAAP, WellSpan Health, Lititz

Dentist

1 Edward E. White, Jr., DDS, White Family Dental, Elizabethtown

2 Conner C. Diminick, DMD, Herres Dental, Mount Joy

3 Karen Otto-Sullivan, DDS, White Family Dental, Elizabethtown

Eye Physician

1 (tie) Bethany Rommel, MD, Manning, Rommel & Thode Associates, Lancaster
Roy D. Brod, MD, Lancaster Retina Specialists, Lancaster

3 (tie) Richard M. Hope, OD, Hope’s Vision, Mount Joy
Francis J. Manning, MD, Manning, Rommel & Thode Associates, Lancaster

Community

It’s the people who define a place and in Lancaster, that extends to creative artists, devoted church members, caring teachers, people who take pride in their neighborhoods, media members and the very generous people who support the many nonprofit organizations that play an important role in making Lancaster the caring community it is. Don’t forget: November 21 is Lancaster County’s community-wide day of giving, otherwise known as the ExtraGive.