Kanlaya Thai Restaurant

Thai food's one of the most popular cuisines in America, in large part because of one dish: pad Thai. This savory noodle stir-fry is not too spicy but offers a preview of the uniquely complex flavors that Thai cuisine presents. So let's just get it out of the way: Kanlaya Thai Restaurant in Harrisburg has excellent pad Thai.

Once you’ve eaten at Kanlaya a few times, you might become adventurous with its menu. The crispy kapow chicken wins raves from diners – it’s fried to perfection, not greasy, and coated with an incredibly delicious sauce that will haunt your dreams. Topped with fried basil leaves, it’s one of Kanlaya’s specialties. The curries here are also excellent, packing potent flavors that are exceptionally well-balanced. Noodle dishes also stack up well, with a spicy pad kee mow drawing special raves. The restaurant's well-decorated, with dim lights for a perfect ambience.

Kanlaya Thai Restaurant
1030 South 13th Street
Harrisburg, PA 17104
(717) 233-0222
www.kanlayathairestaurantpa.webs.com

Garrason’s Tavern: Your New Local Hangout

It takes a number of essential factors to turn a bar into a neighborhood hangout. The service is probably the most important thing – if you’re treated like a regular, there’s a good chance you’ll become one. Harrisburg’s Garrason’s Tavern knows that maxim well, and over their twenty years in operation they’ve established themselves as one of the friendliest bars in town. First and foremost, that’s because of their fantastic drink specials. A wide array of beers are available, from national favorites to a few carefully-chosen microbrews. The bar is also locally famous for mixing the best Moscow Mule in hundreds of miles—this delicious concoction of vodka and ginger beer packs quite a kick. As for the food, it’s traditional bar grub, but executed very well. The burgers are huge and perfectly-charred, topped with a variety of goodies and served with hearty fries. Their pizzas are also very much worth ordering.

Garrason’s Tavern
400 Forster Street
Harrisburg, PA 17102
(717) 232-2028
www.garrasonstavern.com

Neato Burrito: A Harrisburg Must For Burritos

This Harrisburg favorite has been serving up excellent Mexican food to appreciative eaters for years, holding true to a very simple formula: great quality, great service, fair prices. The formula is simple—walk down the counter and select your tortilla, your beans and rice, your meats and cheeses, et cetera. But this is no paint-by-numbers Mexican; the guys at Neato Burrito have gone the extra mile to make their grub stand out. From the unique choices, including BBQ rice, to the homemade salsas (try the spectacular jalapeno feta), these burritos are the best in town. Regulars rave about the enormous portions—a burrito here is virtually impossible to devour in one serving. Vegetarians have a lot to love here, with their house-made black bean hummus an unusual but very savory choice. Get it grilled for even better flavor. The décor is also charming, with a fun and funky 50s theme going on.

Neato Burrito
3370 Paxton Street
Harrisburg, PA 17111
(717) 564-7875 ‎
www.neatoburrito.com

Cafe Fresco: Asian Fusion From An Award-Winning Chef

Since 2005, Café Fresco has been Harrisburg’s premiere spot for top-notch Asian fusion food, delivering amazingly diverse and tasty dishes to appreciative eaters from all around the state. Award-winning chef Travis Mumma has carefully conceived the menu to contain nothing but essential dishes, and diners rave over his presentation. Start out with the house Tigerlily Martini, made with fresh lychee for a unique flavor twist. The seafood is all exceptional, with the Chilean sea bass with creamy miso and the sesame encrusted Ahi tuna being notable standouts. If you don’t feel like fish, Café Fresco has a wide variety of other delectable dishes on the menu, ranging from a tender roasted duck breast to remarkably good pizzas—slightly unusual for a restaurant with such open Asian influences. For budget-conscious diners, a visit during Happy Hour is great for a menu of food and drink specials.

Café Fresco
215 North 2nd Street
Harrisburg, PA 17101
(717) 236-2599 ‎
www.cafefresco.com

The Glass Lounge: See And Be Seen

If you’re looking for a truly spectacular steak in Harrisburg, The Glass Lounge is the place to go. This casual lounge has a seriously top-quality kitchen that rolls out high-grade New York strips, T-bones, and Delmonicos night after night, with exceptional quality and consistency. Since opening in 1984, The Glass Lounge has won multiple awards from the local press and built a fiercely loyal clientele. You can certainly get a steak on its own here, but the variety of surf & turf that the menu boasts is also worth exploring. The steak and grilled scallops is great, as is the steak with an awesomely formed lump crabcake. If you’re looking for something a little more casual, The Glass Lounge's cheeseburger's one of the best in town, perfectly charred on the outside and pink on the inside, and served with perfectly-crisped fries. From the outside, this place looks like a bit of a dive. But appearances, as they say, can be deceiving.

The Glass Lounge
4745 North Front Street
Harrisburg, PA 17110
(717) 255-9919
www.theglasslounge.net

Brick City Bar & Grille

We all need a neighborhood spot to get away, where the bartenders know our name and nobody’s going to hassle us. Harrisburg's Brick City Bar & Grille is your place. Just minutes from downtown, locals claim that it’s the best sports bar in the zip code, with a number of flat-screen TVs showing sports from all over the world.  While you’re there, Brick City offers plenty to quench your thirst and fill your stomach. The fish and chips are spectacular – perfectly breaded and fried, served with amazing shoestring fries and tart cole slaw. The fried calamari is also really good, and the herby aioli for dipping compliments the flavors nicely. Garlic waffle fries are also excellent. The beer and wine selection is above average, and service is attentive and helpful. And even with everything else going on in the space, the volume level's still not too high to carry on a conversation with your pals!

Brick City Bar & Grille
1313 North 2nd Street
Harrisburg, PA 17102
(717) 232-2522
www.brickcitybarandgrille.com

Alvaro Bread and Pastry Shoppe: More Than Just Sweet Treats

If you’re looking for classic old-school Italian bread, the Alvaro family has a loaf for you. This local favorite, housed in a completely refurbished brick building, has become a hangout for eaters looking not only for baked goods but also Italian classics. Everything is made on the premises, and regulars rave about the pizzas, which are made with the perfect amount of fresh ingredients on a delicious crust. Portions are gigantic and prices are incredibly reasonable. If you’re there for dinner, make sure at least one person at your table orders from the amazing fresh pasta menu—the house-made ravioli are some of the best in town, packed with flavor and cooked to incredible tenderness. Spaghetti is also incredible, with unique thick noodles perfectly supporting a dense, flavorful sauce. For dessert, you have plenty to choose from—Alvaro’s cakes and cookies compete with incredible gelato. This place is a definite winner.

Alvaro Bread and Pastry Shoppe
236 Peffer Street
Harrisburg, PA 17102
(717) 238-1999
www.alvarobread.com

Miso Sushi and Grill: Japanese Delights

If you’re looking for awesome sushi in the Harrisburg area, you’ll find it at Miso Sushi and Grill. This institution has been pleasing diners with a great combination of expertly-prepared nigiri and rolls as well as hot dishes from the kitchen. Miso's teriyaki dinners are also very, very good. The meat's cooked to tender perfection and the sweet sauce is mouth-wateringly tasty. The tempura dishes are also excellent, with a wonderfully light, crisp batter surrounding shrimp and vegetables. If you crave sushi, Miso does it right. The nigiri's fresh and beautifully presented, and the rolls cover all the bases from traditional to modern. The room is small, but Miso manages to seat a fair number of customers without the space seeming overcrowded. Service is very good as well, with attentive staff there when you need them. Regulars also enjoy some benefits, as the chefs like to send out free rolls to frequent eaters!

Miso Sushi and Grill
4620 Jonestown Road
Harrisburg, PA 17109
(717) 526-4088
www.misosushibar.com

Taco Shop Mexican Grill

Pennsylvania isn’t typically considered a hot state for Mexican food, but Harrisburg's Taco Shop proves that you can find deliciousness anywhere if you know where to look. The Taco Shop draws universal raves from locals, who love its use of fresh ingredients and bold flavors. The menu offers the usual Mexican specialties, priced fairly and served in abundant portions. Regulars praise the tamales, which are made from scratch – the green chile version is a must-try. The hand-made sopes are also wonderful. If you’ve never tried one of these thick cornmeal patties, fried and topped with a variety of excellent meats and vegetables, Taco Shop is a good place to start. Salsa is a vital part of any Mexican meal, and this place does it right by offering a diverse bar of choices, from fresh pico de gallo to super-hot green chile. Service is incredibly friendly, and although the décor isn’t much to look at, you’ll be too busy enjoying your meal to notice!

Taco Shop Mexican Grill
2810 Paxton Street
Swatara, PA 17111-1057
(717) 561-1100
www.tacoshopharrisburg.com

Lancaster Brewing Company: Tip A Glass

Pennsylvania has a number of high-quality microbreweries advancing the art of craft beer. The Lancaster Brewing Company is no exception. Established in 1840, it’s one of the oldest breweries in Pennslyvania. As the years have gone by, it’s become a very popular local watering hole with its combination of excellent beers and top-quality food. An outpost of the brewery recently opened in Harrisburg and locals have been giving it rave reviews. If you want an overview of what they brew, the beer sampler lets you get a taste of four beers for a mere ten bucks. The food is competent but unexceptional, with a crabcake sandwich and the mussels appetizer winning special mention. While you’re waiting for your food, take a few minutes to explore the incredibly detailed “History of Beer” mural – you’re bound to learn something.

Lancaster Brewing Company
469 Eisenhower Boulevard
Harrisburg, PA 17111
(717) 564-4448
www.lbcharrisburg.com

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