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

Char’s Bella Mundo: An Upscale American Bistro

This beautiful old-world bistro filled a gap in Harrisburg’s dining scene when it opened, and since then it’s been the recipient of almost too many awards to count. The intimate dining room seats a little over 40 patrons, and also offers a small area for outdoor café-style seating. The intimate setting gives the incredibly talented kitchen the opportunity to deliver a spectacular dining experience from your first bite to your last. This place gets crowded very quickly, so make sure to make a reservation and keep it. Diners rave about just about everything on the European-inspired menu, from the luxurious swordfish steak to the amazing veal osso buco. This is a top-notch restaurant that’s widely considered to be the best meal in Harrisburg, so if you’re planning an evening out that needs to impress, Char’s Bella Mundo should be your first choice. The restaurant also hosts a popular Jazz Wednesdays where live bands accompany service and specially-chosen wines.

Char’s Bella Mundo
540 Race Street
Harrisburg, PA 17104
(717) 213-4002
www.charsbellamundo.com

Arepa City: The Griddle Sings

If you’ve never had an arepa, the Central American corn cake, you’re in for a real treat. These small fried cakes have a taste that perfectly harmonizes sweet and savory, and they’re often filled with cheese or meat and topped with a tangy cole slaw. Harrisburg's Arepa City uses theirs to make what are essentially sandwiches: awesome arepa sandwiches! Regulars rave about Arepa City's slow-roasted pork leg, its chorizo sausage and potatoes, and its epic Miliciosa – roast pork, avocado, and grilled queso fresco. But don’t think that the menu at Arepa City ends there. Its owners work hard to bring awesome food from all over Latin America to grateful diners. From savory, delicious tostones to delicious empanadas, this place has it all. Even better, they’re open late at night – perfect for filling the belly after a long night at the bar. Prices here might seem a little high but but the portions are huge.

Arepa City
316 North 2nd Street
Harrisburg, PA 17101
(717) 233-3332
www.arepacity.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

Sphinx of PA: A Culinary Wonder

Egyptian food is a spectacular cuisine, with a wide variety of rich and satisfying flavors. Whether you’re a frequent eater or new to the scene, Harrisburg’s Sphinx of PA will serve you up dishes that will have you swooning. The first thing you’ll notice when you walk in the door is the staff’s incredible friendliness! The owner and his daughter are almost always there, and they treat just about every diner like family. They’re happy to explain anything on Sphinx of PA’s menu — and they’re effusive about the wonders of Egyptian cuisine. Start out with some traditional Middle Eastern appetizers. The hummus is spectacular and the baba ghanoush is astoundingly rich and flavorful. When it’s time to move on to entrees, you can’t go wrong with the delicious beef shawarma. Falafel is an excellent vegetarian option. Sphinx’s prices are exceptionally reasonable, with many entrees coming in under ten dollars.

Sphinx of PA
2810 Paxton Street
Harrisburg, PA 17111
(717) 558-0702
www.sphinxofpa.com

The Little Black Truck: Slow Smoke

Barbecue is sweeping the nation as one of the hottest new food trends, and lovers of slow-cooked meat have plenty of options. In Harrisburg, one of the best options is the Little Black Truck. The Little Black Truck's a roving smokehouse that serves up spectacular meat cooked to incredible tenderness. The pulled pork here is excellent: every bite is permeated with the most wonderful smoky flavor, which reacts amazingly to the sweet and tangy barbecue sauce. The portions are huge — a single sandwich is more than enough to fill you up. If you don’t feel like barbecue, The Little Black Truck also offers extremely good burgers, topped with gooey melted cheese and a delicious horseradish sauce. The homemade chili is also a high point, perfectly spicy and laden with delicious meat. Don’t come here expecting a salad, but if you’re in the mood for some epic meats, the Little Black Truck certainly won’t disappoint.

The Little Black Truck
3809 Paxton Street
Harrisburg, PA 17111
(717) 877-7636
www.facebook.com/TheLittleBlackTruckBBQ

For a Picturesque Dining View, Deck Out at Dukes Bar & Grille Riverside

Atmosphere is outstanding at Dukes Bar & Grille Riverside. Overlooking the Susquehanna River on an award-winning outdoor deck and the deck bar, you’ll feel the week’s tension float away downstream. The comprehensive menu needn’t scroll so long—with so many appealing appetizers and bar items, you won’t even want to glance into the dinner fare. The crab pretzel is unusual, tasty, and popular; cheesesteaks and soups get nice reviews. Anticipate waiting for a table, since reservations are not accepted. But regulars suggest calling ahead anyway to warn the staff that a large party is on the way. Then enjoy a happy hour or two.

Dukes Bar & Grille Riverside
www.dukesbarandgrille.com

313 S. Front Street
Wormleysburg, PA 17043 
(717) 737-1313

Dukes Bar & Grille Hershey 
1715 E. Chocolate Ave.
Hershey, PA 17033 
(717) 533-5541

The Cellar Could Become a Habit

Cellar BYOB is known for delicious and gorgeous food, served well in a lovely place.  Orchestrated under the spoon of executive chef Matthew Hickey and brought to patrons by the Dunphys and Gaudellis, even the basics sing opera at the Cellar. Heirloom tomato soup and the lump crab and lobster mac and cheese bring down the house. Crab cakes, duck and sesame Ahi tuna are performed expertly. The Cellar executes with equal magnificence its amazing salads and veggies, sandwiches, beef, and lamb. It may take lofty aspirations to fully appreciate the storage lockers rented to patrons for storing their favorite alcohol selections, but this amenity speaks to The Cellar’s desire to attract, please, and bring back its distinguished clientele. Visit for lunch, Monday through Friday, and return for dinner Monday through Saturday. Scrumptious, artful cuisine never gets boring.

The Cellar BYOB
433 North 21st Street
Camp Hill, PA  17011
(717) 724-2803
www.thecellarbyob.com

Benihana: Japanese Style "Eater-tainment" in Harrisburg

Don’t dare blink an eye at Benihana, or else you might miss the best culinary performance of your life. This beloved chain restaurant serves classic Japanese hibachi grill items that are chopped, flipped, fried, and served at lightning speed before your eyes. The theatrical skill of each specially trained chef will keep you entertained while munching on fried rice, seasoned steak, chicken, and seafood, as well as sushi rolls and fresh veggies. This is “eater-tainment at its best. Given the choreographed cooking that goes into each meal, Benihana is a great choice for big parties or a fun night on the town.

Benihana
2517 Paxton St.
Harrisburg, PA 17111
(717) 232-6731
www.benihanahbg.com

 

Treat Yourself to a Meal at Mangia Qui

Mangia Qui—together with Suba, its upstairs Spanish tapas bar—is a consistent favorite among discerning diners. Here you’ll find the best of regional Italian and Spanish dishes, performed with agriculturally sensitive local, seasonal ingredients. You can feast righteously and gloriously, though not necessarily inexpensively. Extensive, imaginative menus excite the palate; the dishes merit every bit of that anticipation. Your toughest decision is whether to go for the tapas or the entrées, and you may end up with a little bit of everything. From almond stuffed dates wrapped in bacon and topped with cheese and seafood tacos, to seviche and calamari, amazing pastas and Tuscan Grill beef, and so much more, Mangia Qui requires repeat visits. Mixed drinks and wines raise a fine meal to exquisite.

Mangia Qui offers lunch and dinner Tuesday through Saturday, and Sunday brunch. Suba opens at 5 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday.  Live music begins at 9 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

Mangia Qui
272 North Street
Harrisburg, PA 17101
(717) 233-7358
www.mangiaqui.com

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