Breads n’ Spreads: Cut A Slice

Sometimes the best foods are the simplest. In the case of Harrisburg’s Breads n’ Spreads, that adage holds true. This excellent luncheonette has been drawing raves from locals since opening in Midtown, with great homemade soups, salads, and sandwiches. The roast beef with curry spread on their house-baked grilled bread is spectacular, as is the excellent egg salad with bacon and tomato. Breads n' Spreads's sweets are also incredible, with toffee brownies winning raves from dessert customers. They also serve a popular Sunday brunch that lets the cooks try their hands at some well-received breakfast staples. The baked oatmeal with peaches is absolutely spectacular, as is the French toast. Their coffee is some of the best in the city, brewed fresh by espresso artisans. On nice days, sit outside in their charming courtyard and enjoy the sun. If you’re looking to get some work done, Breads n’ Spreads also offers free wireless Internet for customers.

Breads n’ Spreads
1419 North 3rd Street
Harrisburg, PA 17102
(717) 695-7713
www.breadsnspreadsmidtown.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

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

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

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

Coakley's Restaurant and Irish Pub: A Casual Irish Pub With Fun for All

Coakley's Restaurant and Irish Pub promises fun times for all. The menu is as classic as you can get with everything from steak sandwiches to pub pretzels, sliders, buffalo chicken dip, and even Nathan’s Famous Hot Dogs served warm with a side of fries. A few local treats include Pittsburgh Pillows (fried pierogies) and an unbeatable French dip sandwich. Nightly drink specials offer up classic beers in cheap pitchers and pints along with marked down food offerings, while ongoing game nights and special sports events keep the atmosphere lively and socially involved. Coakley's is the place to come with good friends and good spirits.

Coakley's Restaurant and Irish Pub
305 Bridge Street
New Cumberland, PA 17070
(717) 774-5556
www.coakleys.com

Confit French Bistro: French Comfort Food with an Elegant Touch

Confit French Bistro combines the sophistication of a French bistro with the comfort of countryside cuisine. Following the success of his New Orleans-style restaurant Bayou, Chef Matthew Black opened Confit to explore the rustic side of classic French cooking. The menu focuses on simple ingredients and uniquely tasteful dishes. From savory crepes (including rabbit with chorizo sausage, vegetables with goat cheese, and slow braised beef short ribs) to provincial specialties (Dijon and herb marinated chicken with leeks and mushrooms) to perfectly seasoned varieties of mussels, this is a destination for anyone who likes clean, discernable flavors with a polished edge. Though there is a bar to accommodate the constant overflow of patrons, Confit maintains a free spirited bring-your-own-beverage policy, so be sure to come equipped with a bottle of your favorite French vin to enjoy with the meal.

Confit French Bistro
2138 Market Street
Camp Hill, PA 17011
(717) 763-1102
www.confitfrenchbistro.com

Pavone's: Serving Authentic Italian Food For Over 30 Years

For more than 30 years, Pavone's has been serving authentic Italian food, fresh seafood, and USDA choice steaks to its loyal customers. From comfort classics like hand-breaded provolone and peel & eat shrimp to mouth-watering pork chops and smoky, flame-grilled ham steak, the menu is full of filling options for hungry diners. Though the carefully categorized menu—including sections called “butcher’s block” and “low carb”—offers hefty choices for everyone, be sure to save from room for the dessert, which changes up daily.  The Garden Room is a nice smoke-free escape for family meals, whereas Ruby’s Red Garter Saloon is a fun, old timey lounge and bar. Take your pick—whatever you’re in the mood for, Pavone's has you covered.

Pavone's
300 South Hershey Rd.
Harrisburg, PA 17112
(717) 545-2338
www.pavones1.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

 

Stocks on 2nd: A Charming Eatery with An Eclectic Menu

A little restaurant with a lot of attitude, Stocks on 2nd encompasses a range of flavors and influences in its mixed menu and diverse clientele. With classic American cooking as its base, the food selection also features accents of Asian and Southern influence that blend together naturally—and deliciously.  Try surprising combinations like lamb sliders served with tzatziki sauce on brioche buns, or candied cherry pear salad with walnuts, gorgonzola, and fuki plum sauce to start, before making your way into well-balanced entrees such as smoked gouda and leek-stuffed chicken or rum-glazed snapper. The charming and spacious atmosphere sets the tone for a relaxed meal, or a leisurely drink at the granite bar—the first martini bar in Harrisburg—and lounge area. And if you're dining on a Saturday night, there is always a live motown/jazz band on schedule—click here to find out who's playing.

Stocks on 2nd
211 North Second St.
Harrisburg, PA 17101
(717) 233-6699
www.stocksonsecond.com
 

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