Featured image: Shoofly pies at Bird-in-Hand Bakery & Cafe | Image credit: YM443 / Tripadvisor
A good Pennsylvania Amish food getaway needs more than a buffet reservation. Leave room for a breakfast side you have never ordered, a sour pickle between rich dishes, and a bakery purchase you can enjoy later. The pleasure is in choosing a few things well, not trying to eat seventeen full portions.
This guide uses Lancaster County as its practical base. These foods belong to a wider Pennsylvania Dutch cooking tradition shared by Amish, Mennonite and other Pennsylvania families; a regional dish does not establish a business owner’s religion. Recipes also vary by household and kitchen. The suggestions below distinguish foods to seek out from items a restaurant guarantees every day.
Menus and visitor details checked October 2026. Confirm opening days and specific dishes before making a special trip.
Choose your first tastes
- For a first visit: scrapple at breakfast, noodle-style chicken pot pie for a main meal, and a slice of shoofly pie.
- For a smaller appetite: a cup of chicken corn soup, half a red beet egg, and a shared soft pretzel.
- For take-home shopping: a labeled jar of chow chow, bakery goods packed as the seller recommends, or chilled scrapple from a meat counter.
1. Scrapple
Scrapple is a savory loaf made with pork, grain and seasonings, sliced and fried. The appeal is the contrast between the browned exterior and the soft middle. If the ingredient list sounds unfamiliar, start with a side alongside eggs rather than making it your entire breakfast. Try a bite plain before adding syrup or ketchup; a sweet topping changes the balance considerably.
Where to look: Katie’s Amish Kitchen’s breakfast menu includes scrapple as a meat choice and in its Dutch Sampler. The restaurant is at 200 Hartman Bridge Road in Ronks. Order the side if you want to taste scrapple on its own; the sampler mixes it with eggs, vegetables and cheese.
2. Baked oatmeal
Baked oatmeal has more structure than a bowl of stovetop porridge. Oats baked with ingredients such as milk and eggs become a spoonable breakfast casserole, often with fruit or cinnamon. It suits someone who wants a sweet breakfast without a towering pastry. Ask whether milk comes alongside it, and whether the day’s version contains apples, raisins or nuts.
Where to look: Hometown Kitchen’s breakfast menu lists homemade baked oatmeal by the cup. Find it at 18 Furnace Road in Quarryville, and arrive before breakfast ends at 11 a.m. Katie’s also lists baked oatmeal with milk. The photograph shows a blueberry version at Oregon Dairy, rather than a serving from either of those kitchens.
3. Chicken corn soup
Chicken and sweet corn are the starting point for this Lancaster County soup. Beyond that, recipes vary: a bowl may have noodles, little dough pieces called rivels, or neither. Ask which version is being served if the texture matters to you. A cup makes a useful first course when you still want room for a regional main dish.
Where to look: Miller’s soup, salad and bread menu names Lancaster County chicken corn soup. Miller’s is at 2811 Lincoln Highway East in Ronks. Check the day’s soups before choosing the smaller buffet package: that option excludes the hot entrée and dessert buffets.
4. Pennsylvania Dutch chicken pot pie
Here, pot pie can mean chicken and broad squares of dough simmered in broth, rather than a pastry shell. The noodles are the reason to order it: they turn a simple chicken supper into something substantial. Potatoes and vegetables depend on the recipe. Ask for the Pennsylvania Dutch version if the menu simply says “pot pie,” especially outside Lancaster County.
Where to look: Hometown Kitchen’s dinner menu explicitly describes its chicken pot pie as made with homemade noodles. Dinner service begins at 4 p.m. This is a better choice for a proper sit-down meal than a quick snack between bakery visits. Miller’s also lists the noodle version; the photograph shows its buffet selection.
5. Pennsylvania Dutch chicken and waffles
Expect tender cooked chicken and gravy over waffles. That is a different meal from the fried-chicken-and-syrup combination many visitors picture. The waffle catches the gravy and softens as you eat, so this is a fork-and-knife supper rather than a crisp handheld snack. If you are choosing between this and pot pie, decide whether you want gravy-soaked waffle or broth-cooked noodles.
Where to look: Miller’s describes chicken and waffles among its Pennsylvania Dutch dishes. Ask whether it is on the current selection before booking around it. One restaurant’s heritage menu does not mean every dish appears at every service.
6. Ham loaf and ham balls
Ham loaf takes the familiar shape of meatloaf in a sweeter, smoky direction. Recipes use ground ham, often with pork and a binder; a glaze can bring additional sweetness. Ham balls are a related presentation, though the recipe and sauce need not be identical. Choose this if you enjoy the sweet-and-savory side of the local table, and pair it with a plain vegetable or something pickled.
Where to look: Bird-in-Hand Family Restaurant names ham loaf among its specialties, while Hometown Kitchen lists ham balls. Bird-in-Hand’s current address is 2760 Old Philadelphia Pike. The photograph is a ham loaf served at Silver Spring Family Restaurant, included to show the dish rather than promise Bird-in-Hand’s plating.
7. Pork and sauerkraut
This pairing puts tender pork against the sourness of fermented cabbage. It is a useful counterpoint to the region’s sweeter glazes and baked goods, though some cooks soften the sharpness with sweet ingredients. Ask how the kitchen prepares it instead of assuming it will taste like cold sauerkraut straight from a jar. Mashed potatoes make a sensible companion if you want something mild alongside.
Where to look: Bird-in-Hand’s restaurant overview includes pork and sauerkraut among its signature dishes. Treat that as a place to inquire, then confirm the day’s selection. Do not drive there solely for one buffet item without checking first.
8. Buttered noodles
Wide noodles coated with butter can look modest beside a carving station, but they deserve a small helping of their own. Browned butter adds a toasted flavor; ordinary buttered noodles are a different preparation. Taste them without gravy first if you want to notice that distinction, then decide whether to pair them with roast meat.
Where to look: Miller’s traditional smorgasbord menu lists brown buttered noodles. Katie’s also serves buttered noodles, pictured here beneath roast beef. Neither the photograph nor the name alone establishes that every restaurant browns its butter, so ask if that is the version you want.
9. Potato filling
Potato filling brings mashed potatoes together with bread-based filling or stuffing. The result is richer and more substantial than plain mashed potatoes. It is an easy food to overlook because “filling” can sound like something hidden inside another dish. Ask the server to point it out, and start with a small spoonful alongside meat rather than treating it as a second main course.
Where to look: Discover Lancaster’s regional food guide identifies Miller’s among places to seek potato filling. Confirm the preparation when you arrive: a menu listing mashed potatoes and filling separately does not necessarily mean they have been combined.
10. Sweet peanut butter spread
The soft, sweet peanut butter spread served with bread is worth tasting before you order dessert. Recipes vary, and it may be much sweeter than ordinary peanut butter. Spread a little on a warm roll first rather than covering it thickly. If you like it enough to take home, ask how the particular batch should be stored.
Where to look: Amish America’s account of Amish meals describes sweetened peanut butter spread among foods served after Sunday church in some communities. That does not make a church meal a public visitor attraction. The photograph shows the spread at Katie’s; ask about current availability there.
11. Chow chow
Pennsylvania Dutch chow chow is a chunky pickled vegetable mixture, served as a side. Expect a sweet-and-sour bite, with the vegetables depending on the maker. Kitchen Kettle’s version includes several kinds of beans, cauliflower, carrots and other vegetables. Try it between bites of ham loaf or buttered noodles rather than expecting a smooth sandwich relish.
Where to look: Kitchen Kettle’s chow chow ingredient list lets you check the contents before buying a jar in Intercourse. Read the label for storage instructions and allergens. A sealed jar can be a convenient souvenir, but once opened, follow the maker’s directions.
12. Red beet eggs
These hard-boiled eggs take on their pink-purple color from a beet-based pickle brine. The flavor is tangy and often sweet; the color alone does not tell you how strong the vinegar will be. Start with one half beside your meal. If you like pickled vegetables but want something more substantial, this is an easy addition to a tasting plate.
Where to look: Miller’s cold selections list pickled eggs, and its buffet photograph shows the pink variety. Check the selection on arrival. Keep takeaway eggs chilled according to the seller’s instructions; being pickled does not make a deli egg an all-day car snack.
13. Hand-rolled soft pretzels
A warm soft pretzel gives you a break from full restaurant meals. Start with the regular version so you can taste the dough, salt and butter before choosing flavored coatings or a stuffed pretzel wrap. Eat it while it is warm if possible. It is also one of the easier things to share when everyone wants a taste but lunch is still ahead.
Where to look: Immergut Hand-Rolled Soft Pretzels is at 3537 Old Philadelphia Pike in Intercourse. Its listing shows a Sunday closure. Confirm current hours before setting out, and check the ingredients if you need a dairy-free or otherwise restricted order.
14. Shoofly pie
Shoofly pie centers on molasses and a crumb topping. Wet-bottom versions retain a softer, gooier layer beneath the crumbs, while dry-bottom versions are more cake-like. Neither is a fruit pie. If you are unsure whether the molasses flavor is for you, buy a slice before committing to a whole pie, and let its sweetness be the main event rather than ordering several desserts at once.
Where to look: Bird-in-Hand Bakery & Cafe specializes in wet-bottom shoofly pie. The bakery is at 2715 Old Philadelphia Pike, a separate address from the family restaurant. It is also distinct from Bird-in-Hand Bake Shop on Gibbons Road; check which business you have entered into your map.
15. Whoopie pies
A whoopie pie is a cake sandwich with a sweet filling, despite the name. Chocolate cake with a pale filling is a useful starting point, but bakeries offer other flavors. Ask about the filling rather than assuming it is buttercream, marshmallow, or dairy-free. Buy one to share if you are also tasting shoofly pie; the two are quite different desserts.
Where to look: Bird-in-Hand Bakery & Cafe’s bakery selection includes whoopie pies and seasonal pumpkin products. Choose the familiar chocolate version first, then add a seasonal flavor if it appeals. Ask the bakery how long its particular filling can travel unrefrigerated and pack accordingly.
16. Apple dumplings
An apple dumpling wraps an apple in pastry and bakes it until the fruit softens. It is closer to an individual baked apple pie than to a small boiled dumpling. It often arrives with syrup or sauce, so ask what is included before adding cream or ice cream. Order it warm when available, and consider sharing one after a substantial dinner.
Where to look: Katie’s menu lists apple dumplings. Ask whether one is available that day and whether it can be warmed. The photograph shows a pastry-wrapped apple among Bird-in-Hand Bakery & Cafe’s apple products; it is not a photograph of Katie’s serving.
17. Sticky buns
Sticky buns bring soft rolled dough together with a glossy sweet topping, sometimes with nuts. They overlap with cinnamon rolls, but the names are not interchangeable on every bakery menu: a frosted cinnamon roll and a sticky bun may be separate products. Look at the case and ask which is which before ordering. Nuts also make this a purchase worth checking carefully for allergies.
Where to look: Mr. Sticky’s makes regular and walnut sticky buns as well as cinnamon rolls. Its Lancaster shop is at 501 Greenfield Road. Buy a small amount for your first tasting, ask about reheating, and keep the box level on the drive so the topping stays with the buns.
Build a country getaway around a few meals
| Stop | Address | Best use of the stop |
|---|---|---|
| Katie’s Amish Kitchen, Ronks | 200 Hartman Bridge Road | Scrapple or baked oatmeal; check Tuesday–Saturday service |
| Hometown Kitchen, Quarryville | 18 Furnace Road | Breakfast before 11 a.m.; noodle pot pie on the dinner menu from 4 p.m. |
| Miller’s Smorgasbord, Ronks | 2811 Lincoln Highway East | Small tastes of several dishes; ask about the current buffet selection |
| Bird-in-Hand Family Restaurant | 2760 Old Philadelphia Pike | Regional mains; Monday–Saturday service |
| Bird-in-Hand Bakery & Cafe | 2715 Old Philadelphia Pike | Shoofly and whoopie pies to eat or take away |
| Immergut, Intercourse | 3537 Old Philadelphia Pike | A warm pretzel between larger meals |
| Mr. Sticky’s, Lancaster | 501 Greenfield Road | Sticky buns; distinguish them from the cinnamon rolls |
For a first visit, base your food stops around Ronks, Bird-in-Hand and Intercourse rather than crisscrossing the county for every dish. Quarryville’s Hometown Kitchen is a separate southern detour: choose it deliberately instead of adding it after an already full buffet lunch.
Day one: have breakfast at Katie’s, choosing scrapple or baked oatmeal. Continue to Intercourse for a pretzel and jar shopping, leaving time to browse between tastes. Pick one sit-down dinner, then buy a bakery dessert to enjoy later if you are full. Katie’s currently closes Sunday and Monday; check its own hours before choosing your arrival day.
Day two: choose either Hometown Kitchen for a breakfast or dinner detour, or a Ronks buffet where you can try small portions of several savory dishes. At a buffet, each paying guest should have their own meal; “sharing tastes” does not mean sharing one paid buffet plate. Start with unfamiliar regional dishes before filling up on foods you already know.
Many stops close on Sunday, but that does not mean every restaurant does. Miller’s says it opens seven days a week, while Bird-in-Hand’s restaurant operates Monday through Saturday. Holiday schedules can differ. Make one confirmed meal reservation or opening-hours check the anchor for each day, and leave the other stops flexible.
A hosted meal if you want conversation as well as food
loKal Experiences’ Authentic Tour & Meal with the Amish! combines a guided countryside outing with a cooked meal in an Amish home. Expedia and Viator list the same experience. Allow roughly 2¼–2½ hours, checking the duration, meeting point and inclusions on the option you book. The advertised meeting point is Discover Lancaster at 501 Greenfield Road; this is not permission to arrive at a private home independently.
Ask the operator about allergies, vegetarian requests and access before paying. Viator identifies van steps and says the tour is not wheelchair accessible. The family’s menu is not a guaranteed tasting of these seventeen foods. Follow the guide’s photography rules and your hosts’ wishes.
Affiliate disclosure: We may earn a commission if you book through the buttons below, at no extra cost to you.
Practical questions before you go
Should you book a buffet or order from a menu?
A buffet works well when your goal is several small tastes in one place. An à la carte meal gives you more control over the portion and the dish you came for. Compare the actual package: a soup-and-salad option can exclude hot entrées, drinks and desserts. As a current comparison point, Miller’s lists its soup, salad and bread package at $20.99, with its dessert buffet as a $9.49 add-on; beverages cost extra. Prices and holiday availability can change, so check the linked menu before budgeting. A family-style restaurant, where platters come to the table, is a different format again. Check what is included before comparing prices.
Can vegetarians and people with allergies enjoy these foods?
Check ingredients dish by dish. Vegetable sides may contain meat stock or animal fat; baked goods, noodles, glazes and spreads can contain ingredients you would not infer from the name. Ask specifically about your needs and shared equipment. Miller’s provides an allergen list but states that its shared kitchen, bakery and buffet cannot guarantee against cross-contact. For more planning questions to raise before a trip, see our food-allergy travel guide.
What should you bring for food shopping?
Carry some cash for smaller stops, a cooler with cold packs for refrigerated purchases, and a flat box or basket for bakery goods. Follow each seller’s storage instructions; do not assume a cream-filled cake, pickled egg or meat product can sit in a warm car. Buy chilled items near the end of the day when practical. Our road trip snack ideas can help fill the gaps between planned meal stops.
How do you visit respectfully?
Shop at businesses open to visitors and join a hosted experience if you want to learn about home life. A farmhouse, church gathering or roadside garden is not automatically an attraction. Ask before photographing people, and accept a refusal without negotiating. Check hours and payment methods directly rather than making assumptions about every Amish-owned business.