Things To Do
Lancaster Central Market
Market is open on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 7am to 3pm. It's the oldest farmers market in the United States, established in 1730. This is a great spot to take a stroll, grab some breakfast or lunch to go, or just browse some of the local offerings.
Southern Market Lancaster
This is where we began our first date! This is a great spot to have lunch, drinks, or a casual dinner. Food vendors line the walls of the market with plenty of seating and a large bar in the center. Check their website for information on special events like Trivia Night!
The PotteryWorks
Spending the weekend in Lanc and looking for a unique activity? This is where we went on a date right before getting engaged! PotteryWorks is just as it sounds - a spot with tons of ceramic items to choose from that you can paint yourself! If you decide to design a few items and can't pick them up before you leave, we can grab them and ship them to you.
Horse Inn
This is our favorite restaurant in all of Lancaster. In the warmer weather, we've been known to eat here up to 3 times a week! The food and drinks are excellent and while it's on the outskirts of Downtown, it's worth the drive/Uber over. Be sure to make a reservation in advance if you're looking for table seating as it gets extremely crowded.
Proof of Lancaster
The menu is small but the food is excellent. We love the atmosphere of Proof - it's a bit hard to find at first because it's located down in the basement below street level but once you get down there, you'll see why it's so popular.
Plough
If you're staying at the Marriott, this is the hotel bar. We love Plough! We came here for champagne to celebrate moments after getting engaged. It's got great food, a large drink menu, and plenty of seating in both the restaurant and the lounge/bar areas.
Hi-Fi Izakaya
This is our favorite late-night spot. They have a DJ spinning great records and a really unique food and drink menu. Go early for a spot at the bar!
Shady Maple Smorgasbord
A Lancaster County institution - Shady Maple is the largest buffet in the country. It's got tons (TONS) of food with lots of local Amish specialties to try. It's a bit of a drive from Lancaster City (30 mins) but great to checkout if you're staying for the weekend. Be sure to stop in the gift store downstairs! You could probably spend hours browsing the wares.
Passenger Flagship Cafe
Passenger has two locations - this one and another on Plum Street that's closer to the Cork Factory Hotel if you're staying there. Most folks downtown deem this the best coffee in Lancaster and Bri will tell you they have the best iced chai anywhere. (Pro tip - get it "Bri's Way" with half oat milk and half regular milk. The best!)
