PA Eats is lobbying for Harrisburg to pass a new policy: to have the rest of the state take its food scene a lot more seriously. Often overlooked as a culinary destination, our Keystone capital proves not only to be our primary political stomping grounds, but also to have some serious epicurian offerings. PA Eats presents 15 Food and Drink Gems of Harrisburg.
Home 231
231 North St., Harrisburg
Noteworthy: Chef Rob Ayala and GM Kasey Tritch source from local growers and farmers and showcase premium ingredients at their peak. With Lancaster and Adams County producers at their fingertips, the supply is practically endless. The European-style patio is tucked away from the noise and dressed with white lights, lattice accents, ivy-wrapped fences and stellar peeks of the city skyline. Inside, clean lines, crisp linens and lime greens elevate the space, encouraging you to visit for happy hour, stay for dinner and even swing by over the weekend for breakfast.
Must try: Anything on the brunch menu. And the Farmhouse Cocktail with Tito’s Vodka, St. Germaine, blood orange and Goose Island’s Sofie.
Harrisburg Bike Taxi
Noteworthy: Fact: you cannot be in a bad mood when you’re getting a ride in a bike taxi. It’s easy, breezy and you get some seriously beautiful river views. Sean Hertzler and his team of super-friendly, knowledgeable and dedicated drivers will literally go the extra mile for you, but you have to be patient to expect this kind of service. Call a solid 15 minutes before you need them to arrive.
Must Try: Don’t be shy—this peddling brigade is not only a fun option for transportation, but they also act as killer impromptu tour guides!
Pride of the Susquehanna
Docked at: 11 Championship Way, City Island, Harrisburg
Noteworthy: The uniformed crew and captain greet you as you walk onboard this authentic stern-driven, paddle-wheel riverboat. The upper deck provides plenty of fresh air, fantastic views and lots of state pride (a slew of state flags flanks the sides of the red and white-hued riverboat). Inside, you’ll discover a quaint parlor bursting with brass accents, glossy mahogany trim, stained-glass ceilings and maroon Chesterfield-style seating. A looped soundtrack plays only “boat-themed” tunes through the loudspeaker as well as an audio tour that reports historical facts, landmarks and information as you cruise (10 points for kitsch factor).
Must Try: The brass-tacked copper bar (reminiscent of old-time riverboats from the 1800s) serves beer, wine and local snacks. We recommend you take advantage of those offerings and also experience their themed dinners or wine- and craft beer-tasting sunset cruises.
City Island
Noteworthy: It’s an actual island in the city. This 63-acre Susquehanna River jewel is not only the dock for the Pride of the Susquehanna but is also home to Metro Bank Park Stadium, Riverside Village, Skyline Sports Complex, Carriage House, a miniature golf course, three boat marinas and the City Island Railroad. Oh, and this urban oasis also houses an ice cream shop that serves up Hershey’s ice cream specialties.
Must Try: Salted caramel milkshake.
Midtown Cinema
250 Reily St., Harrisburg
Noteworthy: Vintage accents adorn the lobby of this independent film theater including an old-style Christie projector on display just inside the door. A sitting area makes for a great co-working or meeting space and the venue boasts three intimate theaters that show well-curated art, foreign and independent films. Movie times are convenient and prices are affordable (ticket prices range from $5–$8). A favorite feature, of course, is the cafe, which offers impressive beverage options including gourmet coffee, Italian sodas and refreshing mocktails. Snacks include unique “poshcorn” flavors and fun candy options from jars brimming with colorful treats. But wait, there’s more. They also serve unique ice cream, made on site.
Must Try: Pineapple upside-down cake Italian soda and French toast “poshcorn.”
Urban Churn Ice Cream
250 Reily St., Harrisburg
Noteworthy: With permission and the right connections, Adam Brackbill, the owner of Urban Churn, will take you to their secret ice cream lair (in a back room of the theater). A quick walk through an empty theater, through a hidden door and into a wood-paneled hallway opens up into a secret room where (are you still following us?) they make and store gourmet ice cream including teaberry, maple whiskey, mint chocolate chip and dairy-free mint. Options change often.
Must Try: Chocolate Guinness with chocolate-coated bacon sprinkles!
The Harrisburg Midtown Arts Center (HMAC)
1110 N. Third St., Harrisburg
Noteworthy: The Harrisburg Bike Taxi crew is sure to suggest a stop at this eclectic playhouse, cafe and film studio situated inside the formerly abandoned Police Athletic League building. HMAC runs a venue called Stage on Herr, which is a bar and performance space just off 3rd on Herr Street. One-of-a-kind artwork and statues line the walls of this creative space, which is filled with a lively buzz and loyal patrons.
Must Try: Themed party nights and anything from the cocktail list. Family-style game night anyone?
Federal Taphouse
234 N. Second St., Harrisburg
Noteworthy: Touting 100 taps that include hard-to-find craft beers and ciders, the huge bar offers great people watching and plenty of room for fellow beer fanatics. An abundant dining space and a solid menu offer plenty of options for hungry diners.
Must Try: Anything on tap (of course). Charcuterie board and a house-made pretzel with spicy mustard, beer cheese and “everything” seasoning.
Buddha, Buddha
400 N. Second St., Harrisburg
Noteworthy: A no-frills bar was converted into a sushi bar, which has now turned into a martini bar called Buddha, Buddha. A giant golden statue of—you guessed it—Buddha oversees the space from the back of the restaurant while you explore the craft cocktail menu. Dance music plays in the background and as soon as your drink order hits your lips, you’ll realize that this place has wildly amazing craft cocktails that rival most in major cities. Consider this stop for before—or after—dinner drinks.
Must Try: Fresh-squeezed orange-basil crushes, blackberry-basil julep or Death in the Afternoon.
Mangia Qui and Suba Tapas
272 North St., Harrisburg
Noteworthy: Upstairs is a swanky tapas bar offering Spanish and Portuguese food, wine and spirits. Downstairs is a classic Italian, white-linen restaurant with a sophisticated wine list, grappas and sherries. Both concepts offer ever-changing, seasonal menus prepared with old-world styles of cooking that highlight fundamental culinary cultures and regions. Menus are created with fair trade, environmental and economic sustainability and embrace locally grown, farm-raised produce and meats, imported gourmet ingredients and select fresh seafood daily. The staff share the passion and enthusiasm of executive chef Qui Qui Musarra. They may even recite her culinary journey that lead her to this standout Harrisburg establishment (ask them yourself to hear her impressive journey from NYC to San Juan to Spain to D.C. and even to a private yacht before landing in Pa.’s capital.)
Must Try: Dine from both menus. Polipo Ubriaco can never be skipped, a fork-tender, drunken red-wine octopus over lava beans. The small plate of young artichoke, lemon, olive oil, thyme and Pecorino is another of our favorites, as is the Asparagi in Bianco, a refreshing, chilled white asparagus that shines with pistachio pesto and shaved Bottarga. The truffle trio offers crostini with indulgent toppings like white truffle porcini pate, asparagus, black truffle with oil cured olives, truffle butter and prosciutto.
Yellow Bird Cafe
1320 N. Third St., Harrisburg
Noteworthy: The space, staff and food are sunny, inviting and delectable. Breakfast sandwiches are constructed with housemade English muffins that magically hold up to the hearty breakfast filling but still remain buttery and fluffy like a biscuit. Adorable house-made pop-tarts are almost too cute to eat. A back wall adjacent to the kitchen and bakery case lists menu items, ingredients and firm kitchen rules: “Be nice, make food.”
Must try: Nutella or strawberry rhubarb pop-tart options will leave you practically breathless and are a match made in heaven with One Good Woman coffee (a roaster located just outside of the city). The roasted red pepper and pepper jack breakfast sandwich is equally dreamy.
Midtown Scholar
1302 N. Third St., Harrisburg
Noteworthy: The Midtown Scholar Bookstore and Famous Reading Cafe are considered to be the largest used academic bookstores between Chicago and New York, containing thousands of used books, scholarly and otherwise, from a wide range of fields.
Must try: We found their massive food, drink and cookbook section right inside the door, to the left. It’s also a great spot to fill up on herbal teas or strong coffee.
Broad Street Market
1233 N. Third St., Harrisburg
Noteworthy: Triumphantly situated on the corner of North Third and Verbeke streets, this 40-vendor market is the “it” spot to explore and devour Harrisburg’s grassroots food scene. Featuring a healthy mix of indie producers, from a sustainable co-op to endless organic farmers slinging their fresh-picked goods (everything from fruits, veggies, grass-fed meats) and unforgettable niche artisans (soft pretzel maker included!), you will want to visit every last stop.
Must try: Peach Ridge Produce’s pickle bar and Golden Gate’s Vietnamese rice noodle soup.
Little Amps
1836 Green St., Harrisburg
Noteworthy: Sandwiched between the Capitol building and the river, this coffee shop is in a prime location. Sidewalk dining allows for dead-on views of the capital, while inside you’ll appreciate the clean lines and industrial vintage accents.
Must Try: Cold brew, coffee brewed with cold water for 17 hours, cut with milk and a touch of simple syrup. Also consider: the Cold Jar.
Drive to Hershey
Pass by Hershey Park (100 W. Hersheypark Dr., Hershey)
Must try: Give the wooden coasters a good gaze just long enough to get nostalgic about Hershey Bars and old-school roller coaster rides and then set your sights on Troegs.
Troegs Brewing Company
200 E. Hershey Park Dr., Hershey
Noteworthy: Touted as being “the second-best brewery tour (Stone Brewing Company being the best) I’ve ever been on” by Jeff Herb, Troegs’ media and communications manager, the expectations are high and met. Enthusiastic guides take you behind the scenes at this popular brewery and offer your standard beerducation with pleasant surprises like right-out-of-the-tank samples of Scratch Beer Series #154 with a brand-new hop varietal, German Mandarina Bavaria. Flagship beers are also poured and tasted among the tanks to add to your beer buzz. Finish off your tour with a visit to the Snack Bar. Chef Jonathan Kauffman slings a remarkable lineup of elevated comfort food that pairs appropriately well with the house beers (ask him to sing a jingle while he preps your food—he’s a trained opera singer).
Must Try: Everything. But mostly the fondue. Made with Mad Elf and topped with green onion, blue cheese and sweet-dried cherries, this melty goodness may be the best thing to put on sliced bread. Two words: insanely delicious!
Have a trip tip for PA Eats? Share with us in the comments! We’d love to pack our forks and experience your city.
- Photography: Alexandra Whitney Photography
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