Image courtesy Annie Bailey’s
1. Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie
Those who love Irish fare but prefer to go meatless can enjoy the vegetarian shepherd’s pie mainstay on Annie Bailey’s menu. A house-made vegetable herb gravy is tossed with roasted root vegetables, butternut squash, mushrooms, and lentils, all of which are then topped with chive-whipped potatoes, artfully finishing a dish that’s just as pleasing to the eye as to the palate.
Annie Bailey’s / Lancaster, PA / anniebaileys.com
Image courtesy Keely Childers Heany
2. Traditional Cornish Pasty
One might not suspect Bert’s Bottle Shop to be the place to find an Irish favorite, but its menu includes an array of pocket-shaped pies with distinct crimped edges known as “pasties,” a much-beloved nosh throughout the British Isles. The menu’s traditional pasty contains many of the staples in Irish cooking—beef, potatoes, onions, and carrots.
Bert’s Bottle Shop / Millersville, PA
Image courtesy Quips
3. Corned Beef and Cabbage
Many people wouldn’t dream of forgoing this savory dish on March 17th; harder still would be declining Quips’ version, which includes house-made bacon jam and whole grain mustard. Pair with a pint of Guinness for a true Irish experience.
Quips / Lancaster, PA / quipspub.com
Image courtesy Garryowen Irish Pub
4. Shepherd’s Pie
Garryowen Irish Pub boasts a classic dish with a very special origin. Its shepherd’s pieis an old family recipe brought all the way from County Armagh in Northern Ireland, from which owner Joanne McCready’s family originally hails. This particular recipe combines ground beef, traditional vegetables, and a rich gravy all topped with oven-browned mashed potatoes. A testament to her family’s culinary prowess, this authentic dish is the most popular itemon the menu.
Garryowen Irish Pub / Gettysburg, PA / garryowenirishpub.net
5. Bangers and Mash
One of the many pub favorites from Bulls Head Public House is its bangers and mash. The two Cumberland sausages that come with the dish are considered the “bangers.” The “mash” is easy enough to guess. This British Isles classic also includes caramelized onions, gravy, and a rotating seasonal vegetable.
Bulls Head / Lititz, PA / bullsheadpublichouse.com
6. Beef ‘n’ Guinness
Market Cross Pub’s executive chef Robert Miller has created something any Guinness lover would find irresistible: steak tenderloin tips braised in a Guinness gravy. A long time pub favorite, its beef ‘n’ Guinness is classically paired with garlic mashed potatoes and grilled asparagus or peas.
Market Cross Pub and Brewery / Carlisle, PA / marketcrosspub.com
7. Irish Crab Potato Skins
An Irish twist on a pub fare classic makes for a delicious and shareable dish. McCleary’s Irish crab potato skins offer something crunchy, cheesy, and flavorful. Lightly fried potato skins are topped with lump crab meat, melted cheese, fresh tomatoes, jalapeños, and a garnish of chopped bacon and scallions.
McCleary’s Public House / Marietta, PA / mcclearyspub.com