It’s almost 180 feet in air, where food, drink, and views combine to encompass the Lancaster experience. When The Exchange opened on the rooftop of the Lancaster Marriott at Penn Square, guests said they were proud to live in or visit such a breathtaking place.
“There seemed to be an overwhelming sense of spirit or pride in this community,” says Director of Sales and Marketing Josh Nowak. “The Exchange evolved into a place for meeting friends, having a drink, and never stopping staring at the view.”
The Exchange opened in July 2019, created as the Marriott reignited its dining and drinking options to keep pace with Lancaster City’s rejuvenating food and beverage scene.
The renovated hotel’s rooftop offered the ideal setting for something new and world-class. The design team created an indoor-outdoor bar with windows opening to the patio stocked with intimate seating and firepits. An “eyebrow” roof provides shelter from the elements, for cozy evenings in any season and any weather.
Guests enjoy shareable plates and sample new cocktails, local beers, or wine while they soak up the glorious views. In the distance are the green fields of Lancaster County. Up close are Lancaster City’s architectural and historical treasures.
“Lancaster is well regarded for its Pennsylvania Dutch countryside, but we wanted to continue to further the Lancaster City experience,” says Nowak. “You get this amazing blend of modern food that’s locally sourced, and you’re overlooking the oldest continous-running Lutheran church and one of the oldest continuous-running Episcopal churches. Central Market, the Griest Building—these remarkable elements have great stories along with them, and you have unobstructed views.”
Executive Chef Ryan McQuillan created the menus for The Exchange and the Marriott’s new first-floor restaurant, Plough. Married to a Lancaster-area native and brought in from the renowned Talula’s Table in Kennett Square, he leveraged his experience with Chester County farmers to bring stepped-up Pennsylvania Dutch cuisine to Lancaster.
The menu “keeps your mind and imagination going, so people can be proud of where they’re from,” says McQuillan. “It’s not so much a composed plate. It’s a little more playful and fun.
We don’t want to come across as fussy or pretentious. We just want to take things that are familiar and make them a little bit better.”
Even Lebanon bologna makes appearances in sliders and a new fried rice. Lebanon bologna is like a spicy mortadella from Italy, “but it’s from here,” says McQuillan. “It’s one of those meats we should be proud of.”
Meat, seafood, and produce from local and regional farmers and purveyors inspire seasonal specialties. The summertime blistered shishito peppers are so popular that the restaurant
orders “cases upon cases” of them.
The Exchange’s burger features prime dry-aged ground beef with a “nice meat-to-fat ratio —just enough where it gets crispy but melts in your mouth.” For vegans and vegetarians, a tomato pie or crispy tofu fits the bill.
Pizza choices from the wood-fired oven include McQuillan’s favorite—the wild mushroom pizza, topped with Berks County mushrooms and arugula.
The beverage menu invites exploration. Pair your nosh with a local draft beer, such as the Lancaster-brewed Wacker Bohemian Pilsner, or a “bubbles” from Italy. Experiment with a cocktail that’s tangy, sweet, or earthy, depending on your mood.
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Dessert might be the chocolate chip ice cream sandwich with huckleberries, or the buttermilk pie topped with corn ice cream, as devised by sous chef Robbie Courtney. With time on their hands during the pandemic lockdown, the team experimented with remaking another Pennsylvania Dutch classic, so watch for a funnel cake with blueberry sauce.
Of all the great restaurants McQuillan has worked in, The Exchange is “probably the prettiest.” Nowak recommends a visit at sunset. From the rooftop, “you get to see the seasons change,” he says. It’s part of a Lancaster-based story that’s especially compelling because “we don’t have to manufacture any of it.”
“We’re a big town or a great small city,” he says. “You can look at us and not see a concrete jungle. We have a lot of character in how our city was laid out and how it has changed over the years.”
And it all unfolds before your eyes from 178 feet up.
The Exchange (21 and over)
25 S Queen Street, Lancaster, PA | exchangeroof.com
