Good Eats Guide: Gettysburg

1863 Restaurant

Located at the Gettysburg Wyndham, the 1863 Restaurant offers breakfast, lunch and dinner. The menus, especially dinner, by acclaimed French chef Claude Rodier feature local artisans such as Earth and Eats Farm, Palmyra farm, Hickory Ridge Mushroom Farm, Adams County Winery, Hauser Estate Winery, Historic Round Barn Market and Gettysburg Pretzel and Snack Company. Family-style dining is also available for parties of 6 and up, with offerings sure to please any palate. A lounge menu of casually priced plates is also available.

95 Presidential Circle, Gettysburg

717-339-0020; Wyndham.com

Blue and Gray Bar and Grille

A new sports bar on Lincoln Square fast becoming famous for its burgers and wings in a fun-filled environment.

2 Baltimore Street, Gettysburg

717-334-1999; BlueGrayBarGrill.com

Blue Parrot Bistro

Owner Holly Giles and owner/chef Allison Giles serve up tasty plates of nouveau American cuisine influenced by flavors from all over the world in their cozy café. Located in a Tudor-style historic Civil War building, Blue Parrot Bistro is popular among locals for lunch, dinner and nightlife with the best cocktails in town. From Greek chicken souvlaki salad topped with yogurt, garlic and lemon sauce and casual fare like Weikert’s free range organic beef burgers to crab cakes with ginger lime sauce and slaw, the well rounded, but not too large, menu is a crowd pleaser.

35 Chambersburg Street, Gettysburg

717-337-3739; BlueParrotBistro.com

Café Saint-Amand

Find a little bit of France in downtown Gettysburg. Café Saint-Amand is a favorite among locals for its fresh concept on the dining scene. Casual by day and more sophisticated by evening, this Parisian bistro is also BYOB. A few menu faves include steak and cheese crepes, salad with duck confit, aubergine (eggplant) pesto sandwich, and homemade soups; be sure to save room for homemade desserts to die for. 

48 Baltimore Street, Gettysburg

717-334-2700; CafeSaintAmand.com

Centuries on the Square

Timeless traditions like prime rib night on Fridays and Saturdays endure here on the square of historic Gettysburg. Centuries on the Square is open for breakfast and dinner.

One Lincoln Square, Gettysburg

717-337-2000; HotelGettysburg.com

Dobbin House restaurant & Tavern

Take a journey back in time at this authentic 1776 Colonial tavern on the National Register of Historic Places, where “porridges” or soups are still boiled over coals, served in pipkin (a small pot with a handle) with sippets (small bits of bread). Flatware and china are exact replicas of fragments found in the cellar, and “servants’” period clothing is authentic as well. It is named after Reverend Alexander Dobbin, an early frontier pioneer, and even drink specials like the Philadelphia Fish House Punch allude to his hobnobbing with George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, for a little dose of history with your supper.

89 Steinwehr Avenue, Gettysburg

717-334-2100; DobbinHouse.com

El Costeno

Gettysburg’s go-to for authentic Mexican. Open for lunch and dinner. Don’t miss the dulce de leche cake if you go.

39 York Street, Gettysburg, 717-339-0029

The Fairfield Inn

Tourists and locals enjoy this inn, one of five in the country that has been continuously operating since the 1700s, for different reasons. There’s the casual Squire Miller’s Tavern where soups and stews are still prepared on a fireplace built by Thaddeus Stevens, while fine dining in the Mansion House restaurant offers white linen dining by classic candlelight (and a roaring fire come cooler months). Or dine on the pleasant patio this summer through fall. You can even dine in the favorite room of the Eisenhowers. The Fairfield Inn is also a popular spot for Sunday brunch. Guests can enjoy the same meal dined on by Confederate Generals, which includes hearty ham and bean soup, chicken ‘n’ biscuits and a fresh seasonal pie. To complete the true tourist experience, enjoy the Civil War-era dinner theater as seen on The Travel Channel.

15 West Main Street, Fairfield (8 miles west of Gettysburg), 717-642-5410; TheFairfieldInn.com

Farnsworth House

Go for the authentic Civil War-era food where servers in period costumes serve up Yankee pot roast and sliced beef, PA Dutch chicken pot pie or open fire chicken, sweet potato pudding and Jennie Wade or spoon bread with locally made apple butter. The house specialty is game pie, which in those days was filed with the day’s kill, and today is filled with turkey, pheasant, duck, mushrooms, bacon, currant jelly, and long grain wild rice, topped with an egg crust. Or, dine on sandwiches and more casual fare in the tavern and garden areas next to a stream that provided water for both the Confederate and Union armies. The inn is also open for breakfast.

401 Baltimore Street, Gettysburg, 717-334-8838; FarnsworthHouseInn.com

Flats Original Flatbread Café

Offering unique sandwiches and pizzas on handcrafted flatbreads, this casual dining option located at the Majestic Theater is a great option for a quick, healthy lunch or dinner.

25 Carlisle Street, Gettysburg, 717-398-2189; EatFlats.com

Garryowen Irish Pub

Enjoy classics like the Scotch egg, hardboiled, rolled in house made sausage, breadcrumbs and deep fried; shepherd’s pie; a traditional Ulster fry with grilled Irish bacon; sausages; black and white pudding and Ulster breads served with egg and grilled tomato. Or try new takes on Irish ingredients like the grilled hot whiskey sausage sandwich or Irish nachos, crispy potatoes loaded with cheese, bacon, tomatoes, jalapeno and scallions. Don’t miss the great selection of microbrews and check out the Go Too bar open upstairs on Fridays and Saturdays.

126 Chambersburg Street, Gettysburg, 717-337-2719; GarryowenIrishPub.net

Gettysburg Eddie’s

Locals love it for the great bar food and as a break from the Civil War experience that pays tribute to Gettysburg’s own baseball hall of famer, Eddie Plank. Enjoy America’s favorite pasttime with access to up to 80 Major League games per week.

217 Steinwehr Avenue, Gettysburg, 717-334-1100; GettysburgEddies.com

Inn at Herr Ridge

If you go, and are looking for a romantic evening, ask for the window seat overlooking the battlefields. Or  celebrate a special occasion with a group in the wine cellar. Executive chef Kyle Ensor and his team are cooking up some of the most inventive local cuisine in the area, making this a culinary adventure worth the country drive.

900 Chambersburg Road, Gettysburg, 717-334-3332; HerrTavern.com

J’s at the Village

Casual fine dining offers something for everyone from pan seared scallops with sun dried tomato olive tapenade and sweet chili lime chicken skewers to salads, sandwiches and entrees like cous cous with vegetables, exotic mushrooms, lump crab or lobster, beef and bison meatloaf and mesquite smoked duck with apple and pear compote. The new tea room serves up a full British afternoon tea Thursday through Sunday from fine china to scones, soup, salad, tea sandwiches and dessert bites. Open for lunch and dinner.

619 Baltimore Street, Gettysburg, 717-334-9449; JsVillage.com

The Lincoln Diner

Locals in the know go here for great milkshakes and classic diner grub at all hours.

32 Carlisle Street, Gettysburg

717-334-3900

McClellan’s Tavern

This English-style pub features a beautiful, solid mahogany, turn-of-the-century Van Tromp bar brought back from England that is the hub for gathering to meet old friends and new at the historic Gettysburg Hotel. McClellan’s is open for a casual lunch or dinner, and don’t miss their monthly cocktail specials.

1 Lincoln Square, Gettysburg, 717-338-5455; HotelGettysburg.com

Mama Ventura’s

Specialties at this authentic Italian restaurant include homemade ravioli stuffed with chicken and bacon, beef Milanese with asparagus marinara, and homemade potato gnocchi–and if you know homemade pasta, you know to order it when you see it on a menu. They also serve pizzas, strombolis, traditional entrees and classic pasta dishes. Celebrating 30 years of bringing Italian food to Gettysburg, Mama Ventura’s is open for lunch and dinner, plus there’s a lounge downstairs with weekly specials.

13 Chambersburg Street, Gettysburg, 717-334-5548; MamaVenturas.com

Mom’s Coffeepot

A local fave for homemade breakfast and lunch, Mom’s also offers an entire gluten free menu and freshly ground rotating coffee flavors daily.

65 West Middle Street, Gettysburg, 717-398-2736; Facebook.com/Moms-CoffeePot

Olivia’s

It’s referred to as Greece in Gettysburg, so get your Greek fix at Olivia’s, with an authentic taste of the Mediterranean. Enjoy Grecian crab dip to start with artichokes and olives, or other “mezze” like stuffed grape leaves. Gyros filled with beef and lamb, plus chicken or pork souvlaki with tzatziki, plenty of seafood entrees, and American cuisine round out the menu. Dine inside the modern dining room or outdoors on Yanni’s terrace.

3015 Baltimore Pike, Gettysburg

717-359-9537; Olivias.biz

O’Rorke’s

Named after Union commander and hero Patrick Henry O’Rorke, the 26-year-old Colonel of the 140th New York Infantry, this pub is like stepping back in time, with wide wood planked floors and its cozy booths, fireplace and bar. Enjoy Irish classics as well as American fare (be sure to try the meatloaf with Guinness gravy).

44 Steinwehr Avenue, Gettysburg

717-334-2333; www.ororkespub.com

Pomona’s

Owner and baker Marc Jalbert’s European village-style baking has made the short drive to Biglerville just outside of Gettsyburg worth the time (in fact, it’s a destination for some). If you go, try the Seeded Twist, and get one to go. Just be sure to save room for a pecan sticky bun; you won’t regret it. The café, which also sells take breads, pastries, cheeses, meats, homemade soups and more, is open for brunch (Saturdays only from 8am to 2pm), lunch and dinner.

213 East York Street, Biglerville, 717-677-7014; Pomonas.com

Ping’s Cafe

The only place for sushi in Gettysburg. It’s the local spot to quench a craving for Asian flavors.

34 Baltimore Street, Gettysburg, 717-334-2234

The Pub & Restaurant

Right in heart of downtown Gettysburg, The Pub is one of the hubs of the square and offers something for everyone from an expansive menu of American classics. Don’t miss The Pub’s “famous burgers” which include their “Black & Bleu,” an 8 oz. patty mixed with chocolate chip morsels and topped with bleu cheese crumble sauce. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

20-22 Lincoln Square, Gettysburg, 717-334-7100; www.the-pub.com

Sharpshooter’s Grille

Sharpshooter’s Grille, the casual sister restaurant to the Inn at Herr Ridge, boasts the area’s largest microbrew selection with over 90 varieties. Locals gather here for breakfast, lunch and dinner indoors and out, plus live entertainment, fooseball and pool.  

900 Chambersburg Road, Gettysburg, 717-334-4598; SharpshootersGrille.com

The Sheppard Mansion

Chef Andrew Little’s motto, “eat like you live here,” carries through on his ever-changing seasonal menus starring local farms, plus the Sheppard Mansion’s own expansive garden’s bounty. Worth the country drive for special occasion dining in the mansion that shoes built in 1913.

117 Frederick Street, Hanover, 717-633-8075; SheppardMansion.com

Sidney

World-renowned chef Neil Annis serves up seasonal French-influenced American cuisine in a rustic atmosphere, or you can dine al fresco on the patio. The Tavern also offers live entertainment and a more casual, yet gourmet, menu.

101 East King Street, East Berlin, 717-259-1319; RestaurantSidney.com

Tipton’s Grill

A casual spot for breakfast, lunch and dinner with several vegetarian offerings, plus Gettysburg’s claim to the only authentic Philly cheesesteak.

135 Baltimore Street, Gettysburg, 717-334-4200; Facebook.com/TiptonGrill

The Ugly Mug Cafe

A coffee shop serving sandwiches, wraps, salads, authentic Venezuelan beverages and fare like arepas.

168 Carlisle Street, Gettysburg, 717-398-2011; TheUglyCafe.com