When traveling with my in-laws, such as during our recent trip to eastern Pennsylvania over the long Thanksgiving weekend, my father-in-law has a strong affliction for breweries. He, and my wife, enjoy the finely crafted microbrews, and my mother-in-law and I enjoy the company and the fine food at the establishments.
After a long drive, and a stop in Hershey, our family was starving and looking for a good dining destination. Fortunately, on the way to our motel, we were able to find the Lancaster Brewing Company.
While outside parking was extremely limited in the small and quaint town, the inside of the Lancaster Brewing Company was large with plenty of room to accommodate plenty of people. Guests were seated amid the large brewing tanks, which is always nice to be so close to their crafting process.
Personally, I am not a beer drinker, and was there to have a great meal after a long drive.
Both my father-in-law and I elected to choose the Gold Star Pilsner Battered Fish & Chips, which consisted of fresh, hand-battered cod, house-cut fries, pickled vegetables, spicy tartar sauce, & malt vinegar ($15).
Gold Star Pilsner Battered Fish & Chips
My wife choose the Broiled Jumbo Lump Crabcakes with scallion smashed red potatoes, cole slaw, seasonal vegetables, & cajun remoulade ($24).
Broiled Jumbo Lump Crabcakes
Finally, my mother-in-law opted for the Pumpkin Seed & Ancho Crusted Salmon with butternut squash and herb risotto, braised greens, Baked Pumpkin Ale and apple cider reduction ($19)
Pumpkin Seed & Ancho Crusted Salmon
Our boys did eat, but just standard kids food.
The fish and chips was outstanding, with huge pieces of fresh fish and excellent batter with a spicy (my favorite) tartar sauce. House made fries and excellent pickled vegetables excellently accompanied the meal.
My wife loved the crab cakes, which were full of giant chunks of crab and not the typical filler materials one encounters at countless other places.
My mother-in-law was not super impressed with the salmon, but it did sound really good.
In Conclusion
The Lancaster Brewing Company, located at 302 North Plum Street in Lancaster, PA 17602 makes for a great addition to a stop at Hershey and the surrounding areas. The food (and beer) were all really well done, which for the higher price point was nice to find.
Make sure to arrive during off-peak times, as we called ahead for a reservation for an early dinner with no problem. With the limited parking, the place may be a lot more difficult to get in during the standard weekend lunch and dinner time hours.
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Source: InACents
