Best of Lancaster

We asked. You voted.Here is Susquehanna Style’s list of the best businesses in Lancaster according to our readers (plus a few of our staff favorites)!

June 26, 2013

10:42 AM

Photography by Donovan Roberts Witmer unless otherwise noted

Reader Favorites:

Lancaster’s Best Asian Restaurant: Rice and Noodles Vietnamese Restaurant

Not only is the story of their relocation from New Orleans and the renaissance of their family’s business after Hurricane Katrina heartwarming, their family recipes (especially their vegetarian version of pho!) are soul warming too. During summer months, we like to order the fresh spring rolls and vermicelli salad bowl with lemongrass grilled pork–and to really cool down and finish it all off, a trio of Vy’s homemade ice creams in pandan (a nutty vanilla flavor from a bright green leaf), Vietnamese coffee and creamy, dreamy coconut. Shimmering macarons beckon us to the dessert counter and can be custom created for parties too. -KCH

Rice and Noodles Vietnamese Restaurant | 1238 Lititz Pike, Lancaster | 717-481-7461 | riceandnoodlesrestaurant.com

Lancaster’s Best Hotel: Lancaster Arts Hotel

Leave it to Lancaster to have some of the most unique lodgings around! Lancaster Arts Hotel, formerly a brick tobacco warehouse, was transformed into a boutique hotel for visitors and a spectacle for locals. All rooms come equipped with deluxe amenities, providing a comfortable stay for guests, but also feature contemporary art and handcrafted furniture by local artisans. Certain suites offered by the hotel serve as unexpected gallery spaces for local artists and allow them to showcase multiple pieces of their work. If you work up an appetite while browsing the collections at the hotel, stroll down to the on-site restaurant, John J. Jeffries, for a bite or sip. Named after a tobacco inspector who visited the building in 1890, John J. Jeffries is a venerable restaurant within Lancaster’s “foodie” community–featuring organic ingredients from local farms. Next time a guest is in town, why not support local arts and local food at this Lancaster favorite? -HW

Lancaster Arts Hotel | 300 Harrisburg Avenue, Lancaster | 717-299-3000 | lancasterartshotel.com

Lancaster’s Best Cupcake Shop: Sublime Cupcakes

One of the newer additions to the Lancaster cupcake scene, Sublime Cupcakes fast became a fan favorite. In fact, quick success is no new concept to the brand. The Lititz location was Sublime’s solution to increasing demand at their flagship store in Wyomissing. It’s easy to understand why locals love these cupcakes–they’re baked fresh seven days a week from scratch, using only the finest ingredients like sweet cream butter, artisan vanilla and high quality cocoa. Flavors aim to please all tastes: “Oh My Darlin’” clementine cake with clementine cream cheese frosting for fruit lovers; “Dandycake” peanut butter filled vanilla cake with chocolate frosting topped with mini Nutter Butters for salty-sweet enthusiasts; or “Cookies & Cream” chocolate cake with “cookies and cream” buttercream topped with a mini Oreo for the chocoholics. Stop by today to satisfy your sweet tooth! -HW

Sublime Cupcakes | 1048 Lititz Pike, Lititz | 717-625-0125 | sublimecupcakes.com

Lancaster’s Best Performing Arts Center: The Fulton Theatre

Like much of Lancaster County, the Fulton Theatre has a rich history within the community. 160 years after it first opened its doors in 1852, the Fulton continues to provide Lancaster residents with entertainment that educates and delights live audiences. Included within the Fulton’s performance offerings are classic plays, award-winning musicals, orchestras and operas–a testament to the theatre’s love of both contemporary and classical mediums. Additionally, the Fulton serves as a welcoming venue for local talent. Whether for watching a performance of Dreamgirls in their 684-seat auditorium or attending an intimate performance in the flexible studio theatre on-site, the Fulton is Lancaster’s go-to spot for a sophisticated night on the town! -HW

The Fulton Theatre | 12 North Prince Street, Lancaster | 717-397-7425 | thefulton.org

Lancaster’s Best Painting & Wallpaper Services: Two Dudes Painting Company

Their unconventional name matches their unconventional service. Two Dudes Painting Company, established by Peter Barber and Brian McCaskey over 20 years ago, started out as “just two dudes, the need for a summer job and a Volkswagen bus.” Since then, the partnership has transformed into a company of 25 employees and a laundry list of remarkable projects. Although Two Dudes has completed several elaborate mural projects, many of which have a home in Lancaster County, they take care and consideration to complete even the most standard of painting jobs. This attention to detail and commitment to customer satisfaction has been the key to the company’s success. Check out their impressive painted signs and murals at Kitchen Kettle Village, Lancaster Arts Hotel and Lime Spring Farms, just to name a few. -HW

Two Dudes Painting Company | 750 Poplar Street, Lancaster | 717-396-1207 | twodudes.com

Staff Picks: Our Favorite Things

Mandros Imported Foods

Known to locals as “the stinky cheese store,” slightly off the beaten path in a West End neighborhood, Mandros is where those in the know go. With imported cheeses and meats, quality olive oils, vinegars, baked goods and exotic ingredients, this little corner grocery was doing its thing long before it was trendy or cool. In business since 1957, owner Bill Mandros says, “We can’t buy customer loyalty [like the big stores]. We have earned it over the years.” If you go, tell him the kind of cheeses you like and let him put together your next party order; you’re bound to see a long-time customer walk in and ask him to do the same, and you’ll be glad you did. -KCH

Mandros Imported Foods | 351 North Charlotte Street, Lancaster | 717-397-8926 | mandrosimportedfoods.net

The North Museum

Save D.C. for another day and stay local to learn about science and history. Lancaster’s own North Museum of Natural History and Science has been one of the region’s premier museums since its opening in 1953. What started as a group of hobby specimen collections in the late 19th century grew into a rich and varied assortment of collections from archaeology to zoology, available today for viewing at the museum’s Franklin & Marshall campus location. Did you know? The North Museum is home to south-central Pennsylvania’s largest planetarium. Although it is a fantastic local resource for teaching children about the natural world, the museum is also a perfect destination for learning minds of any age. -HW

The North Museum | 400 College Avenue, Lancaster | 717-291-3941 | northmuseum.org

Tobias S. Frogg

It's unassuming old standby as you drive down Columbia Avenue; what valley locals may not realize is what lies behind the restaurant: The Patio at Tobias S. Frogg is one of our faves for its cool, fresh design, including misters for scorching hot days and heaters for crisp evenings. Modern furnishings, including a huge fire pit and lounge seating, lend a resort feel without even leaving the Susquehanna Valley for happy hour! No Coors Light promo umbrellas here. We like to sip libations in sophistication. -KCH

Tobias S. Frogg | 1766 Columbia Avenue, Lancaster | 717-394-8366 | tsfrogg.com

Cherry Hill Orchards

What could be more quintessentially Lancaster than local farming? When you throw in a family-fun destination, you have a surefire Susquehanna Valley success. Cherry Hill Orchards, now in its 43rd year under the ownership of the Haas Family, serves as a destination for families all over the region from the beginning of harvest season in mid-June through the end in late November. About one third of the orchard is operated on a “pick your own” basis, and Cherry Hill serves as one of the oldest sweet cherry orchards of this kind. Its size is formidable, too. In fact, over the years Cherry Hill has grown to have over 2,500 trees that produce up to 10 percent of Pennsylvania’s total sweet cherry crop. Fear not, fruit lovers–cherries are not the only offerings at Cherry Hill! Other harvests include many varieties of apples, peaches, nectarines and plums. -HW

Cherry Hill Orchards | 400 Long Lane, Lancaster | 717-872-9311 | cherryhillorchards.com

Prince Street Café

Lancaster locals (and visitors) flock for breakfast (served all day), lunch, business meetings and savoring the simple things at this bustling café in the heart of the Central Market district downtown. Of course, there’s freshly prepared coffee and tea drinks, as well as smoothies, milkshakes and good food, but it’s the community that makes the place. A recent redesign by Ryan Martin of the Infantree feels very “now,” from tolix stools and industrial pendant lighting to exposed brick and corrugated metal. There’s also lots of seating and space unlike in most crowded cafes. Fresh produce from market, local bagels by Grand Central Bagel and breads by Ric’s Breads, as well as sweets from beloved Lititz Family Cupboard and many other locals, make up a mouthwatering menu that’s anything but average. -KCH

Prince Street Café | 15 North Prince Street, Lancaster | 717-397-1505 | princestreetcafe.com