181904 Mon May 17 16:45:24 -0700 2004 8 15 Pennsylvania 0 976396 We will be in Lancaster, PA next weekend for a family reunion and will be looking for a dinner spot on Friday night. Can anyone recommend a good restaurant, perhaps one with Ahmish dishes, to which one could bring young children (12 and under)? If not Ahmish, than any kind of family-friendly restaurant will do. Thanks! Mon May 17 16:45:24 -0700 2004 0 Mike 1 976397 There is "good" and there is Family Friendly Amish. I have nice restaurants I recommend but would be more adult fare. On AOl we discuss this a lot and there are a few Family Style Places which have communal dining and lots of food. Shady Maple is one but it is sooooo big that I;d avoid at all costs. Yoders in New Holland is smaller and more user friendly. Then there is "Plain and Fancy" and "Good and Plenty". Both put you at a table and deliver platyters of starchy foods. But kids love it. One other chouce is to have dinner with an Amish Family. Most B&B's can arrange this for you. You join others and eat in their home. Call 1-800-PADUTCH for more info from the Lancaster County Visitors Bureau. Also order the fantastic FREE guide and Map. It's GREAT! Steve Mon May 17 20:48:50 -0700 2004 976396 0 Steve 1 976414 Willow Valley used to pride themselves on being family friendly. Large portions of acceptable food, but I haven't been there in years. Tue May 18 17:02:54 -0700 2004 976396 0 NerdyDave 2 976447 In terms of buffet places Willow Valley is pretty good, however, it is now a real big tourist operation there with lots of conference and bus business as well. All the others mentioned are representative of what Lancaster County tourist business places have come to mean. Huge amounts of bland food. Some of it is prepared well, some of it is not. When my friends travel here, I usually recomend other places. Thu May 20 15:17:27 -0700 2004 976414 0 MikeW 3 976474 Stay away from Willow Valley. They have raised prices and lowered quality. Fri May 21 18:13:04 -0700 2004 976447 0 Fool for Food 1 976435 We like Groff's Farm Restaurant in Mt. Joy (not exactly in the heart of Lancaster, but good) or if you're willing to go a little distance away, the Akron Restaurant, on Rt. 272 in Akron PA (take 222N to Akron/Brownstown exit, Rt. 272, then 272 1 mile north on the right) serves real PA Dutch food, including things you won't see everywhere, like pigs stomach and boova shenkel. Wed May 19 13:10:37 -0700 2004 976396 0 Diane 2 976444 Groffs is in Mt. Joy and when we stay in Mt. Joy we go to the Country Time Restaurant. It's a regular restaurant but lots of Mennonites eat there. It's Amish Style food (usually meaning you cover EVERYTHING with brown gravy). But we find it fun and cheap. We used to eat at Groff's Farm when Betty and Abe ran it out of their house (and dinner ended at 8:30 because you had to ove the coats from the kids' beds so they could go to sleep.) Those were the days! Steve Wed May 19 17:15:07 -0700 2004 976435 0 Steve 2 976455 Akron Family Restaurant is pretty good. The vegatables are tasty, but the deserts are terrible - contrary to their reputation. Fri May 21 09:22:39 -0700 2004 976435 0 Ace Mclean 3 976484 Rumor around Lancaster County is that the Akron Restaurant is closing. I've heard it from several local restaurant owners so there may be some truth in it. Sat May 22 19:25:18 -0700 2004 976455 0 Barb