5 Fascinating Places to Eat in Gettysburg

The farms in and surrounding Gettysburg produce much more than apples and there are some fantastic places to eat in Gettysburg Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania produces the 4th largest apple crop in the US and Adams County is the top apple producer in the state (Gettysburg is the county seat of Adams County).

Leveraging local produce and products, Gettysburg chefs create the freshest possible dishes. I know this for certain, because we helped Chef Jeremy Shaffner (from Savor Gettysburg Food Tours) shop at the local farmer’s market then prepare, cook, and eat some amazing food.

Destination Gettysburg invited a few journalists to attend a culinary tour (I made it #COOLinary). Our media tour featured a range of restaurants—from innovative farm-to-table cuisine to classic tavern fare.

Fantastic Places to Eat in Gettysburg

Food 101 Gettysburg

Chef Cory Williams is one of several young chefs infusing Gettysburg with an eat local, drink local attitude. Located on the edge of Gettysburg College, his restaurant, Food 101, appeals to a wide variety of people. Students love the simple but fresh pizzas and sandwiches while elegantly prepared and complex dishes appeal to everyone.

Chef Corey prepared us a starter featuring local ingredients and products. On a bed of fresh arugula, he placed spears of prosciutto wrapped around apples slices and drizzled the creation with honey and a balsamic fig reduction.

Dobbin House Tavern

Dobbin House is known for being the oldest building in Gettysburg (older than the USA) but over 250,000 people each year eat their classically delicious food. The Dobbin House signature menu item is French onion soup—which we had on this visit—but I can tell you that their entrees are magnificent (from a prior visit).

The Dobbin House Baked King’s Onion Soup is made in 25 gallon batches and a half sandwich plus French onion soup is very popular. The General Manager told me that the Rum Bellies Venegeance is their signature drink. It uses 151 rum and Dobbins enforces a strict limit of 2 per person. That fact alone makes it one of the most fun places to eat in Gettysburg.

One Lincoln

One Lincoln is located on the historic square in the center of town—between the house where President Lincoln stayed the night before the Gettysburg Address and the train station where he arrived. It is located in the historic Gettysburg Hotel, now owned and operated by Gettysburg College.

Chef Joseph Holmes varies the menu to appeal to visitors but retains old favorites for longtime customers. The crab fritter with late summer heirloom tomatoes on a bed of soft polenta was a highlight, as was the Cider Sangria that was made in house.

We were brought a few other plates to sample. Yes, we eat much too much on culinary media tours. Someone has to do it!

The plate of saffron gnocchi with seared duck, carrots, and Brussel sprouts was magnificent. Below is Chef Holmes version of a cheesesteak but it is not your regular hoagie!

McCool Travel tip: if you see Drunken Apple Amaretto Crunch on the dessert menu, get it.

1863 Restaurant

The above three places are in the historic Gettysburg downtown area. 1863 Restaurant, however, is about three miles away in a hotel tucked behind the outlet mall on the other side of the major highway. If you are not specifically looking for 1863, you will not find it.

Find 1863, though, so you can experience some fantastic food. Chef Andrew Ernst wants to transform the ambiance into a classic steakhouse yet also provide rabbit cacciatore type dishes. Relying on fresh ingredients from local farmers and sources, most items taste like real food and not some chemically processed laboratory imagination.

Fidler & Co., Biglerville

NOTE: Fidler & Co. is now closed. Please support your favorite local places so that they remain open!

Located about 7.5 miles from Lincoln Square, Fidler & Co. is a craft kitchen and grocery, providing upscale rustic dining. Chef Josh Fidler says everything is scratch made, house made, nothing is processed, and items are sourced locally whenever possible (he says, however, he does not yet have the right connection for local beef).

Chef Fidler is extremely passionate and envisions “more opportunities for local companies to push the envelope.” He “loves when 60 people want to eat here and drive from NYC. We have more potential than we have lived up to.”

Pizzas and the frittata of the day are super popular. The pizza is astounding. The dough is cold fermented for 36 hours and the brick oven operates at 600 degrees rather than the traditional Neapolitan standard of 900.

For additional coverage on places to eat in Gettysburg, please read this article by FuninFairfaxVA.

Before your next Gettysburg trip, read these articles:

— Great Ways to Tour Gettysburg Battlefield

— A Gettysburg Getaway Immersed in Civil War History

Do you have suggestions for other Gettysburg PA restaurants?

Sharing is caring!