Eateries, Dining, & Food Shops in Gettysburg, PA

Vacation 2022

The City

Every year, my husband and I go on a vacation for our anniversary. This year, we tried to keep our vacation small, so we traveled from our current residence in Western Pennsylvania to the Eastern area and booked a historic hotel in Gettysburg. I always feel at home in historic towns with their quaint, yet old charm. I was excited to see the city, the battlefield, and participate in ghost tours. A little disclaimer: I am usually nervous visiting new places and having to chose hotels and restaurants - but Gettysburg did not disappoint. We stayed at the Federal Pointe Inn, which was previously a school for about a century and recently remodeled into a luxury hotel. Every room is laid out differently, but each has a vintage elegant feel. The hotel is at the end of the main strip adjacent to a charming neighborhood, which creates a quiet environment. We were able to walk to the heart of the city within 8 minutes.

The stores were adorable and the food was excellent. We traveled in early fall, one of my favorite times of the year. From morning until afternoon there was a light crisp golden feel. Fall decor was placed at just about every storefront and the smells of autumn spice and bakery bread filled the air. The city became more bustling in the evening and by nighttime, the streets were filled with residents and tourists; old and new friends. The night was surprisingly full of life and vitality for a small historic town - boasting live music, upbeat vibes, party chatter, and delicious food. Below is all of the food stops and shops we visited from breakfast and breweries to ice cream, chocolate, and coffee.

Breakfast

The Ragged Edge Coffee House

We did not have to walk far to find our first breakfast place. Right on the main strip of town, sits The Ragged Edge Coffee House defined by a bright yellow coffee cup sign hanging on their covered porch. The overall feel of the coffee house was warm, cozy, and inviting but with an artsy and eclectic twist. They had a chalkboard menu out on the front porch that listed the featured fall drinks and food. On the inside, the warm wood tones and smell of coffee were mixed with colorful pieces of local artwork; making this place a good spot to energize your creative thoughts. As I walked around the cafe, I realized there was an outside courtyard in the back. Quite different from the inside, the courtyard was peaceful, quiet, and calm. A vine-covered pergola gave just enough shade to cool off from the sunshine. There were birds and butterflies dancing from one flower to the next. Old-century garden furniture completed the dreamy aesthetic.

The first morning we ate there, we each purchased hot coffees and breakfast sandwiches. There are not a lot restaurants that serve breakfast sandwiches around where we live currently, so I was thrilled. The sandwiches are relatively customizable - as you get to pick your bagel choice, protein choice, and add cheese or eggs. The sandwiches were delicious! Each bite was warm, creamy, and chewy - the Asiago cheese from the bagel gave the flavor a little kick. The coffee was rich, sweet, and tasteful {I specifically had a pumpkin spiced latte - so I got the true taste of fall}. The second visit we made, I tried the baked oatmeal bowl which had real fresh fruit, a splash of steamed milk, and just enough sweetener for the crisp cooked oats. Again, refreshing and delicious!

Whatever you are in the mood for, whether it is a fresh healthy meal to boost your energy or a comfort meal for the cozy aesthetic, this coffee house is one to visit!

One Lincoln Food & Spirits

Since we are always looking for new breakfast places, we decided to stop at One Lincoln Food & Spirits, found at the historical location of 1 Lincoln Square, as part of the Gettysburg Hotel and open to the public {indoor and outdoor seating available}. With a casual, relaxed, and airy feeling, this restaurant will have your stomach growling the moment you walk in {if it wasn’t already}.

I was relatively hungry that day and decided to try the “One Lincoln Churro Pancakes”, which are pancakes stuffed with a cinnamon filling, rolled up, and dusted with powdered sugar - it was heaven! They tasted just like a warm cinnamon roll. My husband ordered the traditional French toast, made with thick slices of Texas toast, and loved it! The breakfast menu also features savory items including “Avocado Toast”, “Texas Toast Egg Sandwich”, “Biscuits & Gravy”, a “Vegetarian Bowl”, and “Smoked Salmon & Avocado Flatbread”. The restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. If we had more days on vacation - I would have eaten at this restaurant again!

You will want to get there early or call ahead since it is usually packed! …Guess it’s the town’s favorite!

Lunch & Dinner

The Upper Crust

The name alone stands out. It’s bold and eye-catching just like the restaurant itself - a modern warm-industrial framework and upbeat atmosphere featuring wood-fired brick-oven thin-crust pizzas. You can’t get much better than that! If you want a place for both relaxation and socialization, you have to eat at The Upper Crust. The staff members were extremely friendly, pleasant, and made you feel welcomed. The waitresses were quick and worked with a professional ethic.

I am not a fan of pizza. I never have been. My husband LOVES a good slice of traditional pizza. So, I go to pizza shops for him. Whenever I order pizza, I ask to have the cheese removed {mostly because it does not agree with me}. I AM NOT KIDDING - I ate an entire 12-inch pizza by myself for TWO NIGHTS. Their pizza was that good. Plus, since the crust was so thin, I did not have any issues with the amount of bread I ate. Since I do not like traditional pizza, I always customize my order. I purchased “the pulled pork” pizza with a red sauce, pulled pork, and oven-roasted peach salsa - I added pineapple. It was just the right amount of juiciness and spice from the salsa and fruit. The pork was tender and tasty. Clearly, I enjoyed it because I ate the whole thing, twice. My husband greatly enjoyed his pepperoni and mushroom pizza. The menu offers an abundance of pizza options - from “the margherita” to “the gumbo” and “the smoked chicken” to “the brussels and bacon”. You can also order a variety of appetizers and they have choices of sandwiches, as well.

Look no further if you want a social, upbeat yet laid-back restaurant with the best tasting pizza!

Fourscore Beer Co

We aren’t beer drinkers, but for a new restaurant to try, we decided to eat at the Fourscore Beer Co, a brewery cleverly named in honor of Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address. It is located outside of the main strip but still within the city of Gettysburg. Fourscore Beer Co has a rustic touch with a fun and family-friendly environment. You order at the counter as soon as you arrive, and the food is brought to your table. Inside or outside seating is available. The menu is casual featuring a few unique items.

I ordered “The ‘Ceres’” sandwich, which is made with chickpeas, poblano peppers, parsley, sunflower seeds, and Chet John's hummus blend, placed between two slices of toasted sourdough + lettuce, tomatoes and red onion. The sandwich was light and flavorful. It also came with a side salad, which paired nicely. My husband ordered a burger and said it was one of the best he has had! Other unique menu items were the pretzel nuggets, Mexican street corn, quinoa salad, the smokehouse burger, and tacos.

This definitely counts as another one of the town’s favorites. Plenty of socialization, casual convos, and family dinners were happening - along with a lot of laughs and friendly “hellos"!” from others you may have recently met.

Coffee, Chocolate, & Ice Cream

Coffee Shops

Coffee addiction? You don’t have to worry about finding coffee in Gettysburg. This rich beverage is found in almost every shop - from chocolate and ice cream stores to restaurants. We purchased coffee at The Ragged Edge Coffee House, Gettysburg Chocolate Market, and Gettysburg College. All places offered signature fall drinks and a huge list of other flavor options, as well. It was not easy to pick which one I wanted! Each time I ordered, it was a different coffee - but all of them gave me that “pick-me-up” I needed and satisfied my craving.

**I like to visit local places more than franchises when I am on vacation, BUT if you are not up for a change in routine, there is also a Starbucks on the main strip of Gettysburg.**

Chocolate

There are many places to find chocolate just as much as coffee! The first chocolate shop we came across was the Gettysburg Chocolate Market. This chocolate shop has a classic vintage feel with old-style wood work, wrought iron accents, stained glass, and black & white checkered floors. The walls and ceilings were colorful, making this a fun and exciting storefront. The market features chocolate bars, truffles, chocolate covered foods (pretzels, marshmallows, nuts), bark, and many other assortments of chocolate confections. You can also purchase ice cream and coffee.

I was in love at my first bite of chocolate. We ended up getting 12 chocolate truffles, chocolate-covered pretzels, and coffee. I had a hard time eating only one piece at a time! The chocolate truffles were rich, fresh, and creamy. My husband was the one who got the pretzels - those were gone in one night.

Since this store is attached to The Christmas Haus, a retail for authentic German-made products, you can enjoy a piece of chocolate and sips of coffee as you meander through the timeless gift shop.

LuLu’s Finest Ice Cream

Unfortunately, ice cream does not agree with me. But, my husband was lucky enough to try Gettysburg’s creamy soft serve from LuLu’s Finest Ice Cream. Their signature? - “handmade with pure ingredients”. This 50’s diner-vibe shop features many flavors of ice cream including the one my husband tried - strawberry. I had to have a little taste, just to say I tried it. The soft serve was indeed creamy and melted in your mouth. You could taste the fresh, tangy strawberry flavor and a hint of sweetness. The shop has tons of ice cream flavors - from classic strawberry, vanilla, and chocolate to mint, butter pecan, cookies & cream, and more adventurous flavors like s’mores & blueberry cheesecake.

Make sure to stop by LuLu’s on the main strip of Gettysburg - you can’t miss the big red lettering that marks the storefront.

Wine & Pubs

Mount Hope Estate & Winery - at Gettysburg

We like a good wine tasting every now and then. The Mount Hope Estate & Winery shop is situated right in the hub of the main city. It is one of the storefronts for the Mount Hope Estate & Winery located in Northern Lancaster County. This shop’s inviting look from the outside was begging us to go check it out. It's a small, simple store, but the wine speaks for itself! We tried a few wines and ended up getting the specialty Valor Battlefield Series, which was a sweet concord wine. I wanted to take a few more bottles home with me, including the Mount Hope fruit series: peach {tasted like a sparkling peach cider} and the Mount Hope traveler’s mead: clover blossom {sweetened with clover honey - which you could taste, smell and feel the honey}. Whether it is just one, two, or a group - Mount Hope Estate & Winery should be on your must visit list!

The Pointe Pub at Federal Pointe Inn

The Pub at Federal Pointe Inn is attached to the main part of the hotel in what used to be the basement of the school. Complete with a large dining area, a private dining area, and a line of high tables down the hallway, it has a historic cozy feel. The menu is classic and elegant, but still fulfills that bar-type food you need after a couple drinks. They offer seafood, steak, chicken parmigiana, sandwiches, burgers, wraps, and the classic bar foods - mozzarella sticks, fries, wings and nachos. They also have a few desserts to choose from.

The Pointe Pub is a good place to socialize, plan, and have casual conversations. It was always on our list to visit after a long day of walking in the city and to plan what we were going to do the next day.

The College

Gettysburg College

I could not pass the opportunity to visit the town’s college rooted in history. On our last day, we walked around Gettysburg College, founded in 1832. Even though the campus is right near the main city, it is spread over 225 acres and lined with massive civil war era buildings, an aesthetically pleasing network of streets and sidewalks, and organic greenery. Busy, energetic students fill the fields, classrooms, and courtyards, making the academic facility lively and inviting.

After walking most of what we could, we decided to check out the food scene. Gettysburg College has a traditional dining area, a student center cafe, and a small “grab & go” complete with a Starbucks. There were a variety of choices including sandwiches, a salad bar, a soup bar, animal and vegetarian options, pizza, and the dish the main line was serving. There were also an unlimited amount of snacks to choose from! I was pleasantly surprised at the amount of food options they had for a relatively historic college, but the choices seemed fresh and fun!

~ If you are visiting Eastern Pennsylvania, you need to make Gettysburg a stop on the roadtrip. It provides a rich history of America, beautiful scenery, and mouth-watering food at the coolest locations!~

click below to visit “Destination Gettysburg” to view attractions, places to stay, and places to eat {including sites mentioned in this post}.