dining room in the Inn on Main featuring dark, modern wooden tables and chairs and a wall hanging of six barrel tops
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Berks County Restaurants Open Thanksgiving Day

Updated: November 25, 2025

Celebrate Thanksgiving without the hassle this year. Some of Reading and Berks County’s best restaurants are open on Thanksgiving or providing takeout meals. See our list below, and make plans for Thanksgiving this year.

Reservations can fill up quickly. Be sure to check with individual restaurants for availability.

Thanksgiving Buffets

building with a small turret in the front next to a roadway

Ozgood’s Grill & Bar
Robesonia

Ozgood’s Robesonia location is open on Thanksgiving Day from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. with a menu that includes turkey, ham, stuffing, sides, and dessert. The cost is $29 for adults and $17 for kids 10 and under. Takeout meals are also available but must be preordered by November 24.

flowing fountain on the right foreground with a flagpole and a large-castle like builidng behind it

Reading Country Club
Exeter Township

From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., the Reading Country Club is offering an all-you-can-eat buffet for $55 per person. (Children 10 and under are free). The carving stations include roast turkey, roast beef, and ham. RCC is also offering a “take-home feasts for four”—pre-orders only—for $120.

exterior of State Hill Craft Cocktails and Kitchen in Wyomissing, PA

State Hill Craft Cocktails & Kitchen
Wyomissing

Enjoy a Thanksgiving buffet at State Hill Craft Cocktails & Kitchen. The cost is $50 for adults, $30 for children. The menu includes turkey, ham, and prime rib, plus salad bar, mini crab cakes, and a dessert spread. The buffet is open from 12 noon to 5 p.m.

Photo of a large wooden statue of a knight outside of Stokesay Castle in Reading, PA

Stokesay Castle
Reading

A Thanksgiving feast will be offered inside the ballroom at Stokesay Castle. Seatings are available from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., with the cost being $55 for adults, and $25 for children ages 5-12. (Ages four and under are free). The menu includes cider braised chicken, baked salmon and curried lamb stew in addition to beef and turkey carving stations.

nighttime view of the Stouch Tavern in Womelsdorf

Stouch Tavern
Womelsdorf

Spend Thanksgiving where George Washington spent the night. The historic Stouch Tavern in Womelsdorf is hosting a Thanksgiving buffet with seatings from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. The menu includes roast turkey, broiled haddock, and oven-baked ham for $37.75 for adults and $15.50 for children 10 and under.

exterior shot of a restaurant with a sign out front that reads "Wyomissing Restaurant & Bakery"

Wyomissing Restaurant & Bakery
Wyomissing

The Thanksgiving buffet is back at Wyomissing Restaurant & Bakery. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., guests can enjoy all-you-can-eat turkey, New York strip steak, salmon, ham, fried chicken, rotisserie chicken, and an array of sides. The cost is $26.99 for adults and $14.99 for kids ages 4-10.

Bear Creek Mountain Resort
Longswamp Township

The Bear Creek Mountain Resort near Macungie has a Thanksgiving buffet with seatings from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The cost is $65 per person, $19.99 for children age 6-12 (kids five and under are free). The buffet features turkey three ways: herb-roasted, deep-fried, and a carving station with hickory smoked turkey.

Blackjax American Pub & Grill
Birdsboro

The annual Thanksgiving buffet is back at Blackjax. The restaurant offers all-you-can-eat turkey, ham, and sides from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Blue Mountain Family Restaurant
Shartlesville

The Thanksgiving buffet at Blue Mountain Family Restaurant runs from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. For $26.95 for adults and $14.95 for kids ages 5-10, you can get all-you-can-eat turkey, Swedish meatballs, seafood Newburg, and more. An ala carte menu is also available.

DoubleTree by Hilton Reading
Reading

The DoubleTree by Hilton Reading is opening the ballroom for a buffet meal on Thanksgiving. In addition to turkey, entree options include salmon, chicken and sausage gumbo, prime rib, and pork loin. The cost is $45 per person; children 10 and under are free. The buffet runs from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Washington Grille & Pub
Bechtelsville

Bechtelsville’s Washington Grille & Pub will serve a buffet lunch from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m on Thanksgiving Day. Turkey, ham, prime rib, brisket, and penne pasta are all on the menu.

WhereHouse of Hamburg
Hamburg

The WhereHouse, an event venue in Hamburg, is hosting a Thanksgiving Family Buffet. Adults can enjoy the buffet for $35 while the cost is just $15 for kids ages 4-11. Turkey, pot roast, and country-fried chicken are the menu along with pot pie, filling, jambalaya, and more.

Restaurants Open Thanksgiving

stainless steel diner with a sign out front that reads "5th Street Diner"

5th Street Diner
Muhlenberg Township

The 5th Street Diner is open holidays, and this year it will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day. holiday specials include roast turkey, a mixed grill (featuring pork chop, ham slice, and chicken breast), and baked ham with raisin sauce.

Stainless steel diner with a sign out front that reads "American Diner"

American Diner
West Reading

The American Diner is open every day from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., including holidays. This year, all Thanksgiving Day specials include a free slice of pumpkin pie. In addition to turkey, guests can enjoy surf and tuf, salmon stuffed with crab meat, and honey baked ham. The restaurant is also running a raffle starting Thanksgiving Day through the weekend. 

dining room at Christine's Creekside Inn

Christine’s Creekside Inn
Birdsboro

Christine’s will be open from 1 to 4 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day. (The last seating is at 3:30). The restaurant is serving the regular Creekside menu plus a turkey dinner special that includes filling, stuffing, yams, corn, cranberry sauce, and salad for $21.95.

Sign above the door to a restaurant that reads "Crossroads" with two intersecting lines

Crossroads Family Restaurant
Muhlenberg Township

Crossroads Family Restaurant will be open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day. The specials menu will include turkey along with a variety of other holiday dishes.

The historic dining room of the Green Hills Inn, now Dans at Green Hills

Dans at Green Hills
Flying Hills

One of the premier fine dining establishments in Berks County, Dans at Green Hills is offering a special four-course dinner menu with entree options including apple cider-brined turkey, rack of lamb, and a vegetarian option.

Best Diner: Exeter Family Restaurant

Exeter Family Restaurant
Exeter Township

The Exeter Family Restaurant is open 24 hours, and that includes Thanksgiving. The restaurant will have its regular menu available along with Thanksgiving specials.

dining room in the Inn on Main featuring dark, modern wooden tables and chairs and a wall hanging of six barrel tops

Inn on Main
Oley

The Inn on Main in Oley has a prix fixe menu on Thanksgiving for $48 per person. The entree options include slow roasted herb butter turkey breast, maple bacon salmon, and prime rib au jus, each served with a choice of three sides and dessert.

Leesport Diner
Leesport

The Leesport Diner will be open on Thanksgiving Day with turkey and other specials. In addition, takeout meals can be preordered for $18. The meals include turkey and ham, plus an array of sides. Pre-order by November 24 for pickup on Wednesday, November 27 or Thursday, November 28.

row of booths by the window at Red Plate Diner

Red Plate Diner
Wernersville

The Red Plate Diner will serve its regular menu plus an all-you-can-eat family style Thanksgiving dinner. All-you-can-eat options include roast turkey over filling for $15.99 and honey garlic salmon for $21.99.

A view of the entrance to Temple Family Restaurant.

Temple Family Restaurant
Temple

Every year, the Temple Family Restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner on Thanksgiving. This year’s Thanksgiving specials include ham and turkey over filling, chicken cordon bleu and the Temple special (shrimp, scallops, and haddock with crab cake).

brick facade of the stripmall storefront for Zaytoon Kabob and Grill in Wyomissing, PA

Zaytoon Kabob & Grill
Wyomissing

Zaytoon Kabob & Grill will be open on Thanksgiving Day from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The restaurant will be serving their full halal menu, including lamb, chicken, and falafel.

Kempton Hotel
Kempton

The Kempton Hotel is open with seating from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving. Reservations are required for this family style, Pennsylvania Dutch meal that features chicken pot pie, turkey, and ham. The price is $24.95 for adults and $14.95 for children age 12 and under.

Michael’s Restaurant
Douglassville

Michael’s Restaurant will be open on Thanksgiving with dinner options that include turkey over filling and a family style turkey over filling, both served with sides and the soup and salad bar.

Morgantown Diner
Morgantown

The new Morgantown Diner, which just opened in September, will be open on Thanksgiving Day with a range of special entrees that include turkey ($17.99), ham steak ($18.99), crab cake ($21.99), and New York strip with fried shrimp ($22.99). All specials are served with soup or salad, mashed potatoes, and corn.

Sunset Restaurant
Birdsboro

Sunset Restaurant will open at 6 a.m. on Thanksgiving day and will be open for lunch and dinner though the actual closing time has not been announced (the restaurant suggests calling to make sure they are still open). Holiday lunch and dinner meals include roast turkey or roast pork over filling, chicken Devon and New York strip steak with crabcakes.

Whoo’s Cooking
Robesonia

Whoo’s Cooking is open on Thanksgiving Day, but only for those that pre-order a meal by November 25. Meal options include turkey or roast beef with either mashed potatoes, filling, or noodles plus two vegetables and dessert for $15.00. Takeout meals are available for pickup on November 26 or Thanksgiving Day, November 27.

Thanksgiving Meal Pre-Orders

While these restaurants may not be open on Thanksgiving, you can still enjoy their cooking. Here’s a list of Berks County restaurants offering preorder meals for Thanksgiving.

Backwoods Brothers Authentic Texas Cuisine
Hamburg

The Backwoods Brothers are getting out the smoker to prepare your Thanksgiving feast. Turkey breast is available for $18 per pound. Pork ($18 per pound) and brisket ($26 per pound) are also available along with half and full pans of mashed potatoes, corn bread dressing, mac and cheese, and collard greens.

Clean Plates
Reading

For a vegan alternative on Thanksgiving, check out Clean Plates. Options include jackfruit ribz and herb tur’ky with gravy. The restaurant is also offering sides, desserts, and refreshers. Preorders are due by November 20.

Sausage with potato filling covered in gravy from the Deitsch Eck

Deitsch Eck
Lenhartsville

While you can’t get your turkey from the Deitsch Eck, you can get everything else. The Lenhartsville restaurant is offering potato filling, hot bacon dressing, coleslaw, pepper cabbage, pickled beets, and more. Pre-ordering is open until items sell out. Pickup is Wednesday, November 26.

Pumpkins decorate a ramp entrance to a restaurant with a sign that reads "Doc & Bubba's est 2022"

Doc & Bubba’s
Mohnton

Though the restaurant is closed on Thanksgiving, you can still get your thanksgiving meal from Doc & Bubba’s. The restaurant has catering options for full trays (serves 20-25) and half trays (serves 8-12) of mains and sides, including pot roast, honey-glazed ham, mac and cheese, and stuffing.

A white brick wall painted with a yellow fork and the words "Fork & Ale"

Fork & Ale
Douglassville

Fork & Ale is bringing back its popular “heat and eat” Thanksgiving dinner. Dinners include turkey, creamy baked green beans and wild mushrooms, bread stuffing, orange infused carrots with chestnuts, cranberry sauce, dinner roll, gravy, and local apple cobbler with butterscotch for $38 per dinner. Orders must be placed by November 23 at 3 p.m. Pickup is between 3 and 8 p.m. on November 26.

Brick building with a black awning and a red sign that reads "Gourmand"

Gourmand Cafe
Wyomissing

Gourmand Cafe is offering pre-made Thanksgiving dinner for four. The cost is $189.99 which includes a tray of turkey breast, honey baked ham, or herb-crusted brisket with five sides, salad, cranberry sauce, and assorted breads and rolls. Pickup on Wednesday, November 26. (Local delivery is also available).

roadside trailer with the words "hillbilly bbq" on the side

Hillbilly BBQ
Douglassville

The roadside BBQ stand and caterer is smoking turkey and ham for Thanksgiving. Hillbilly BBQ is offering whole turkeys for $4.99 per pound, turkey breast for $12.99 per pound, and a whole ham for $68. Sides of mashed potatoes, green beans, and yams are also available. Preorders must be placed by November 24 for pickup on November 27 between 9 a.m. and 12 noon.

sign over a food truck reading "The Messy Pig" with a cartoon pig

Messy Pig BBQ
Womelsdorf

The Messy Pig will have their Womelsdorf store open on Wednesday, November 26 with limited menu and to pick up Thanksgiving preorders. The $250 family feast includes four pounds of smoked meat (turkey, pulled pork, and meatloaf among the choices) and ⅓ trays of sides like mashed potatoes and roasted Brussels sprouts.

Russo Gourmet Foods Market

Russo Food Market
Wyomissing

Russo Market is offering Thanksgiving Dinners for Six for $319.99. Meals include three pounds of turkey breast; two pounds of herb stuffing; small mac and cheese or baked pasta; two pounds of green beans almondine or brussels sprouts; two pounds of mashed potatoes or sweet potatoes; small garden or Caesar salad; pint of orange cranberry chutney; a loaf of cranberry walnut bread; six pumpkin cannoli.

Vincenzo’s Ristorante
Douglassville

Vincenzo’s is offering a family style dinner that can be pre-ordered through November 23 for pickup on November 26. Meals include four pounds of turkey breast with stuffing, green beans, mashed potatoes, and cranberry sauce for $90.

Entrance to a farmers market with haybales and metal sunflower yard decorations by the door

Weaver’s Orchard
Morgantown

Weaver’s Orchard is offering a Thanksgiving meal kit that serves two to four people. Meals include turkey breast, filling or mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, sides, Weaver’s own applesauce and apple cider, and dessert for $94.99. Order by November 18 for pickup November 26.

Candy’s Homemade Ice Cream
Shoemakersville

More than an ice cream shop, Candy’s is offering preorder Thanksgiving dinners. Each meal includes turkey, filling or mashed potatoes, green beans, dinner roll, and drink for $15. Preorder by Wednesday, November 26 for dine-in or takeout.

Kempton Kitchen
Kempton

The Kempton Kitchen is offering family-size ham dinners for Thanksgiving. Each meal includes two pounds of ham plus filling, mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce, green beans, rolls and butter, and dessert. The cost is $40. Pre-orders should be placed by November 17 for pickup on Wednesday, November 26.

Route 61 Diner
Muhlenberg Township

Route 61 Diner is offering pre-made dinners for $17.99 each on Thanksgiving. Order ahead for your choice of roast turkey, baked ham, or roast pork, each served with a vegetable, small salad, and a slice of apple or pumpkin pie.

Know of another restaurant open for Thanksgiving? Or someone else offering Thanksgiving takeout? Email us at zach@berkscountyeats.com, and we will add it to the list!

More from Berks County Eats

Holiday Dining Guides
overhead view of a square plate with two halves of a sausage, egg and cheese panini with one half on top of the other
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Review: Rooted & Grounded Cafe

White building with a front door at a corner and the words "Rooted & Grounded Cafe" in black on wall

While I have a great setup for my work-from-home, sometimes it’s good to get out of the home office. Not only does a change of scenery help, it’s a great excuse to grab a table at a local coffee shop. 

And when it comes to places to work away from home, Rooted & Grounded Cafe has moved near the top of my list.  

The cafe is situated at the corner of Lancaster and McArthur Avenues. While the rest of the block have homes set up on a small hill with stairs leading down to the sidewalk, Rooted & Grounded is at street level, cut out from the embankment.

hanging plant in the foreground with dark red charis and an antique dresser in the background inside a cafe

Out front, a church pew serves as a bench seat. Inside, Ephesians 3:17 is scrawled across the wall above the fireplace (the Bible verse also serves as the Wi-Fi password). The passage is where the cafe takes its name. 

That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith, that you being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height, and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye may be filled with all the fullness of God.

wooden tables in front of a brick wall with hanging plants on either side of the dining room

The cafe is also one of the coziest in the area. Greens in hanging planters come down from the ceiling, and there are two large leather chairs by the fireplace for relaxing. But there’s also plenty of seating for me and my laptop on those days when work-from-home means work-from-anywhere. 

I have visited the cafe for both breakfast and lunch, and it is a popular place, especially for families with young children. What was a small closet in the corner is filled with wooden toys to keep toddlers occupied before and after their meals. 

to-go coffee cup sits on a table - the cardboard sleeve has a circular logo and the words "Rooted & Grounded"

The wait for food and drink doesn’t take long though. Drinks, like my chai latte, come out quickly. 

I really enjoy the chai at Rooted & Grounded. I wouldn’t call it “authentic,” but it’s spiced and not as sweet. 

overhead view of a square plate with two halves of a sausage, egg and cheese panini with one half on top of the other

It pairs well with a breakfast panini, which I tried on my first visit. I ordered a sausage, egg, and cheese which was made up of a sausage patty, scrambled egg patties, and plenty of melted cheddar. It made for a good sandwich, nothing extraordinary, but a good, filling breakfast. (Other options include pancakes, scrambled eggs, and yogurt parfaits). 

When I came back for lunch, it was a different story. 

plate with a panini topped with apple slices, bacon and cheddar next to a pile of chips, a pickle spear, and a cup of maple syrup

I ordered the special apple maple bacon panini which featured apple slices, apple butter, cheddar cheese, and bacon with maple syrup for dipping. This was an excellent combination, a sweet and savory mash-up that went from very good to great after I dipped it in the maple syrup. 

It’s the perfect sandwich for fall. (And it pairs pretty well with a chai, too). It also has me excited to try more lunch paninis in future visits.

The breakfast panini was $9 while the lunch special was $12 – it came with a side of chips. With the chai, my meals cost about $13 and $16, respectively. That feels like a fair price to pay, especially with the friendly counter service and quick arrival of my orders. 

I’m going to keep coming back – adding punches to my frequent visitor card – and enjoying more chai, more breakfast, and more lunches at Rooted & Grounded Cafe. 

BCE Rating
Food: Good
Service: Very Good
Ambiance: Excellent
Price: $$

Rooted & Grounded Cafe
1400 Lancaster Avenue
Reading, PA 19607

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Breakfast & Brunch Cafes & Coffeeshops Lunch & Dinner Reviews
cheesesteak topped with yellow cheese on a plate with a pile of fries.
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Review: Henry P. Robeson House

view from the sidewalk looking at a log cabin building with a white fenced porch

In more than a decade of Berks County Eats, I’ve seen a lot of restaurants come and go, and there is almost always a new restaurant ready to take its place. 

I’ve also seen many that have been an improvement over what was there before. 

And the Henry P. Robeson House would be near the top of the list. 

view looking from a parking lot to a white building with a barn-like second floor and a sign that reads "Henry P Robeson House

Located along Penn Avenue in Robesonia, the Henry P. Robeson House is named for the town’s namesake and former ironmaster of the Robesonia Furnace. Two years ago, the restaurant took over the space that has always been known as the Robesonia House (or Roby House), regardless of what the official bar name was.

interior of a building with log cabin walls and a bar on the left where two men are sitting

Years ago, when it was owned by Johnny and Hon’s, I played poker there. Back then, there wasn’t much as far as food, nor was there much of a kitchen from what I remember. But the Henry P. Robeson promised to be something much more. 

The new restaurant was first announced in the spring of 2022. It finally opened in November 2023, a full year after the original planned opening date. With a 200-year-old building, delays were bound to happen. 

interior of a dining room with log cabin walls and in the corner is a TV showing a football game.

The building’s core is a log cabin which was exposed during the renovation process. The walls alternate between dark brown slats and thick rows of plaster. Other than a single framed picture by the front door, the original walls remain bare to give the restaurant a classic feel. 

football jerseys hang on a light blue wall next to a white double-door

In the rear of the dining room, which was a later addition, blue walls are covered with Conrad Weiser football memorabilia including helmets, jerseys, jackets, and a banner commemorating the Scouts’ 12 league championships.

In its logo, the Henry P. Robeson House touts “Beef & Ale” as the two focal points. The ale is evident from the large U-shaped bar in the center of the dining room. The beef in question is pit beef, the true star of the menu and one of the reasons why the Henry P. earned “Best BBQ” in the 2025 Reading Eagle Reader’s Choice Awards. 

Both Julie and I decided to give the pit beef a try on our visit – me on a cheesesteak and Julie on a salad. 

cheesesteak topped with yellow cheese on a plate with a pile of fries.

The pit beef cheesesteak came topped with onions, peppers, and Chetty Ale sauce, the restaurant’s signature beer cheese. I know some would call it blasphemous, but I think beer cheese is the ultimate cheesesteak topping. It melts into the meat and has rich, deep undertones that pair perfectly with the meat. 

And the pit beef at Henry P. Robeson is a top-notch meat choice. On its own, it’s a savory delight. Mixed with the onions, peppers, and cheese, it made for one delicious sandwich. 

The fries were almost an afterthought, but they were good, too. Dusted with salt and pepper, they were an excellent side that I finished off despite being full long before my last bite. 

plate with French fries, cut tomatoes, chese curds and sliced pit beef

Julie’s “salad,” and I use the term loosely, started with a base of greens. But it was hardly noticeable beneath the piles of pit beef, cheese curds, fries, and tomatoes. 

It came with their house-dressing which was kind of like a honey mustard but not as thick and with a little tang to it. Everything seemed to work, except maybe the cheese curds which Julie would have preferred warmed. Otherwise, the salad had a lot of good things on one plate. 

empty wooden tables next to a long winodw

We had great service throughout the meal, and at just over $40 for our meals, I felt like we definitely got plenty of food for the money. And after being there, and seeing the kids menu, we’ll probably be back with the whole family at some point. (Another thing I would have never imagined a decade ago). 

The Henry P. Robeson House— especially that pit beef—is definitely an upgrade. 

BCE Rating
Food: Very Good
Service: Very Good
Ambiance: Very Good
Price: $$

Henry P. Robeson House
124 E. Penn Avenue
Robesonia, PA 19551

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Bars & Pubs Lunch & Dinner Reviews
black round takeout container filled with chicken in brown sauce with sesame seeds sprinkled on top.
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Review: Fortune Cafe in Wyomissing

strip mall storefront with the words "fortune cafe" in red letters above the entrance.

Over the summer, I posted a picture on social media from a recent visit to Fortune Cafe in Wyomissing. It’s my neighborhood spot for Chinese takeout: General Tso’s chicken, lo mein, and all the classics. I asked followers, what’s your favorite place for Chinese food in Berks? 

While there were a lot of good suggestions, I was surprised by how many others, like me, are big fans of Fortune Cafe. 

tables and booths against a red wall inside Fortune Cafe in Wyomissing, PA

The restaurant is located in the Berkshire Square Shopping Center, in the same strip as Redner’s along State Hill Road. It’s just a short drive from my home base in Wyomissing Hills, which is good because every order I place is ready within 15 minutes. 

Typically, Fortune Cafe is a lunch spot for me. I can get in-and-out quickly with one of their lunch specials. And I tend to eat on the early side, before noon, when there’s virtually no wait time. I walk past the booths that line the walls, and the fish tank full of bright orange swimmers on the left, and usually go right to the counter. 

lighted menu board with photos above a plexiglass-covered counter at Fortune Cafe in Wyomissing, PA.

On my latest trip, I arrived a little later, showing up around 12:30 in the middle of their peak time. While my food was still done before I got there, only a couple booths were open, and I was third in line behind one person picking up and one person ordering in. Clearly it’s not just me who enjoys the lunch specials. 

I keep my order pretty simple usually, either General Tso’s chicken or sesame chicken. 

black round takeout container filled with chicken in brown sauce with sesame seeds sprinkled on top.

Sesame chicken is probably my favorite of the two. It has a sweeter sauce, or at least it tastes sweeter because it doesn’t have the heat of general’s chicken. And they don’t skimp on the sesame seed garnish. 

white rectangular takeout container with General's chicken in sauce, broccoli, and fried rice.

The general’s chicken is a close second for me though. It’s got some heat, nothing outrageously spicy, but it’s more noticeable than some versions of the dish that I’ve tried. It’s also a little tangy which I like. 

All lunch specials come served with fried rice and your choice of an egg roll or a can of soda. I usually opt for the eggroll, but I often don’t have room for it by the time I finish my entree. (I’m just not a soda drinker). It’s a filling meal for around $10 with tax. 

round black takeout container with chicken over rice in a white sauce and two pieces of broccoli

Just because I have my favorites, it doesn’t mean I haven’t tried other things. I recently tried the coconut chicken. Unlike the more chunky pieces used in the general’s and sesame chicken, the coconut chicken had more of a sliced texture. I liked the chicken, but the sauce wasn’t my favorite. I think I was expecting it to be a little sweeter than it was. 

More reason to stick to my go-tos. 

round black takeout container, only about half visible, with lo mein noodles stir fried with vegetables.

Fortune Cafe has also helped us convert Jakob into a fan of Chinese food. His favorite dish is lo-mein, and Fortune Cafe’s stir-fried noodle dish is pretty solid. 

I’m sure the family and I will enjoy many more meals at the Fortune Cafe, as well. 

BCE Rating
Food: Good
Service: Excellent
Ambiance: Good
Price: $

Fortune Cafe
1177 Berkshire Boulevard
Wyomissing, PA 19610

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Plate of BBQ chicken and potato filling from Kauffman's in Bethel
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Where to Get Potato Filling in Berks County

During the holiday season, one of the most popular dishes in Berks County is potato filling. A unique local side dish, filling is a mash-up of mashed potatoes and stuffing that has served as a side for Pennsylvania German families for generations. If you want to try this traditional dish, at the holidays or any time, here’s where you can find potato filling in Berks County in 2025:

Restaurants Serving Potato Filling

Plate of BBQ chicken and potato filling from Kauffman's in Bethel

Kauffman’s BBQ Restaurant
Bethel

For nearly five decades, Kauffman’s has been serving up its signature BBQ chickens at the restaurant near Bethel. Every chicken (and other platter) comes with a choice of potato with options that include baked potatoes, French fries, and potato filling. Get the filling with their signature chicken gravy on your next visit.

Review: Kauffman’s BBQ Restaurant
Sausage with potato filling covered in gravy from the Deitsch Eck

Deitsch Eck
Lenhartsville

The Deitsch Eck in Lenhartsville is Berks County’s traditional Pennsylvania German restaurant. While you can get a wide range of chicken, beef and pork dishes, it’s the PA Dutch specialties like scrapple and potato filling that make the Eck stand out from the competition.

Review: Deitsch Eck
Two chicken croquettes and a side of potato filling, smothered in gravy, from Temple Family Restaurant

Temple Family Restaurant
Temple

The Temple Family Restaurant offers a traditional diner menu with sandwiches, entrees, soups and salads. And while the menu doesn’t include a lot of Pennsylvania German options, the potato filling goes well with the roast turkey, baked ham, and chicken croquettes.

Review: Temple Family Restaurant
inside a stainless steel diner

5th Street Diner
Muhlenberg

The smoked sausage and roast turkey entrees at the 5th Street Diner come served over filling, and filling can be found among the regularly offered vegetables, especially on holiday menus.

American Diner
West Reading

The American Diner in West Reading serves filling with all the classic entrees like roast beef, turkey, and sausage. Also try it with the pork and sauerkraut – a Monday special.

Americana Diner
Bechtelsville

The Americana Diner doesn’t have a menu full of Pennsylvania Dutch foods, but you will find potato filling on the regular menu. Also, traditional pork and sauerkraut is in the rotation of specials.

Bally Family Diner
Bally

Potato filling is one of the more than a dozen side options available at Bally Family Diner, located in the former Pied Piper Diner along Route 100.

Sign above the door to a restaurant that reads "Crossroads" with two intersecting lines

Crossroads Family Restaurant
Muhlenberg Township

Potato filling is the perfect go-with for many of the menu items at Crossroads Family Restaurant. And two items on the early bird menu – smoked sausage and roast turkey – come served over potato filling.

Deluxe Diner
Shillington

Whether you’re pairing it with the meatloaf, the chicken croquettes, or one of the other dozen entrees, potato filling is a great side choice at the Deluxe Diner in Shillington.

Heidelberg Family Restaurant
Robesonia

Potato filling is always on the menu at Heidelberg Family Restaurant, including holidays like Father’s Day, Easter and Thanksgiving when the side is part of their all-you-can-eat dinner specials.

Jak’s Downtown Diner
Topton

Jak’s Downtown Diner in Topton keeps a simple menu with potato filling offered as a side (along with pickled beets, baked potatoes, and coleslaw). Get it with the meatloaf or hot roast beef sandwich.

Kempton Hotel
Kempton

Along with potato filling, the Kempton Hotel offers both pork with sauerkraut and chicken pot pie on the regular menu so there’s plenty of opportunity to get your fix of Dutch food.

Leesport Diner
Leesport

Potato filling in the go-to side for holiday meals at the Leesport Diner. While filling is an option year-round, it’s also included as part of the Diner’s Thanksgiving takeout and dine-in meals.

Main Street Pub
Bally

At the eastern end of Berks County, the Main Street Pub is one of the few places that features potato filling on their menu.

New Jerusalem Inn
Fleetwood

The New Jerusalem Inn, located just a few miles east of Fleetwood, offers potato filling as a regular side dish on the dinner menu (which also includes PA Dutch style chicken pot pie).

Perry Restaurant
Shoemakersville

Potato filling is one of the many vegetable options for your meals at Perry Restaurant in Shoemakersville.

Route 61 Diner
Muhlenberg Township

Like many Berks County diners, the Route 61 Diner in Muhlenberg Township offers potato filling as a side option and as the standard accompaniment for entrees like roast beef, chicken croquettes, and smoked sausage.

Star City Diner & Pizza Parlor
Shoemakersville

Newly opened in October 2025, the Star City Diner serves filling with its roast turkey, roast beef, and chicken croquette entrees.

Trainer’s Midway Diner
Bethel

Long a haven for travelers along I-78, Trainer’s Midway Diner offers a taste of PA Dutch to those stopping by. Potato filling is available on the regular menu, and other dishes like pot pie and lettuce with hot bacon dressing make appearances on the specials menu.

Farmers Markets

Betty’s at Shillington Farmers Market
Shillington

Betty’s is one of the longest-running local producers of specialty salads and sides. Their Shillington Farmers Market stand offers more than 30 products, including potato filling.

black rectangular serving tray filled with potato filling

Smucker’s PA Dutch Farmer’s Market of Wyomissing
Wyomissing

Smucker’s Salads is the place to get potato filling at the Wyomissing Farmers Market. The stand also offers pineapple filling at Easter and other traditional PA Dutch prepared meals throughout the year.

Twilight Acres Creamery
Stouchsburg

Twilight Acres is more than a dairy store, it is also a place to get some excellent prepared meals and sides including potato filling and other Pennsylvania German foods.

2025 Holiday Sales

Central Berks Fire Company
Centerport

The Central Berks Fire Company is taking orders for potato filling ahead of Thanksgiving. Preorders should be placed at least two weeks before the holiday. Filling is sold by the pound at $4.50 per pound. Order online, by phone, or in-person. Facebook Post

Kutztown Grange
Kutztown

In addition to potato filling, bacon dressing is also available for order from the Kutztown Grange. Get two pounds of filling for $9 or three pounds of filling for $11. Bacon dressing is available in pints and quarts for $6 and $10, respectively. Preorder by November 17; pickup November 25. Facebook Post

Pioneer Grange
Topton

The Pioneer Grange in Topton is hosting its annual potato filling sale. Orders must be placed by November 12 for pickup on November 26. The cost is $6 for 1.5 pounds and $8 for 2.5 pounds. Facebook Event Page

Zion Lutheran Church
Womelsdorf

Two-pound trays of potato filling are available for $8 from Zion Lutheran Church in Womelsdorf. Orders must be placed by Novmeber 9. Pickup is November 21. Website

Where do you get your potato filling? Let us know in the comments below or email berkscountyeats@gmail.com.

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Dining Guides
Dining room filled with circular tables with white tablecloths, nearly every table filled with people at the Greek Food Bazaar in Reading, PA.
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Food & Festivals: Greek Food Bazaar

Dining room filled with circular tables with white tablecloths, nearly every table filled with people at the Greek Food Bazaar in Reading, PA.

For 55 years, Sts. Constantine & Helen Greek Orthodox Church in Reading has been hosting the annual Greek Food Bazaar. And for the last decade, it’s been a can’t-miss date on our calendars. 

We first visited in 2014, in the early days of our blog. Berks County Eats looks a lot different now, the Greek Food Bazaar is still delivering delicious meals, unique entertainment, and those amazing desserts. 

white tent filled with vendors at the Greek Food Bazaar in Reading, PA.

The event is a three-day celebration of Greek culture held each October. The Bazaar spreads out throughout the church building and its various classrooms and social areas. A temporary tent not only marks the entrance but is also home to multiple vendors and limited seating. 

table covered with a white tablecloth with a yellow floral centerpiece from the Greek Food Bazaar in Reading, PA.

But the main dining area is the social hall inside. Large white streamers hang above the rows of round tables with black tablecloths. At the front of the room is a stage and small dance floor. We missed out on the live music this year; instead, a DJ played Greek pop music for all those enjoying their dinners. 

styrofoam plate with half a chicken, a helping of pasta, and a side of green beans from the Greek Food Bazaar in Reading, PA.

The main dining area is also where you’ll find fish and chicken dinners, each served with a choice of pastitsio, rice pilaf, and green beans with a side salad and dinner roll. That’s not a bad value for $15. 

The chicken is excellent, and they don’t skimp on the portions with guests getting half chicken with every order. The pastitsio with its bechamel sauce is delicious, and even the rice and green beans exceed expectations. 

Inside the Taverna, guests will find even more dinner options, including moussaka (eggplant and potatoes), spanakopita, stuffed grape leaves, and more. I’ve tried nearly every item on the menu over the years, and I usually gravitate back to the moussaka. 

Gyro in aluminum foil next to a styrofoam clamshell filled with fries from the Greek Food Bazaar in Reading, PA.

But this year, I went for a gyro. There is a whole team of men and women gathered around a table in the kitchen as they assemble the pita, meat, and vegetables into the traditional Greek street food. 

The same $15 gets a gyro with a side of fries and a drink. Our seven-year-old called the fries the best around, and I have to admit, they are addictive. They’re generously seasoned with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and oregano. 

rows of cylindrical pastries drizzled in chocolate from the Greek Food Bazaar in Reading, PA.

Make sure to save room for dessert, though. The bakers are busy in the weeks leading up the festival, churning out thousands of cookies, bread loaves, and other baked goods. The baklava is the best around. 

styrofoam clamshell with six donut holes rolled in honey and almonds.

Of course you can take those home with you, but you’ll want to enjoy the loukoumathes fresh. Loukoumathes, or honey balls, are fried donut holes covered in honey and almond pieces. It’s not something I’ve found at restaurants or bakeries nearby so it’s a must-have every year. 

Wall filled with frames with four to six photos in each frame at Sts. Constantine & Helen Church in Reading, PA.

Other rooms in the church are filled with vendors selling jewelry, artwork, books, and other gifts. There’s also a room dedicated to the history of the church. The walls are lined with frames filled with black-and-white photos with displays of artifacts from the church’s past. 

Room full of people sitting at round tables watching children dance in traditional Greek garb.

The future of the church was also on display during our visit. The children’s dance group came out as we were getting ready to leave, and the young boys and girls showed off traditional dances as they twirled around to the delight of everyone in the main dining room. 

With free admission, reasonable food prices, and traditions to taste and see, we have made the Greek Food Bazaar an annual tradition in our family. 

Original Post: October 24, 2014

cover of a program book for the Sts. Constantine & Helen's church Greek Food Bazaar

It’s not uncommon to see a Berks County church hosting a food festival.

Throughout the year, you can find peach festivals, strawberry festivals, blueberry festivals, and more.

At the very least, just about every church will host a public dinner at some point throughout the year.

At Sts. Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church, they just do things on a much larger scale.

Now in it’s 44th year, the Greek Food Bazaar is not your typical church function. Thousands of patrons walk through the doors of the three-day event, which is why  some of the area’s largest corporations and businesses—including Redner’s Warehouse Markets, the Reading Fightin’ Phils and 69 News Berks Edition—are advertising in the 50-page program book.

musician playing traditional Greek music

And this year’s festival is larger than ever with the addition of an outdoor market and “Opa Tent” with plenty of space for dining and dancing.

Great food can be found throughout the church grounds, every room offering something different than the previous.

There is the Taverna, probably the most in-demand room in the building, where patrons enjoy traditional Greek tavern food, served with ouzo and wine. A gyro window serves a variety of sandwiches. Gyros and other appetizers were also available inside the Opa Tent. The kafeneio serves as an on-site coffee shop.

For hungry food bloggers, light fare and appetizers are just not enough. That’s why you will find me in the Estiatorio.

The church’s social hall is transformed into a sit-down restaurant where they are serving full dinner plates, like their Athenian chicken.

takeout container with a half chicken, rice pilaf, green beans, side salad and a slice of bread

Served with rice pilaf (or pastitsio), salad cup, and green beans cooked in tomatoes, the half chicken is more barbecued than baked. The lightly salted skin is reminiscent of the chicken I had at Kauffman’s, but a little crispier and not quite as spicy. And the spices are more than skin deep (pun intended), giving the meat a nice flavor of its own.

The pilaf and green beans are the perfect compliments to the meat. The beans are swimming in a sweet tomato sauce that’s much thinner and sweeter than an Italian marinara, while the pilaf was the necessary starch that balanced it out.

plate with triangles of spanakopita atop a pita cut into four pieces

I took my dinner into the Opa Tent where Julie was waiting with her spanakopita. The spinach and feta were mixed in bite size filo dough pockets and served atop a full pita. Even with the lightness of filo, it was heavy enough that the pita was unnecessary, and we ended up bringing most of it home with us.

Of course wherever there is a church festival, there are always desserts, and Sts. Constantine and Helen does not disappoint. A classroom is converted into the zaxaroplasteio, or Greek bakery.

white board with a list of items available at the Greek Food Festival

On the whiteboard is a tally of all the baking done for this year’s bazaar: 3,840 baklava, 1,539 loaves of bread, and 7,080 twist cookies. At $2 each, we picked out five of their most appealing options: two floyeris, one baklava, one finikia, and one kataifa.

assorted pastries in a takeout container from the Greek Food Festival

Greek pastries generally revolve around two ingredients: filo dough and honey. All but the finikia, which is a honey dipped cookie sprinkled with nuts, were made with the thin dough, while all were sweetened with the honey syrup.

The most unique of the four had to be the kataifi, a honey and walnut filled pastry that is made with shredded filo. Having only bought one, we had to cut it in half, at which point the honey began oozing out, leaving us with what looked like piles of angel hair pasta that was doused in gooey sweetness.

In all, we spent about $30 on food. The only thing we missed out on this year was the loukoumades, the church’s famous Greek honey balls. Every year, the deep fried, honey flavored dough balls are a big hit with the crowds. This year was no exception, and by the time we got to the window on Friday night, the day’s batch was already sold out.

That sounds like a good reason to return next year.

Check out the details for the 2025 Greek Food Festival

Upcoming Food Events in Berks County

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close-up of a pepperoni pizza on a gray-tinted faux wood table
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Review: Carmelo’s Pizza & Italian Ice

exterior photo of a restaurant with green awning and red trip around the bottom and a sign that reads "Carmelo's.

Boyertown is one of my favorite places in Berks County. I love the many attractions in town, like the Boyertown Museum of Historic Vehicles, the Colebrookdale Railroad, and the new General Spaatz Museum. There are also some really cool stores like the Brickworks and their fill-a-bag with LEGOs area. 

I could go on about all of the fun things to do in and around Boyertown. And I could also go on and on about all the great places to eat in town. 

One of those spots is Carmelo’s. 

order counter at a pizza shop with faux brick front and the word "Benvenuto" in cursive lettering

Located along Philadelphia Avenue, just a short walk from the Colebrookdale’s train station, Carmelo’s is your typical neighborhood pizza shop. 

We visited in late May and found out that it was recently under new ownership. Walking in, the unassuming little shop made a strong first impression. The front order counter has a faux stone facade with the word “benvenuto” in script letters across the front. 

There’s a small dining area, which wraps around to the side of the building. The space is illuminated by the light shining in through the large, uncurtained windows. Tables for two and four line the narrow space. 

dining area at Carmelo's Pizza in Boyertown with faux wood tables and black chairs

We grabbed a high chair and pulled it to our seat near the order counter beneath a television so Jakob could have something to watch. They were kind enough to find a kids’ movie to put on and so we watched the first 30 minutes or so of Babe during our meal. 

To make life easier, we had decided on a pepperoni pizza to share. It was about a 20 minute wait before our pizza arrived on the table.

close-up of a pepperoni pizza on a gray-tinted faux wood table

The first thing I noticed was the crust which was thicker than many others that we’ve tried. It was doughy, in a good way. It was cooked perfectly, not chewy, and had a nice crisp on the bottom without being burnt. 

The cheese was bubbly and yellow, and there were plenty of pepperoni on top. It wasn’t anything special, but it was very enjoyable. 

With our drinks, our total was around $25, a very reasonable price to feed our family. 

We also found the staff to be incredibly accommodating throughout our visit – another reason why we love eating local. 

And it’s why Carmelo’s will be a part of future visits to Boyertown, too. 

BCE Rating
Food: Good
Service: Excellent
Ambiance: Good
Price: $

Carmelo’s Pizza & Italian Ice
116 E. Philadelphia Avenue
Boyertown, PA 19512

Lunch & Dinner Pizzerias
burger and fries in a basket, the burger has the top bun off showing white cheese covered patty on one side and a red steak sauce on the other
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Review: Black Sheep Tavern

A sign reading "Closed for violation of national prohibtion act" on a wood post next to a dark green bar.

In September, Julie and I made our first visit to the Black Sheep Tavern. As is the case with nearly all of our blogs, we went unannounced so we could get a true feel for the experience and the food. No special treatment. No free meals. 

When the owners saw the review, they invited me in for a second visit to meet with them and to learn more about the history of the building. (And they did offer us a free meal this time). 

Two chairs sit in front of a brick fireplace that has a digital fish tank where the fire would have been.

So on a Sunday in early October, we drove out Fritztown Road once again, this time to meet with Darrell and Carol. From the first introduction, it was clear how much the tavern and its history means to them. 

A Deep Connection

Black picture frames hang on a wall with assorted old photographs and advertisements.

Darrell’s personal connection with the building goes back to his childhood. His father was a friend of the owner so he spent a lot of time during his childhood hanging out at what was then Die Scheier (“The Barn” in Pennsylvania Dutch). 

Exposed dark wooden beams highlight a dining room with wood-paneled walls.

Standing in the main dining room, he points to the patches of lighter color on the wood-paneled walls. A small strip by the bathroom door was where the pool cues hung. Photos of Italy hung in a row along the opposite wall. After the walls were cleaned, it left these small hints to old decor, the places where the wall protected from the cigarette smoke that filled the room decades ago. 

Cleaning the space was no easy task, nor bringing the building back to life after 25 years of sitting vacant. Darrell said that it was 22 months from the time he bought the building until the Black Sheep opened in the spring of 2025. 

Two chairs sit in front of a brick fireplace that has a digital fish tank where the fire would have been.

And that doesn’t include the months it took just to get in touch with the right people about purchasing it. Spring Township had all but given up on finding someone to fix up the property and at first wouldn’t answer Darrell’s calls. 

But thankfully they did because the owners have taken great care of the century-old property that served as a speakeasy 100 years ago. 

The Original Speakeasy

A wooden barn door hinged on a wall with green paint on top and the bottom boards removed inside the basement of the Black Sheep Tavern.

While upstairs is a gorgeously remodeled bar and restaurant, the downstairs is where men gathered in secret to enjoy drinks and other illicit activities during prohibition. (The owners joke that in the 1920s, “it offered drinking, gambling, and prostitution but today it only offers two out of three, you decide which two”). 

A yellow ladder leans against a stone fireplace in the basement of the Black Sheep Tavern.

Back then, the property was owned by Ralph and Anna Riffert. They operated a legitimate business, as well, installing a gas pump to make it one of the only service stations along the stretch of Fritztown Road while Anna’s ham sandwiches drew in repeat customers. The Black Sheep upholds that tradition with Anna’s ham and cheese sandwich as a staple of the menu.

A dust-covered wooden bar sits in the basement of the Black Sheep Tavern in Sinking Spring, PA.

Darrell and Carol took us on a tour of the downstairs where the original bar still sits. According to Darrell, the last time the basement was used was during the 1970s, and that was only for band practice. It hadn’t served a drink for decades at that point. 

An old wooden back bar with one drawer pulled out and sitting on top sits against a green wall in a darkly lit basement.

The original wooden bar looked like it could use some TLC but otherwise had survived rather well. Behind it was the metal sink and a wooden back bar that was looking a little worse for wear. 

A wooden staircase dead-ends at the underside of a floor in the Black Sheep Tavern in Sinking Spring, PA.

A staircase on the right dead-ends now, hitting the floor of the dining room. A hidden door would have opened here 100 years ago, letting thirsty patrons downstairs to their true destination. 

Attention to Detail, Rooted in Community

A woman tends to dishes behind a u-shaped bar with dark green wood panelling and black leather stools.

While the family is working to clean up and restore the downstairs, it won’t quite be original. That’s because much of the usable material from the basement was incorporated into the upstairs remodel. The original floorboards – the usable ones at least – are now the floor of the game room. The sink from the downstairs bathroom was also moved upstairs (the antiquated style required a variance). And wood panelling from the walls became the front of the upstairs bar. 

Hearing Darrell talk about every detail, it’s clear how much he cares about the building. Restoring it has been a labor of love for Darrell, Carol, and Darrell’s 91-year-old father who has done much of the woodwork, including customizing the server stand by the kitchen door. The stand, which he cut from eight foot to six foot, came from the former American House which operated just up the road in Fritztown. (Darrell told me that the American House had its own hidden history as a stop on the Underground Railroad). 

Dining table made out of an old bowling alley with narrow slats of light-colored wood

And the dining room tables? Look closely because they are made from the alleys of the former Berks Lanes, now Bowlero. The lanes were repurposed into tables for the bowling alley’s onsite restaurant then known as Gilligan’s Pub. The pub’s former cutting boards are also now serving as tables inside the Black Sheep. 

two hands holding a black-and-white covered composition book that reads "Wilson High School Alumni Roster."

The Black Sheep obviously takes pride in local history. That extends to Wilson High School where Darrell is an alumnus. (His father graduated from the former Sinking Spring High School). When they found out Julie was also a Wilson grad, they insisted that she sign the alumni book, an old black-and-white covered notebook where line after line of Wilson and Sinking Spring graduates have signed their name and year. 

Another Fine Meal

The challenge for the restaurant and bar is to live up to the building’s rich history, and so far, they are succeeding. In addition to our tour, we also had another great meal. 

A cup of maple syrup sits in the middle of a basket of sweet potato fries.

It started with an order of sweet potato fries as an appetizer. Julie had tried them when she came with some work colleagues a few weeks prior, and they were very good. The waffle-cut fries were served with a sweet maple dipping sauce. It was almost like eating sweet potato pancakes. 

A burger sits in a basket with black and white checkered paper. The burger is topped with pepper-infused cheese and sitting atop a bed of French fries.

Our meals came out a short while later. On our last visit, I had enjoyed the rumrunner burger but I wanted to switch it up this time. So I decided to try the Virginia Hill burger. Named for the former girlfriend of mobster Bugsy Siegel (who also has a sandwich named after him), the Virginia Hill is a blended burger with onions and jalapenos cooked into the patty, topped with pepperjack cheese. 

It was flavorful, but I wouldn’t say it was spicy. The peppers didn’t overpower the burger, just adding little hints, enough that I quickly went through my glass of iced tea, but not enough that I ever felt a burning. It was a very, very good burger. 

Even though we had the sweet potato fries, I still got regular fries as my side. They were crispier than last time, maybe slightly overdone, but still good. 

A chicken sandwich with the top bun off is topped with pastrami and sauerkraut as it sits in a bakset wtih black-and-white checkered paper.

Julie passed on chips and fries with her sandwich, the Bugsy Siegel. (Look at us making the perfect pair). Julie chose grilled chicken for the protein, saying she wasn’t feeling a burger that day. And the sandwich that came topped with pastrami and kraut. 

The chicken and pastrami played better together than she expected, and everything on it was cooked well. The sandwich also came with mobster sauce, which she described as like a Thousand Island but with a little kick to it. But it was a good kick that helped pull the whole sandwich together. 

Slot machine type skill games fill a small room with antique wood flooring at the Black Sheep Tavern.

Even though we were offered dessert, we had to pass, and instead spent another 20 minutes or so talking about little details about the tavern – like the original supporting posts and beams, the nearly hidden stained glass window by the front the door (custom fitted by Darrell’s father), and the digital fish tank that is framed out by the historic fireplace in the corner. 

As much as we enjoyed our first visit to the Black Sheep Tavern, we appreciate it so much more now. 

We will definitely be making more visits. There are more stories to hear, and a lot more food to try, too. 

Original Review: September 16, 2025

brick building with an oval sign on the front reading "Black Sheep Tavern"

Speakeasies hold a fascination in the American mind a century after prohibition came and went. 

Last year, we visited A Light in the Attic, which bills itself as a “modern speakeasy.” It’s a fun concept. They did up the theme with a bookcase at the top of the stairs and a curtain keeping the restaurant “hidden.” But that’s all it is, a concept.

The Black Sheep Tavern really was a speakeasy. 

dining room wtih a U-shaped bar in front of a large stone fireplace in the corner with a few tables with black chairs scattered around

The restaurant and bar opened at the former Camelot Inn on Fritztown Road in the spring of 2025. The building’s story is told at the bottom of the menu. Apparently it was owned by Ralph and Anna Riffert during the 1920s, and they operated a speakeasy throughout Prohibition, “despite paying fines for selling alcohol, gambling, and other illicit activities.” 

It’s certainly ironic that 100 years later, guests not only can pony up to the bar for a drink but sit down at a skills machine. 

The skills machines are set in a back room off the main dining area which is filled with low- and high-top tables with a banquette along the wall. The U-shaped bar takes up most of the second half of the space.

restaurant dining room with tables with black chairs and a long green banquette on one wall, the wall is wood paneled with vintage signs hanging on it

It was quiet when we arrived for lunch on Friday, just one other table filled, though a few people arrived later during our visit. Our server was fantastic throughout, and I suspect she would have been great even if she would have had a full dining room. But she came to our table quickly to get our drink order and answered all of our questions about the menu. 

And we did have a few questions because all of the sauces have names that are connected to the restaurant’s theme, like sheep sauce, rumrunner sauce, and mobster sauce. 

burger and fries in a basket, the burger has the top bun off showing white cheese covered patty on one side and a red steak sauce on the other

My burger came topped with rumrunner sauce, which is their homemade version of A1. It also featured Cooper Sharp cheese, lettuce, tomato, and onion. 

The burgers are listed as hand-patted, and you can tell by the thickness. It was a hearty meal, and a delicious one. The sauce was really good – I love steak sauce on a burger – and it worked well with the creamy Cooper cheese. 

I opted for fries on the side which were also very good, lightly seasoned with salt and pepper. 

basket with a burger and fries, the burger has the top bun off with a ketchup-mayo mix on it and yellow cheese on the patty

Julie had fries with her burger, the Bulger, which came topped with cheese, lettuce, tomato, red onion, and sheep sauce. Sheep sauce is their ketchup-mayo mashup and Julie enjoyed every bite of her burger. 

And while Julie also found the fries to be OK, she had the opportunity to go back a few days later with some of her coworkers. Her recommendation: get the sweet potato fries with the dipping sauce. They are totally worth it. 

Our visit ended up being a perfect lunch. The food was out quick, too, so we were in and out of the restaurant before anyone could miss us at work. And at $40 for burgers, fries and drinks, it felt like a fair price, too.  

Maybe the experience is a little different during busier times – we drove past on a Sunday afternoon and there wasn’t a space to be had in the parking lot – but we really enjoyed our experience. (Obviously, Julie already went back for more). 

The history of the building is fun, but thank goodness we’re not living with prohibition because it means I can blog about it without risking a raid. 

BCE Rating
Food: Good
Service: Excellent
Ambiance: Very Good
Price: $$

Black Sheep Tavern
665 Fritztown Road
Sinking Spring, PA 19608

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Bars & Pubs Lunch & Dinner Reviews Uncategorized
to-go coffee cup tinted orange sitting on a windowsill overlooking a city scene
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Review: Clean Plates Cafe & Juice Bar – CLOSED

order counter with a green wall behind it and a second white wall with a black logo reading "Clean Plates"

Editor’s Note: Clean Plates Cafe & Juice Bar was one of multiple businesses in the Reading Downtown Food Court that closed in July 2026. While the storefront is closed, the business will continue offering catering and juice cleanse packages while working on a new business model moving forward.

In the last 12 months, Berks County lost not one but two vegan restaurants. Greenhouse Kitchen closed in November 2024. That was followed by the closing of Firefly Cafe in Boyertown in the summer. 

While there are plenty of places that have meat-free dishes, there are only a handful of in the county that call themselves vegan. One of those is Clean Plates Cafe & Juice Bar.

small sign in front of a large stone building that reads "Food Court"

Clean Plates is located inside Reading’s Downtown Food Court. The space opened in the spring of 2024 and had as many as seven different eateries, including a pizza shop, donut bakery, and ice cream stand. When I visited in October, only two stands were still open – Clean Plates and The Pulse Cafe – while a third, Sizzling Island, sat dark with “we are closed” written on a hand-drawn sign. The remaining spaces were vacant, the sandwich board on the corner of Sixth and Washington advertising stands that no longer exist. 

But Clean Plates was busy while I was there. A steady stream of customers were stopping by, some for just smoothies, others ordering full meals like myself. 

three rows of tables for two separated by a railing from another row of tables for two along a window-lit wall

I ordered my food and drink and sat down at a table for two at the windows looking out at Washington Street. The row of seats sits two steps above the main dining area, which is filled with tables for two that can easily be pushed together. There is a second dining area in what was the teller area of the Berks County Trust Company, the company that originally built the historic structure. The old bank vault still sits behind the teller stand – a spot that also had multiple food vendors at one time.

(One of those was Sunset Mexican Ice Cream, which recently moved to a larger space on Lancaster Avenue). 

A couple smoothies went out ahead of me, but it only took about 10 minutes before my matcha latte and falafel pita were ready. 

clamshell container with a falafel pita and a mound of sweet potato fries

The falafel pita is available as a lunch combo with fries or sweet potato fries – which I will always choose when given a choice. It was a huge portion stuffed inside a clamshell package. The pita was overflowing with veggies – lettuce, red onion, and cucumber, along with three large falafel balls, all drizzled with tahini. 

I love falafel, and Clean Plates did not disappoint. Though it fell apart while eating it, it was very flavorful with the chickpeas soaking up tahini sauce. Red onion is always good for a little added bite and a little crunch, a necessary complement to the pillowy pita. 

The sweet potato fries were also very good, hot and crispy just as they should be, and just how I remembered them from my first visit. 

basket with three pulled jackfruit tacos topped with coleslaw from Clean Plates

That first visit came in May 2024, when there were a lot more options at the food court. Clean Plates was still doing well when I stopped for lunch and ordered one of their specials, the jackfruit tacos. 

I have loved jackfruit as a meat alternative since the first time I tried it at Firefly Cafe. (I’ve even made it at home many times since). The tacos were served on hard shells with coleslaw on top. Jackfruit has a very mild flavor on its own with just a little hint of sweetness, but it absorbs other flavors very well. This allowed the BBQ sauce and coleslaw to really shine. And those homemade hard shells were perfect. 

pumpkin-colored to-go cofffee cup on a window ledge looking out at a city scene

Clean Plates also does a great job with their drinks. My matcha latte was excellent, sweet but not too sweet, and not too heavy on the milk alternative. 

With my drink and falafel pita, my total was $19, well worth it in my book. 

In addition to lunch and dinner, Clean Plates is also open for breakfast. There is also a cooler full of juices for those who love fresh-pressed juice. 

I’m glad Clean Plates is still going, and I hope they continue to thrive as an anchor, both of the Downtown Food Court and as one of the only vegan spots in Berks County. 

BCE Rating
Food: Very Good
Service: Very Good
Ambiance: Good
Price: $$

Clean Plates Cafe & Juice Bar
35 N. 5th Street
Reading, PA 19601

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green plate with two big pancakes drizzled in lemon cream cheese with whipped cream on top
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Review: Quality Shoppe

exterior of the Quality Shoppe in Kutztown

Quality is a word you’ll see in the marketing materials of many restaurants, but in Kutztown, one restaurant puts it in their name. 

The Quality Shoppe is located off Main Street in the Dollar Tree strip mall on Constitution Boulevard. It takes up the corner space in the strip, the words Quality Shoppe over the door are the only hint that there’s a restaurant inside.

Quality Shoppe’s dining area is bigger than it looks like from the outside, partially because the grill is located at the counter service area at the front of the shop. The back half of the space opens into a dining room with booths lining the walls on both sides and tables spread out in between. 

long wooden table with eight wooden chairs in the dinring room of the Quality Shoppe in Kutztown

My first visit was for breakfast. We were seated at a booth not far from the counter seating at the front of the restaurant. The service was quick – it has to be because the food is coming in and out of the kitchen in a hurry. 

The breakfast menu is fairly extensive but rooted in traditional diner favorites like pancakes, eggs, and French toast. But within each there is plenty of variety plus daily specials. 

green plate with two big pancakes drizzled in lemon cream cheese with whipped cream on top

One of the daily specials on my visit was lemon cheesecake pancakes – a dish that sounded so sweet that I couldn’t resist. 

Two heaping pancakes arrived topped with creamy cheesecake frosting, lemon sauce and a large helping of whipped cream on top. I immediately regretted ordering a side of potatoes, but I did not regret getting this sweet treat. 

The lemon sauce had the sour notes you expect, but mixed with the incredibly sweet cheesecake and whipped cream, it wasn’t overpowering. In fact, they balanced out very well. Quality Shoppe does these special cheesecake pancakes and French toast often and I would definitely try another flavor in the future. 

white plate with home fried potatoes and strips of bacon

I mentioned the side of homefries. While I should not have had them, I was almost glad to have something non-sweet just to break up the sweetness bite after bite. They were good, too. They had a nice crispy edge to them. Nothing fancy, just a diner staple done really well. The same could be said about the crispy bacon strips. These came with the pancakes – though they were also completely unnecessary with how large the stack was. 

I finished most of my meal, which totalled around $18 with a drink. 

The next time I stopped in at the Quality Shoppe, in early May, it was lunchtime. Like breakfast, the lunch menu is mostly no-frills diner food with a few daily and weekly specials. There are sandwiches, wraps, burgers, and entrees. 

round blue plate with a burger top bun off topped with cheddar and BBQ sauce and a side of fries

I decided on a burger for my meal – the Texas BBQ burger to be specific. It came topped with fried onions, cheddar cheese and barbecue sauce. 

It’s not the fanciest burger you’ll find in Berks County, but it was good. The BBQ sauce was simple but did the job to give that little bit of smokey sweetness. 

All of the burgers come in either four-ounce patties on a regular roll (like mine) or an eight-ounce on a Kaiser roll. The four-ounce burgers also come with a side of fries, which I really liked. They’re fresh-cut and sliced thin. And there was no skimping on the portions. 

The burger meal was actually a really good deal: it was less than $10 (my drink put it over that mark) and like all good diners, it came out quickly, which is exactly what I’m looking for at lunch time. 

I would say that breakfast was my favorite of the two, but for a reasonably priced meal, good service, and quality food, the Quality Shoppe is a great option. 

BCE Rating
Food: Good
Service: Very Good
Ambiance: Good
Price: $

Quality Shoppe
45 Constitution Blvd
Kutztown, PA 19530

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