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Review: Frank & Diannah’s Arbor Inn

sign that reads "Frank & Diannah's Arbor Inn Est. 1999"

When looking for a new place to try, there is no shortage of places to find information.

Sites like Urbanspoon, Yelp and Trip Advisor are invaluable when looking for a new place you may have overlooked.

On a recent Thursday night, I found myself searching Trip Advisor for ideas.

With 84 reviews and an average rating of 4.5, Frank and Diannah’s Arbor Inn is the No. 1 restaurant in Reading according to Trip Advisor. That’s against nearly 300 restaurants that have been rated.

That sounds like a place I need to try.

A full parking lot was just another hint that we were heading to a popular spot.

horseshoe-shaped bar with customers sitting all around it and a tv on the wall in the background

Through the doors, the Arbor Inn looked much smaller than it does from the outside. The entrance opened into the bar room, where about a dozen diners were lined up on stools with a handful of others shoehorned into tables along the wall.

On the wall were three framed articles – one of them was a recent review from the Berks Barrister, the official newsletter of the Berks County Bar Association. The writer raved about burger night, and it just so happened to be burger night tonight.

Frank, one of the two namesake owners, was doing the hosting duties, greeting customers at the door and stopping by their tables to chat during their meals.

A second couple entered behind us as we were waiting, and Frank came up to us and asked our permission to seat them first.

“We’re clearing a corner table for you, a little more romantic,” he said. “You’ll also have our best waitress. They’re all good, but she’s the best.”

How could we argue with that?

We couldn’t see the dining room from where we stood in the bar, so it almost felt like a big reveal when we were finally led through the small doorway and toward our seat.

red rose in a glass on a table for two in a restaurant

The room was small, and I don’t think they could have squeezed in any more seats. Each of the tabletops, including our own, was adorned with a single red rose in a simple glass vase to add just a little extra touch to the ambiance.

The Arbor Inn’s menu is also not very large (one page, front and back), but there wasn’t a single item that did not sound appealing. Everything had an international flare, from the Asian-spiced duck breast, Middle Eastern-inspired chicken and schnitzel done four ways.

As much as I wanted to try everything, I decided to take advantage of burger night and order the week’s burger special: the Italiano, a burger topped with spicy capicola, roasted red peppers and provolone cheese.

burger topped with peppers and onions and a bed of fries

At times, it was easy to forget that I was eating a hamburger as the combination of toppings were more akin to a pizza, or in the case of the red peppers, a meatball sandwich. But then I would take another big bite into the thick, meaty patty and quickly remember that this was no sandwich, but a burger. And an exceptional one at that.

Burgers are served with a side of fries, cooked to a beautiful golden hue and topped with coarse-ground salt. The Italiano was filling, but the fries were too good to stop eating, and I managed to force them all.

While I thoroughly enjoyed my burger, I couldn’t help but feel a little jealousy at the beautiful rib eye steak sitting across the table from me.

grilled steak atop a bed of green beans, peppers and carrots

Larry’s Rasta Rib Eye Steak is rubbed in Caribbean jerk seasoning with a pepper and onion sofrito. My wife allowed me a bite, and my jealousy increased. The steak absorbed a lot of flavor, both from the spice rub and from the sofrito, the onion in the latter giving it a little extra sweetness, making it one of the best steaks I have tried in a long time.

mixed green salad topped with shredded carrots

The entrees all come with a starter salad with house-made Asian vinaigrette dressing. Though the flavor was very good, a little salty with a hint of sweet, I found myself puckering up from the strong vinegar flavor. But watching Julie finish off hers in half the time, I am going to say that I was just overly sensitive to it.

Dessert sounded delicious—semifreddo is one of my favorite words in the English language—but neither of us could handle any more food (half of the steak went home with us) so we got our check and called it a night.

Our bill was about $40, though it would have been a little higher had I ordered an entree instead of the lower priced burger option.

I would never be able to rank one restaurant ahead of all the others that I have visited during my time on Berks County Eats. But if Trip Advisor is going to rank the Arbor Inn No. 1, I’m certainly not going to argue.

BCE Rating
Food: Very Good
Service: Fair
Ambiance: Good
Price: A Little Pricey

Frank & Diannah’s Arbor Inn
47 S. Bingaman St
Reading, PA 19606

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Road Trip: Hunt’s Battlefield Fries

statue in Gettysburg National Cemetery

Editor’s Note: Hunt’s Battlefield Fries closed in December 2024.

Berks County Eats crosses the county line to bring you some of the best dining both near and far. This edition takes us 86 miles southwest of Reading to Gettysburg, PA.

As Independence Day approaches, plans are being made for parades, fireworks and family barbecues. It’s a day of celebration and revelry across America as we celebrate all of the freedoms we enjoy in this land.

But it is just as important to remember those who sacrificed everything so that we may continue to live free.

Nowhere in American does “freedom” take on such a somber meaning as it does in Gettysburg.

It was July 1, 1863, 151 years ago this week, that Union and Confederate soldiers engaged in the first of three days of fierce fighting in and around the county seat of Adams County, Pennsylvania.

Today, the battlefield stands a solemn reminder of ultimate price that was paid for independence. Devil’s Den. Little Round Top. The Peach Orchard. Cemetery Ridge. All places around town that have become etched in American history.

A century-and-a-half later, the Civil War is big business for the town, as millions pour in to Gettysburg each year to pay their respects. In town you’ll find museums, storefronts and restaurants that add “Lincoln” and “Union” to their names to attract visitors.

Green building with a sign out front that reads "Hunt's Cafe Battlefield Fries"

At first glance, Hunt’s Battlefield Fries is just another one of those businesses. Adding the word “battlefield” and hanging bunting from the front porch makes it seem like just another tourist trap at first glance, but we decided to give it a try anyway.

Inside, the decor is best described as busy. One wall appears plucked from a Nashville club circa 1998 as autographed photos of Reba McEntire, Faith Hill and other leading ladies of country music cover every inch. Opposite are a collection of faux tin signs.

And then there are the hats, hundreds of them. Each one bears the name of a U.S. Army brigade, Air Force squadron, Naval warship or other military unit. It’s a bizarre, yet touching tribute to all those who have defended America in the last 240 years.

But Hunt’s is a restaurant first, and it is the food that had customers lining up for a table in the sardine can that passed for a dining room. At least in the summer months the outdoor patio is a viable seating option, otherwise there would be room for no more than 20 diners at a time.

A bottle of Kutztown Red Cream Soda and a bottle of Reading Draft Vanilla Cream Soda

Upon seating, we were explained that all food is made to order so the wait would be about 40 minutes so we searched through the incredible collection of sodas before finding a pair of Berks County favorites and passing the time with a trivia booklet sitting on the table.

a burger topped with chili with a side of fries

As the name implies, the Hunt’s offerings start with fries, with burgers, hot dogs and sandwiches filling out the remaining menu. I decided a chili burger would do well and was not disappointed. The burger was cooked perfectly and the chili was excellently seasoned, adding a little sweet and a little heat. The fries were fresh-cut, and I gave them a vinegar bath and tossed on a few sprinkles of Old Bay and Cajun seasoning from the toppings bar. A little crispy on the outside, but still a beautiful golden brown, the fries were made that much better by the add-ons.

grilled cheese sandwich with a side of fries and an extra cup of cheese sauce for dipping

On the other side of the table, my wife was enjoying an American classic of her own: grilled cheese with tomato and bacon (because a plain grilled cheese was just not enough). The bacon and tomato added more crunch, a little salt and a lot more flavor. And because she can’t get enough cheese, she also added a side of cheese sauce for her fries.

A burger, grilled cheese and fries in Gettysburg, our food at Hunt’s Battlefield Fries were about as American a meal as you can get, all for about the price of admission to the park’s museum and Cyclorama.

From Hunt’s, it is just a short drive to the actual battlefield, the place where freedom for all Americans was ensured 150 years ago. And this all-American meal feels right at home there.

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menu board with back blackground and yellow lettering
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Review: Schell’s & Schell’s Dairy Swirl

Retro roadside sign that reads "Schell's Hot Dogs Bar B-Q"

It was in 1955 that Ray Kroc teamed up with the McDonald brothers, rewriting the history of the fast food restaurant.

From the humble beginnings in San Bernardino, McDonald’s became the benchmark for American fast food, leading a multi-billion-dollar industry.

But despite the dominance of fast food giants, local quick service restaurants continue to thrive in a niche market.

In 1952, three full years before the McDonald’s revolution began, one of Berks County’s favorite fast food spots opened it doors.

Menu board at Schell's in Temple, PA

Not much has changed in the six decades since Schell’s began selling hamburgers and hot dogs along 5th Street Highway in Temple. The prices have gone up a little (you can’t get fries for 15 cents anymore), but the menu is largely the same: burgers, dogs, grilled cheese, fried chicken, fries, onion rings, and my personal favorite, hamburger bar-b-que.

Two hamburger BBQ sandwiches, two orders of fries and two milkshakes on a tray

Hamburger bar-b-que is so simple to make (four ingredients: ground beef, ketchup, mustard and brown sugar), yet I find it hard to top Schell’s. A tip for first-timers: to cut down on the mess, eat your sandwich upside down. The thicker top half of the bun will absorb more of the juices.

Of course, what fast food meal is complete without a side of fries and a milkshake? The crinkle fries are crisped to perfection and pre-loaded with plenty of salt. Schell’s offers four flavors of milkshakes from its soft serve machine: vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, and my personal favorite: raspberry. The shakes are nice and thick, and though they won’t do much to quench your thirst, they are delicious.

Barn-shaped building with the words "Schell's Diary Swirl" and an ice cream cone in neon lights

Those with a sweet tooth may want to forgo the shake in favor of some frozen treats. Just across the parking lot is one of the sweetest places in Berks County, Schell’s Dairy Swirl. (Rather than skip the shake, I decided to make an ice cream-only trip later in the week).

If you aren’t sure if you still have room, inside the barn-like building are large pictures of sundaes, ice cream cones and banana splits, just to get you a little hungrier.

soft serve ice cream in a cup overflowing with bits of bananas

I went with a banana split arctic swirl, the equivalent of a Dairy Queen Blizzard. Watching them make it is the best kind of torture as they slice up a fresh banana and add it, along with the remaining ingredients, into a cup of vanilla soft serve, then mix it all up into a delicious mess.

ice cream sundae with crushed nuts, whipped cream and a cherry

Sundaes are another favorite at the Dairy Swirl. My wife’s peanut butter sundae was loaded with peanuts and peanut butter sauce, and piled high with whipped cream. Maybe it was piled a little too high because half of the whipped cream (as well as the cherry on top) fell to the floor as she tried to eat it.)

And the fun doesn’t end with dessert. After you finish the last spoonful of soft serve, 27 holes of miniature golf are waiting to challenge even the most experienced putters.

hole on a miniature golf course with a water fountain

Schell’s course is not just nine holes longer than a standard course, it’s far more difficult. The slopes and patches of “rough” and “bunkers” that surround the holes can be frustrating for those looking for a low score (like myself), but immense fun for anyone who doesn’t take their game too seriously.

The next time you’re thinking about picking up some fast food, skip the drive-through lane and head to Schell’s. The prices are just as reasonable, but the food is so much better. Besides, I’ve never seen a Burger King with mini-golf.

So whether you go for a quick dinner, a creamy dessert or a round of golf, Schell’s is a sure hole-in-one.

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

Schell’s
4625 N. 5th Street Hwy
Temple, PA 19560

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