I love drive-ins. These simple eateries are not just roadside relics of a times gone by; they’re community hubs. A place where people gather for good food at good prices.
Berks County has its fair share of retro fast food spots. Those include Herman’s Drive-In, the Topton restaurant in the northeast corner of the county.
Herman’s began life in the early 60s, becoming Herman’s shortly thereafter. The current owners purchased the stand more than 30 years ago and have kept the retro feel inside and out.
The square, white building is found along Weis Street on the southern end of town. A large porcelain sign on the roof proclaims “Homemade Bar-B-Ques” along with “Ice Cream,” “French Fries,” and “Hot Dogs.”
Walking in is a nostalgia trip. There’s a lamp hanging near the food counter that at first glance looks like it was plucked from Pizza Hut in the 90s, but on closer inspection you can see the pattern of pretzels and ice cream cones in the glass.
Yes, from the purple cushioned booths on the tile floors to the wood paneled walls to the thin wooden slats that make up the ceiling, you quickly realize they don’t make places like this anymore.
On my first visit, I got the full Berks County drive-in experience with a hamburger BBQ and fries.
Hamburger BBQ is a staple around here, the Berks County take on a sloppy Joe, and Herman’s has a good one. The roll was filled with ground beef in light sauce, exactly how it should be.
The fries were typical fast food fries, thick cut, a ready vessel for salt and pepper that were easy to eat.
I took my meal outside to enjoy under their covered patio which doubles the seating that’s available inside, a great asset for busy days and nights.
When I returned, I decided to try the pork BBQ. It was good, too. Nothing special, just a solid meal that came out quick and hit the spot.
I also splurged this time on a vanilla shake. While I appreciate a well-made milkshake made with hard ice cream, there’s just something about a soft-serve shake that feels right when you go to a place like Herman’s. It’s a little thick, but so refreshing.
It’s definitely a worthwhile splurge, especially with how reasonably priced the meals are. A hamburger BBQ and fries cost less than $10. Add on another $6 for a milkshake, and it’s still a great deal for lunch or dinner.
The price combined with the nostalgic feel and fast service are what make retro drive-ins like Herman’s so popular, and why I’ll keep coming back.
BCE Rating Food: Good Service: Very Good Ambiance: Good Price: $
Herman’s Drive-In 50 W. Weis Street Topton, PA 19562
In a county that has what feels like an endless number of pizza places, sandwich shops, Mexican restaurants, and bars, Aladdin stands out.
Even in the dining-heavy downtown of West Reading, Aladdin is unique with its shawarma, falafel, and other Mediterranean dishes.
Aladdin changed hands since we reviewed it in 2020 (See the original post below). It was a great – and hearty one – with lamb kebabs, chicken saute, baba ghanoush, stuffed grape leaves, and tabbouleh. (Jakob also had chicken fingers and fries as any three-year-old would).
The dining area remains mostly unchanged – the same yellow-hued walls against burnt orange floor tiles. Wooden chairs at tables covered with off-white tablecloths and booths with light blue-green padding.
Much of the menu remains the same, as well. My tastes have evolved and expanded since our last visit, though. So rather than go with a shawarma or similar meat dish, the moujardara caught my eye.
Found on the vegetarian menu, moujardara is a dish of seasoned and simmered lentils and rice topped with caramelized onions. It came served with my choice of side, which will always be baba ghanoush for me.
It was a very impressive meal. I couldn’t tell you what spices were in it, but they came together for a savory dish that was delicious and complex in flavor. And the lentils were meaty in their function, proving to be extremely filling, especially with the portion size.
And the baba ghanoush is one of my favorite things anywhere. For the unfamiliar, it’s similar to hummus but instead of chickpeas, it’s made with roasted eggplant. I love the smoky flavor that comes through. Even though it’s served cold, it tastes warm and inviting.
While Julie’s horizons have also been stretched since we began the blog, she once again ordered the lamb kebabs. They were prepared very similar to how we remembered them with six or so large chunks of lamb skewered with layers of onions served atop a bed of rice. The meat was tender and flavorful and there was a delicious char on every savory piece. Overall, an excellent dish.
Julie opted for fattoush for her side. The tomato and potato salad was topped with crispy pita chips, which was a great little touch to add a crunchy element to the plate.
Neither of us were able to finish our entire meals. Neither was Jakob who got the kids chicken shawarma with rice. It was a full plate with a tzatziki sauce on the side for dipping or pouring over the meat. Aladdin does a very enjoyable shawarma and Jakob seemed to enjoy his.
And because we couldn’t resist, we also ordered a side of hummus for the table. We absolutely love their hummus. It’s so much fuller in flavor than the one-note store-bought kind. Maybe it’s the olive oil drizzle, maybe it’s something in the recipe. Either way, it’s a must-have if you go to Aladdin.
For our meals, the total was around $70. It’s not a cheap meal, but you’re also getting a lot of food for your money so it doesn’t feel outrageous at all.
The new owners are doing right by the Aladdin name, and we are certainly glad to have them here in Berks County.
BCE Rating Food: Excellent Service: Very Good Ambiance: Very Good Price: $$
Aladdin Restaurant 401 Penn Avenue West Reading, PA 19611
When I was working in King of Prussia, there were options when I wanted Mediterranean food – schwarma, falafel, kebabs, etc. In Berks County, those are rarities on our restaurant menus.
But I did find all of those and more at Aladdin Mediterranean Restaurant in West Reading.
Aladdin has been around since 2009 when the restaurant renovated a former gas station adjacent to the West Reading Diner (now Americana Diner). More than 10 years later, Aladdin is still going strong, as we found out on a recent Saturday night.
We arrived around 5:30, a little early for dinner, and found just a couple other tables taken in the dining room. Aladdin offers two dining areas. We were seated in a booth by the window in the standard dining room. It featured a large fireplace at one side with photos of beautiful coastal towns, musical instruments and other keepsakes from the old country adorning the walls.
The second room (on the right-hand side when entering the restaurant) has a completely different feel to it. Red curtains cover the windows behind a long row of cushioned bench seats with red and black throw pillows to support diners.
I didn’t remember until I did a little research that the building that currently houses the restaurant was formerly a Getty gas station. It certainly shows no signs of that today.
At our table, I was struggling to make a decision as I looked over the menu. Aladdin promotes itself as offering the “best quality Lebanese and Mediterranean dishes,” and there are a lot to choose from. The one easy decision was choosing an appetizer – Julie and I agreed on stuffed grape leaves.
I first discovered stuffed grape leaves at the annual Greek Food Festival. I really enjoyed them there. And I enjoyed them even more at Aladdin.
The stuffed leaves were shaped – and sized – like cigars and filled with rice and seasoned ground beef (a vegetarian option is available). The filling was very good; the beef had hints of many different seasonings and spices that I couldn’t immediately identify. The tangy leaves were done well, and it was a great beginning to the meal. Even Jakob, our often fussy two-year-old, ate his (the filling, at least).
Deciding on the main course was more difficult. Entrees at Aladdin include kebabs; schwarma; rack of lamb and lamb chops; various sautes and a range of vegetarian options. I settled on the chicken saute.
Though it sounds boring, it was anything but. The chicken breast was sauteed with green peppers, onion and tomato in a garlic sauce. I really enjoyed the olive oil-based sauce. It had enough garlic to really pop without overpowering the flavors on the plate. The tomatoes really stood out for me, too. They were diced and cooked so tender that they practically melted away. The tomatoes were like little bites of marinara sauce throughout the dish.
Many of the entrees, including both mine and Julie’s, are served with rice pilaf. The pilaf was lightly seasoned, but good. I did enjoy using it to soak up some more of the garlic sauce at the end.
Because that wasn’t enough food, the meal also came with a side: your choice of hummus, baba ghannouj, tabbouleh or fattoush.
I love baba ghannouj and was excited to try Aladdin’s version. I didn’t have to wait long as it was actually served as an appetizer along with a basket of pitas. Baba ghannouj, if you’re not familiar, it is basically hummus but it’s made with pureed eggplant as the base instead of chickpeas. It’s more moist than hummus, a texture I like better. I also prefer the flavor as it’s less nutty.
Aladdin’s version was everything I wanted it to be.
While this was my first visit to Aladdin, Julie has actually been there twice for business lunches. And she has had the same thing on each visit: lamb kebabs.
The skewers feature large chunks of lamb mixed with onions, served over rice pilaf and choice of two sides. Lamb meat is so rich; I always enjoy it. But while it was grilled, it picked up this nice char that trapped in even more flavor. It was very good, and I understand why Julie loves it so much.
For her two sides, Julie ordered tabbouleh and hummus. The hummus came on the plate with the kebabs. It’s a very good hummus, but I still prefer the baba ghannouj (that’s just me, though).
The tabbouleh actually arrived early as an appetizer. Tabbouleh is a Mediterranean salad that uses parsley as the base green. Aladdin makes theirs with cracked wheat, tomato, oil and lemon juice (with some lettuce thrown in).
It’s really flavorful. I think the lemon juice shines nicely giving the whole salad a bright citrus flavor. I would order the salad as an entree on a return visit.
Not knowing how Jakob would take to the cuisine, we played it safe and ordered him chicken fingers and fries off the kids menu. We hadn’t anticipated that he would fill up on grape leaves and tabbouleh before it even arrived. Though he did eat some, we brought most of it home for him to have later in the week.
We were all stuffed by the end of the meal and didn’t have room for the baklava sundae that we really wanted. We did splurge a little when we ordered rose tea for our drinks. The iced tea was given a little rose flavoring (I believe it was from a syrup). It was almost like sweet tea but with a little extra herbal flavor that we found refreshing.
I have to admit that the meal was more expensive than we had anticipated at $78. Part of that was our rose tea ($4 each) and also the fact that we ordered an appetizer ($12). The entrees were $22 and $25, respectively. When you look at the portion sizes, though, I didn’t feel cheated at all.
Aladdin’s food is serving a niche here in Berks County, and I’m glad for it. The next time I have a craving for baba ghannouj, I know where to turn.
BCE Rating Food: Very Good Service: Very Good Ambiance: Very Good Price: A Little Pricey
Aladdin Mediterranean Restaurant 401 Penn Ave West Reading, PA 19611
Having been blogging now for more than a decade, I can say with certainty that Berks County has grown tremendously in the diversity of its food offerings. It’s almost night and day to compare today to when I started in 2014.
Not every new addition has been a hit, and restaurants continue to come and go. But one restaurant we hope sticks around is Zaytoon Kebab and Grill.
Zaytoon opened in spring 2025 in the former Zoup!, in the strip mall known as the Shoppes at Wyomissing. It’s a halal grill, one of the few halal spots in the area (Aladdin in West Reading and Sajal in Kutztown being two other notable ones).
The restaurant is cozy with green-tinted booth seats lining one of the walls – half of them built for four, and the other half built for two – with tables dotting the open space surrounding the order counter. A soccer match can usually be found on the lone TV in the corner.
Zaytoon’s menu is highly focused and rooted in Middle Eastern cooking. That means beef, chicken, lamb and falafel as the stars of the dishes. On my first visit, shortly after they opened in the spring, I decided to try their lamb platter.
It came served in a compartmentalized takeout container with the lamb meat over a bed of rice, topped with white sauce. A small salad and two pieces of pita filled the other two spaces.
The lamb was absolutely one of the best things that I have had. It was so tender and juicy, almost melt-in-your-mouth. And the white sauce was perfect. It’s tzatziki-like in consistency, but I feel it has a more subtle flavor than most similar sauces. It really was there to enhance rather than overpower.
About a week after my own visit, Julie stopped in with one of her coworkers. She ordered the exact same meal as I did. She also gave it a rave review.
It was so good that on my second visit, I once again got lamb. But this time, I got it in a gyro.
The gyro was over-stuffed with meat and veggies (tomato, cucumber, shredded lettuce, and onion). Like the platter, everything was smothered in that white sauce.
And again, the flavors were excellent. Even the few bites where I didn’t have the sauce – just meat and pita – were very good and highlighted just how flavorful the lamb is.
My only regret with the trip was that I had ordered a side of fries that I quickly realized I didn’t need. The fries were fine, nothing special, but I didn’t need them anyway because the gyro was so filling on its own.
Back on my first visit, I also tried their pink chai. As a lover of chai, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to try this unique variation.
It was strong, definitely real tea and not made from a powder or syrup that some coffee shops use. It had spice to it, not as easy to sip as the more Americanized lattes that are more sugar than spice, but I enjoyed it and would get it again if I needed a pick-me-up with my lunch or dinner.
In addition to serving delicious food, Zaytoon has good prices. Meals are priced under $15, and with it being a quick counter-service spot, it’s a great place for a quick lunch or a no-fuss dinner.
The lamb will definitely keep me coming back. Maybe I’ll eventually try something else on the menu. But even if I just get the same thing every time, I’m glad to have it here in Berks.
BCE Rating Food: Very Good Service: Very Good Ambiance: Very Good Price: $$
Zaytoon Kabob & Grill 760 Woodland Road Wyomissing, PA 19610
When I was in college at Kutztown University – which feels like a lifetime ago – my favorite restaurant, hands down, was Spuds.
My roommates and I absolutely loved their oversized, creative burgers and the delicious shoestring fries. And when I started Berks County Eats, it was one of my earliest reviews.
Sadly, Spuds no longer has their downtown outpost. (That’s a joy that today’s KU students won’t get to experience). A fire in 2019 shuttered the restaurant, but those burgers and fries that I loved so much back then can still be found around Berks County. You just have to look for the Spuds food truck.
(You can read our original review of the restaurant below).
We’ve found them at various stops throughout the region, including events like the Taste of Hamburg-er Festival and Art on the Avenue in West Reading.
But Spuds also has some semi-regular locations in and around Kutztown, including pop-ups at the Kutztown Fire Company.
That’s where I found them on a late spring afternoon.
The truck is rather plain – painted white with the Spuds logo, a cartoon potato in a cowboy hat holding a burger in one hand and fries in the other, gracing the space at the back next to the order window.
While the truck may be bland, the food is anything but. In addition to the “plain” cheeseburger there were three specialty burgers on the menu for the event: the California cheeseburger, the wild mushroom burger, and the chipotle slaw burger. In addition, they were offering a chicken sandwich, pierogies, and fries – regular, loaded, garlic herb, and truffle.
I opted for the chipotle slaw burger and a side of regular fries.
The chipotle burger comes topped with a homemade spicy slaw and arugula (I skipped the cheese). The slaw had a good kick to it, a pleasant burn to complement the creaminess. The slightly bitter arugula was there to provide some subtle flavor notes.
But even a plain burger from Spuds is a great offering because the thick patties, probably around half-pound each, are grilled to perfection and are solid on their own. With the addition of the slaw, it’s one of the best burgers around for my money.
And then there are the fries. With the size of the burger, they are a completely unnecessary indulgence. But I will always indulge because they are that good. They’re fresh-cut style and fried to a perfect crisp. I can – and have – eaten them long after I was already full.
I mentioned before about Spuds’ appearances at local events, and we’ve had the the opportunity to check them at out several around Berks County. At a recent Taste of Hamburg-er Festival, we had the wild mushroom burger, which comes topped with mushrooms, melted brie, arugula, and balsamic drizzle.
At home, we often make blended burgers with both chopped mushrooms and ground beef. They don’t come close to this burger which hits the right notes at every turn. The balsamic drizzle has the right balance of sweet and sour, mixing perfectly with the earthy flavors of the brie and mushrooms. All around, an excellent offering.
So too are the fried cheese curds. We had those during Art on the Avenue last year.
Cheese curds are one of our favorite apps, and Spuds’ did not disappoint. The curds were a beautiful golden hue, served with a delicious pepper sauce for dipping.
While I may not be able to walk into a downtown storefront to get my Spuds fix, I’m very glad that they are still around and still serving those same great burgers, fries, and more.
And we’ll keep enjoying them wherever we find them.
BCE Rating Food: Very Good Service: Very Good Price: $$
Editor’s Note: Spuds is now closed. The restaurant suffered a fire in the summer of 2019. Instead of reopening a brick-and-mortar store, Spuds now runs a food truck serving burgers and fries around Berks County.
Berks County is a land of extremes when it comes to food.
On one hand, you have the finest dining establishments, places with white table linens, strict dress codes and suits and ties.
On the other, you have the celebrated greasy spoons, locally renowned holes-in-the-wall serving great food without any of the frills.
There may be no better, or greasier, greasy spoon in Berks County than Spuds in Kutztown.
Spuds doesn’t pretend to be something it’s not. There are no fancy decorations on the walls, only the photos of those brave souls who have conquered “The Beast,” the restaurant’s three-pound burger challenge (the current record holder finished it in a very impressive 13 minutes).
The menu, a single piece of paper printed front and back, is headed by the “Assembly Line,” where you build your own burger, hot dog, steak or chicken sandwich from a list of toppings and “over the top-pings” which include corned beef, ham, mozzarella sticks and onion rings.
A handful of salads appeal to those who want to trick themselves into thinking they are eating healthy, though I doubt the cheeseburger salad (which includes, you guessed it, a freshly grilled cheeseburger) or The Mob (topped with ham and pepperoni) have much redeeming nutritional value.
And then there are the famous fries from which Spuds takes its name. The original fries and curly fries are great, but why settle when there are 30 topping options, including Sweet Heat (Cajun seasoning, sweet chili sauce and mozzarella), San Antonio (ground beef, fried onions, cayenne ranch, mozzarella and bacon) and Lonely Hearts (mushrooms, peppers, onions, parmesan pepper sauce and mozzarella).
I decided to splurge on the burger, topping it with barbecue sauce, onions and pulled pork. The quarter-pound burger on its toasted bun would have been plenty filling, but not nearly as much fun. The pulled pork was tender and moist, and it would have made an excellent sandwich on its own. Together, it was a deliciously messy dish that no bun could contain.
Of course no meal at Spuds is complete without fries. The Chesapeake fries, which are tossed in Old Bay and olive oil, are one of the simpler creations available, but sometimes less is more. The thin-cut fries were dripping of oil and doused in seasoning. The cook could have probably held off on the extra salt, but the fries were as good as any that you are going to find.
Taking the opposite approach, my wife went with a simple cheeseburger with lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise while loading up on the spuds, literally, with an order of loaded fries. The “gall bladder goodness,” as my wife calls it, is like eating a fried baked potato, with cheddar, ranch, bacon and chives.
A fork is a must as the cheese hardens atop the potatoes, but it is worth the extra effort it takes to eat the extra special fries.
Though reasonably priced (with drinks, our meals came in at under $25.00), don’t confuse Spuds with fast food. All of the burgers and fries are made to order, which can mean long waits during the dinner rush, especially when class is in session a Kutztown University. Of course, you can always call in your order (and probably should if you need more than two or three meals).
Spuds is a favorite of students, especially those looking for a late-night meal. But the food is too good to dismiss it as a college town dive.
So if you’re in the mood for a burger and fries, and if you have a few thousand calories to spare, skip the fast food and gorge on some greasy gourmet instead.
BCE Rating Food: Good Service: Good Ambiance: Fair Price: Reasonable
If you’re a long-time follower of our blog, you’ve seen our family grow over the years. After Jakob was born in 2017, we started spending a lot more time at family-friendly restaurants. WIth the arrival of Lukas in 2023, we definitely try to make sure to find places that are great for kids.
And it’s more than just seeking out the best kids menus. It’s visiting places where the food is good, the wait times aren’t bad, and we don’t have to feel guilty about having our kids heard and seen.
We first visited Plum Creek in 2018 around the time it opened along Route 183 as a small market with a takeout window for hot food and ice cream. (See the original post below).
The market has only grown since then. In 2020, they opened a brand new space, half of it devoted to a true market with fresh produce, bulk foods, baked goods and prepared items, and half devoted to indoor seating for the creamery.
Outside, Plum Creek now boasts a large play area with swings, slides and a sandbox full of shovels and trucks for digging.
With the expansion came an expanded menu – more options for lunch, dinner and dessert. Then in 2024, Plum Creek added breakfast to its offerings.
At first, it was only on Saturday mornings though they have now added daily breakfast. But it was on one of those early Saturdays when we made our first visit for breakfast. That’s when I had my first taste of their breakfast burrito that has kept me coming back.
The burrito comes filled with your choice of meat (sausage for me), egg, cheese, and homefries. It’s delicious on its own – the inclusion of the crispy pieces of potato is excellent – but what makes it one of my favorites is the chipotle sauce. It has just the right amount of heat, and it really brings the whole dish together.
It’s also the closest I can find to my all-time favorite from the former Squawk Cafe in Wyomissing.
One of Julie’s favorite dinner items is the Bernville Special – pit beef over fries with barbecue sauce, cheese, scallions and sour cream. So of course she had to try the Breakfast Bernville Special.
The breakfast version features a bed of potatoes topped with cheese, eggs, bacon and Hollandaise sauce (with scallions and sour cream). It’s a great skillet-type meal for those with a big appetite at breakfast – very hearty and full of flavor.
No breakfast menu would be complete without classics like pancakes, and that’s exactly what Jakob ordered. The thick pancakes are as wide as the plate and served with two per order – more than enough for adults, let alone a kid. But they are very good, nice and fluffy, and a worthy meal.
Of course, Plum Creek has stayed true to its roots, and we still enjoy stopping in for dinners, especially when we save room for dessert. Their Creamery treats, like their Twisters (their version of a Flurry or Blizzard), are always delicious. The regular menu has great options like Oreo and Peanut Butter, but watch for their monthly specials featuring their soft serve of the month.
And for Jakob and Lukas, Plum Creek’s play area is the perfect place to get out some of that energy before dinner or after dessert.
Food, fun, and family time: three things that all make Plum Creek one of our favorite spots.
BCE Rating Food: Very Good Service: Very Good Ambiance: Very Good Price: $$
Plum Creek Farm & Market 5035 Bernville Road Bernville, PA 19506
Last summer, my brother clued me in to a new ice cream place called Plum Creek Farm.
The small place had recently opened, and they were serving homemade soft serve ice cream. We checked it out and quickly fell in love with both the ice cream and the small farm market store.
Plum Creek operates seasonally so we got our last taste of it in the fall and awaited its reopening in April. This year brought an expanded menu of hot food items, new hard ice cream (not homemade but locally made) and more treats.
The hot food menu was definitely something we wanted to try. Last year, it was an evolving menu but it finally seems to be set, with sandwiches that include pulled pork, smoked sausage, pit beef and hot dogs; fresh-cut fries; homemade soups; and soft pretzels. (There are also salads if you want to save Calories for dessert).
We stopped by on a weeknight in early June and the line to order showed that the word is definitely out about Plum Creek.
It was a long wait for our dinners. That wasn’t the case for ice cream cones as an efficient ordering system had cones delivered before the customers even had paid. But for hot food, and for specialty desserts, it took time.
I stood and watched as cone after cone was handed off. Then a cup of soup. Occasionally, a sandwich. Finally, after what seemed like hours (it was probably 20 minutes), my name was called and our sandwiches were ready.
We dined at one of many picnic tables that make up the “dining area.” There are also Adirondack chairs, benches, all outside.
Maybe I was just really hungry, but from the first bite, I really enjoyed my pulled pork sandwich.
Now, I fully recognize that this pulled pork will never win a barbecue competition. But it was still very good. The sauce was sweeter than most, almost a little too sweet, but I think what really made the sandwich was Plum Creek’s seasoning. It was sprinkled on as the sandwich was constructed. The basic salt and pepper were there with additional spices. It wasn’t spicy, but it added little hits of flavor to every bite.
The seasoning was even better, in my opinion, on Julie’s pit beef sandwich. She thought it was a little salty, but I thought it worked.
Her sandwich was served with cheese (that’s the standard at Plum Creek; I opted for mine without). It’s not the norm for barbecue, but Julie enjoyed this change of pace.
Both sandwiches were served on Kaiser rolls that served their purpose, holding in all of the meat and sauce without crumbling.
We both really enjoyed the side of fries that we shared. They most closely resembled the shoestring fries that you’ll find locally at Austin’s and Coastal Grille. The fries were cut very thin and short, making it easy to pick up a handful at once. And they came out piping hot – I can only assume this was what delayed our order.
Of course we couldn’t come to Plum Creek without getting ice cream. And even though we were comfortably full after dinner, we couldn’t resist trying some of their signature desserts.
My sweet of choice was the pie a la mode. I chose the shoo-fly pie (strawberry is also available) and have to admit that I was a little disappointed in the pie. It drier than it looked with a rather plain crust. But the homemade vanilla soft serve was excellent. It’s a heavy ice cream that is better and more flavorful than your typical soft serve mix.
I probably would have been happier – and certainly more comfortable – had I just settled for a cone of vanilla.
Julie was not disappointed with her strawberry shortcake, though she would also admit that she didn’t need that much food.
The shortcake was topped with strawberries (you can buy Plum Creek’s fresh-picked strawberries from their store), strawberry sauce, vanilla ice cream and whipped cream. Everything about this was excellent, but there’s just nothing better than fresh strawberries and a homemade strawberry sauce on a shortcake.
One downside of the way we did things was that we had to go through the line a second time. While Julie stood in line for dessert, I gave Jakob a bottle so it worked out. But we spent a long evening – and around $35 – at Plum Creek.
Last year, I could have argued that Plum Creek Farm was a hidden gem. But with long lines on an ordinary weeknight, I’d say the word is already out.
But those crowds won’t scare us away this summer, and they shouldn’t scare you away either.
BCE Rating Food: Good to Very Good Service: Very Good Ambiance: Very Good Price: Very Reasonable
Plum Creek Farm 5035 Bernville Rd Bernville, PA 19506
Recently, we made a little day trip to Hamburg. We walked around the Reading Railroad Heritage Museum to see their new exhibits. Then we headed to Lazy Dog Vintage for some shopping. Eventually, we made our way to Cabela’s.
Normally, when we make a trip like this, we’d find our way to one of the many restaurants in Hamburg’s downtown, like Backwood Brothers, Copperz or 1787 Brewing. But on this trip, we decided to venture a few minutes north to an old favorite of us, the Port Clinton Hotel.
The Port Clinton Hotel is one of those “almost” Berks County restaurants. Located just a stone’s throw from the county line, Port Clinton is the first town you find in Schuylkill County when heading north on Route 61.
Locally, it’s best known for the Hotel and the neighboring Port Clinton Peanut Shop, a place to get fresh roasted peanuts, novelty candy, and chocolates.
It’s also home to the Reading and Northern Railroad, and before the railroad opened its station in Muhlenberg Township, it was the place to catch the weekend train to Jim Thorpe.
But the Hotel is the true anchor of the town – the gathering place for food and drinks. It remained so even after the front of the building was struck by a car in late 2022. The result was a new sign and a new front porch, but the interior remains unchanged, looking very much the same as it did when we first reviewed it in 2014. The bar area is still rustic with its wooden U-shaped bar that leaves little room for walking. The dining room is plain, decorated with signs and photos of Yuengling Brewery.
The menu is also very much the same as it was with large dinners, oversized sandwiches, and their famous baskets of French fries.
It’s so much the same that without thinking, Julie ordered the same thing – a cheesesteak wrap – that she did 11 years ago.
Looking at the photos of each, there was little difference between this and the last – both were stuffed to overflowing with steak meat and cheese. (Credit though for upgrading the fries from Lay’s to Good’s). A delicious and extremely hearty meal that was always going to see half of it go home as leftovers.
My chicken parm sandwich was just as large. Served on a whole 12-inch roll, it was stuffed with breaded chicken with slices of cheese and plenty of sauce. The sauce is on the sweeter side, which I remember from previous meals there. I ate half of it as a sandwich before skipping the roll for the second half. Not that the roll wasn’t good (we saw the boxes for ATV bakery stacked in the entryway), but there was just no way to finish the whole thing.
Jakob had a heaping helping of spaghetti from the kids’ menu. It was enough for an adult meal with two large meatballs on top. It had the same sweet sauce as the chicken parm, which Jakob got to enjoy more than once because more than half of it went home as leftovers.
We also couldn’t finish our French fry basket which had more than enough for our table. At $6 for the basket, it’s one of the best deals around.
In fact, our entire dinner was very reasonably priced at around $55 for all of our food and soft drinks. More accurately, our dinner and lunch the next day was reasonably priced because we didn’t have to think about what we would be having with the leftovers that came home with us.
While we don’t make the trip north too often, the Port Clinton Hotel remains a go-to spot for us when we do. And I look forward to more delicious meals.
BCE Rating Food: Very Good Service: Very Good Ambiance: Good Price: $$
Port Clinton Hotel 231 Centre Street Port Clinton, PA 19549
Original Review: November 2014
Long before our region was defined by the railroad, our cities and towns were carved by canals.
The small hamlet of Port Clinton, located just a few miles north of Hamburg and just across the line into Schuylkill County (quite literally, the border of Port Clinton is the border for the county), was a canal town.
Businesses in the town grew around the waterway. Businesses like the Port Clinton Hotel, which served meals and rented rooms to the canal boat crews who passed through on their way to or from Reading.
Today, the Hotel still serves a unique clientele. In addition to the residents of neighboring communities and those just visiting on their way to Cabela’s, the Port Clinton Hotel is a go-to for hikers along the Appalachian Trail.
On the opposite side of the Schuylkill River, the trail descends from the mountains, hanging a right through Port Clinton before crossing over Route 61 and leaving civilization again on its ascent to Maine.
The proximity to the trail means the Port Clinton Hotel is a sort of right-of-passage for hikers. Perhaps this is why the Port Clinton Hotel is serving portions fit for someone who hasn’t eaten in days.
While I can appreciate those who dare to trek the trail, I favor the short drive over the long walk, so the only hiking I had to do was from the parking space to the back door.
Like many establishments that still have “hotel,” “tavern,” or “inn” in their names, the restaurant crams more seats into the dining room than would seem possible. Our party of six was placed in a side room, two four-person tables pushed together with just inches between our chairs and the wall.
The daily specials are found on a hand-written piece of paper in the center of the table, while drink specials are found on a dry erase board on the wall. The menu itself is extensive with pastas, dinner entrees, salads, and lots of fried foods and sandwiches.
As small as the dining area may feel, the portions seem just as gargantuan. On a previous trip, I had made the “mistake” of ordering an actual dinner: a chicken pot pie special served with a homemade roll. And because I was hungry, I started with a cup of chili. As it turns out, the “roll” was half a loaf of white bread, the pot pie could have probably filled four soup bowls, and I would have been satisfied with just the chili.
This time, I was more prepared, opting for a simple hot roast beef sandwich.
My sandwich was served floating in a reservoir of gravy with shreds of meat taking an evening swim. The top slice of bread bulged in the center as the pile of beef tried to force its way out the top.
The beef pulls apart, not like the slabs or slices you find at some diners. I managed to find a piece that wasn’t fully submerged and found it to be tender and moist. Even without the gravy, it would make a delicious sandwich.
Next to me, Julie was attacking a monster meal of her own. Her cheesesteak sandwich wrap was sliced in two, with each half being about the size of your average sandwich.
The wrap was simple—steak and cheese with a little bit of onion—but it was balanced perfectly. Like most of the sandwiches on the menu, the wrap came with side of potato chips, a bag of Lay’s placed right on the plate. With so much food already on the plate, there’s a good chance you’ll take the chips home anyway so it’s better to leave them in the bag.
Another reason to leave them in the bag is the Port Clinton Hotel’s famous French fries. The fresh cut fries are not available as a side order (except as part of a select few dinner combinations) so if you want them, be prepared to share.
With the large portions on the entrees, a small basket of fries is easily enough to satisfy a table of four (a large basket should probably be reserved for a small family reunion).
But when it comes to the Port Clinton Hotel, it’s not just quantity. It’s quality. Many restaurants offer their foods in big portions, but the food at Port Clinton is so good that you can’t help but try to finish it.
Four our two sandwiches and fries, our total bill came to around $30, a steal for such good food—and for so much of it.
The canal is gone, but the hotel remains, still serving great food to everyone who passes through the town, no matter how they arrive.
It feels passe to describe a restaurant as “unique” or a “hole-in-the-wall.” Every restaurant is unique in its own way. And in an age where you can look up any restaurant online, are there really any hole-in-the-wall spots left?
If there is a unique, hole-in-the-wall restaurant in Berks County, it has to be Esterly’s Sandwich Shop.
Esterly’s is located in the village of Bowers, three miles from Kutztown on Fleetwood Road between the Deka plant in Lyons and the borough of Topton. But more than the geographic location, it’s the physical location – what appears from the road to be a house with an open sign in the window. A small sign hangs along the road and another spans the facade above the front entrance, otherwise there would be nothing to distinguish Esterly’s from the nearby homes.
There is no parking lot, just five spaces or so along the street. But there’s no need for a lot of parking because there is no dining area except for the three mismatched picnic tables in the front yard.
I arrived for lunch and stepped through the front door into a small, wood-paneled room.
In one corner was a fridge to grab your drinks. Next to it, a small rack of Martin’s potato chips. Opposite the order counter were small bench seats. After placing my order, I took a seat on one and looked around.
Beneath the order counter were a pair of maps – one of the United States, one of the world – showing not only where customers were from, but where the cheesesteaks had traveled to. A poster next to the counter highlighted the most exotic locale – Mount Kilamanjaro.
Apparently in 2013, a suitcase full of cheesesteaks made their way to Africa (with a layover in Amsterdam). Seven sandwiches were eaten on an African safari and another three were enjoyed as a reward for hikers who made the six-day trek to the top of Africa’s tallest mountain.
My steak sandwich wouldn’t travel that far – only back to Kutztown to the Ktown Hall coworking space where I was working that day.
The sandwich still looked pretty good after the 10-minute drive. In true Berks County style, I had ordered it topped with sauce (and onions).
Esterly’s advertises it as the home of the “no-greasy cheesesteak” and that was true. There was plenty of meat on the sandwich but no grease to make the roll soggy. I might have liked a little more of the slightly sweet sauce, but it was a very good and very filling sandwich, nonetheless.
The fries were solid too. The menu called them “grade A” and while I wouldn’t call them the best around, I still ate the whole order. (I did what I could to dip them in the sauce that was hiding out on the foil from the sandwich).
What really separates Esterly’s, beyond the uniqueness of the location, is the price. The sandwich and fries only cost $12.50, less than you’d pay for just a cheesesteak at some places. And while I wouldn’t call it the best that I’ve had, I definitely got my money’s worth.
If you want to get your money’s worth, bring cash because Esterly’s is cash-only.
And I’m sure I’ll be back again, with a few dollars to spend on some good food from this unique hole-in-the-wall in eastern Berks County.
BCE Rating Food: Good Service: Very Good Ambiance: Unique Price: $
Esterly’s Sandwich Shop 479 Fleetwood Road Mertztown, PA 19539
I have a lot of childhood memories of P&J Pizza in Womelsdorf. Playing baseball for teams in town, we often had post-game pizza. And my church was less than a block away so P&J was an easy stop to feed us for youth group nights and other activities.
But P&J was just a takeout place then. Sure, there were a couple booths, but the majority of the customers came in, got their orders, and left.
It’s a little bit different now. Sure, customers still stream through the storefront to pick up pies and sandwiches to-go, but since P&J opened their Tavern in 2023, there are a lot more dine-in meals.
The Tavern is located in the adjacent building. Unassuming from the outside, a step through the front door reveals the historic log cabin frame that was hidden long ago by vinyl siding. A brick side wall separates the Tavern from the neighboring property, but the remaining walls are wood and mortar. The wood floor is new, but fits with the rustic style. The walls are painted a yellow-brown to complement the exposed slats of the original log building. Only the red and white tablecloths provide a pop of color, a reminder that this is still a family restaurant.
On the left side of the room is the bar. In addition to the six-packs that were always available for carryout, guests can now sit down and enjoy a draft beer or cocktail while they catch a game on the TVs. (We watched the Phillies lose a heartbreaker in extra innings as only the Phillies can do).
The Tavern has the same food menu as the takeout side but with full table service. On our most recent visit, our server doubled as hostess, seating us by the window where menus were already sitting at each seat.
We ordered and in short order, our food had arrived. For me, that meant a meatball sandwich and a side order of fries.
I have always loved P&J’s rolls. They are like small loaves of Italian bread cut into pockets, rather than the standard hard or soft rolls. They also use a sweet sauce on their meatball subs – a perfect combination with those delicious rolls.
The fries were good, too – a large portion of crinkle fries. I threw a little salt and a little garlic powder on them for a perfectly snackable side.
Julie got herself an Italian wrap (and a side of fries, as well). There is nothing spectacular about the wrap, but it was a solid and filling meal with plenty of meat and cheese inside.
Next to her, Jakob quickly downed his large slice of pepperoni pizza. Their pizza is always on-point. It was cooked well and loaded with pepperoni.
We also ordered a kid’s order of meatballs for Lukas, who at 22 months old has decided that meatballs are his favorite food. We couldn’t cut it fast enough for him, but the first one (there were three in the order) filled him up.
Our total was just over $40 for the four of us – that included a lemonade for Jakob and an unsweet tea for me. Anytime we can get out of a restaurant for about $10 per person, especially when the food is as good as it is at P&J, I consider it a win.
This was our second time dining in at the Tavern, and it is quickly becoming one of our favorite places to enjoy a meal – quick service, good food, and great prices are a hard combination to beat.
BCE Rating
Food: Good Service: Excellent Ambiance: Very Good Price: $
P&J Pizza 133 W. High Street Womelsdorf, PA 19567
Original Review: October 11, 2015
October is National Pizza Month, and Berks County Eats is celebrating by visiting some of our area’s best pizzerias all month long.
Most weeks on Berks County Eats, I take you — my readers — with me as a visit a new place and try something different.
Discovering new places and foods is one of my favorite parts about doing this blog.
But I would be doing a disservice to everyone if I didn’t also throw in some old favorites, places that I have enjoyed since childhood. Places that I frequented before the blog began. Places like P&J’s Pizza.
Opening on High St. in Womelsdorf in 1989, Pete and John (the P and J in P&J’s) have been serving western Berks County for more than 25 years.
Growing up in nearby Robesonia in the 90s, I can’t remember a time without P&J’s. They were always there in the store, and their pizza was at every party and every post-game meal throughout my childhood.
Through the years, the restaurant has remained much the same. The seven booths are surrounded by wood paneled walls. If not for the brand new TV in the corner, you would never know it wasn’t still 1989.
I have had more meals than I can count at P&J’s, trying much of the menu. Their subs are incredible, served in rolls that are more like hollowed-out loaves of Italian bread. The strombolis are also very good.
But what I love more than anything else on the menu is the Sicilian pizza.
Sicilian pizza, for those who have never tried it, is a little bit different from your traditional pie. The most obvious difference is that it’s square. Sicilians fit much more snugly into the carry-out boxes.
It’s also a thicker crust, more like a Chicago-style pizza that rises in the oven instead of remaining flat.
P&J’s does Sicilians as well as anyone. It’s baked until the edges are crispy and the cheese is perfectly melted. The sauce is sweet and the pepperoni is just a little spicier than other restaurants.
The slices are hearty, but I still managed to put down three of them before my stomach threw up the white flag.
In addition, Sicilian pies are a great value if you have a lot of mouths to feed. The large pie, which measures 16-inches square, is sliced in 12 pieces for $12.50 (toppings are $2.25 each so ours was $15.00).
Julie and I shared our pie with my parents, and between the four of us we still had three slices left at the end of the meal. If you do the math, it comes to about $3 per meal, a value no matter how you look at it.
Every small town has a place like P&J’s — a little pizza shop that locals come back to over and over again.
For me, as much as I love new and different, I will always keep going back to P&J’s as long as they keep putting out the same great pizzas I remember from my childhood.
BCE Rating Food: Good Service: Very Good Ambiance: Fair Price: Very Reasonable
There are many considerations we make when choosing a place to eat. As a parent, I’m always on the look-out for kid-friendly atmospheres. And on those rare occasions when Julie and I get a date night, we seek out places of an upscale elegance.
I’ll admit, accessibility has never been high on my list of things to look at when checking out restaurants. But Rollie’s Place – the new cafe from Abilities in Motion – has made it part of the restaurant’s mission.
The team invited me to experience the cafe recently, and it was clear that this place was different in the best possible way.
The organization’s Vision Statement sums up AIM well:
Creating communities where people of any ability have equal access. AIM will facilitate disability inclusivity through community engagement, civic participation, and education
I met Chef James Kraemer who serves as the General Manager of Rollie’s Place. He explained how the cafe is an extension of AIM’s mission. Some accessibility accommodations are obvious: a wide-open floorplan with plenty of room for visitors using mobility devices, the blue oversized privacy chairs that help alleviate overstimulation from the surroundings, and the large accessible bathroom to name a few.
But others are more subtle, such as the door handles on the fridge to make it easier to open, noise-cancelling bottoms on the tables and chairs, and the large-print and braille versions of the menu available at the order counter.
With all these added features, the cafe retains a cool vibe. The multi-colored chairs feel modern. And the room is flooded in light from the large front windows.
Chef James has curated a breakfast and lunch menu – breakfast bowls, parfaits and ciabattas to start the day; soups, salads, and sandwiches at lunch; and fresh baked goods in the case all day. And of course you can get your favorite cafe drinks, as well.
I tried the French dip sandwich (from the specials menu) and a cup of hot chocolate during my visit. It’s clear that despite the impressive setup, the food is not an afterthought.
The French dip was awesome – one of the best variations of the sandwich that I have tried. The sandwich was tufted with thin-sliced beef, Gruyere cheese and horseradish cream. I had almost forgotten about the horseradish until I bit in, but it really enhanced the flavor of the meat. I really enjoyed the homemade au jus for dipping, loaded with herbs and spices. This definitely felt like a high-end French dip.
The sandwich was served with a side of seasoned swirl fries. Instead of a traditional cut, the fries were more like a thick spiral, dotting the plate with curls of potatoes. I dipped them in the au jus, too, for a delicious side.
My hot chocolate was delicious, as well. It was very creamy and rich, tasting more like dessert than a morning pick-me-up.
The sandwich combo and hot chocolate would have cost around $16. Most breakfast and lunch offerings are in the $9-13 range with the French dip being a little higher as a special. The drinks, including the hot chocolate also feel very reasonably priced.
In addition to the cafe, Abilities in Motion is opening more spaces to the public. Before my meal, I got a chance to check out the new AIM Gaming Center with around a dozen esports gaming stations where people of all abilities can take part in competitions for Fortnite and other popular titles. If I was about 10 years younger, I would be a regular.
I still will likely be a regular to Rollie’s Place, though. The food, the atmosphere, the connectivity – it’s the perfect place to spend a morning or a lunch hour, and I look forward to my next visit.
BCE Rating Food: Very Good Ambiance: Excellent Service: Excellent Price: $$
Rollie’s Place 755 Hiesters Lane Reading, PA 19605
Starting a business is a milestone for entrepreneurs. And hopefully for them, there are many more milestones along the way.
UpDog Hot Dogs started out as a mobile hot dog cart in 2020. Four years later, the business celebrated a milestone with the opening of a brick-and-mortar restaurant in Blandon.
The location in the Maidencreek Towne Center along Fleetwood-Blandon Road was most recently Mad J’s BBQ. That restaurant closed in early 2023, leaving the space vacant.
After some work inside including a fresh coat of paint (although the Fleetwood Tigers logo on the wall remains), UpDogs celebrated its grand opening in August 2024.
I visited for a quick lunch in mid-September, a few weeks after the restaurant opened.
The menu is focused – just hot dogs, fries and mini donuts – but there are eight specialty dogs to choose from plus a dozen toppings to customize. You can also order a regular sized hot dog or a quarter-pound “Big Dog.”
I went with a Big Memphis BBQ dog and a side of fries.
The dog was topped with shredded cheddar cheese, bacon crumbles, BBQ sauce and green onions. First, a quarter-pound dog doesn’t sound like much, but it’s huge. And it was delicious. The hot dog was perfect and the bacon and BBQ sauce added a little sweet and salty flavor. The bacon and onions also added a delightful crunch.
The fries were really good, too – perfectly crispy fast-food style fries with a little bit of seasoning beyond the standard salt and pepper.
And it was a quick meal – perfect in-and-out for a no-fuss lunch on a workday – at a reasonable price for around $10 for the hot dog and fries.
Overall, I was really impressed. I didn’t know northeastern Berks County needed two hot dog joints (the other being Potts’ Top Dog in Topton just 15 minutes up the road), but I’m glad UpDog is here.
BCE Rating Food: Good Ambiance: Good Service: Excellent Price: $
