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Review: Way-Har Farms

cars lined up in a parking lot outside a building with a sign that reads "Way-Har Farm Market"

Earlier this month, Visit PA (the official tourism agency for Pennsylvania) announced the PA Ice Cream Trail – a list of 12 “farm-to-scoop” creameries in the state. Each location offers passports to the Ice Cream Trail that can be stamped at the participating locations. Visit six creameries and win a t-shirt. Visit all 12 to earn a #PursueYourScoops ice cream scoop.

Two Berks County locations made the list: Twilight Acres Creamery & Bakery in Stouchsburg and Way-Har Farms in Bernville.

deli counter and ice cream counter inside Way-Har Farm Market

Way-Har is the older, more recognized name. Located along Route 183 between Bernville and Strausstown in the northwest reaches of the county, Way-Har has long been known for its milk, dairy and desserts – both baked and frozen.

various pies lined up on a table inside Way-Har Farm Market

The store also offers a variety of bulk foods and candies, jams and jellies, and country primitives. There is also a small deli section featuring a limited menu of hoagies and hot meals for dine-in or take-out.

We – Julie, Jakob and I – arrived for an early dinner on a rainy Sunday evening. The ice cream counter was already bustling, but our ice cream would have to wait until we had some real food in us. Among the hot food items are pork BBQ – my choice – and hamburger BBQ – Julie’s choice. I also ordered a cup of sausage stew, one of two soups of the day.

two wooden tables with mis-matched wooden chairs inside Way-Har Farm Market

The woman who waited on us was very kind and told us to grab a table and she would bring our food out. There are only eight or so tables, each seating between two and eight people.

When she brought out the food a short time later, our server was nervous that she had made our sandwiches too hot and my stew not hot enough. We had seen her bring the crock-pot out of the back with the stew so it was clear that the microwave got a lot of use for us.

pulled pork sandwich, sloppy joe and a cup of soup on a wooden table

Given the setup, I wasn’t expecting much so I was pleasantly surprised to find that the pork BBQ was actually pretty good. The hamburger BBQ was as well. Both were like something you would expect to find a church potluck – surprisingly satisfying but not anything we would go out of our way to order again.

The sausage stew, however, was very good, and it was all because of the sausage. Way-Har sells Peter Bros. Meats (locally made in Lenhartsville, Berks County) and I assume the smokey, flavorful sausage was one of theirs.

If it’s on the menu again, I would definitely get a quart to take home (but my own microwave would suffice for reheating).

Of course the soup and sandwich was just a precursor. We were there for the ice cream. I had seen a sign on the door advertising peach as the flavor of the week. That had me sold instantly.

man in blue shirt holding a baby and a waffle cone of vanilla ice cream

Peach ice cream was my absolute favorite growing up so there was a little nostalgia at play. But I thought it was absolutely delicious. There were no large chunks of fruit, but with more, smaller pieces it added flavor throughout.

Julie found an ice cream flavor that she had never tried before – tandy cake. It was vanilla peanut butter ice cream with the addition of pieces of tandy cake (think Tastykake’s Kandy Kake) and chocolate chips.

wooden holding a pretzel cone of chocolate chip ice cream in one hand a a "Visit PA Pursue Your Scoops" passport in the other hand

In this case, there were larger chunks of cake mixed in, and Julie absolutely loved it. Tandy cakes are one of her favorite desserts, and mixing it into an already creamy vanilla peanut butter ice cream made her day.

As Julie paid our roughly $25 tab, we got our first stamp on our passport. Our goal is to find a way to visit all 12 between now and when the promotion ends on October 31.

Way-Har Farms was certainly a great place to start. One down. Eleven to go.

BCE Rating

Food: Fair
Ice Cream: Very Good
Service: Very Good
Ambiance: Good
Price: Reasonable

Way-Har Farms

7701 Bernville Rd
Bernville, PA 19506

PA Ice Cream Trail

Twilight Acres Creamery & Bakery
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Way-Har Farms
Bernville, Berks County

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Lapp Valley Farms
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The Milkhouse at Oregon Dairy
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Patches Family Creamery
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Crystal Spring Farm
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Freddy Hill Farms
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Merrymead Farm
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Oley Turnpike Dairy – CLOSED

sign with an image of a PA Dutch distlefink and the words "Oley Turnpike Dairy Diner Ice Cream"

Editor’s Note: The Oley Turnpike Dairy – the diner, ice cream bar and petting zoo – is now closed. The owners announced their retirement in August 2022 after more than 50 years serving the Oley Valley. The new Redvo Restaurant opened in the space in February 2023. Read our review of Redvo Restaurant.

Sometimes on Berks County Eats, I find a place that is just…unique. A place that has no real comparison in Berks County or elsewhere.

I found another one of those places when Julie, Jakob and I made our first visit to the Oley Turnpike Dairy Diner.

long white building with double doors and an open sign in the window

The Oley Turnpike Dairy Diner is about as old school as it gets. It’s a true diner in every sense – just with wood paneling where one would expect to find stainless steel. And there’s an ice cream parlor. And a small antiques store. And a petting zoo.

placemat with ads and a center ad taht reads "Oley Turnpike Dairy Diner" with an image of a classic car

OK, so maybe it’s not the stereotypical diner, but I think Julie said it best when she said, “This is Berks County.”

long tables with popsicle and fruit themed tablecloths and three chairs on either side

We arrived for lunch on a Sunday afternoon. Though not full, there was a steady “post-church” crowd filing through while we were there. We sat ourselves at one of the booths – the slightly tattered black benches were wide enough for Jakob’s car seat – leaving the eight-person tables with the popsicle tablecloths for someone else.

The service was quick. We had our order placed and our drinks on the table in no time. It wasn’t long before our lunches arrived, either.

menu cover for Oley Turnpike Dairy

The menu included all of the comfort food classics you expect from a diner – burgers, sandwiches, $12 steaks, etc. I went with one of those only-at-a-diner meals: an open-faced meatloaf sandwich with mashed potatoes.

open face meatloaf sandwich with side of mashed potatoes, both covered in beef gravy

I’m not going to a diner expecting anything more than a satisfying, high-Calorie meal. And that’s what I got. The open-faced sandwich had four slices of white bread and two slabs of meatloaf loaded with beef gravy. I enjoyed it and thought the gravy and (surprisingly) the bread were very flavorful. Meatloaf is meatloaf, but the other elements added to it. The mashed potatoes were fine, though I found them to be a little dry, and there wasn’t quite enough gravy to make up for it.

wrap with turkey and ham and a bag of Lays potato chips

Julie also went with a simple meal – an Italian wrap with a side of chips. The Italian wrap featured Capicola, cooked and hard salami, Provolone cheese, the option for LTO (Julie skipped the onion) and pickles on the side. It was a typical wrap on a larger flour tortilla. But it was done right, and Julie enjoyed it.

It was also served with a bag of Lay’s potato chips on the side that went unfinished.

We came to the Dairy not just for lunch but for dessert. And when we found out that they served Nelson’s Ice Cream – the same Royersford, Montgomery County, brand served at Sweet Ride in West Reading – we were excited. (Though we did find it ironic that a dairy had to bring in outside ice cream).

ice cream parlor with two round tables with four white wire chairs each

I can’t speak to whether there are more options at the ice cream counter, but in the diner, guests can enjoy cones or cups, milkshakes, floats, banana splits, sundaes and apple dumplings a la mode.

Both Julie and I decided on sundaes – hers was a dusty road sundae with chocolate raspberry chip ice cream, mine was a pineapple sundae with vanilla fudge.

sundae topped with malted milk, whipped cream and a cherry

The hallmark of a dusty road sundae is malted milk. The powder was dusted on top of the of the ice cream, which sat on a bed of chocolate syrup (with another helping on top). The chocolate raspberry chip is a delicious flavor on its own with black raspberry ice cream and chocolate chips. The syrup and whipped cream added more sweetness. The malted milk helped balance it out and add just a little bit of needed texture.

sundae topped with pineapple, whipped cream and a cherry

I haven’t had a pineapple sundae in a long time, but it seemed like a good fit for vanilla fudge ice cream. With the fudge already in the ice cream, there was no need to drench it in syrup. Instead, it played perfect with the pineapple. It was definitely a good fit and a great decision.

As an old-school diner, the Oley Turnpike Dairy Diner also offers all of this at great prices. For two lunches, two sundaes and an iced tea, our total was just $27. That’s hard to beat at a full-service restaurant.

baby in a car seat wearing a blue bib

Our only regret on the day was that Jakob was not cooperative enough for us to visit the petting zoo – another bargain with $1 admission and $1.50 feed. But knowing that we can enjoy a meal (and ice cream) at such a great price, there is no doubt that we will return when our little one’s attention span is a little longer.

BCE Rating
Food: Good
Service: Good
Ambiance: Fair
Price: Bargain

Oley Turnpike Dairy Diner
6213 Oley Turnpike Rd
Oley, PA 19547

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Bel-Air Ice Cream, Hamburgers & More – CLOSED

sign that reads "Bel-Air Ice Cream Burgers & More"

Editor’s Note: Bel-Air Ice Cream is closed. The restaurant announced it was closing for the season in September 2021 but never reopened for 2022. The space is now home to Aunt Nannie’s Bake Shop. 

Driving along Route 100 near Bechtelsville, it’s hard not to notice the bright blue Chevy Bel-Air on the rooftop of the namesake Bel-Air Ice Cream, Burgers & More.

I don’t drive that way often, but I happened to drive past it twice in one week, and the new restaurant caught my eye and had me intrigued. And neither Julie nor I can’t resist burgers and ice cream.

antique blue car atop a roof of a diner

The restaurant opened in late May in the former Woodside Family Restaurant. It’s one of a handful of restaurants that fall within Berks County along the Route 100 corridor. We pulled in on a Saturday night, and while the parking lot wasn’t packed, the restaurant was clearly busy.

Between the checkerboard floor, the stainless-steel accents and the tabletop jukeboxes, the Bel-Air is a callback to the 1950s and proud of it. Mini collections of retro collectibles line the walls, including a parade of Bel-Air die-casts and a shelf full of Coca-Cola merchandise.

napkin dispensers with the logo for Bel-Air Ice Cream

Based on reviews we saw – and based on what we witnessed at the restaurant – customer are confused about how it works. Unlike the Woodside which formally occupied the space, Bel-Air is not a full-service restaurant. Instead, customers are directed to grab a menu, order at the counter and seat themselves. The food will be delivered the table, but no one is going to come to the table to take an order.

So while Julie took Jakob out of his car seat to feed, I placed our order.

man ordering from the counter at a 50s style diner

The dinner menu at Bel-Air is primarily made up of burgers and hot dogs with a few other sandwiches and some fried appetizers thrown in. But that’s not to say there aren’t options. There are 15 different burgers and 10 hot dog creations on the menu plus build-your-own options for both. Both Julie and I went with burgers – the Hot Rod for me and the Billy the Kid for her.

basket lined with red and white paper with a burger and fries

The Hot Rod burger is topped with chili and Provolone cheese. The melted cheese actually did a reasonable job of sealing in the chili – a pretty good, mostly bean-filled sauce. I don’t know that Provolone was the best cheese to go with the burger (when I think chili, I think cheddar) but it worked. I thought the burger itself was very good and cooked perfectly. And the toasted roll was a great addition.

basket lined with red and white paper with a burger and fries

Julie’s burger came topped with onion rings, barbecue sauce and Swiss cheese. It was good combination, though in the bite that Julie gave me I thought the sauce was a little too sweet for the burger. But the onion rings were good and like mine, the burger was really well cooked.

Chips are the default side for all burgers, but both Julie and I spent the extra $1.50 for a French fry upgrade. And we were glad we did.

The fries were the fresh-cut variety, skins on and easily snackable (don’t be thrown off by the stock photo of chicken fingers and steak fries that appears on the menu). I thought they were very good, though I had to throw some salt and pepper on them for just a little added flavor.

After we finished, it was my turn to take care of our seven-month-old while Julie ordered our dessert. She came back to me for cash because, despite having an obviously full cash drawer, they wouldn’t break the $50 bill that she had in her purse. Thankfully I had a $10 so we avoided having to add $8 to our credit card.

cone of chocolate ice cream

Her frustration continued as she had ordered her ice cream in a pretzel cone, but instead saw it being dipped into a dish. But the situation was quickly fixed and she got her cone of Hershey’s chocolate moose tracks.

Hershey’s is the brand of choice in the ice cream freezer, though there was a Turkey Hill ice cream sign in one of the windows as well. Bel-Air also offers soft serve, which is what I chose as the base for my Kit Kat Delight sundae.

paper cup with the Hershey's ice cream logo filled with ice cream topped with whipped cream

The vanilla soft serve was topped with a whole Kit Kat bar, caramel sauce, hot fudge, whipped cream and the obligatory cherry on top. I was actually surprised by how many bits of Kit Kat were broken up in the sundae – it was hard to see what I was getting underneath the mountain of whipped cream.

In the end, we were both happy with our choices and left the restaurant very full.

Between dinner, dessert and our drinks, we spent about $30. That’s not a bad price at all for dinner for two.

50s style dining room with black and white checkered floor

Bel-Air’s closest comparison in Berks is probably Billy Burger and Bakery on the opposite end of the county. (Updated – Billy Burger closed after this post was written). Both restaurants specialize in burgers and fries, but don’t mistake them for fast food. The burgers are made to order, and at Bel-Air, they are cooked to your specification.

I don’t think Bel-Air is on the level of Billy Burger – the food isn’t quite up to that standard and the staff, mostly teenagers on summer break, could be a little friendlier and more polished. The restaurant management could also do a better job explaining to first-time customers that orders are to be placed at the counter. We saw many confused customers mistakenly waiting to be seated or questioning the process.

That said, the food was good. It was reasonably priced. They have great ice cream. And quite frankly, it’s a really cool place.

All those things make it worth the visit if you’re in the area.

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

Bel-Air Ice Cream, Burgers & More
913 Route 100
Bechtelsville, PA 19505

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Review: Plum Creek Farm

people lineup in front of two windows at a wooden building with the words "The Creamery" on digital menu boards

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).

Three digital menu boards above two order windows with a logo that reads "The Creamery" behind the menu items

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.

pulled pork sandwich topped with barbecue sauce

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.

pit beef sandwich topped with cheese sauce and barbecue sauce

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.

clamshell package with fries

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.

clear plastic plate with a slice of shoofly pie topped with whipped cream next to a helping of vanilla soft serve

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.

cup with strawberry shortcake and ice cream topped with whipped cream

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.

smiling baby wearing a monkey bib holding a stuffed fox

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

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Review: Castaneda’s Mexican Restaurant

exterior of Castandea's Mexican Restaurant in Robesonia, PA

Editor’s Note: Castaneda’s Mexcian Restaurant has moved. A new, larger location opened in mid-2021 on the other side of town at 225 West Penn Avenue. The original location is now home to Paraiso Rosel Mexican Restaurant.

My childhood home of Robesonia has undergone a lot of changes over the years, oftentimes in ways that I would have never expected.

For example, 25 years ago, I would have never imagined a Mexican restaurant would open in town. But that’s exactly what happened in August 2017 when Castaneda’s Mexican Restaurant debuted.

The location doesn’t have a great track record – restaurants have come and gone over the years. Most notably, Muddy’s Smokehouse BBQ occupied the space for about two years. Castaneda’s is trying to turn that around.

mariachi outfits and a large vinyl decal of mariachi singers hang on a wall at Castaneda's

Visitors may recognize owner James Castaneda as one of the business partners who began La Abuela Mexican Restaurant in West Reading.

Castaneda’s menu is smaller with a greater emphasis on lighter fare – tacos, enchiladas, quesadillas, fajitas, burritos and salads.

the menu at Castaneda's Mexican Restaurant

We visited on a Saturday evening in December, and the dining room was about half-full. Castaneda’s has a handful of tables for four in the small storefront. There was also a steady stream of customers picking up take-out orders while we – Julie, Jakob, my parents, and myself – sat at a table by the front window.

With a relatively small menu, it didn’t take long to decide on our meals. Before our meals were delivered, we were served our complementary chips and salsa.

basket of tortilla chips with a cup of salsa from Castaneda's

The salsa is pureed, not chunky, making for easier dipping and more consistent flavor in every bite. It was good, though I don’t think I could ever complain about free chips and salsa.

Our meals arrived a short time later. Looking for more of a meal than a snack, I ordered the enchiladas Verde – three hefty beef enchiladas in homemade green sauce and queso fresco.

enchiladas with green salsa with yellow rice and refried beans from Castaneda's Mexican Restaurant

Verde isn’t normally my go-to, but I wanted to switch it up from my usual order of enchiladas with mole sauce.

The sauce gets its distinct green color from the tomatillos. It had a very mild spice, but was full of flavor. The ground beef was also well-seasoned, and the two worked very well together. And the cool creaminess of the queso fresco added a nice finish.

Enchiladas at Castaneda’s are served with yellow rice and refried beans. I have always preferred black beans to refried – the texture of refried beans leaves a lot to be desired – but these were fine. I found myself scraping for as much of the salsa Verde as I could get to mix with the rice and beans to give them some of the great flavor that the enchiladas had.

enchiladas with creamy white sauce from Castaneda's

Julie also ordered enchiladas, but for her it was enchiladas Suizas, one of several daily specials advertised on the menu board.

Enchiladas Suizas literally means “Swiss enchiladas.” The name comes from the dairy used to make the creamy white sauce (thank you, Google).

Choosing chicken as the protein, Julie really enjoyed the dish. It was a heavier sauce (Julie had to bring one of the three enchiladas home with her because they were so filling).

Suizas sauce was also out of her comfort zone (ranchero sauce is her favorite), but this dish got her approval, and she said she would definitely order it again.

quesadillas with a small side salad from Castaneda's

My parents each enjoyed their meals as well – my mom had a quesadilla with a side salad while my dad had the chile rellano – a stuffed pepper also served with rice and beans.

But despite all of us being full, we couldn’t leave without trying the fried ice cream. By that, I mean Julie couldn’t leave without trying it. We just had to help her eat it.

fried ice cream with crispy tortilla chips topped with whipped cream, sprinkles and chocolate chips from Castaneda's

The vanilla ice cream was coated in a corn cereal, and deep-fried. It was served with cinnamon tortilla chips and whipped cream, and topped with chocolate syrup and sprinkles.

It’s probably the highest calorie menu item in western Berks County, an indulgence that is great once every five years or so. But it’s so good. The contrast in texture and temperature between the hot, crunchy shell and cold, smooth ice cream never gets old. Everything else is unnecessary (but delicious) window dressing.

It’s also a lot of food, especially after a full meal. We all left feeling way too full. But while we certainly packed on pounds, our wallets didn’t lighten much. Castaneda’s is reasonably priced. The four of us were able to eat for less than $50, even with the dessert and some sodas.

It’s still crazy to think that there is a Mexican restaurant within walking distance of my parents’ house, but Castaneda’s is here. And based on what I saw – and tasted – it might just be hanging around for a while.

BCE Rating:

Food: Very Good
Service: Very Good
Ambiance: Fair
Price: Very Reasonable

Castaneda’s Mexican Restaurant
141 W. Penn Ave
Robesonia, PA 19551

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Road Trip: Heisler’s Cloverleaf Dairy

people stand in line to order at a takeout window of Heisler's Cloverleaf Dairy

Berks County is home to many retro drive-in restaurants.

Places like Schell’s, Cee-Gees, the Kwik Stoppe and Intel’s Pennside Drive-In are local favorites that continue to attract diners for classics like hamburgers, hot dogs, fries and, of course, ice cream.

Retro restaurants like these can be found everywhere from the biggest cities to rural backroads.

The latter is where you will find Schuylkill County’s favorite drive-in: Heisler’s Cloverleaf Dairy.

Random animal figurines line a shelf above the ice cream freezers at Heisler's Cloverleaf Dairy

Heisler’s is like a mix of Schell’s, Boehringer’s and the Works. It’s a retro quick-service restaurant with homemade ice cream. It’s also a mini-golf mecca with two 18-hole courses. Add to that the driving range, arcade and gift shop, and Heisler’s has to be considered an entertainment destination.

Though only a 45-minute drive from Reading, Heisler’s feels like another world. The complex grew up around the original Heisler’s dairy farm, which explains why it feels like the middle of nowhere, three miles from the nearest numbered highway (Route 895) along a windy, two-lane road.

Yet when we pulled up, the parking lot was packed with customers from all over, including several from Berks County (the Fleetwood Tigers and SV Panthers shirts gave away their hometowns).

Despite the crowded parking lot, there wasn’t much of a line to order – most of the people seemed to already be on the golf course or eating – so we were helped quickly.

a cardboard tray with two burgers and a boat of crinkle fries from Heisler's Cloverleaf Dairy

Our order was fairly simple: a cheeseburger for Julie, a hamburger for me, an order of fries to share and two bottles of water. And it was out in a hurry.

The burgers were fresh off the grill. I prefer the basics: LTO. I have no complaints about the burger. It’s fast food not gourmet. Don’t expect anything more and you won’t be disappointed.

The crinkle cut fries were a bit of a letdown though. I have to assume they had been sitting for a moment before being served because they warm, not hot, and a little hard as opposed to crispy.

I’ve had their fries when piping hot and they are very good. This was an off-day for them.

View of colorful bushes set against green carpets of a miniature golf course

Between dinner and dessert, we took time to play 18. When I was a child, my parents had brought us to Heisler’s once or twice. The old miniature golf course (and tepee) is gone, replaced in 2003 by two more modern courses.

The Black Diamond Fairways features a coal mine theme, complete with a rock waterfall. It’s also the busier of the two (especially with kids). We decided for the faster, calmer round at Lewistown Fairways.

It’s a beautiful course that’s fun and challenging enough that Julie couldn’t luck into a win against my 3-under performance.

man and woman pose for a selfie as the man drinks from a styrofoam cup with the cloverleaf logo of Heisler's cloverleaf Dairy Bar

After working up our appetites again, we were at the dessert window (desserts are ordered at the front of the building, hot food at the side).

I went with a very…vanilla option, choosing a vanilla milkshake over more complicated desserts. I can’t help it; I love milkshakes. And Heisler’s milkshakes are not too runny, not too thick and sized just right. They work just as well for dessert as they do with your meal.

When it comes to desserts, Julie is more of a go-big-or-go-home kind of girl. She went with the peanut butter sundae with vanilla ice cream, peanut butter topping, whipped cream and a cherry on top.

styrofoam cup with ice cream topped with whipped cream and a cherry from Heisler's Cloverleaf Dairy

It must have been good because she devoured it pretty fast. We had absolutely nothing to complain about at dinner.

For everything – dinner, miniature golf and dessert – we spent around $35. Not bad for an evening of food and entertainment.

A few other notes for those who have never been to Heisler’s or haven’t been there in a while:

  • Heisler’s is CASH ONLY. There’s an ATM on site if you forget, but who wants to pay those fees?
  • The Waffle Shop is still there, but it’s no longer serving waffles and ice cream. It has been converted into a private party area.
  • Most of the seating is located under a large pavilion. It can fill up at the dinner rush so be prepared to not get a table, just in case.

Heisler’s is a fun time with good food. Yes, there are plenty of places in Berks County to get similar food and a similar experience, but sometimes it’s nice to just go for a drive and explore something different.

And for us, Heisler’s is worth a drive, if only once a year.

Heisler’s Cloverleaf Dairy
743 Catawissa Rd
Tamaqua, PA 18252

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Review: The Pike Cafe

Yellow building with red awning and a sign that reads "The Pike Cafe"

We’ve spent a lot of 2017 visiting restaurants that are new to Reading and Berks County.

I couldn’t wait to visit highly anticipated restaurants like Gettin’ Crabby at the Crab Barn and Fork & Ale.

But sometimes, you have to also experience the classics that we’ve neglected, places like Reading’s Pike Cafe.

The “World Famous” Pike Cafe is a true gem in the city. The corner of Pike and Moss isn’t exactly in a part of the city that sees a lot of outside traffic – except for those coming to the Pike.

One of the best parts about the Pike is that it has one of the largest parking lots in the city. And it needs it. We arrived at about 5:15 p.m. on a Saturday night and got the last available table.

Take my advice and make a reservation, especially for the weekend dinner rush.

We were led around the U-shaped bar and into the back corner where they packed in the two-seat tables.

White plate of wings with carrot and celery sticks and a cup of ranch for dipping

It was our first time at the Pike so we had to try the wings – a perennial contender in every “Best Of” competition.

After my first bite, I get it.

The wings are advertised as Bell & Evans organic wings. Anytime you are ordering an organic protein, you can expect it to be smaller – without the growth hormones, the animals are a more natural size.

But what the organic wings lacked in size, they made up for in flavor. It’s everything that chicken should taste like, and without the excess meat, there’s a crunch to every bite. The wings were also able to absorb more of the flavor from the Montreal dry rub we chose.

Sauces and dry rubs aside, these are the only wings in Berks County that I would order naked (the wings, not me).

plate with a chicken sandwich and fries. the top bun has the word "Pike" burnt in

I got another taste of Bell & Evans chicken with my entree, the chicken bruschetta sandwich.

The sandwich featured a grilled chicken breast with house-made bruschetta, asiago cheese, balsamic drizzle and a bun branded with the Pike logo, just so there are no doubts where the sandwich came from.

First, the chicken was excellent. It was juicy, flavorful and clearly not processed. The bruschetta was very good, though I would have preferred smaller pieces of tomato (the large chunks tended to fall out of the bun). The asiago cheese was the perfect choice for the sandwich, and it had just the right amount of balsamic.

Toasting the bun didn’t just add branding, it added a crunchy texture that the sandwich needed to make it truly feel like bruschetta.

I almost forgot to mention the fries. Hand-cut, skin-on, golden brown – this is how fries are supposed to be. I wouldn’t call them the best in town, but I definitely enjoyed them.

Wrap filled with pepperoni and steak meat with a side of chips

Julie went with another Pike Cafe original dish, the pepperoni cheesesteak supreme wrap.

Ribeye chipped steak, pepperoni, mushrooms, caramelized onion, marinara and Provolone were combined in a flour wrap.

It tasted exactly as I imagined it would. While the steak was the base, the pepperoni came through strong. In the one bite Julie allowed me to have, I could pick up the onion and mushrooms, and the melted Provolone helped pull everything together.

Skipping the fries, Julie opted instead for the potato chips – Sweet Maui onion flavored. If you like onions, you’ll appreciate this as a refreshing change from a typical kettle chip. If you don’t like onions, get the fries.

plate of fried ice cream topped with whipped cream, cherry and chocolate drizzle

We were comfortably full after our entrees, but I couldn’t leave the Pike without dessert, or more specifically, the Pike Crème Cafe.

The crème cafe features deep-fried ice cream with whipped cream, honey and chocolate syrup served on a powdered sugar tortilla. Admit it, you couldn’t pass that up either.

We probably would have been more than satisfied with the fried ice cream. The addition of a crisp outer shell is always welcome with vanilla ice cream. The tortilla was good – a fried tortilla shell like you would get in a taco salad – but it was almost too much fried food for dessert.

Still, I didn’t regret it.

That was more than enough for us to leave the Pike Cafe satisfied. Our total was just shy of $40 (one iced tea was also included in that). All told, it felt like a reasonable price for everything that we had.

I don’t know if the Pike Cafe really is “World Famous,” but it’s definitely famous in Reading and Berks County for good reason.

Once you visit for the first time, you’ll get it, too.

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

Pike Cafe
930 Pike St
Reading, PA 19604

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Review: Wyomissing Restaurant and Bakery

exterior of Wyomissing Restaurant & Bakery

“Shady Maple north east.”

Those are the words of Hamid Chaudhry as he described his vision for the Wyomissing Family Restaurant to the Reading Eagle in December, shortly after he became the new owner.

Lofty goals, indeed for a restaurant that had fallen on hard times in the years before. On our walks and drives through town, we could see the number of cars in the parking lot slowly start to shrink.

But new ownership has breathed new life into the location, and spawned a new name, the Wyomissing Restaurant and Bakery.

griddle station with chalkboard signs reading "pacncakes and french toast" and "bacon, scrapple, toast"

When Julie and I visited for Sunday brunch a few weeks ago, the parking lot was fuller than we could remember seeing in a long time. Thankfully, despite the crowd, there was no wait for a table for those of us doing the brunch buffet.

We were seated with all of the other buffet-goers in what would be the banquet room. With no large groups closing off the space, it was the closest seating to the all-you-can-eat  smorgasbord.

buffet station with various breakfast and lunch items

Five stations of varying size waited for me and my fellow eaters. On the left sat a small table where I found my orange juice and assorted breads for toasting.

Against the back wall was the griddle, where pancakes, French toast and omelets were made to order. A hot bar in the middle featured breakfast favorites: scrambled eggs, ham, bacon and three kinds of potatoes, as well as a couple lunch options like mac and cheese.

I started among these three stations, choosing cream chipped beef over toast, homefries and French toast for plate number one.

plate with cream chipped beef on toast, French toast triangles and homefries

I was expecting one slice of French toast with my order. I got three, and loved them. The powdered sugar was there for you to sprinkle on yourself so I added just the right amount of sweetness for myself.

The chipped beef was also very good (had I known I was getting three slices of French toast, I probably would have skipped it, though). It was rich, but not too much. The homefries were good, though I had to add a little salt and pepper to them.

plate with French toast triangles, red skinned potatoes, mini sausages, scrambled eggs and a cup of syrup

Julie’s seasoned potatoes were quite the opposite. If anything, they were a little oversalted. She enjoyed her French toast as well (throwing a few chocolate chips on for good measure). The bite-sized sausage links were very flavorful, and the eggs were also nicely done.

Not a bad first plate for either of us.

With plate two, we both migrated to the middle island and lunch. The full salad bar was open with two kinds of soup and two pasta options (the soup, salad and pasta buffet station is available for lunch every day).

plate with a bowl of borccoli soup, vegetable lasagna, ziti in sauce and a small dinner roll

I had a bowl of cream of broccoli soup with a helping each of vegetable lasagna and penne pasta with clam sauce.

The vegetable lasagna was delicious, with layers of pasta, cheese and plenty of veggies (broccoli, carrots, and more). The cream of broccoli soup was good, too, though if I wasn’t blogging, I probably wouldn’t have needed both the soup and the lasagna. I’m also not a fan of clams, but I tried the pasta and actually enjoyed it. It wasn’t too clammy, though you could definitely taste it.

plate with a salad topped with hard-boiled eggs with two cubes of jello

Julie’s second plate was a little lighter as she went for the more traditional salad options. She was happy to see that her favorite item from the old salad bar was still there: Jell-O. The options were actually very impressive, with a wide variety to build a nice side salad or even make it an entree.

The final station was serving up sweets: waffles and soft ice cream. For research purposes, Julie and I both made mini sundaes to cap off our brunch.

two cups of ice cream - one chocolate covered in ranbow sprinkles and chocolate syrup, the other vanilla topped with Oreo cookie crumbles

For $15 per person (discounts for seniors and children), the brunch buffet is definitely priced right. The buffet definitely seems like the way to go, with reasonable prices for breakfast, lunch and dinner throughout the week.

While we were at the ice cream station, we had a chance to chat with Hamid Chaudhry. In between hosting duties, he was greeting regulars and striking up conversation with newcomers.

“What do you think of the changes?” he asked.

Julie and I both agreed, the changes are positives.

It’s not Shady Maple, but as long as the restaurant holds on to those aspirations, it will be a great buffet.

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

Wyomissing Restaurant and Bakery
1245 Penn Ave
Wyomissing, PA 19610

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Review: Longacre’s Modern Dairy

lighted sign with an image of an ice cream sundae and the words "Longacre's Old Fashioned Dairy Bar" with a red arrow pointing right

One of the great things about the suggestions we got for ice cream shops is that they represent all parts of Berks County.

It forces me to visit corners of the county that I don’t get to very much, but ice cream is a great reason to go anywhere.

Especially to Barto, where the highly acclaimed Longacre’s Modern Dairy and Old Fashioned Dairy Bar has been crafting and serving homemade ice cream since 1940.

When we made the turn off Route 100, the parking lot was nearly full. I pulled into the last of the three rows, next to a car with a New York license plate.

On our way in, we walked past the soft-serve shack, where one lonely employee sat, waiting for customers that just kept walking by.

small seating area with wood paneling and tables for four with metal chairs

The setup inside Longacre’s is very different from anywhere else. Walking inside, the ice cream counter is straight ahead. There is a small dining area off to the left with tables and booths, and to the right are the refrigerators and freezers where you can get not only ice cream, but milk, eggs and more dairy products to go.

wooden board with slots with the names of ice cream flavors in red, orange, blue and yellow letters

Four or five girls work behind the counter, taking turns assisting customers (very similar to the Jigger Shop, which we visited recently). But the counter is only for ordering. After you get your ice cream, you have to turn around and stand in line again, this time for the cash register on the opposite wall.

Once we paid, we went outside and grabbed a bench to enjoy our ice cream in the cool night air.

sugar cone of chocolate ice cream

My choice was the bear paw: chocolate ice cream with brownie bits, walnuts and caramel swirl. It was a hefty scoop. Longacre’s doesn’t skimp on portions.

The first thing that you notice is the creaminess. It was heavier than any other ice cream that I have tried so far.

The chocolate flavor was strong. I loved the brownie bits (very reminiscent of the Death by Chocolate at Lori’s Candy Station), and I do love walnuts with my brownies. The caramel was a welcome addition as well.

All in all, it was some of the best ice cream that I have tried in Berks County and beyond.

cone of vanilla ice cream with chocolate chunks

Julie went with a more familiar flavor with her moose tracks (vanilla ice cream with hard-shell chocolate and mini peanut butter cups).

Like mine, the ice cream was very creamy. According to the Longacre’s website, the mini peanut butter cups are from Gertrude Hawk so the add-ins were definitely quality.

It made a difference, too. When you hear moose tracks — in our region at least — you think of Hershey’s. Hershey’s can’t compare. And it’s not even that close.

Best of all, our two cones were less than $8. We did go back in for a $1 bottle of water (do yourself a favor, get the water when you get your ice cream).

diner booth in a wood paneled dining room with a menu that reads "Longacre's Dairy Bar"

Longacre’s is certainly unique, and after visiting there, I can say it is some of the best ice cream that you will find. And with their prices, it’s a great places for families.

If you do go, be prepared to wait, especially during peak hours, because everyone else seems to agree.

But don’t let that stop you. It’s worth the wait (and the drive).

Longacre’s Modern Dairy
1445 PA-100
Barto, PA 19504

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Review: Carvel 5th Street Highway

exterior of Carvel's location along the 5th Street Highway in Reading, PA

I have to admit that when I asked for suggestions on ice cream places in Berks County, I hadn’t anticipated the love for Carvel.

Quite frankly, I was surprised to get any support for Carvel. I always looked at them as just another chain, Dairy Queen light.

But you asked for it, so I begrudgingly gave it a try.

The small, angled parking lot off the Fifth Street Highway in Muhlenberg is not the easiest to get in and out of, but we were fortunate to find a space (with plenty of room to turn around after).

menu board at Carvel with photos of sundaes, Carvelanches, thick shakes and sundae dashers

Inside, I was pleasantly surprised to see a sign touting the local ownership of the franchise. A community bulletin board, complete with dry-erase board for doodling, adorned another wall.

Even though Carvel isn’t a local brand, this was definitely a local store.

Most of the seating is outside on picnic tables and Adirondack chairs. After ordering at the counter — and waiting while our server made each item, one at a time — we grabbed two of the chairs, sat back and tried to not drip ice cream on ourselves.

Ice cream sundae in a clear plastic cup with with caramel and whipped cream next to a cup of soft serve blended with peanut butter cups

There were plenty of options: cones, sundaes, shakes. But I wanted something more. That’s why I ordered the bananas Foster sundae dasher.

Sundae dashers differ from a traditional sundae because the toppings are layered in with the ice cream. So I had caramel and bananas throughout, instead of just on top.

The toppings were great (if you’re a fan of the blog, you know I’m a sucker for bananas Foster). And I love that they were layered in, but not blended so every scoop was a little different.

I wasn’t as big a fan of the vanilla soft serve. To me, it tasted too much like DQ, with the same heavy consistency. It was good, but didn’t wow me.

soft ice cream blended with peanut butter and peanut butter cups

Julie went with a more blended treat, one of their Carvelanches. Similar to a Dairy Queen Blizzard, the soft serve is blended with the toppings, in this case Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups.

Like mine, it was good, but wasn’t too different from similar items that she’s had before. Still, it’s ice cream and peanut butter cups so it’s hard not to enjoy it.

The prices for everything were in line with other places, $11 for our two items (mine a medium, hers a small).

Overall, we enjoyed our trip to Carvel. I still wouldn’t put it at the top of my list, but I can see why others, especially those who live nearby, keep coming back.

It’s cool treats at a reasonable price in a locally-owned and operated store. You really can’t go wrong with that.

Carvel
3322 N. 5th St Hwy
Reading, PA 19605

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