Don’t get me wrong, there are some great restaurants in Berks County that have adventurous, creative menus. But for a quick lunch or a simple dinner with the family, less is more.
The restaurant has been a staple on Lancaster Avenue for more than 45 years. While the sign out front is retro cool, the inside feels clean and modern with wood floors, black tables and chairs, counter seating and a stainless steel order counter.
Above the order counter, the menu is scrawled out in colored marker on a black dry-erase board. It’s simple at its core: burgers and hot dogs (with hamburger BBQ and a pork roll sandwich thrown in) with fries, coleslaw and soup on the side.
Simple doesn’t mean boring, though. There are more than 20 specialty dogs and burgers to choose from, everything from California cheeseburgers and Chicago dogs to local twists like the Berks County dog with American cheese, scrapple and bacon or the Pagoda dog topped with hamburger BBQ.
I was flying solo on my visit and wanted to taste as much as I could so I ordered a Coney burger, a bacon BBQ dog and a small order of fries.
My food was out quickly – the burgers and dogs were ready and just needed assembling. I started in on the burger first, a traditional Coney burger with chili and cooked onions. The no-bean chili sauce was mild with a subtle flavor compared to the onions. The burger, itself, was a pretty standard fast-food patty so the chili did add a little extra savory flavor to it. The bun was a bit soggy by the end, but I had the fries to scoop up any sauce that fell out.
The fries were very good, fresh-cut and piping hot. The closest comparison I have to them are the fries from the Oley Fair. I gave them a little spritz of vinegar from the squeeze bottle on one of the tables and enjoyed every bite.
The hot dog was solid, too. It came topped with cheddar cheese, BBQ sauce and a strip of bacon. The Dog House uses Berks hot dogs, which I love. And BBQ bacon is usually my go-to burger order so I knew I would enjoy the flavor combination of the toppings.
With a bottle of iced tea to go with it, my total was just $17. It was more than enough food (though I forced it all, anyway), and I would have been fine with either a burger or a hot dog so I count this among the best bargains out there.
There’s nothing fancy about The Dog House. It’s good food and fast service – simplicity at its best.
BCE Rating Food: Good Ambiance: Good Service: Very Good Price: $
The Dog House 1216 Lancaster Avenue Reading, PA 19607
The GoggleWorks Center of the Arts has been a community hub since it opened more than 20 years ago. But it’s been missing something since 2019. That’s when the Belly Kitchen & Drinkery, the last restaurant to operate inside the center, closed its doors.
A new restaurant was announced in August of 2022 as part of a mult-year expansion project. In April 2026, nearly four years later, Thorn Alley Kitchen finally made its debut.
On a Friday afternoon in late May, Julie and I took a lunch date into the city to try Thorn Alley for the first time. We arrived a little after 11 a.m. and headed through the main entrance of the art center. Straight ahead is the GoggleWorks store and the Boscov Theater. To the left, a short hallway opens up into the restaurant.
While we stood at the order counter and looked over the menu, we watched as the two people seated at the bar got their burgers. Only one other table was in use, a single remote worker sat at one of the two-seaters in the expansive indoor space.
After ordering, we headed outside to the namesake “Thorn Alley” where tables were spread out between the two largest buildings on the Goggleworks campus. Umbrellas covered many of the tables, but the ex-factory buildings blocked a lot of the sun already.
We were the only ones outside, though a few groups passed through the seating area to head inside as we waited.
The food arrived after about 20 minutes. I had heard good things about Thorn Alley’s Korean fried chicken, but I didn’t think I could handle the full five-piece chicken meal at lunch. Instead, I ordered the chicken nugget version of the dish.
Both the dinner and the nugget version feature chicken marinated in soy and ginger and battered in rice flour. (The use of rice flour makes it gluten free). It’s served with four bottles of sauce: honey mustard, yuzu black pepper, sweet gochujang, and hot honey.
The presentation – with the chicken literally served on a pedestal – was top-notch, and the flavors were delicious. The chicken, itself, was very good. You could taste a little soy and ginger in every bite, and the breading was light and airy.
And I really enjoyed the sauces – the gochujang was the closest to a true BBQ sauce with a sweet and hot combination. The hot honey had similar notes while the yuzu black pepper brought a little more heat to the dish.
The only disappointment was the portion size – the five nuggets were one- and two-bite. They were gone quickly and not filling. Delicious? Yes. But I would have liked one or two more for the money.
Everything is ala carte at Thorn Alley so we also ordered a side of fries to share. The fries are listed as russet potatoes, twice-fried. These are essentially the same fries they serve at Cafe Sweet Street (whose owner is the board chair at the Goggleworks), and Sweet Street has some of our favorite fries around. These were just as good, just served in a smaller portion than we expected.
Julie ordered the pork belly tacos, a dish that immediately caught her eye. The tacos featured corn tortillas topped with pork belly stir-fried with carrots and scallions, topped with shredded cabbage and pineapple salsa.
Just like everything else, the tacos were delicious. The pork belly was perfect, a savory treat . There were also brief hints of sweet and sour from the salsa. Most places we visit will double-up on the corn tortillas, but Thorn Alley used one per taco, and the tacos held together. Most local spots also give three tacos to an order, but Thorn Alley serves them in orders of two.
In addition to our food, Julie ordered a lemonade, and I ordered an iced tea that was more ice than tea. With the drinks, it brought our total to $38.
We have paid more than $20 per person at other places in Berks County, but the portion sizes left us wanting more: one or two more nuggets, another taco, a few more fries.
I’m sure Thorn Alley Kitchen will continue to change and adapt – it’s only been a month since they opened – and we’ll be watching to see what changes come before we head back.
BCE Rating Food: Very Good Ambiance: Excellent Service: Good Price: $$$
Thorn Alley Kitchen GoggleWorks Center for the Arts 201 Washington Street Reading, PA 19601
Downtown Reading does not get enough credit for the excellent dining options it has. Sure, places like Judy’s, the Peanut Bar, and the Ugly Oyster have built reputations for themselves over the years. But downtown Reading is so much more than the lower blocks in and around Penn Street.
The Mexican spot is located along Oley Street in the former Outlet District, taking up a pair of storefronts in a strip mall across the former Reading Outlet Center. (The off-street parking is a big plus).
Our church, Renewed Spirit, holds services not far from the taqueria. We had their food brought in for events, but earlier this year we decided to take our congregation to them as a group of more than 20 descended upon the restaurant on a Sunday afternoon after worship.
The dining area of the restaurant was more than large enough to accommodate us along with the other couples, families and groups that were dining that day. The decor is reminiscent of a Mexican courtyard with faux stone arches and a clay tiled veranda.
With a party our size, and everyone ordering off the menu, it wasn’t fast food. It took some time to get everyone’s order down as our server worked her way around our table, doing her best to answer the barrage of questions about the menu items.
But there were plenty of chips and salsa to keep us going while we waited. There were two levels of salsa: a mild red that still had some heat on the back end and the hot, but flavorful, green salsa that I enjoyed (albeit in moderation). We also had some guac delivered to the table – fresh and flavorful, it was a nice way to cool down after the infusion of heat.
Everything is made to order so there was going to be a wait no matter what – and the restaurant was doing their best to not hold up the other customers dining in and taking out. So we were more than ready for lunch by the time our meals arrived.
I ordered the chilaquiles. Chilaquiles, from what I have read, is traditionally a breakfast dish. It consists of tortilla chips that are sauteed in enchilada sauce. Those are topped with cheese and choice of meat – chicken for me.
(The breakfast recipes I’ve seen generally have eggs on top).
This was my first time having the dish (and the first time I can recall seeing it on a menu). I was thoroughly impressed. The tortilla chips were softened by the cooking process. The whole dish felt smooth to the palate. There was a little heat in the sauce, but not much, and it was countered by the creaminess of the cheese. The chicken was well-spiced and was the right choice for a topping.
And Taqueria el Carreton doesn’t skimp on portions. I ate about half the plate and happily heated up the rest for lunch the following day.
Julie got the flautas – three deep fried chicken enchiladas topped with shredded lettuce, cheese and sour cream. As high as the lettuce was piled, it almost ate like a taco salad. It was just a matter of getting to the flautas underneath to find the savory chicken.
Jakob got a pair of tacos, pork with cilantro on top (he asked for no onions). He squeezed on a little of the lime juice and had the tacos done in short order.
We paid as a group, but our meals (along with my Jarritos) would have come out to about $40.
Everything we tried – and from the sounds of it, everything that our group tried – was very good. Not only would we go back, but we ordered catering from them about a month later where we enjoyed DIY tacos and enchiladas.
But we’re also excited to try even more of what the neighborhood has to offer. Across the street from el Carreton is Taqueria Jimenez. And closer to our church is Ave Maria Taqueria.
There’s more beyond that, too – Mexican, Indian, Chinese, Colombian, Haitian, and more. And I look forward to continued explorations of all of them.
BCE Rating Food: Very Good Service: Good Ambiance: Very Good Price: $$
Taqueria el Carreton 817 Oley Street Reading, PA 19604
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
The most underrated foodie destination in Berks County, hands down, is the City of Reading. There is such a diversity of culture and food, it really is incredible.
Cafe de Colombia stands out among Downtown Reading’s dining options.
The cafe opened in late 2020 at 645 Penn Street. It’s tucked back from the street, its entrance in the courtyard adjacent to the Santander building, just steps from the Reed & Court Garage where I paid $2 for an hour of parking at midday.
When I arrived around 12 noon, the restaurant was busy. Only a few tables remained but after placing my order at the counter, I was directed to the last table for two in the dining room where I waited for my food to arrive.
At the opposite end of the room was the cafe’s signature design element: a floor-to-ceiling recreation of a traditional facade of a home in Colombia, complete with veranda and porch accents in red, white and green.
The menu features a range of meal options including Colombian rice dishes and a unique hamburger, the haburguesa Columbiana topped with pineapple sauce, tartar sauce and Colombian pink sauce along with the usual lettuce, tomato and onion.
But the cafe was offering a great lunch special: a protein and two sides for $10. And I just couldn’t pass that up.
I ordered the carne asada with yellow rice and plantains, and about 10-15 minutes later, it was on the table in front of me.
It looked amazing, and it was. The steak was beautifully done – tender and juicy with a really nice flavor from the marinade. It was salty but also a little earthy from the herbs. I really enjoyed it.
The yellow rice was good, too, not too different from other yellow rice I’ve had, and the plantains were delicious, as expected.
It was a really delicious meal all the way around. Add on a mango juice that I grabbed from the fridge and the parking, and I still had lunch for less than $15.
Cafe de Colombia is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner so I’m thinking my next trip will be for breakfast.
But there are so many more places to visit in the city, too. And I look forward to trying as many as I can.
BCE Rating Food: Very Good Ambiance: Very Good Service: Excellent Price: $$
Cafe de Colombia 645 Penn Street Reading, PA 19601
Downtown Reading has nearly everything you can ask for in its restaurants. There’s incredible fine dining and greasy spoon diners, authentic cuisine from Puerto Rico and amazing Asian fusion.
And in Salt & Light Cafe, it has a unique coffee shop on Fifth Street in the heart of the city.
Salt & Light opened in April 2023, sharing a building with the Hope of Nations Christian Center. A large painting along the wall inside reads “Salt of the Earth. Light of the World” with a black and white outline of the city’s skyline.
The seating is cozy with a few comfy chairs, a couple tables along the opposite wall, a line of seats along a counter by the window, and outdoor seating for the warmer months.
Salt & Light’s menu is limited – plenty of hot drink options but the food is limited to assorted baked goods and crepes.
As always, I had to start with a cup of chai with oat milk. It came in a to-go container (which was convenient because I was still nursing it when I finished my meal). It was a nice spiced chai (I always get mine with oat mlk) and I appreciated that they went the extra mile with the logo on the cup.
The star of the show, though, was the crepe. I opted for one of the sweet choices – the cinnamon roll crepe.
It was stuffed with cinnamon, brown sugar and cream cheese – and it really did taste just like an actual cinnamon roll only lighter. The crepe was done perfectly and the whole thing just melted in my mouth with every bite.
The crepe felt like it took a little while to come out, but it was worth it in the end for a freshly prepared – and delicious – brunch.
And the prices at Salt & Light are very reasonable, too. My crepe and chai cost less than $15 combined.
Overall, I was very impressed, and I’m glad to see another community hub pop up in downtown Reading.
I’ll definitely be back.
BCE Rating Food: Very Good Service: Good Ambiance: Very Good Price: $
Salt & Light Cafe 134 N. Fifth Street Reading, PA 19601
Long-time followers of Berks County Eats know how much we have enjoyed our visits to Klinger’s pubs across the county over the years.
While I will always love the original Klinger’s on Carsonia, Klinger’s at the Airport has recently become our family’s go-to for both the food and the look on our son’s face when he sees a plane takeoff outside the window.
Our most recent visit reaffirmed how much we enjoy the restaurant by the runway at the Reading Regional Airport. Jump to Original Review from 2017
We stopped in on a Friday night around 5:30. The bar was full and the restaurant was bustling but there was still plenty of seating in the dining area and we were lucky enough to get a table by the window.
Even though it was already dark outside, the lights of the planes illuminated them just enough so that Jakob could watch them take off while we waited for our food to arrive.
For my meal, I ordered Klinger’s boneless wings – half Parmesan peppercorn and half Jameson Whiskey BBQ. The boneless wings were always a favorite of mine at the Carsonia location and they did not disappoint. Klinger’s BBQ sauce is one of my favorite wing sauces I’ve found – smokey and sweet. And the Parmesan peppercorn was creamy and mild.
The best part, I ordered 10 wings and got a full baker’s dozen in my basket.
Julie had the Cadillac quesadilla. The name is an homage to Klinger’s former location in Fleetwood and is a delicious take on a cheesesteak. In addition to the steak, cheese and grilled onions, the quesadilla is drizzled with barbecue sauce.
Though it comes served with salsa and sour cream on the side, the barbecue sauce adds a sweetness to the dish that makes the other sauces almost unnecessary.
For Jakob’s meal, we got him pasta and tater tots. The pasta was curly noodles that he didn’t need to cut which made it easy for him to clear his bowl. He did the same with his tots, leaving just three left when he declared “I’m full” at the end of the meal.
It took him a little longer than the rest of us to finish his food because there were at least 10 planes landing or taking off while we were there, and for a five-year-old, each one is an event that can’t be missed.
Joining us on our visit was my mother-in-law, Peggy, who loves Klinger’s fries – beer-battered and crispy. She enjoyed them alongside her cheeseburger.
Overall, it was a great meal and a great experience – exactly what we were hoping for with this family meal. And for the four of us, our total was under $80 (and we had a $5 off coupon).
BCE Rating Food: Very Good Ambiance: Very Good Service: Very Good Price: $$
Klinger’s at the Airport 2385 Bernville Rd Reading, PA 19605
Every great movie franchise is built on the trilogy. Think Lord of the Rings, the Dark Knight and Star Wars (the originals, obviously). That formula apparently works for restaurants, too.
With the opening of Klinger’s at the Airport at the end of 2016, the Klinger’s trilogy is now complete.
Berks County Eats has already visited the original Klinger’s on Carsonia, and last year, we visited the new Klinger’s of Fleetwood.
If I were starting a restaurant, the Reading Regional Airport would not be my ideal location. The airport hasn’t had regular passenger service since 2004.
But with the closing of Malibooz early last year, the space was open and Klinger’s stepped in.
The lights were mostly off in the terminal when we arrived, but Klinger’s was alive and well, tucked in a corner on the left side of the building.
It looks like a hole in the wall, but the dining area opens up from the entrance. To the right is a 360-degree bar. A large mural dedicated to aviation history decorates the wall behind it.
The rest of the dining room is filled with booths and tables, definitely the largest dining area of the three Klinger’s restaurants.
Our table was by one of the windows overlooking the airstrip. During our visit – a Tuesday night where we played Challenge the Pub trivia – we saw exactly one plane out the window, though whether it was coming or going, I couldn’t say.
Klinger’s is known for their bar food and for me, their wings are some of the best around. So we had to start our night with a basket – five Old Bay and five Jameson Whiskey BBQ.
Both flavors can be found at Klinger’s other restaurants, the Jameson Whiskey BBQ being the signature flavor. It’s sweet, and a little bitey. When I’ve had the wings at Carsonia, the sauce is laid on much thicker. This was lighter, but the flavor was still there. And the Old Bay is exactly what it sounds like, wings rubbed down in the classic seasoning, Julie’s favorite.
The menu looks similar to the other two locations, though each one has its own unique offerings. For instance, all three feature different varieties of chili. I had an opportunity to sample the habanero chili during the chili cook-off at this year’s Fire & Ice Festival and loved it. It was a little sweet with enough heat to make you take notice, but not enough to overpower everything else.
Another twist comes with the sandwiches. All three locations have a section for steak sandwiches, but only Fleetwood and the Airport have the Lone Star Style steak sandwich featuring sautéed onions, barbecue sauce, beer cheese and bacon.
It is a phenomenal mix of ingredients. The steak meat – real cuts of meat, not Steak-Ums – is a great base. The beer cheese and the barbecue sauce blend together really well for a sweet and smoky flavor. The thick-cut bacon adds a salty note and more smokiness. And the sautéed onions are the perfect finish.
This is no Philly cheesesteak, but it is one of the best sandwiches that I have tried in more than three years of Berks County Eats.
One of the only-at-the-airport menu additions is Stromboli – seven varieties made with beer dough. Julie decided to try the Classic – pepperoni, ham, mushrooms, onions, green peppers, mozzarella and marinara.
Klinger’s did a good job with this. The doughy shell is very good, though I couldn’t taste anything uniquely “beer dough” about it. What really stands out though is the sauce. It’s a thick, deep red sauce that is quite enjoyable for a place that doesn’t qualify as an “Italian restaurant.”
We were joined on our visit by our friends Matt and Hannah, who were very excited to see a cookie sundae on the dessert menu.
I have to say, after the meal, the sundae was a bit of a letdown. The chocolate chip cookie, though it looked cute with a faux face made of chocolate chunks – was disappointing. It was hard so it was difficult to cut and share. We finished off the ice cream and chocolate syrup but left some of the cookie behind.
For Julie and I, our total bill was around $30 (that included our two entrees, wings and an iced tea as Matt and Hannah picked up the tab for the cookie). Good luck coming in under $30 for dinner at PHL.
The new Klinger’s, despite its location, should prove successful. It follows a similar formula as its two sister restaurants: a cool atmosphere, rotating craft beers for the bar crowd, and great food.
Now that they have the three-peat, will Klinger’s try for four?
BCE Rating Food: Good Service: Good Ambiance: Very Good Price: Reasonable
Klinger’s at the Airport 2385 Bernville Rd Reading, PA 19605
Recently, I have been making a concerted effort to try to get out and try some of the newer restaurants in Berks County, places that have been around for months rather than years, and places that I haven’t been to before.
With a more flexible lunch than I’ve had in years past, I’ve been taking that time to explore these places on my own, such was the case with a recent visit to Tacos, Guac N Bowl.
The restaurant is nestled in a small space at the corner of Lancaster and Baker Avenues at the south end of Reading. The space was formerly home to Giannotti’s Pizza & Subs, which closed in November 2020. Tacos, Guac N Bowl opened a year later (almost exactly) and has been serving up Mexican specialties ever since.
Inside is limited seating, but there wasn’t anyone using it when I got there. There were, however, several guests were enjoying the outside patio which had plenty of umbrella-covered tables to shield the summer sun.
I took advantage of the online ordering, and in the time it took me to drive to the restaurant from Wyomissing, my order was ready packed and ready for pickup. Mine was one of several orders that were ready at the takeout counter which is always reassuring to see.
After a short drive back home and I was ready to dig in to my quesabirrias.
Quesabirrias are a cross between a taco a quesadilla and a taco – quesadilla-sized with cheese, choice of meet and the traditional taco toppings of onions and cilantro. All quesabirrias come with a cup of brothy birria sauce for dipping (if you haven’t had a birria taco and the accompanying sauce, it’s like an au jus but with some added spices and diced onions).
I got two – one with chorizo and one with the namesake birria (braised beef). The chorizo was good – a little spicy but not too bad – but the birria was amazing. The braised beef was so tender and flavorful. Both paired well with the dipping sauce, but it was clearly made to complement the birria and it did so very well.
Just because I could, I also added on an order of chips and salsa. The website says the chips are made fresh every day from masa, and I believe it. They have a little different texture – slightly softer than a manufactured chip. I would have liked a little more salt on them, but they were still good and the salsa was very good, too.
My meal only cost about $15 (or it would have if I hadn’t made an impulse buy of a Jarritos when I got there, tacking on another $3). I certainly didn’t feel cheated, and I had tortilla chips with my lunch for a couple days after that, too.
Next time, I’ll have to give the bowls a try – maybe even splurge for the guacamole, too.
And there will definitely be a next time. I was impressed by the food, the service, and the price. I recommend it for anyone looking for a quick, delicious lunch or dinner.
BCE Rating Food: Very Good Service: Excellent Ambiance: Good Price: Very Reasonable
Tacos, Guac & Bowl 1040 Lancaster Ave Reading, PA 19607
Of all the new restaurants that opened in 2021, Café Esperanza stands out.
First, the café is a non-profit, first envisioned by the congregation at Hope Lutheran Church on the opposite corner of Front and Greenwich Streets in Reading. And from concept to opening day took a decade of work.
The café and coffee shop has everything you expect – a selection of coffees and caffeinated beverages, breakfast and lunch options, comfortable seating and a cool vibe. It also has off-street parking, a rarity in the city (thanks to Hope’s parking lot). But it’s what’s missing that sets it apart from every other eatery in Berks County.
Look at the menu board, and you’ll notice that there are no prices. That’s because Café Esperanza is unique among Berks County restaurants – unique among Pennsylvania restaurants, for that matter – as the region’s only pay-what-you-can café.
What does that mean? Exactly what it sounds like. Whether you have $10, $5, $2, or nothing, everyone is welcome to a meal at Café Esperanza. No one is turned away.
But don’t confuse Café Esperanza with other charities. This is a real café. When I walked in for breakfast on a Thursday morning, there were a couple other patrons there. I walked up to the counter and ordered a chai latte and French toast. (Unfortunately, I was then told they were out of chai, so I settled for a hot chocolate instead).
The only difference was that instead of being told how much I owed, I was asked, “how much change would you like?”.
I walked back to the front of the dining area and took a seat on a sofa by the window. My hot chocolate arrived a short time later. It was very good, but hot chocolate always is. One thing to note: like all good cafes, customers have a choice of whole milk or non-dairy options for all drinks.
While the drink was good, the French toast was just about perfect. The presentation was better than most restaurants – three thick slices of French toast, dusted with powdered sugar, served on a plate with fresh strawberries and blueberries. The plate, itself, was served on a wooden board with a small cup of syrup.
Best of all, it tasted as good as it looked.
The bread used for the French toast had a nutty flavor to it which I enjoyed greatly, and despite the fact that it required a knife and fork to cut, it was melt-in-your-mouth good. And the fresh fruit on the side made it a healthy meal (right?).
For me, though, it’s not just that it was a great meal, but it is a worthy cause as well. Yes, I probably paid double than what I would have for the same meal anywhere else, but I paid that knowing that one or two others who need a meal can get one.
And you can’t put a price on that.
BCE Rating Food: Very Good Service: Excellent Ambiance: Excellent Value: Priceless
Café Esperanza 105 W. Greenwich St Reading, PA 19601
I, like a lot of Berks Countians, can trace my family history back to Germany. And I also happen to love German food, like what can be found at the Reading Liederkranz, a private club that bills itself as a “German Singing and Sport Society.”
I have been to the Liederkranz many times, but it was always for events (Oktoberfest and Christkindlmarkt) and never for a sit-down meal in the dining room.
Not being a member, that was never really an option until Julie and I were invited by our friends (and members) Jerry and Lisa to join them for dinner recently.
I don’t know what I was expecting to find inside the clubhouse, but this wasn’t it. For the most part, there’s nothing remarkable about the dining area. The diner chairs and vinyl tablecloths are a dark maroon while the walls are off-white with wood around the bottom. It’s all set against a drab gray carpet. The old-fashioned numbers on the tables made it feel even more like a diner in need of an upgrade. The bar area, as well, just felt like a bar when I walked past.
The only real distinguishing feature is the wooden dance floor which is set in front of a wall painted with a beautiful Alpine scene.
One thing that was clear from the start: if you’re in a hurry, this is not the club for you. There were a few tables taken in the large dining area (it was about 6:30 on a Thursday when we arrived). After being told to sit anywhere, it was a good 10 minutes before our server came to our table with menus.
As a German club, it’s not surprising that the menu at the Liederkranz is filled with a variety of traditional German meals. But there are other additions like burgers and sandwiches. Thursday is also wing night, but we decided to pass.
Julie, along with our friends Jerry and Lisa, decided to get the weekly special – a three-course meal that started with jumbo shrimp and a salad.
It was an interesting first course, jumbo shrimp being the least German item on our table throughout the night. The salad was good if you like lemon vinaigrette because it was strong and puckery. I happened to enjoy the bite I had, but I don’t think I could have handled the whole salad.
The entree for the three-course special was sauerbraten with a side of spätzle and red cabbage. Sauerbraten is a German pot roast that has been heavily marinated with pickling spices, making it slightly sour but also very tender.
The roasted beef is almost always served with gravy, but this version was different. The gravy was thick and had raisins throughout. The sweetness from the dried fruit gave the whole dish a sweet-and-sour spin that is very pleasant and helped it stand out from similar dishes.
The spätzle (German pasta) were very finely cut noodles. They were a little crispy in some bites – so small that they seared quickly in the pan. Still, they were enjoyable as was the red cabbage – a personal favorite of mine from our visits to the Oktoberfest celebration.
Red cabbage was also one of my choices for a side to go with my schnitzel.
The menu includes the “Schnitzel Ecke” (schnitzel corner) where you can choose from three styles of schnitzel and two cuts of meat – pork or chicken. I went with the “gypsy style.” The fried chicken cutlet came topped with pan-fried onions, peppers and paprika.
I’ve had plain schnitzel at Oktoberfest and enjoyed it each time. This was better. The paprika gave it just a hint of heat while the onions and peppers popped in every bite. It was just what I was hoping for.
The other item on my plate was the German potato salad. It’s a cold potato salad that features large chunks of potato with herbs and vinegar. It’s slightly sour – like a lot of German foods – but so good. I won’t eat the Pennsylvania Dutch version of potato salad, but I love this.
When she came to clear our plates, our waitress asked if I wanted to order anything for dessert since everyone else would be getting it with their meals. Julie was gracious enough to share her apple strudel with me so I didn’t have to order one of my own.
The plate had two slivers of strudel with a pool of custard and four dollops of whipped cream. Another favorite of ours from our Oktoberfest visits, the strudel is delicious. The apple and pastry crust melt in your mouth while the custard is rich and sweet. It doesn’t get much better than this.
It was a little while again before our checks arrived. Our server was very nice but it was a good thing we weren’t in a hurry. Our final tally for the night was $40 which seems like a fair price for quality food.
The waiting aside, it was an enjoyable evening with friends and good food. I would consider a membership in the future, but with 300 restaurants in Berks County left to explore, I don’t think I would get my money’s worth out of it right now. But we definitely got our money’s worth for this meal.
Danke schön, Liederkranz.
BCE Rating Food: Very Good Service: Good Ambiance: Fair Price: Reasonable
Reading Liederkranz (Members and Guests Only) 143 Spook Ln Reading, PA 19606
