penne pasta topped with vodka sauce
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Review: Mom Chaffe’s Cellarette – West Reading

brick building with a retro sign that reads "Mom Chaffe's" in script

While there are plenty of places in Berks County for a date night, there are far fewer places that Julie and I choose to visit for special occasions. 

One of the restaurants that has become a celebration spot for us is Mom Chaffe’s Cellarette in West Reading. 

It has been more than a decade since our first visit (and first review) of Mom Chaffe’s. Our last visit came three years ago during West Reading Restaurant Week. 

Three years is a long time so we were ready to go back, and with our anniversary approaching, Mom Chaffe’s felt like the perfect place to celebrate.

We arrived about 15 minutes early for our 6 p.m. reservations. We were surprised to find the dining room mostly empty. Apparently everyone else had reservations for 6 or 6:30 because it quickly filled up behind us with just a few tables left open just a short time later. 

dining room with upholstered banquette and tables with pale green tablecloths

The restaurant is celebrating 90 years in 2026, and the dining room maintains a lot of historic charm – from the ornate bar to the framed oil paintings that fill the walls to the chandeliers that hang from the textured ceiling. The table linens add to the upscale feel, but Mom Chaffe’s still feels approachable and there were plenty of diners in the room dressed casually. 

Our server was with us quickly. Even after the room filled up, she was never far when we needed something. 

Mom Chaffe’s has a relatively small menu, especially compared to other Italian restaurants in the area. That’s not to say there aren’t plenty of choices – from traditional pastas with red sauce and choice of meat to more creative seafood and veal dinners. And there are always great specials.

slices of canteloupe wrapped in thinly sliced prosciutto laying on a bed of greens and drizzled with balsamic

We ordered one of the restaurant’s appetizer specials: prosciutto-wrapped melon. 

It was a very different, but very enjoyable, dish. It featured three thick slices of cantaloupe wrapped in thin slices of prosciutto atop a bed of greens. Everything was then drizzled with balsamic vinegar. 

There were moments with the balsamic and the general brightness of it that it reminded me of Caprese, but the sweet and salty combination of the melon and prosciutto was unique – and very enjoyable. 

penne pasta topped with vodka sauce

For my main course, I again ordered off the specials menu – penne pasta with hot Italian sausage in a vodka sauce. It was excellent – exactly the right amount of spice to add flavor and make me feel it while not being unbearable. The vodka sauce would have been good even without the meat, creamy and delicious. And the pasta held it all together well. If it were a regular menu item, I would order it again. 

white crock of lasagna topped with sauce and cheese

Julie went with one of Mom Chaffe’s classic entrees – the lasagna. Only available Thursday through Saturday, it’s a favorite of many. And you can include us among those after this meal. The lasagna comes in a large crock with layers of noodle and ricotta cheese topped with a delicious red sauce. 

salad greens with sliced cucumber and carrot sticks topped with Parmesan peppercorn dressing

Our meals also came with salads, and Julie and I both decided on the Parmesan peppercorn dressing. The salads are simple – greens with onions, a couple cherry tomatoes, some cucumber and sliced carrots. The dressing was delicious, a little thick, but with the nutty notes of Parmesan with the little spice of the pepper. 

Because of the salads – and because we wanted to save room for dessert – we both took half of our meals home for dinner the next night. 

slice of white cake layered with white icing with a dusting of coconut flakes and a dollop of whipped cream

The dessert options change regularly. On this night, it was the coconut cake that caught our attention. Layers of white cake were separated by frosting with coconut flakes on the icing and the plate. There was also a dollop of whipped cream that added just that little extra decadence to it. Overall, it was a great way to finish the meal. 

In total, including an iced tea for me and a mixed drink for Julie, we spent about $100 on food and drinks, but that included four courses and enough entrees for leftovers. The food was excellent, too, so I would say it was well worth the price. 

At 90 years old, Mom Chaffe’s is as good as ever – good enough to keep us coming back for more. 

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

Mom Chaffe’s Cellarette
148 Tulpehocken Avenue
West Reading, PA 19611

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Original Review: February 2014

menu front that reads Mom Chaffe's with an image of a woman in glasses and the words Est. August, 1936

For such a small town, West Reading has a seemingly endless array of restaurants.

No less than 30 restaurants and cafes are packed into the town’s 1.5 square miles. From French cuisine to fried chicken and from vegetarian to Mediterranean, foodies can find a world of flavors in this tiny borough.

While most will never venture from the Penn Avenue and the vibrant downtown area, there is much more to this wonderful small town.

Tulpehocken Avenue shoots off from the 5th Avenue traffic circle. Blink and you may miss it and the hidden gem that it holds.

Mom Chaffe’s Cellarette looks like every other home on the block, except for the brightly lit sign proclaiming “Italian Food” and “Cocktails.”

A small brass plate on the front has a simple inscription: “Mom Chaffe’s Est. 1936.”

It is amazing that any restaurant could survive for nearly 80 years, especially one like Mom Chaffe’s, which still does not have a website, a Facebook page or any other online presence. What it does have are loyal customers and 78 years of history on its side.

Like West Reading, itself, Mom Chaffe’s packs a lot into a small space. At times it is too much as the wait staff is forced to navigate a maze of tables and chairs in the main dining room. Even the walls are cramped, with dozens of paintings fighting over the limited space.

What’s not cramped is the menu. It’s very limited-two pages of pasta, antipasto and entrees with a handful of specials added daily.

One of the specials on this night was the Italian fried hot peppers, which were served as an appetizer with sliced tomato and mozzarella over lettuce.

close-up photo of Italian long hot peppers

Though the dish was served cold, there was no escaping the heat. These were some very spicy peppers, loaded with heat and flavor. The creamy chunks of mozarella were a perfect compliment to the peppers, and along with the tomato and lettuce helped cool the taste buds.

While I was adventurous with the appetizer, I played it conservative with my meal and opted for fedelini with tomato sauce and meatballs.

photo of meatballs atop a plate of spaghetti

The two meatballs were massive, clearly hand-formed and full of flavor. The sauce was bright red and thick, one of the best I have found in the area. My only complaint is that there was enough of it to mix with the mound of pasta that was buried underneath.

bowl with lasagna smothered in red sauce

Across the table, my wife went with the lasagna (which is only available Thursday through Sunday). I wish I had made the same decision because the one bite of hers I tried was delicious. The lasagna featured both ground meat and thinly sliced sausage layered with pasta and cheese and topped with the same thick tomato sauce as my pasta. It was a meaty, yet balanced dish that I enjoyed as much as any lasagna I’ve tried (and was enough that she took home half for the next day’s lunch).

slice of chocolate cake on a plate with a dollop of whipped cream

The dessert tray was sitting on a table near us, and after staring at it for most of our meal, there was no way we were going to be leaving without some. It was all fairly standard cakes and cheesecakes (I would venture to guess that these were not made in house, but at another local business). I went with a chocolate cake with a filling of ricotta and dried fruit. The cake itself was very dark, but the filling was incredibly sweet, with pieces of pineapple, apricot and other fruit mixed in for added texture.

In a restaurant with such limited seating, I had expected the prices to be higher to compensate. Instead, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the prices were in line any other restaurant with entrees falling in the $15-25 range. For our appetizer, two entrees and two slices of cake, our final bill was just over $50.

Overall, Mom Chaffe’s is a great little place for fine Italian food. If you go, make sure you save room. And be sure to call ahead or there may not be room for you.

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

Mom Chaffe’s Cellarette
148 Tulpehocken Ave
West Reading, PA 19611

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dark gray rectangular serving dish with five pieces of breaded shrimp on a yellow sauce
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Review: The Inn on Main in Oley, PA

Front porch of a restaurant with a sign hanging on that reads "Inn on Main"

It often takes a while before I get to return to a restaurant. Even if it’s a great meal, there are so many restaurants to try that I can go years in between meals at a given place. 

Two years ago, we visited the Inn on Main in Oley for the first time. We had a great meal, and the historic inn was a beautiful setting, but we hadn’t found a time to return. 

Recently, though, I was invited back to try some of the Inn’s new menu items, and I couldn’t pass it up. 

painting of a covered bridge on an exposed stone wall

We arrived on a Thursday evening and were greeted by Lexi, who was serving as hostess, server and bartender. She seated us at a high top in the bar room, which was surprisingly full. (There were only a couple tables taken between the two larger dining rooms). Almost all of the barstools were taken, as were most of the other tables. 

high-top tables next to windows with exposed brick beams in between

The bar area captures the 140-year-old charm of the inn. The original stone walls are exposed above the chair rails, and the wooden beams are visible as well. The wooden floors and ceilings are contrasted by the more modern light fixtures that hang above the bar.

plate with two slices of bread and a cup of butter

Our meal started with a delivery of bread and butter, two slices with a seeded crust that helped tide us over until the appetizers arrived. 

The chef had selected two apps for us to try – coconut shrimp and spinach balls. 

white boat filled with spinach balls next to a small cup of homemade honey mustard

The spinach balls were like a spinach dip rolled up into six meatball-sized balls and served with a cup of homemade honey mustard, which was actually the best part of the dish. It looked nothing like store-bought honey mustard – dark in color with tiny mustard seeds. The taste was more sweet with the flavor of the mustard seeds with mild acidity. The spinach balls, themselves, were good, but a little dry. But the honey mustard took care of it while adding its own flavor. 

dark gray rectangular serving dish with five pieces of breaded shrimp on a yellow sauce

While the spinach balls were good, the coconut shrimp was our favorite of the two. Five large shrimp were breaded, deep-fried and served with sweet chili sauce. I don’t like seafood, but I actually really enjoyed it. The panko breading was light and had the bright notes of the coconut. The sweet chili sauce wasn’t overly sweet, but I liked the little bit of heat that it brought.

We were already starting to feel full after the two appetizers, but we were still looking forward to our entrees – tenderloin tips for me and lobster roll for Julie. The meals arrived a few minutes after we finished our appetizers.

plate of mashed potatoes topped with steak tips and onion straws with a side of green beans

My tenderloin tips were served on a bed of mashed potatoes and topped with frizzled onions and a gorgonzola sauce. The tenderloin tips were cooked perfectly to order and flavorful on their own, the bites where I could get a little bit of everything were the best. The potatoes were garlicky, and the frizzled onions had a little unexpected kick to them. The creamy gorgonzola helped bring everything together. 

The only thing I didn’t love were the green beans, the day’s seasonal side. With such strong flavors in everything else, it felt like the beans were just there because they had to be. As much food as I had already, I didn’t feel bad about leaving some green beans uneaten. 

basket lined with red and white checkered paper with a lobster roll and waffle fries

Julie loved both her lobster roll and the OV fries that came with it. The Inn on Main has three options for lobster roll. Julie got the Connecticut style with warm butter. (They also serve Maine style with chilled mayo and OV style with warm garlic butter). There were large chunks of lobster on the classic New England-style roll. The butter perfectly complemented the rich meat. Though the sandwich wasn’t large, it was filling and satisfying. 

Her OV fries, the Inn’s signature style, were also very good. The waffle fries came tossed in Old Bay with a side of cheese sauce for dipping. Simple, but delicious, we took more half of them home to enjoy the next day. 

a glass of iced tea next to a pink drink in a martini glass

In addition to the meals, I had an iced tea while Julie tried one of the Inn’s signature cocktails: the Oley Valley pomtini – vanilla vodka, limoncello and pomegranate juice with a sugar rim. It was strong and a little sweet – a really good drink. 

Our entrees would typically cost $32 each while the spinach balls and coconut shrimp would be $11 and $15, respectively. 

menu for the Inn on Main in Oley, Pa

We spent $75 for two entrees on our previous visit so the prices feel comparable to two years ago and a good value for the quality and quantity of the food. (Because I ordered off the “highlight menu,” my meal didn’t come with a side salad like the filet and other entrees). 

Despite working multiple tables and the bar, our server was attentive all evening, and the kitchen kept pace – we were finished with our meals after a little more than an hour. 

Two years was too long in between meals at the Inn on Main. The food, the setting, service – it’s all good enough to keep us coming back. 

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

The Inn on Main
401 Main Street
Oley, PA 19547

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Original Review: November 2024

front porch of the historic inn now known as the Inn on Main in Oley, PA

While I love exploring “new” and modern restaurants, I will never tire of the dining experience at a historic country inn. There is something about the ambiance that just makes it feel like a special experience. 

And that was certainly the case on our visit to the Inn on Main in Oley. 

map mural of the state of Pennsylvania with county outlines with three hex signs and a wine bottle pouring wine toward Berks County

Julie and I had a rare date night in early November and decided to make the trip from our home base in Wyomissing to the village of Oley. Driving up Friedensburg Road from Route 73, the Inn appears directly in front of you, a historic welcome sign of sorts. 

Formerly known as the Oley Valley Inn, the historic property dates to the late 1800s and it maintains many of the charms of yesterday. The floor, though stained a dark color, appears to be original. As do the wooden walls. An interior window near the entrance features a stained glass image of the US Constitution.

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

But there are modern touches, as well. The retro Edison bulbs overhead light a dining room filled with dark wooden tables with black accents. And a large mural covers a dark painted brick wall near the entrance. On it, the state of Pennsylvania with hex sign designs and a bottle pouring a drink that is spilling toward Oley. 

The menu is a mix of old and new – American comfort food but with a few more modern additions. There are steaks and chops and chicken dishes. But there are also truffle fries, surf and turf chili, and garlic Parmesan shrimp. 

stuffed chicken breast topped with red sauce over a bed of pesto spaghetti

I ordered the Italian stuffed chicken breast from among the four chicken dishes on the menu. The Italian stuffing consisted of prosciutto, Italian cheeses, and sundried tomatoes. It was topped with red sauce, but served over a bed of pesto pasta. 

It was a unique take on chicken Parmesan that I really enjoyed. The breaded chicken was delicious on its own, but the saltiness of the prosciutto and the creaminess of the cheese added more depth to the dish. And I love how sundried tomatoes provide such an intense flavor in small bites. 

The combination of red sauce and pesto in the same dish was different, but it was a nice contrast. And I would definitely order it again. 

black plate with a Caesar salad

Pasta dishes come with the choice of a house or Caesar salad. For mine, I chose the Caesar. I was a little disappointed in that it took longer to come out than I would have hoped. (I was still eating it when the main course arrived), but it was a good salad. 

black plate with three slices of bread and a cup of butter

We did get a plate of bread with herbed butter before our meals, though.

steak topped with meleted butter with a baked potato, broccoli and a cup of chimichurri sauce

For her entree, Julie decided to splurge on a steak. It did not disappoint. The 8 oz. filet was cooked to a perfect medium. It came topped with butter that quickly melted over the cut of steak. And while Julie ordered – and enjoyed – a side of chimichurri sauce, the steak ultimately didn’t need any more flavor. It was perfect as it was. 

The sides for the evening were a baked potato and broccoli. Both were good, but easily outshined by the steak. 

Unfortunately our meals left us with no room for dessert. (Julie brought a little bit of her steak home to have with a salad at lunch later in the week). 

All told, our meal was about $75 which felt in line for the elevated meals that we were served. 

It was a nice night out at the historic inn. At 140 years old, I’d say the Inn on Main is about as good as ever. 

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

The Inn on Main
401 Main Street
Oley, PA 19547

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white plate with pasta in tomato sauce topped with a stuffed eggplant and shaved parmesan cheese
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Review: Stefano’s Ristorante & Bakery Cafe

exterior of a strip mall with the word "stefano's" in cursive and "ristorante and bakery" in all caps above the entrance

In early 2025, one of our favorite Italian restaurants – Mangia – closed after 15 years in business. Suddenly, we needed a new go-to Italian spot. 

I think we may have found it with the newly opened Stefano’s Ristorante & Bakery Cafe. 

Stefano’s first opened their doors in January 2026 before celebrating its grand opening the following month. The restaurant took over the former Mary Jane’s Kitchen along State Hill Road. 

tables for two sit against a wall with horizontal wood panels in a restaurant dining room

Two doors down is The Original Mama’s Pizza (our son’s favorite pizza), and while you can get Italian at both, the two restaurants could not be more different.

Mama’s is your typical takeout-first pizza place with a counter of ready-to-heat slices while Stefano’s is a full-service, sit-down dining experience. 

large banquette seat with tables set for six and four

Julie and I arrived in the late afternoon for a date night dinner. The restaurant wasn’t quite half-full when we arrived, but there wasn’t a table to be had by the time we left. The dining room isn’t huge, but it has a decent number of seats with tables for two and four. A large banquette sits along one wall – tables there were pushed together to accommodate larger groups. And by the entrance, a counter with tall stools looked out the front window. 

small salad wrapped in a sliced cucumber serving as a bowl next to a cup of ranch dressing

Our server was at our table quickly for our drink order and back again for our food choices. Our pasta dinners each came with a house salad and choice of dressing. 

The presentation on the salad was unique – a thinly sliced cucumber was formed into a small bowl shape to hold the mixed greens. Once the cucumber was “opened,” it revealed a sizable salad which was topped with tomato, croutons, and sliced carrots. 

We were still finishing our salads when the main course arrived at our table. 

white plate with pasta in tomato sauce topped with a stuffed eggplant and shaved parmesan cheese

For me, it was “Nonna’s stuffed eggplant,” a twist on the traditional eggplant Parmesan. Rather than a heavy breading on the outside, the eggplant was stuffed with breadcrumbs and ricotta cheese and was served with housemade tagliatelle pasta. 

Everything about the dish was impressive. The homemade pasta was thicker than store-bought which let it hold the sauce better. The eggplant was perfect with the creamy ricotta adding another level of flavor beyond the basic mozzarella. 

round white plate with raviolis and shrimp in an orange-hued sauce topped with shaved parmesan cheese

Juile, meanwhile, really enjoyed her lobster ravioli. 

The plate was filled with large homemade ravioli stuffed with lobster and ricotta. Pieces of shrimp were also swimming in the rich sauce. While the dish was rich, it was delicious. From the creamy sauce to the perfectly stuffed raviolis– every bite was amazing. 

bakery case filledw ith cakes, cupcakes and cookies at Stefano's in Wyomissing

When you walk into Stefano’s, you can’t miss the dessert case, and a slice of cake was calling our name so we decided to save some of our meals for lunch the next day. 

By this time, the restaurant was busy. All of the tables had been filled. Unfortunately, service slowed as a result and we found ourselves waiting about 20 minutes for our server to take our dessert order. (Another server or hostess came by and boxed our leftovers for us in the meantime). Another 10 minutes later, we had our slice of mango cream cheesecake. 

triple layer cake with yellow hue and layers of whipped cream in between and on top

What about this instead: This wasn’t your typical cheesecake. It was more cake-like with a light and airy texture. It had three layers of cake with cream in between each layer. The plate was dusted with powdered sugar and the slice came served with a dollop of whipped cream.

It was an indulgence, but absolutely worth it. 

pasta page from the menu for Stefano's in Wyomissing

Our bill was around the $65 mark which felt right for the portion size and the quality of the food. The service was great early on, but when the dining room got busy, our server seemed to get a little overwhelmed. 

While the service should get better with time and training, the food is already great. That’s enough to keep us coming back for more. 

And who knows? Maybe we just found our new favorite Italian spot. 

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

Stefano’s Ristorante & Bakery Cafe
1816 State Hill Road
Wyomissing, PA 19610

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white plate with an order of spagehtti with red sauce and a large piece of chicken topped with sauce and cheese.
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Review: Tony’s Family Restaurant – Robesonia

Facade of Tony's Family Restaurant in Robesonia glowing against a dark night sky.

The local pizza shop is a time-honored tradition. Every town has one. And growing up in Robesonia, our local spot was Tony’s Family Restaurant. 

Ironically, we didn’t order much pizza when I was kid. Instead, Tony’s orders usually consisted of hoagies for mom and dad, chicken fingers and fries for me and my brother. 

Sign that reads "Tnony's Family Restaurant with a cartoon-like image of a pepperoni pizza

In December, between family visits, Julie and I took the boys to my childhood stomping grounds for an easy, relaxed meal. 

restaurant dining room with wooden tables and a large clock on the brown wall

We arrived for an early dinner and had our choice of table in the dining room. There were about a dozen to choose from, mostly rounds but there were a couple high-tops and a few rectangular tables pushed together for larger parties. I don’t remember what the room looked like 30 years ago, but I have to imagine it wasn’t much different with tile floors and wood paneling on the bottom half of the walls. 

water color painting of a restaurant with a white front, red roof and large yellow sign.

I do remember what the outside of the building used to look like – white with a red tile roof and a bright yellow sign. A painting in the dining room perfectly captures what the building looked like before a renovation brought a stone patio and matching stone facade. 

Our server was attentive throughout, even after the dining room filled up. She took our order and had our drinks and a basket of garlic bread on the table quickly.

white bowl with a salad with courtons and a cup of ranch dressing from Tony's in Robesonia

Next up were salads for Julie and I. They weren’t anything extraordinary, but I appreciated the presentation in the tall-sided bowl as opposed to the simple salad plate. 

clear plastic bowl with a large meatball in red sauce

The meals arrived a short time later, and our server set them on the table behind us so we could prepare Lukas’ meatball for him. The single meatball was huge so we had to cut it up for our two-year-old before he could dig in. But it was good, as was the sauce it came in. 

basket with red and white checkered paper holding a kids order of crinkle fries

The kids’ meal came with a side so we got him some fries to go with it. When I was younger, I ate more fries from Tony’s than I would care to admit, and Lukas seemed to enjoy them as much as I did when I was his age.

white plate with an order of spagehtti with red sauce and a large piece of chicken topped with sauce and cheese.

For my meal, I ordered chicken Parmesan with spaghetti. It was a huge portion of chicken, much more than I could finish, but it was very good. The sauce is solid, not too sweet but still with plenty of flavor. 

There was also a nice size serving of spaghetti on the side. I finished that, and a little less than half the chicken before taking the rest home to have as a chicken parm sandwich the next day. 

white plate with an order of lasagna smothered in cheese from Tony's Family Retaurant in Robesonia.

My meal was one of the specials for the evening, a regular menu item but with a couple dollars off, and the same was true for Julie’s lasagna. She got a heaping helping of layered noodles and cheese. The top layers slid off before the photo, but though it didn’t look pristine, it was still really good. 

white round plate with spaghetti topped with red sauce and a large meatball

Jakob ordered the kids’ portion of spaghetti with one large meatball on top. His portion would probably have been enough for many adults. He devoured it, as eight-year-olds do, and still managed to sneak a few of his brother’s French fries.

At around $65 for our meals, the price felt reasonable, especially for the portions. 

Four solid dinners with quick, friendly service, and a good price: it’s exactly the kind of meal I expect from a place like Tony’s. And I know there are plenty more places like it yet to discover. 

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

Tony’s Family Restaurant
460 W. Penn Avenue
Robesonia, PA 19551

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cheesesteak topped with yellow cheese on a plate with a pile of fries.
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Review: Henry P. Robeson House

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

empty wooden tables next to a long winodw

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

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

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

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

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plate with a round filet topped with a demi-glace sauce with asparagus and mashed potatoes
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Review: Jack’s on the Green at Reading Country Club

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

There are a handful of places in Berks County that can be considered true landmarks. Obviously the Pagoda would be at the top of the list. I would also add another site on Mount Penn to the list, Stokesay Castle. 

Stokesay, specifically the Knight’s Pub, has been one of our favorites for many years now. We’ve always liked the slightly upscale, yet still approachable vibe. Now, Stokesay has a sister property in the former of the Reading Country Club, a landmark of its own, that was purchased by the Gulati Family (owners of Stokesay) in late 2024. 

The Township had owned the property for nearly 20 years after acquiring the property in 2005 to prevent development. During that time, the property went through multiple management groups for golf and dining. Notable among those were Chef Alan, ViVA, and Reading Hospitality Management (DoubleTree by Hilton Reading). 

Our last visit to the property was in 2017 when the ViVA Castle Pub operated in the main dining room. A few months later, ViVA had a very public split with the Country Club and the restaurant closed.

When I received an invitation for a meal and a tour of the updates at the Reading Country Club, of course I couldn’t say no. 

Dinner at Jack’s on the Green

green wall with the words "Welcome to Jack's on the Green" next to a photo of a man in traditional plaid green golf attire

Part of the promise of the new owners was a new restaurant, Jack’s on the Green, which opened in late March, taking over the main dining room at the front of the building. The restaurant, like the Country Club, is open to the public and offers lunch and dinner Tuesday through Saturday with brunch on Sundays.

Our visit came on a Wednesday evening in late June. Julie and I were joined by our friends Jerry and Lisa and our party was seated at a table by the front window overlooking the golf course, driving range and the fountain that marks the end of the long driveway leading to the clubhouse. 

The dining room is bright and open, marked on three sides by the large glass doors. The tables are preset with the white plates and napkins sitting atop the green table linens. Each table has a little brass lamp to provide a dim glow as the sun sets. The grays of the floor and black ceiling give it a modern vibe – it feels elevated but not formal. 

We decided to start with a couple appetizers. There are more than 10 shareables on the menu, but we were able to narrow it down to the shrimp cocktail and the baked brie (both $18 options). 

square white plate with eight pieces of shrimp surrounding a cup of cocktail sauce on a bed of greens with pieces of cilantro sprinkled on top
white square plate with a small wheel of brie topped with pecans and sauce next to an assortment of crackers

The former came with eight pieces of shrimp over a bed of spring mix, garnished with fresh cilantro. It was a good start, but the baked brie was the standout. The disc of cheese was topped with raspberry, pecan and rosemary and was served with a variety of crackers. Every bite was creamy, nutty, crunchy and sweet – an excellent combination of flavors and textures and one I would certainly recommend. 

small round plate with a pad of butter drizzed in honey and topped with herbs next to a basket of bread atop a green tablecloth

Before our apps arrived, we also received a bread basket with a pad of butter that was drizzled with honey and sprinkled with salt and herbs. Like the brie, it was a sweet and creamy start to the meal that was very enjoyable. 

round plate with a strip steak topped with green chimichuri sauce atop a bed of green beans and roasted potatoes

Dinner was soon served with each of us trying a little something different. I opted for the New York strip steak, a 12 oz. cut served with a choice of sauce – chimichurri, for me. I thought the chimichurri was excellent, earthy and fresh, it added bright notes to the well-cooked steak. I found myself using the sauce as a vessel for the potatoes and green beans that were served on the side. 

plate with four pieces of fried chicken, green beans and a dollop of whipped potatoes

Julie opted for the fried buttermilk marinated chicken. She was expecting a chicken breast patty or similar, as most restaurants would do, but she was pleasantly surprised to receive four pieces of dark meat – two thighs, a wing, and a drumstick. She was able to finish half of the meat before boxing the other half to come home. She did, however, finish the mashed potatoes and green beans. (Looking back, the menu actually called for roasted potatoes, like I received with my steak, as the side and not mashed potatoes). 

plate with a round filet topped with a demi-glace sauce with asparagus and mashed potatoes
Photo Credit: Jerry Ashway

Across the table, Jerry’s eight-ounce filet mignon also came with a side of the mashed potatoes as well as asparagus. The steak was good, if slightly more medium than the medium-rare he ordered. His steak came topped with a red wine mushroom demi-glace (which was also an option for my steak). 

square plate with a cobb salad topped with a crab cake
Photo Credit: Lisa Domeshek

Lisa ordered a small Cobb salad for her entree, adding on a crab cake. The salad wasn’t overdressed in the “green goddess” dressing and the eggs were done perfectly. The thick-cut bacon was excellent – so much so that she offered it for us to try around the table. And the crab cake was a very good addition that helped make even the small salad (a larger portion was also available) a filling meal. 

white square plate with a chocolate dessert on a bed of cranberries and shaved chocolate pieces

Of course, we had to try some dessert, as well. The dessert menu is much more limited with only three seasonal options along with six dessert drinks. Julie and I decided to share the chocolate crunch while Jerry and Lisa had the warm sticky toffee pudding. 

white square plate with a bundt cake-shaped dessert and a scoop of vanilla ice cream
Photo credit: Jerry Ashway

Both were excellent. Our chocolate crunch was made of chocolate mousse with a praline wafer crust, served with cranberries and chocolate shavings. The tart cranberries were a little intense, but when mixing the mousse and berries, it had a chocolate-covered cherry feel to it. Across the table, our friends enjoyed their sweet treat which came with a scoop of vanilla ice cream that started melting together with the caramel drizzle. 

Combined, our meals would total around $200 before tax, or $50 per person. That’s on the higher side for Berks County, certainly, but not unreasonable for a three-course meal and a menu that leans heavily toward finer dining. 

There are more moderately priced items on the menu, including five unique burgers, each served with fries, for between $16-$18. Three varieties of tacos are also available (with chips and salsa) for $18. And at lunch time, the restaurant offers more sandwich and lighter fare options for less than $20 each. 

More Drinks & Dining at Reading Country Club

brown liquor in a glass with a toothpick with two pieces of fruit
Photo Credit: Jerry Ashway

Jack’s on the Green is the main dining area, but it is not the only place to enjoy a drink or a meal at the Reading Country Club. Both the bar and the Fairway Lounge offer a place to enjoy food and drink from Jack’s on the Green. The large U-shaped bar has plenty of seating with plenty of TV’s around. 

green-walled room with a pool table, foosball table and bar

The Fairway Lounge is one of the coolest spots. We were told that the space used to be township offices, but it has been turned into a cool hangout spot with two golf simulators, a pool table, foosball, and extra comfy seats. 

outdoor covered patio area with black tables and chairs at Reading Country Club

For the golfers, there’s also Mulligan’s Cafe. At the halfway point in your round, you can grab breakfast sandwiches (for the AM tee times), lunch, snacks or drinks. The menu is simpler with a chicken salad sandwich or hot dogs to choose from at lunch, along with an array of snack foods, beers, canned cocktails and non-alcoholic drinks. 

Reading Country Club Event Space

In addition to dinner, we had the opportunity to tour the clubhouse to see the incredible event spaces offered at the Reading Country Club. 

large ballroom with wooden floor, high ceiling and a stage on the right

The largest of these is the second floor ballroom. Original to the 102-year-old clubhouse, the ballroom features a stage and dance floor – expect live entertainment to return to the stage in the not-too-distant future. 

metal table on a patio with wooden pergola in the background

The second floor opens into patio spaces at both the front and the rear of the building. Both offer picturesque views overlooking the course. 

round room with three windows a bar on the right side

Inside one of the castle turrets is the upstairs bar. A large chandelier hangs over the bar and the hardwood floor. In all the rooms, the building shows its age but in a good way – it looks like a century-old building but one that has been well cared for. 

bridal suite with two oversized white couches lit by a window

We even got a peek into the bridal suite, complete with oversized couches for relaxing and selfie rings for those all-important wedding photos. 

(The Fairway Lounge is also available for wedding parties, too). 

facade of the Reading Country club from the side. A sign next to a turret reads "Jack's on the Green"

It really is an incredible venue, but I’m most excited about having it as a dining destination again. Maybe I’ll have to dust off my clubs and play a round soon. As bad as my golf game is at this point, at least I know the food and atmosphere will be on-par when I’m done. 

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

Jack’s on the Green at Reading Country Club
5311 Perkiomen Avenue
Reading, PA 19606

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slice of chocolate cake drizzled with chocolate syrup and garnished with a strawberry
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Review: West Reading Motor Club

It’s one thing for a restaurant to get a second chance. Sometimes it doesn’t work and you end up with much of the same. But sometimes it’s a home run as new owners bring fresh ideas and a new approach. 

This iteration of West Reading Motor Club is a home run. 

wooden sign on a brick wall reading "West Reading Motor Club"

We had first visited West Reading Motor Club a year ago when it was under the previous ownership, before it and the Nitro Bar upstairs were closed (along with Say Cheese). We had always enjoyed Say Cheese, and I had a good first impression of the Nitro Bar, but we left our meal at WRMC feeling underwhelmed. 

In late 2024, the West Reading Motor Club was reopened under new management, the same team behind B2 Bistro. It had been a few years since our last visit to B2, but we had always enjoyed the food, even if the service had never wowed us. 

Certainly we had some preconceived notions entering West Reading Motor Club in January. 

dining area of the West Reading Motor Club

The first thing we noticed was that despite our early reservations – 5:30 on a Saturday – the place was already busy. The dining room wasn’t packed, but there were plenty of people already enjoying their meals by the time we arrived. We were led to a table for two by the front window that looked out onto Penn Avenue. 

place setting at the West Reading Motor Club

The dining room has an elegance to it with wood floors and dark tables against brick walls. But it’s also bright and inviting, not relying on the candlelight on the table. 

a fruity drink and an ice tea in stemmed glasses

Our waiter, Josh, stopped by quickly and couldn’t have been more delightful or helpful. When Julie asked if they had mocktails available, he asked the bar and returned quickly to let her know that they could, then delivered her a deliciously fruit-flavored drink to go with my iced tea. 

Looking over the menu, and having seen a few desserts delivered to the tables around us, we decided to skip the appetizers to save a little room at the end. 

Well, to be more accurate, I decided to double-up on the appetizers and make it a meal. 

bowl of French onion soup covered in cheese

I started with a bowl of their “ultimate” French onion soup. What separates this from a traditional French onion is the inclusion of braised short ribs. 

The short ribs made a huge difference. It made the dish not only heartier but more savory than the standard brothy version. But everything in it was delicious, from the broth, itself, to the French bread and cheese. It’s definitely high on my list of favorite soups. 

Caesar salad with crispy prosciuitto

For my “main,” I ordered the grilled chopped romaine. I’ve had grilled Caesar salads before, most notably at Lancaster’s Belvedere Inn, but those were whole romaine hearts while this was chopped. 

The salad was very good, not too different from a traditional Caesar, but what really set it apart was the inclusion of crispy prosciutto. This thin-sliced deli meat, not quite ham, not quite bacon, was fried and sprinkled throughout. The salty and savory bites really popped. Every bite with a piece of prosciutto was just a little better than a bite without. 

Even before dessert, I was very happy with my selections. 

stuffed pork tenderloin with mashed potatoes and asparagus

Julie, meanwhile, ordered a more traditional dinner: the pork tenderloin roulade. Roulade means “roll,” and in this case, the pork was rolled and stuffed with spinach, shallots, sun-dried tomato, and Parmesan, and topped with a demi-glace. It was a delicious mixture with subtle sweet notes. As good as my meal was, I think the pork was my favorite (even though I only had one small taste of Julie’s meal). 

Her pork came with potato puree and asparagus. Though both were good, the pork was the star. 

slice of chocolate cake drizzled with chocolate syrup and garnished with a strawberry

The real star of the evening, however, may have been dessert. We ordered a slice of the chocolate layer cake, and all I can say is “wow.” 

First of all, the slice was huge. (Thank goodness we skipped appetizers and saved room). It came with sliced strawberry and blueberry, whipped cream, and chocolate drizzle. What made this so good was the ganache or frosting. It was absolutely decadent. I wished I could have just eaten a bowl of it, but the cake was a nice vessel for it anyway. 

After the cake, we were definitely full, but extremely happy after a stand-out meal. In total, it cost a little under $100. It’s certainly not a price we’d pay for an everyday meal, but for a romantic date night, $50 per person didn’t feel out of place. 

And with food and service like West Reading Motor Club delivered, it may not be a weekly stop, but I get the feeling we will be back for more. 

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

West Reading Motor Club
416 Penn Avenue
West Reading, PA 19611

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white wall painted with a logo that reads "Toss of the Town"
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Review: Toss of the Town

window storefront with green trim, a red umbrella out front and a logo on the window reading "Toss of the Town"

Editor’s Note: Toss of the Town closed in May 2026 but reopened under new ownership in July 2026. The below review may not accurately reflect any changes made by the new owners.

I’m sure I’ve said this before on Berks County Eats, but I will say it again – Boyertown has a great restaurant scene.

It’s home to some of my favorite restaurants – Brakeman’s Café comes to mind (also, we miss Firefly Cafe and CD’s Place) – and we can count Toss of the Town among those now.

Toss of the Town is the newest addition to Boyertown’s restaurant scene, opening in February in spot along Philadelphia Avenue.

whjite wall with large painted logo that reads "Toss of the Town"

Its location lot bigger than it looks from the outside. The building stretches back, past the long counter where the salads are made to a small seating area with one large table for eight and several smaller tables around. There’s also additional seating near the front window.

long salad bar at Toss of the Town in Boyertown, PA

The “Toss” in Toss of the Town is for the salads that are the heart of the menu. There are ten signature salads plus a build-your-option with more than 45 topping choices, and more than a dozen dressings. In addition, the restaurant offers paninis and soups to round out the menu.

But I had to go with a salad and chose one of their signatures, the chicken Caesar.

chicken Caesar salad from Toss of the Town in Boyertown, PA

It was your classic chicken Caesar salad with grilled chicken, romaine, croutons, shaved Parmesan and creamy Caesar dressing. It was very good – I thought the chicken had good flavor as did the dressing. And there was plenty of shaved Parmesan.

I’m not normally one to order a salad for my entrée, but this was extremely hearty and filling. There was no shortage of chicken, which certainly helped to fill me up. I ended up taking half of the salad home with me for lunch for the next day.

noodle salad with chicken from Toss of the Town in Boyertown, PA

While my salad was good, I thought Julie’s crispy Asian salad was excellent. It featured spring mix with crispy chicken, mandarin oranges, matchstick carrots, red cabbage, chow mein noodles and an Asian sesame dressing. 

What set the dish apart was a combination of the texture from the noodles and the tangy sweet of the sauce. Julie really enjoyed it, and I think we would both get it again the next time.

tray with five compartments - the four around the outside, clockwise from top left, have red grapes, green apple cubes, a dinner roll with pad of butter, and meatballs. The round center is empty

For kids, the menu is a little different. Toss of the Town takes the salad ingredients and offers them up individually as kid can choose a protein, grain, fruit and veggie (or second fruit).

Jakob ordered meatballs (which are also available on the meatball Parm panini) with a dinner roll, green apples and grapes. It came in a plastic container with four compartments so the individual items never touched.

And he ate the whole thing. That’s the sign of a good kids meal.

In total, we spent around $40 with drinks, not bad for three lunches (four if you count my leftovers).

More than the money, or even the food, the service we received would have us coming back. They were patient as we tried to navigate the menu and just seemed genuinely happy to be serving us on this day.

I can say with confidence that Toss of the Town will be serving us again soon.

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

Toss of the Town
110 East Philadelphia Avenue
Boyertown, PA 19512

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A round foil to-go container with baked ziti topped with cheese.
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Review: Nino’s Italian Ristorante of Wyomissing

strip mall restaurant with a yellow sign with red letters that reads "Nino's Italian Ristorante of Wyomissing"

Editor’s Note: Nino’s has new owners since this review.

For nine years, Julie and I lived in the Berkshire Heights neighborhood of Wyomissing. We loved the location – close to the highway and within walking distance of all the great restaurants in West Reading.

We also had some great restaurants closer to home. Willoughby’s on Park is one of our favorites for fine dining. Mikura always had delicious Asian-inspired meals. And I had many chai tea lattes from the Park Road Café.

But the one place we had never visited was the restaurant that had been there the longest: Nino’s Pizzeria.

A photo of a brick pizza oven with a door next to it.

Nino’s is in their 26th year of serving Wyomissing and Berks County. When we knew we were going to be moving, Julie and I made a promise that we had to have dinner from Nino’s at least once before we left.

One night after packing boxes all day, we called in an order, and I walked down the street to the little Italian restaurant in the strip mall. On many of our walks, we would see people sitting inside enjoying their meals, but the chairs were all up on the tables when I walked in, a symptom of the COVID-19 pandemic and the tight restrictions on dine-in.

A photo of a restaurant with chairs on top of tables and a picture of Italy hanging on the wall

Talking with the owners, it was easy to understand their decision to focus exclusively on takeout and delivery. With such a small space, 25% capacity would only allow them to seat about 12 people. And with the extra protocols around cleaning and sanitizing tables, it just didn’t make financial sense to offer table service.

But the phone-in orders seemed to be coming in at a steady pace. And I was anxious to get the food back to the house to finally try it.

Julie and I had both opted for one of their Italian dinners. Julie went with her personal favorite, baked ziti, while I ordered the homemade lasagna.

A round foil to-go container with a cheesey lasagna slice

Anytime I order from a restaurant that has a large menu – as Nino’s does – I am drawn to anything that says “homemade.” The connotation, at least, is that the dish takes time to make and it is one that the owners are proud to serve.

By the time I got home the lasagna was not much to look at – it shifted around in the foil packaging so it looked like a blob of cheese atop a blob of pasta and sauce – but it sure tasted good.

The menu describes the meat sauce as slightly sweet with a rich flavor, and I can’t describe it any better than that. The lasagna noodles weren’t the thinnest that I have seen, but they weren’t thick either. And there was plenty of cheese on top. It was definitely worthy of the “homemade” distinction.

A round foil to-go container with baked ziti topped with cheese.

Julie’s baked ziti was also very good (and also tasted much better than it looked in the to-go packaging). The tomato sauce was a little sweeter than the meat sauce on my lasagna, probably just because it didn’t have the extra savory element to it.

Both meals also came with a side salad and homemade bread. The side salads were pretty typical – lettuce with red onion, a slice of tomato and choice of dressing. But the bread was much more than typical.

A large loaf of Italian bread on a paper plate.

Normally when something comes with bread, I expect a slice or two. Both Julie and I got – essentially – a whole loaf of bread with our meals. We were happy to enjoy it with several more meals throughout the week.

I can say for sure that Nino’s didn’t skimp on quality or portions. And at around $35, we certainly got our money’s worth.

I’m really not sure why it took us so long to get to Nino’s – perhaps we just took for granted that it was there – but we wish we would have gone sooner.

The good news is, we didn’t move that far away so there’s nothing stopping us from going back again.

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

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A plate of schnitzel topped with red peppers and onions with a side of red cabbage and German potato salad from the Reading Liederkranz
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Review: The Reading Liederkranz

Tables and chairs at the Reading Liederkranz with an Alpine mural in the background

Guten tag, Berks County.

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.

A view of two rows of tables at the Reading Liederkranz

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.

A basket with four rolls and butter at the Reading Liederkranz

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.

A large salad with jumbo shrimp and four lemon wedges from the Reading Liederkranz

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.

A square black plate with an order of sauerbraten, spaetzle and red cabbage from the Reading Liederkranz

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.

A plate of schnitzel topped with red peppers and onions with a side of red cabbage and German potato salad from the Reading Liederkranz

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.

A plate with two slices of apple strudel, a pool of custard and four dollops of whipped cream from the Reading Liederkranz.

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

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