Route 30 Diner — Restaurant in East Lampeter Township

Regardless of whether or or not I would like to admit it, I find myself, like so many others, susceptible to the influence of food. If I have had a poor meal, it might ruin my mood for the rest of the day. I start to regret the over-inflated price I paid for something that made me feel dirty and greasy, didn't provide me with the boost of energy that I had hoped for, and left me guiltily looking for something else to eat. However, if I have a fantastic meal, it puts a smile on my face for hours. I feel a childish laughter bubble up, a spring in my recharged and refreshed step, and a sense of positivity that hadn't been present during the phase of hanger prior to eating.

Before I had even finished my breakfast at the Route 30 Diner, I knew what kind of meal that I was having. From the first mouthful, I felt the warmth of a home-cooked meal overcome me. I had been surprised by the portions. Ordering the pork and eggs, I had expected to receive small slices of pork that might be expected at a chain breakfast restaurant, but what I received was who impressively sized pork chops, tastefully seasoned, and masterfully cooked. The accompanying eggs and home-fries were rich, flavorful, and filling - but the kind of filling that makes you feel plump and content rather than sickeningly close to bursting.

Despite being a small location, the diner was able to seat an unexpected amount of guests. Since I had arrived with a large group, we decided to split seating between a booth and the counter-trop bar-style seating. There were times that it felt cramped, especially when fresh guests were arriving, but this contributed toward the endorsement of the quality and popularity of the diner more than served as a stressor.

The servers were clearly expert in their roles, rushing around the diner to refill coffees, bring diners their food, seat new guests, and relay orders to the kitchen and yet still managed to find the time to have a conversation with me and my family.

I could not recommend a diner more for the sense of authenticity, absence of cliché that comes with many diners, portion size and quality, and competence of serving staff. However, I would recommend those diners that tend to make an impression of a restaurant by its outward appearance be prepared to suspend their judgement. From the outside, the diner appears to be small and unimpressive but those willing to give something new a chance will be richly rewarded with one of the best dining experiences...

This review is going to be as surprising to you as it is me until we experienced it on our visit. My husband and I went there for lunch or perhaps you'd say early dinner because I had worked 12 hours that day. I can't say I was very energetic at that point on I was looking forward to a good home cooked meal. Not fast food by any means. We decided to go here and try them out. Our waitress was excellent our food was good and prompt and what we had expected. During our meal time we were comfortably enjoying our food but I kept noticing the owner a woman standing by the counter kept looking at us and seeming a bit anxious waitress told us to take our time and we had dessert after our meal and we're feeling quite good. Only a few people had come in or out during our time there very light traffic in fact. The owner finally came over and said was there anything else we needed because she needed the table I thought that seemed a bit odd. There was no one there that wasn't already seated and it was a single man And then a pair of friends at another table no other customers. The owner said it was her biggest table and she needed it available implying that we had overstayed our time and are welcome. Even though we spent quite a bit of money on our meal when you add up the entrees the drinks the deserts the coffee's etcetera. We did not feel appreciated as customers or should I say customers who would come back again in the future. we were looked at as just another sale and how quickly we could go in and out Of the restaurant. If that attitude is present then they should open up a drive-thru window so that they have minimal contact with their customers. We would have liked to go back there again as I say the waitress was exceptional and the food was enjoyable. It's the ownership and management that stinks. We paid for our food it was not free we also had an expectation of kindness and Hospitality which we...

The Route 30 Diner's food and service achieve a great feat, not only matching, but exceeding the appeal of its well maintained exterior. It's hard to drive by a classic American diner without feeling the urge to pull over and hop inside. Route 30 is an outlier thanks to the quality of its food that is clearly prepared by people who care about the customer's experience.

When we pulled in at 7 PM on a Monday, we were assured by a full parking lot that even included a few tractor-trailers. Despite the diner's quaint size and the busy dinner-time hour, we were quickly seated. Our server was attentive and kind, offering menu recommendations, refreshing our coffee, and checking in from time to time.

The coffee was full-bodied, flavorful, and fresh. The latter was quite impressive considering that they were in their last hour of service.

On the server's recommendation, my wife had the chicken gyro. The chunks of fresh chicken breast were tender and juicy. As promised, the tzatziki sauce was house-made, full of fresh dill complimented by the subtle tang of yogurt. The pita was lightly grilled on the flat top delivering a satisfying crunch before giving way to its tender chew. The accompanying french fries were fried hard to a crisp golden brown with a light fluffy interior. Perfect.

For my part, I eat like an old man, and ordered the liver and onions with a side of Lima beans. If that's your thing, I can assure you it was delicious. The beans (the vegetable of the day) were a highlight. Steamed or boiled and then finished in a frying pan and sprinkled with salt and pepper. They were buttery, not overcooked, and slightly blistered on the surface. Again, perfect.

We look forward to returning on our next trip to Lancaster to...