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Nestled in the center of beautiful Pennsylvania farmland, Lancaster City has become a thriving destination for foodies, art lovers, and history buffs alike. If you’re lucky enough to call Lancaster City home, you know that over the past decade, the city has grown into an exciting urban experience, yet is small enough to build a community of friends and get to know your neighbors. As you explore this article, we hope you fall in love with all the small city charm that Lancaster City has to offer and consider making it your home too.
This special article is sponsored by Willow Valley Communities as they celebrate bringing their award-winning approach to 55+ living to Lancaster City. In fall 2025, Mosaic will offer residents a culturally-rich, walkable lifestyle in the heart of Lancaster City—with everything in the following sections right outside their door.
One thing that Lancaster does really well is the combination of a good cup of coffee and a delicious pastry. With so many cafés and bakeries, you are only a few blocks away from finding a morning pick-me-up if you live or travel into the city. One of the best parts of living in Lancaster is its walkability and what better way to enjoy the sights than with a cup of coffee in your hand? Coffee connoisseurs will be delighted by the craft experience at Passenger on their way to or from Lancaster Central Market; New Holland Coffee and Prince Street Café are perfect for a coffee date or business meeting; and Butter and Bean, located in the new Southern Market, and Square One Coffee Roasters are great stops if you’re more on the southern or northern parts of town— just to name a few.
Basically, if you are the type of person who runs on caffeine, Lancaster has you covered.
Aura
44 North Queen Street
Bistro Barbaret
26 East King Street
Blade & Spade
401 West Walnut Street
Butter and Bean
(Located inside Southern Market)
106 South Queen Street
Cafe di Vetro
400 North Prince Street
Cafe One Eight
18 West Orange Street
Chestnut Hill Café
532 West Chestnut Street
Copper Cup
922 Columbia Avenue
Endo Café
237 North Prince Street
La Dolce Vita
9 North Duke Street
La Petite Pâtisserie
621 Harrisburg Avenue
Lancaster County Coffee
747 East Ross Street & Lancaster Central Market
Mean Cup
398 Harrisburg Avenue & Lancaster Central Market
New Holland Coffee Co.
29 East King Street
Passenger
7 West King Street
Prince Street Café
15 North Prince Street
Scratch Bakes
11 West Chestnut Street
Square One
145 North Duke Street
Wish You Well Bakery
47 North Queen Street
Left: Square One | Center: Bistro Barbaret | Right: Prince Street Cafe
In a city known for its art scene, there are endless opportunities for you to enjoy your favorites and discover a new art form you may enjoy. We’re highlighting just four of the many places that should be added to your downtown bucket list.
Cast of Cinderella, captured by Kinectiv
1. See a show at the Fulton Theatre
Built in 1852 and recently expanded to encompass an entire block on Prince Street, the Fulton Theatre is a local landmark and a hub for creativity and artistry. With shows on the main stage along with family programming and a studio series, you are sure to find something to delight the whole family.
2. Go on an art gallery walk
Home to 20+ diverse art galleries throughout the city, Lancaster is the perfect place to take a walk and lose track of time on a Saturday afternoon, as you browse the galleries that anchor the community. Most of them also stay open late to host special events on First Fridays.
Photo: Bill / Tellus360
3. Listen to a live band at Tellus360
A city hub for food, drinks, live performances, and community, Tellus360 is a unique space to take in a show. Listen to a live band in The Temple or join your friends on their amazing Green Roof.
4. Attend a show or exhibit at
The Ware Center–Millersville University
The Ware Center has been bringing cultural experiences to Lancaster City as a part of Millersville University since 2011. Stay up to date on their calendar of performing arts events and stop in for artist talks on First Fridays.
We believe in the importance of giving back to your community. Lancaster has an incredible network of nonprofits who are working to improve the lives of everyone who call the city home. We encourage you to find a place where you can lend a hand, a skill, or a passion to make Lancaster even better. Here are just a few places with volunteer opportunities in the city for you to consider.
Mission: The Lancaster Public Library inspires, empowers, and strengthens our community by connecting people with information, ideas, and enriching experiences.
Volunteer Opportunity: Circulation support or social media ambassadors
Mission: Rooted in faith & compassion, Lancaster Food Hub provides services that honor the dignity of all by striving to meet basic human needs.
Volunteer Opportunity: Food packing and clothing drive
3. Crispus Attucks Community Center
Mission: Crispus Attucks Community Center empowers youth and families to reach their full potential.
Volunteer Opportunity: Bi-monthly food bank
4. SACA
Mission: SACA uplifts and restores marginalized communities through human, economic, and social services, while supporting cultural identities.
Volunteer Opportunity: Bilingual (Spanish) program assistance
Mission: Water Street Mission meets people where they are and provides the tools to get them where the want to go.
Volunteer Opportunity: Dining hall food service
The diverse food scene in Lancaster City makes picking a restaurant a delightfully hard decision. You can truly taste all the flavors of the world in a four block radius. The local restaurant owners who pour their heart and soul into their dishes are a huge part of what makes the food scene so unique.
We’ve picked a couple of our favorites for every meal just to get you started. Keep an eye out for Lancaster City Restaurant Week to try even more delicious local fare.
Breakfast
Commonwealth Kitchen & Café
420 South Pearl Street
We Recommend: Pork Belly & Grits
Local Tip: BYOB and they’ll serve up the mixers for a breakfast cocktail
Rachel’s Creperie
201 West Walnut Street
We Recommend: The Oyler
Local Tip: Check out their most current specials and pair your crepe with a smoothie.
Sunday Brunch
Max’s Eatery
38 West King Street
We Recommend: Chicken and Waffles
Local Tip: Come with extra room for a milkshake (Make it boozy, if you’d like!)
Annie Bailey’s
28-30 West King Street
We Recommend: The Full Irish (a classic)
Local Tip: Don’t miss brunch on the weekend and make a reservation
Lunch
Yuzu Asian Cuisine
12 McGovern Avenue
We Recommend: The Lancaster Special Roll
Local Tip: Try their lunch special Tuesdays through Fridays from 11–3pm
Blazin’ J’s
15 East King Street
We Recommend: J’s Way Chicken Sandwich
Local Tip: Come hungry enough to add a milkshake to your order
Left: Rachel's | Center: Annie Bailey's | Right: Blazin' J's
Dinner
Quips Pub
457 New Holland Pike
We Recommend: Fish and chips (dine in on Tuesdays for $4 off)
Local Tip: Enjoy the spring air on their outdoor patio
Norbu
38 North Christian Street
We Recommend: The Thali Box and the Cauliflower Pakoras (shown)
Local Tip: Try the lunch buffet on Thursdays
Cocktails
Shot and Bottle
2 North Queen Street
We Recommend: Lanc Old Fashioned
Local Tip: Take a bottle or two to go from their bottle shop
The Exchange
25 South Queen Street
We Recommend: Mood Swing
Local Tip: Book an outside table for the best view of Lancaster City
Takeout
Callaloo Trinidadian Kitchen
351 North Mulberry Street
We Recommend: Spicy Pepper Beef (if you like lots of spice!)
Local Tip: Add an order of Buss-Up-Shut
Himalayan Curry & Grill
22 East Orange Street
We Recommend: Chicken Tikka Masala
Local Tip: If you’re getting a lunch order, try their lunch box
Left: Norbu | Center: Shot and Bottle | Right: Himalayan Curry & Grill
Once you start exploring Lancaster, you’ll discover we love gathering together and celebrating our dynamic city. Lancaster City boasts exciting events throughout the year that will help you get and stay connected—we’ve collected just a few for you to keep your eye on. Find more details on these events and many more throughout the year on Fig’s online event calendar: figlancaster.com/events.
2022 Lancaster City Events
First Fridays: Monthly
Lancaster City Spring Restaurant Week: April 2022
Red Rose Run: June 4, 2022
VegFest: June 4–5, 2022
Celebrate Lancaster: June 24, 2022
Lancaster City Indie Retail Week: July 2022
Lancaster Craft Beer Festival: Fall 2022
Long’s Park Art Festival: Labor Day Weekend 2022
Lancaster City Fall Restaurant Week: September 2022
Mayor’s Tree Lighting: November 25, 2022
Lancaster Shops Late: December 8, 2022
Mosaic Preview Events:
Wednesday, March 9, 2022
Wednesday, April 6, 2022
And more to come!
THIS SPECIAL FEATURE WAS SPONSORED BY WILLOW VALLEY COMMUNITIES.
