Lincoln Diner - Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

I first started going to Lincoln Diner in Gettysburg when I was in high school. It was THE hangout for the group I followed, much to the dismay of the waitresses at the diner. We would go in and order coffee or sodas and snacky items. My favorite memory was going in with a couple friends and munching down on orders of french fries with gravy. I don't know why that was soooo good, but there you go.

Lincoln Diner is located right off the square in Gettysburg, one block down on Carlisle street, right against the railroad tracks. Sometimes if you are lucky a train will go by and you can watch it go, literally 15 feet from your table. There are two sections, the front section is booths and stool/counter seating. This is the smoking section, also, and it is open 24 hours. The back is table/booth seating, non-smoking, and closes around 9pm (I think).

When I used to go to the diner in high school, it was a little run down, someone had apparently gotten the great idea that the traditional chrome look of diners was really outdated and had ripped it all down years before. About 10 years ago, they finally brought the chrome back and it now appears as it did years ago, in full chrome and neon as seen in the picture above.

Service is good, the food is typical diner: (large) breakfasts all day, soups, sandwiches, fries (with gravy, please!!), salads, , burgers. I've never ordered entrees there, but I know they have broasted chicken, fish fillets, steaks, etc. with veggies, mashed potatoes, the usual. They also have some of the best milkshakes in the area, but one of the things that most people comment on is the desserts.

Beside the main door there is a revolving, cooled, 3-tier dessert display with 3-layer chocolate cakes, strawberry pies, eclairs, boston cream pies, and just about any other thing you can imagine there for your drool-enticing viewing, not to mention some very good baklava and sundaes. They actually have maple walnut sundaes! And to top off their dessert menu is The Thing: 8 scoops of ice cream, 4 different syrups/sauces, and several toppings that I cannot remember right now. No, I've never had it.

It remains THE hangout for groups of high school kids today. This is one of the three drawbacks I will mention about the Lincoln Diner. I think the kids flock to it primarily because it is open 24 hours and they don't seat you, so you can walk in, gab with friends, and walk out again. They also don't pay much attention to teen smokers.

Problem 2 is that they don't accept credit cards or debit cards, but you can plan ahead and hit an ATM machine before you go. They do accept traveler's checks.

Problem 3 is the parking, which is small, tight, and problematic in getting out of the lot without hitting someone else's car. My recommendation is to park in the sole Gettysburg parking garage, which is across the street and down Racehorse Alley that runs between the Gettysburg Hotel and the Majestic Theatre.

The bottom line, though, is that if you are looking for a large mushroom and cheese omlet with some of the best breakfast potatoes around, or a chocolate milkshake, or (sigh) gravy fries, this is the place to go.

Unfortunately, they don't appear to have a website.

Lincoln Diner
32 Carlisle St.
Gettysburg, PA 17325
(717) 334-3900

Greencastle Coffee Roasters – Greencastle, PA

My husband and I are coffee drinkers. We prefer to go to a roaster to get our beans because we have….specific tastes. That means we like our coffee rich, flavorful, and lets not mince words here, just plain better than store-bought coffee that may have been sitting around for months if not years in a warehouse. We also like to try out flavored coffees and specialty Organic and Fair Trade coffees.

Enter into the picture Greencastle Coffee Roasters. Right on Rt. 16 and near Rt. 81, about a half hour from our house, they have not only coffee and coffee paraphernalia, but also a large variety of tea and tea paraphernalia, a large selection of Asian foods and ingredients, a peanut roaster, snacks and munchies and great music playing all the time.

Coffee first: they offer the largest variety of flavored coffees I’ve ever seen. Yes, they have the standard vanilla, hazelnut, and chocolate almond. They also have delights such as caramel apple, coconut, exotic mint, and peach brandy. They have over 100 flavors, and many of them are offered in decaf as well.

For their unflavored coffees, they offer:

• Asian: Chinese Yunnan, Golden Java, Indian Monsoon Malabar, etc.
• African: Ethiopian, Yemen, Malawi, Tanzania Peaberry, etc.
• Latin/South American: Brazilian Bourbon Santos, Venezuela La Palmita, etc.
• Hard-to-find: Galapagos Boobies (really), Laos Bolaven Plateau, Nepal Himalayas, etc.
• Organic and Fair Trade: Sumatra, Peru, Honduras, etc.

Many of these are also offered in decaf. They have a nice selection of french presses, coffee grinders, and they will grind your coffee for you or sell you whole-bean coffee if you wish.

One of the nicest options is the sampler bags that they have hanging on the walls for about $1.25/each. We have purchased samplers of various coffees to try and have liked some or disliked others. Then we know what to buy more of and what to avoid.

Tea: We're also big tea drinkers. They carry Loose-leaf varieties, mixes, fruit teas, etc. such as Yerba Mate, Jasmine Green, several varieties of white teas, several decaf teas, and flavored black teas. They also have several tea strainers and diffusers. The last time I was there I finally saw a tea brick, which is black tea pressed into a 5x8 inch block with a decorative motif in relief. They used to be broken up and used as currency way back when tea was the import of importance. They also have samplers of teas available.

Asian Foodstuffs: I was so excited to find their Asian food section. This is the only place I have ever seen Kaffir Lime Leaves for sale, or tamarind paste. I was so happy to find both of these. They have also a large selection of different rice in various sized packages, several sauces, candies, pastes, beans, noodles, soup mixes, etc.
Snacks: they have a peanut roaster, and you can get peanuts anywhere from lightly to darkly roasted as you like. They have some candy, dried fruits and vegetables, sesame sticks, and wasabi peas.

The only beef I have with the place is they do not serve any coffee, but in the long run I can live with that.

All in all, this is a great local find. Tea and coffee samplers make great stocking stuffers or small thank you gifts. Please see their website for full list of coffees and teas, coupons, and other information. You can also order online.

Greencastle Coffee Roasters

164 E Baltimore Street

Greencastle, PA 17225

1-877-597-1900

(717) 597-1900

Isabella's Tavern and Tapas Bar - Frederick, Maryland

It only seems fitting that I have my first post be about Isabella's. If I had to pick only one place to dine out in the area for the rest of my life, this would be it. Isabella's has such good food and service, great atmosphere, and an overall feeling of relaxation that I can't help but want to take everyone I know there for dinner.

I originally went to Isabella's with a coworker. I don't remember what we had, but I do remember being so impressed that I dragged my husband, Matthew, there within 2 weeks. He was also impressed. Since then I have been there several times with Matt, several times with my best bud, Tim, and have made it a Mother's Day tradition for the past 3-4 years.

Isabella's is a tapas bar. If you have never had tapas you are missing out on a real treat. Tapas is a traditional dish in Spain where you are served a series of small dishes (think appetizers) over a period of time. Usually, they are shared among friends over wine and good conversation. This is not a quick in-and-out meal, no, these meals are to be savored, enjoyed, and time is supposed to be spent over them. In Spain it is common to travel from tapas place to tapas place over a period of hours, trying new things and moving on.

Ordering at a tapas bar is a little different, too. Usually the waiter will ask me if I've been there before. If I am with someone who hasn't, I'll generally tell them so and the waiter will tell my guest that it is expected that you order 2-3 things, they come out as they are ready (cold items coming before hot ones), enjoy them, then order more things when you choose. They will also give you fresh bread to dip into the olive oil they have in bottles on each table. The bread is also good for dipping up leftover sauces from each dish. They will generally leave one menu at the table for future ordering, and will check back from time to time to see if you would like to make further orders.

Some examples of things to order: my favorites include the Serrano Ham with Melons drizzled in olive oil, French Fried Asparagus with Tomato Aioli, and the Cinnamon Brownie with Hazelnut Ice Cream. I also like the Fried Potatoes with the Spicy Tomato Glaze and Garlic Aioli. Tim especially likes the Spinach Sauteed with Pine Nuts and Raisins. My mother is partial to the cold Grilled Eggplant Salad with Capers, Peppers, Caramelized Garlic, Onions, and Olive Oil. They also have a lot of seafood on the menu, cheeses, lamb, and quite a number of vegetarian dishes. They also will usually have some specials every day, and will give you a list of those along with the menu. I just saw one that I need to order next time I go in: Bacon-wrapped Dates Stuffed with Chorizo and Mild Goat Cheese.

One of the most interesting thing on the menu to try is the Chicken with Chocolate Sauce. No, this is not Hershey's syrup. The Spanish chocolate sauce is a traditional, chili sauce that is not sweet at all. Each time I've had it I've been surprised how the rich chocolate taste creeps up on you after the chili passes. It is very interesting and not for everyone, but definitely worth it to try at least once for the experience.

They also have entrees on the menu, such as Paella or steaks, but to be frank: this is a tapas bar. Order tapas.

Their wine list is obviously Spanish and Portugal heavy, but they have a large selection of wines from all over the world by the glass or bottle and at all price ranges. They also have a fully-stocked bar and of course a selection of non-alcoholic drinks as well.

They are located in the historic area of Frederick along with many other fine restaurants and upscale shops. It is right around the corner from a convenient parking garage (only $1 on weekends!) and is a short walk from the Weinberg Theater and the Mural Bridge. The interior of the building is all brick with some Mediterranean-inspired decor on the walls. The ceilings are old-fashioned tin. There are both tables and booths, the booths have wooden high-backed seating.

Reservations are recommended for groups, special dates (I learned the hard way to make one on Mother's Day), and possibly Friday and Saturday nights. They do have a lunch menu, but you can also order off the dinner menu for lunch.

Please visit their website for full menus, special events, pictures, map, and other reviews.

Isabella's Tavern & Tapas Bar

44 N. Market Street

Frederick, MD 21701

Telephone: 301-698-8922

Hours: Tuesday-Friday lunch: 11:30-2:30

Tuesday-Thursday dinner: 5:00-10:00

Friday dinner: 5:00-11:00

Saturday: 11:30am-11:00pm

Sunday: 12:00pm-10:00pm

Closed Mondays