Pennsylvania’s Best Food Hotspot is Found in a Tiny Amish Farm Town

When I travel, there are usually two kinds of trips. Some are bucket-list experiences I spend months putting together, and others are more casual excursions—usually a night or two away from home at most. One of those casual trips I find myself doing at least once or twice a year is a visit to Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and Amish Country—specifically, to the tiny town of East Earl.

That's where I made a pilgrimage for the first time in 2021 to Shady Maple Smorgasbord, the largest buffet in the United States and home to delicious country-style cooking for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The sprawling complex is also home to a massive gift shop that's more of a department store. However, what's made it a regular visit for me is actually across the parking lot: the best Amish food in Pennsylvania.

Shady Maple Farm Market is a huge supermarket-style building selling a combination of every grocery staple you could need, combined with hundreds of farm-fresh items directly from local farms. Every time I visit, I discover something new I can't wait to try, so it's no wonder I find myself taking the Amtrak over to Lancaster at least twice a year these days. I always come home loaded with snacks, jars, fresh fruit, and anything else you could imagine at this huge Amish market, and I'm always left wishing I could carry more.

It was really surprising to me just how large the Shady Maple complex is, especially since it's in such a rural area of Lancaster County. The land contains the Shady Maple Smorgasborg building, the Shady Maple Farm Market, and the Good's Hardware department store. All three buildings are massive and easy to spend a lot of time exploring.

When I heard Shady Maple had an attached farm market, I wasn't prepared for just how impressive this place would be. As soon as you enter, you'll find a small gift shop and a snack stand selling drinks and Amish treats like hot pretzels. It's easy to make a small meal here, but many visitors save their stomachs for a visit to the Smorgasbord! This is all before you even enter the supermarket.

The produce section is the first I encountered when I entered, and the selection was staggering. I couldn't get too much fresh produce because I was traveling, but I was particularly blown away by the sheer variety of apples—many locally grown. This is also where you'll find packaged snacks by weight, and I'm in love with the butter-braided pretzels and the garlic bagel chips sold here.

The main grocery section is very extensive. I was able to bring home some specialty jams and European goods for my mother, as well as plenty of cans of my favorite Chicken Pot Pie soup from a Pennsylvania brand. One aisle that I found very intriguing, even if I didn't buy anything from it, was the bulk aisle. Shady Maple does a brisk business selling to large Amish gatherings, so you can buy just about anything in massive cans and jars, ranging from pickles to tuna to tapioca pudding.

The deli and meat section really impressed me. I'm always happy when I get the chance to pick up some authentic Lebanon Beef Bologna! The most unexpected part of this section was definitely the exotic meats; Shady Maple has a large selection of frozen meats that are very rare to find, including antelope, camel, and ostrich.

The place I imagine many guests spend the most time exploring will be the bakery, which has a stunning selection of the most decadent Amish treats. There were around a dozen varieties of Whoopie Pies, those rich cookie sandwiches filled with buttercream frosting, and plenty of pies, including the famous Amish Shoofly Pie. I wound up walking away with a massive pecan pie that made me look forward to my next visit.

Have you gotten to explore Shady Maple Farm Market in East Earl? If not, tell a friend about this foodie dream come true! You can find out more about the market, the buffet, and the gift shop on the Shady Maple website. East Earl and the adjoining town of New Holland are pretty far from the Lancaster city center, so lodging options are limited, but I highly recommend Country Squire Inn & Suites. This independently-owned hotel might look like a motel from the exterior, but it offers roomy and comfortable lodging, personalized service, and a voucher for breakfast at the attached cafe.

Feeling inspired? Try planning your own trip using Only In Your State’s itinerary planner.