Cooking With Jilly

Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Lancaster City Breakfast Tour - The Baker's Table

Hopefully you've been keeping up with my Lancaster City Breakfast Tour and have been enjoying my visits so-far. If you've missed any be sure to check out my previous stops which were On Orange, ForkNSpoon Cafe, Commonwealth on Queen, & Aussie And The Fox.

Stop #5 on my Lancaster City Breakfast Tour was the one & only Baker's Table. This place is FANTASTIC. They are located in Urban Place (across the street from another awesome Lancaster City place, Quips Pub) & affiliated with The Cork Factory Hotel. Baker's Table is located in Lancaster City, but not downtown. I've noticed it's less crowded on Saturday mornings than the rest of my tour stops. Therefore, it's the perfect place to go when you want a quiet morning. ;-)

What We Ate: The Baker's Breakfast, Coffee, Girl Scout Cupcakes, Mocha Eclair, Chocolate Chip Cookie (The last 3 we took home in a to-go box).

What Brought Me Joy: Their food. So much to choose from & all so so good.

Atmosphere. It's just a really chill spot. There is tons of stuff to look at. From greeting cards, to cook books, from paper place mats, to aprons, to colorful whisks, to random knick-knacks. It's a fun place to be. If you need to study or get work done, i would recommend spending the afternoon here.

What You Should Order: The Quiche. This is phenomenal. They give you a very generous portion & serve with a side salad (adorbs). They usually have two different kinds to choose from and it's not like any quiche you've every prepared at home, trust me. This was actually the same quiche that was served at my baby shower. And if it's good enough for Baby Stoltzfoos, then it's good enough for you too.

Baker's Breakfast (you can only get this on weekends). For $8.95 you can get all-you-can-eat made-to-order omelettes, delicious waffles with strawberries & homemade whip cream which tastes like vanilla bean ice-cream, plus whatever hot items they have on the side that day...usually hashbrown potatoes, bacon, and sausage. It's an awesome, filling breakfast & it's the perfect blend of sweet & savory. This is my go-to at Baker's Table.

Pour-over coffee from Blue Bottle Coffee Company. My fave is Three Africans. It's awesome to watch the pour-over process.

BAGEL BOMBS!!! A sphere-shaped bagel with cream cheese & other deliciousness on the inside.

You can't go wrong with any of their awesome pastries, but I love the homemade S'more Pop-Tart (ask them to heat it up for you) or take it home and toast it. Delicious! They have other types of homemade pop-tarts to choose from. I also love their buttery, delightful croissants. Yum. They just have so many sweets to choose from. So when you leave, make sure you take something with you!

Follow Them On Facebook HERE. Or on Instagram HERE.

Obligatory Pic Of My Son:

Here he is at his first trip to The Baker's Table at 2 weeks old!

Here he is at The Baker's Table at 9 months old!

I really can't say enough great things about Baker's Table. I think full disclosure is needed here. I'm biased when it comes to The Baker's Table. It's my favorite morning spot in all of Lancaster County. I've been going here often since before my Breakfast Tour obsession began. I enjoy going to dinner at Cork & Cap. I think their bar is awesome. I love the Cork Factory hotel, my husband & I will stay there on special occasions. My baby shower was even here. I have nothing but awesome things to say about this place. So, just so you know, my glowing review is based on many mornings at The Baker's Table.

Here is my disclaimer that I've put on all of my posts: I want My Lancaster City Breakfast Tour to be an informative & fun experience for those who read about it. My hope is, that based on one of my recommendations, you will be enticed to go to one (or all) of these spots and enjoy them for yourselves. For the record, I will only be focusing on the positive parts of each restaurant/cafe that I go to. So if I had bad service or a meal that I didn't enjoy, I will choose to omit that from my review. Keep that in mind as you're reading. I'm not some 5 star critic or restaurant connoisseur, just a hungry patron, so I'm going to keep my experiences simple and up-beat. I hope you have been enjoying this tour, so far!

What do you think? Comments? Suggestions? I would love to know that you visited my blog. Please leave me a message letting me know you were here! Did you try out a recipe? Let me know! I would love to hear from you :-)

Monday, March 10, 2014

Lancaster City Breakfast Tour - Aussie & The Fox

The Lancaster City Breakfast Tour had to take a 2 week hiatus due to out of town travels & moving into a new house (!!!!). But I was back this weekend for breakfast at the fabulous Aussie & The Fox. (Read about stops #1, #2 & #3 first.) Aussie & The Fox, located on King Street is one of Lancaster's newest restaurants.

I love to go there for dinner or to grab coffee at their Tucker Box in the mornings when i'm visiting downtown. This was my first official Brekkie visit and it was beyond awesome.

What We Ate: BLT-E, The Fox Breakfast, Fruit & Yogurt Parfait, Coffee, & Homefries

What Brought Me Joy: Great options, great food. Some places can have very overwhelming menus. A&TF was great because their menu was unique. They don't need to clutter the menu with a bazillion options. They keep it simple and do it well.

Generous portions. Look at this yogurt parfait!

Their seating. If you're lucky enough to get to sit at one of their tables in the windows and people watch, then enjoy it. Those tables are the best! Or opt for sitting at the bar. It's a fine looking bar and they have really great bartenders. Great place to venture by yourself, bring something to read, & drink your coffee at the bar.

Their food. Overall, just a great great meal. I'm excited to go back and try their Honey Crisp Apple Pancakes which were recommended to me.

What You Should Order: If you love a good poached egg, their Bennys. But I must say their creamed chipped beef in homemade black pepper gravy is the most unique thing i've tasted in a very long time. Delicious. I'm also in love with their parfait. Homemade granola & a great assortment of fresh fruit, including black berries. But just in case you didn't hear me the first time...get The Fox Breakfast....that black pepper gravy is mind-blowing.

The Fox Breakfast. Look at that gravy.

Follow Them On Facebook: Here.

Obligatory Pic of my Son:

This was taken 7 months ago :-)

Great drinks, desserts, & meals at A&TF for dinner too!

Next Stop: Not sure yet. Suggestions? Won't be able to go out to breakfast this week, so it might be two weeks before my next post. Be patient! ;-)

Saturday, February 15, 2014

Lancaster City Breakfast Tour - Commonwealth on Queen

Today was the third stop of our Lancaster City Breakfast Tour. (Read about stops #1 & #2 first.) We ventured out after 3 days of snow & several days of an awful stomach bug. :-( Because it was still snowing, there were plenty of places available to park in front of this morning's latest breakfast spot: Commonwealth on Queen. It's located on the corner of Queen Street and Walnut Street across from another awesome spot, Fractured Prune Donuts. This used to be where the Shoppes at 301 were located. Commonwealth has not been open that long and you probably don't think of them as a breakfast place because they do so much more: Pop-up Dinners, Pop-up Yoga, Tango Lessons, Tastings, Parties, Workshops, etc. Check out their events page to learn more about what they are up to. It appears they are always up to something.

Banana Nutella Waffle. Lots of Nutella!

What We Ate: A single Banana Nutella Waffle (ask for a double decker if you want two), Health Nut Yogurt Parfait, breakfast sandwich & coffee.

What Brought Me Joy: They have pour-over coffee. Some of my favorite spots in Lancaster (The Baker's Table, Roaring Brook Market & Cafe) have pour-over coffee.

The decor. The place is just really chic & cool. You feel a little underdressed if you stroll in with a hoodie on. The big windows, the fireplace, the open layout, you know it's a great spot to a host an event. If I weren't already married I would consider having a rehearsal dinner here!

Water. I love love love when places serve you water in glass bottles like these. #littlethings

What You Should Order: Their signature is The Barn Burner. Be sure to get it if you like spicy food.

Follow Them On Facebook Here.

Obligatory Pic Of My Son:

Next Stop: TBD. We will be out of town next weekend and moving the weekend after that. So it may be several Saturdays til we venture out again. Where should we go next?

Here is my disclaimer that I will be putting in all of my posts: I want My Lancaster City Breakfast Tour to be an informative & fun experience for those who read about it. My hope is, that based on one of my recommendations, you will be enticed to go to one (or all) of these spots and enjoy them for yourselves. For the record, I will only be focusing on the positive parts of each restaurant/cafe that I go to. So if I had bad service or a meal that I didn't enjoy, I will choose to omit that from my review. Keep that in mind as you're reading. I'm not some 5 star critic or restaurant connoisseur, just a hungry patron, so I'm going to keep my experiences simple and up-beat. I hope you enjoy the tour!

Thursday, February 13, 2014

Lancaster City Breakfast Tour - On Orange

My Lancaster City Breakfast Tour is off to a great start. I want this to be an informative & fun experience for those who read it. My hope is, that based on one of my recommendations, you will be enticed to go to one (or all) of these spots and enjoy them for yourselves. For the record, I will only be focusing on the positive parts of each restaurant/cafe that I go to. So if I had bad service or a meal that I didn't enjoy, I will choose to omit that from my review. Keep that in mind as you're reading. I'm not some 5 star critic or restaurant connoisseur, just a hungry patron, so I'm going to keep my experiences simple and up-beat. I hope you enjoy the tour! ;-)

First stop on my Lancaster City Breakfast Tour was On Orange, which of course, is located on Orange Street. They did not disappoint. If you've been before you may recognize it as "Wish You Were Here". This was the restaurant located in the same spot about 5 years ago.

What We Ate: "The Old Standby", Swedish Pancakes, Baked Oatmeal, Toast & Coffee.

What Brought Me Joy: They give you a sweet little treat at the end of your meal with the check. Bite-sized cookies made by Wendy Jo's. So cute! This especially warms my heart because Wendy Jo has a stand at Lancaster Central Market like I do. (Insert shameless Buona Tavola Fresh Pasta plug here)

Their bathrooms. I know that's a weird thing to enjoy, but they were so cute! I regret not getting a picture of them. ;-)

Their mug club. Here is a pic of their cool mugs. They hang on the walls with your name next to it. If you frequent On Orange & are a coffee/tea drinker, then it's worth the investment. ;-) These cool mugs are made by Cracked Clay that also make AWESOME beer steins!

What You Should Order: Pancakes. Get the pancakes. They are the same scrumptious Swedish recipe from WYWH. Quote from my husband: "Best pancakes in Lancaster County." They are made with organic oats and they are the size of your head.

Follow Them On Facebook Here.

Obligatory Pic of my Son:

The staff & patrons were good to him. Thanks, On Orange for a delicious morning!

Next Stop: Read about our visit to ForkNSpoon Cafe here!

I would love to know your thoughts & that you visited my blog. Leave a comment below!

Lancaster City Breakfast Tour - ForkNSpoon Cafe

Stop #2 on my Lancaster City Breakfast Tour was ForkNSpoon Cafe. (Stop #1 was On Orange) They are located on Gallery Row of Prince Street on the same block as one of my favorite spots in Lancaster City, Pour. They have been open for a little over 2 years. I like to go here when the weather is warmer and you can eat outside. But I'm not complaining about going in the winter, the food is still fantastic!

What We Ate: Bananas Foster, ForkNSpoon Breakfast Waffle, & Red Eyes

Bananas Foster!!!

What Brought Me Joy: Their hospitality is above par. They were very friendly and appreciative of our patronage. Most restaurants/cafes around Lancaster have nice, friendly staff, but ForkNSpoon, they are better than most.

They have a great sense of humor. This is evident by the signs they have up in their front area.

They run a great Facebook page. They will post changes in their menu, featured items, pictures of their food, something funny, upcoming events, etc. They are an asset to their community. They will post about a missing dog, snow closings, information about other local businesses. Overall, they just do a nice job of running an active, engaging FB page. I appreciate that.

A great menu selection. Plenty of coffee drinks to choose from. Plus on Saturday mornings you can get classic breakfast options like Toad in the Hole or pancakes, but you can also get soup or a sandwich if that's what you're in the mood for. I have trouble deciding what to get because it's all so good.

They do neat things like Sinatra Sundays or a 5 course Valentine's Day dinner. It's not too late to get in for their Valentine's meal, but you have to make reservations.

What You Should Order: Their signature breakfast herb waffle is a must.

Breakfast Waffle in all it's glory.

If you prefer something sweet to savory I've narrowed it down to these 3: Bananas Foster (it's like french toast, only better...the sauce makes it!), Yogurt Parfait (a great summer time treat), & the grilled Nutella, banana & strawberry tortilla (it's hard to go wrong when Nutella is involved).