Best of the Best: Lancaster County

Shady Maple Smorgasbord

1324 Main St., East Earl
800-238-7363 / Shady-Maple.com

A fixture for 50+ years, Shady Maple is best known for its smorgasbord — the largest buffet in the U.S. with over 200 feet of hand-prepared dishes. It’s where you go when you visit Lancaster County, although some fans go weekly. One Redditor called it a “hysterically awesome glutton’s paradise,” but Business Insider extolled its longevity in the face of buffet chains biting the dust. Their secrets: lots of choices, low prices and fresh ingredients with quick turnover. Serving 1.2 million/year for all-you-can-eat breakfast, lunch and dinner. Yes, you’ll find whoopie pies and scrapple, along with prime rib, fried chicken and even a salad bar. Some prefer to skip the buffet and head for the grocery store and gift shop.