📍 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑩𝒆𝒍𝒗𝒆𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝑰𝒏𝒏, 𝑳𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓, 𝑷𝒆𝒏𝒏𝒔𝒚𝒍𝒗𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒂 – 402 N Queen St, Lancaster, PA 17603
Looking for the perfect place to celebrate a special occasion? Look no further than The Belvedere Inn, a phenomenal upscale restaurant with spectacular service in the heart of Lancaster City & Central Pennsylvania.
Typically when we think of eating out in Lancaster County, we think of Amish Smorgasbords, and Pennsylvania Dutch dinner theaters. However, as we found, there is so much more to this Central Pennsylvania region when it comes to dining out than all-you-can-eat buffets.
After months of recommendations from basically everyone we know, we reserved a table at the award-winning Belvedere Inn to celebrate our wedding anniversary, and it couldn’t have been more wonderful. The hype surrounding this spot was well deserved, and now we’re telling everyone we know about The Belvedere Inn!
Getting There
Whether you’re staying in or visiting Lancaster proper or the surrounding areas, The Belvedere Inn is conveniently located in Downtown Lancaster City. When the restaurant called to confirm our reservation the Friday before, we asked about the parking situation & we were told there is no charge for street parking in Lancaster City on Sundays. There is also a covered parking garage adjacent to the restaurant.
TRAVEL TIP: We reserved our table on the Open Table app, as we do for all our dining reservations, a few weeks out from our anniversary.
The Scene
The restaurant’s Victorian Italianate-style city mansion was built in 1869, and it is gorgeous both on the outside & on the inside. As you enter through the front door, you enter the main foyer where you have the option to enter the main dining room, featuring a marble fireplace, or the first floor bar. The ceilings are high, and the décor is modern Victorian.
After we checked in with the hostess, we headed to the downstairs bar to start our evening off with a few cocktails & chat with the fantastic Belvedere bartenders who were friendly, fun & very welcoming. They are also very knowledgeable. The bar itself is absolutely gorgeous with touches of black & gold. If you find yourself in the area not wanting to commit to a full meal or can’t get a reservation, stop on in and grab a drink from their extensive bar menu.
The ambience is stylish & elegant but yet cozy from the foyer to the bar & the dining rooms. We were seated at a table for two on the second floor in the most comfortable & luxurious chairs that moved easily to and from the table since they were on wheels. The table had a small modern light that made it easy to read the menu and see each other. The walls were outfitted with unique artwork and fabulous light fixtures, and there was live music which was a real treat. Overall, the dining rooms were very romantical & we had a great time enjoying our meal & eachother’s company.
The Belvedere offers both indoor and outdoor seating year-round. Yes, that’s right. Even in the winter months, diners can eat al-fresco in an “outdoor villa” on the second-floor terrace where you will be warm & enjoy the beautiful patio fountain & décor.
We dined during the holiday season, so the restaurant was beautifully dressed from head-to-toe in classy Christmas décor. There were whimsical Christmas trees, wreaths, garland & lights both inside and out. We especially loved the adorable gingerbread men who were hanging above the downstairs bar. The Belvedere Inn during the holidays is an absolute “must-see” as these decorations are unlike anything we’ve ever seen in a restaurant. We’ve heard from the staff that reservations for Thanksgiving, Christmas & New Years are often hard to come by, and we can see why!
The Cuisine
The Belvedere Inn‘s menu changes seasonally, and it truly has something for everyone including gluten-free & vegetarian options.
We began with the Mushroom Arancini appetizer. Arancini is a favorite Italian dish of ours & we make them at home often, typically with a marinara or Pomodoro sauce. However, The Belvedere’s Arancini was served with a pistachio pesto & lemon-Cajun aioli. These flavors were totally unexpected but yet magic in every bite! The Arancinis themselves were also properly cooked which seems to be a hard task to achieve in Central PA – not for The Belvedere though!
For our entrees, we had a hard time choosing because there were so many wonderful offerings on the menu – but we ordered the Roasted PA Duck Breast, the seared Sea Scallops & a side of the Aged Cheddar Grits. All of our selections were full of flavor, and our meal was perfectly paced.
The Service
Everyone from the hostess to the bartender & server was friendly & welcoming. the restaurant even surprised us with the sweetest personalized wishes for our anniversary. For us, it’s the little things like this that make a good dining experience even better. We didn’t need a complimentary dessert or anything like that – we just appreciated that the restaurant took the time to print out a card just for us!
Fantastic food & company – this was truly one of the best dining experiences we’ve had in Central Pennsylvania & we’re kicking ourselves for not having tried it sooner.
Thank you to The Belvedere Inn & our sweet server Ari for an anniversary dinner we’ll never forget! Where’s the most romantic spot that you’ve had dinner? Let us know in the comments below.
For those looking for a place to celebrate a special occasion in Central Pennsylvania, book your table at The Belvedere Inn today.
The comments, opinions, and views set forth on this site are the reflected personal positions of the site’s creators. This site is not an affiliate of The Belvedere Inn and all opinions are our own. The comments, opinions, and views set forth within this site are not the official positions of The Belvedere Inn, and they do not reflect the Company’s position.
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