📍 401 Prime, Lancaster, PA – 401 N Prince St, Lancaster, PA 17603
We kicked off the New Year with a fantastic dinner at a new (for us) restaurant, 401 Prime, a cozy upscale spot in the heart of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. 401 Prime is the perfect place to enjoy a cocktail, a delicious meal, and celebrate a special occasion.
It’s no secret we’re fans of The Belvedere Inn and Chef Daniel LeBoon, the founder of the original Josephine’s restaurant in Marietta which sadly is no more. The Belvedere Inn and it’s sister restaurants are a part of the Vescor Hospitality Group, a locally-owned restaurant group that has revitalized the Lancaster Dining Scene in recent years where Chef Daniel has become an executive chef & partner. Vescor Hospitality is home to four incredible dining experiences including:
- The Belvedere Inn, contemporary American cuisine since the 1980’s
- Josephine’s Downtown, a luxurious reincarnation of the French-inspired Marietta staple known for its scratch-kitchen & incredible atmosphere;
- C’est La Vie, a casual French-inspired small plates bistro; and
- 401 Prime, a cozy upscale modern steakhouse and the most recent addition to Vescor’s portfolio.
After amazing experiences at both Belvedere and Josephine’s Downtown, and many recommendations from all of you, we knew 401 Prime was a must-eat.
Getting There
Whether you’re visiting Lancaster or the surrounding Central Pennsylvania area for the day or a week, if you’re looking for an upscale fine dining experience, you absolutely must reserve a table at 401 Prime. The restaurant is conveniently located in downtown Lancaster City on the corner of Prince & Lemon Streets, and we were surprised to learn many of our fellow diners were also from out of town (Manhattan, Philadelphia, Baltimore, etc.), and are frequent patrons.
Parking is available on the street front for a fee (free on Sundays) but there is also covered parking in the North Queen Street Garage which also happens to be located right next door to The Belvedere Inn.
The Scene
401 Prime is nestled on the corner of Prince & Lemon Street with a stacked stone front & a simple entryway. As we entered through the front door, we were excited to see what awaited us inside. We were greeted by the host where we had the option to enter the main dining room, located straight ahead, or veer off to the left were we could grab a seat and a drink at the cozy bar.
TRAVEL TIP: We reserved our table on the Open Table app, as we do for all our dining reservations.
After we checked in with the host, we were escorted inside where the decor was warm, elegant and inviting. The server led us past a seemingly endless wall of wine (your first hint that the restaurant’s wine list is extensive) to a cozy window table for two with views of Lemon Street. During our visit, the restaurant’s interior was still decked out with charming Christmas decor which added a festive touch to the experience.
The venue is gorgeous – a dreamy dining space, dimly lit with a romantic-feel featuring comfortable but yet luxurious furniture. The decor is elegant, but not overdone with calming neutral tones. Gray high-back chairs and lush booths wrapped in a deep purple velvet fabric were the primary seating options. A patterned carpet complimented the wallpapered ceiling where brass sputnik chandlers hung from above.
From where we were seated, we appreciated the small peak inside the bustling kitchen which could be viewed above the velvet booths. The dining area was free of background noise, and we appreciated being able to have conversations with each other.
The atmosphere was celebratory as it seemed everyone around us was celebrating something special, and we heard every server around us, as well as ours, ask whether or not we were celebrating something special that night. We won’t spoil the surprise but if you are celebrating something, the restaurant has a very unique way of helping you do so!
The Cuisine
401 Prime’s menu features something for everyone including gluten-free & vegetarian options. Although we did not try it on this visit, we’ve heard amazing things about their vegan filet!
In addition to the menu pictured below, you will find Prime Rib available on Fridays and Saturdays. We dined on a Friday evening in January and seriously considered ordering the Prime Rib – next time! Also, the soup of the day during our visit was Ham & Bean Soup which Jared surprisingly passed on (it is a favorite of his).
We began our meal with warm lavender-scented towelettes, a complimentary (and freshly-baked) bread service featuring light and fluffy pop-over rolls (the Chef’s mother’s recipe) accompanied by sweet honey-chive butter a sampling of sea salt, smoked salt, and charcoal salt, and a few cocktails, a perfect martini for Jared and a glass of bubbles for Janine.
For our appetizer, we went with the Triple Cut Miso Bacon. To say this was phenomenal would be an understatement. It was perfectly sauteed, full of flavor, and melt in your mouth delicious. This appetizer is similar to something we’ve enjoyed at a Manhattan restaurant, but 401’s take added a pear & golden raisin chutney which was a nice twist.
When it came to selecting our entrees, it was a difficult decision. The menu offers both steak and seafood dishes, featuring Chef Daniel’s famous crab cake. Living in the Northeast, we love a good crab cake (sorry folks, but Maryland-style is the best!) but this is a steakhouse afterall!
Originally, we were both going to order the Ribeye. However, after chatting with our sweet server, we decided on the Rib Cap based on her recommendations. As an add-on, diners may add a lobster tail or crab cake to any steak entree, so Janine decided to add Chef Daniel’s famous crab cake to her entree.
Like most steakhouses, the sides at 401 Prime are a la carte but still sharable. We heard amazing things about the Classic Mac and Cheese, but we were hesitant since it was made with bleu cheese. After speaking to our server, we were convinced that the bleu cheese wouldn’t be an overwhelming flavor, and she was right! We tried the Classic Mac and Cheese along with the 401 Potato au Gratin with bacon, cheddar, and gouda, and both were stellar additions to our meal.
Our server Kayleigh’s recommendations did not disappoint! Every bite was full of flavor and perfectly prepared.
These photos simply do not do justice to how amazingly rich and flavorful both sides were – truly what food dreams are made of! We can’t wait to return to try all of the other varieties of Mac and Cheese (truffle!).
For each of our courses, the presentations were flawless and the portions were generous. Neither of us could finish our entire meal, so we brought home a portion of each course, including our sides. Our leftovers were a nice treat the next day!
The Service
Since it was our first time dining at 401 Prime, we had a few questions. Our server Kayleigh was prompt, courteous, observant, very knowledgeable about the menu, offered excellent recommendations, and our meal never felt rushed.
Overall, the service at 401 Prime was impeccable from not just our server, but the entire team was very attentive to everyone in the restaurant, making sure we each had everything we needed and the best experience possible. That was something we both said we don’t see often enough – other servers willing to check in on diners, clear plates, refill your drink. There was no designated Back Waiter assigned to refill water, breads, etc. It was clear that this was a team effort, and that is something we absolutely love to see.
From start to finish, our first dinner at 401 Prime was perfection. Thank you to 401 Prime & our sweet server Kayleigh for a spectacular evening, and we can’t wait to return! What are some of your favorite dining spots in Central Pennsylvania? Let us know in the comments below.
For those looking to book your table, you can do so on OpenTable: 401 Prime
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