Now, if there is one thing I know about in the Lancaster/Millersville area it’s good places to eat. I have been going to Millersville for almost 4 years now, going on 5 and believe me, I have relied on some good places to grab a bite to get through my studies. This is a culmination of less formal and more formal dining situations. I am going to be giving you the grand tour of my favorite eats, where to find them, how much you will spend there, and some insight into what I get for some inspo! I hope you enjoy, maybe find a new dinner spot, or just have some more options than your college meal plan.
**Note: I am basing these prices off of single person meals even though many of these places I go to with my boyfriend. So, the whole bill is more but MY food cost is the price reflected. $ = 5 -10 dollars, $$ = 15 – 25 dollars, $$$ = above 25 dollars.**
- Poke Bowl Station
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Poké Bowl Station is one my absolute favorite spots of all time. I go there quite a bit and am greeted by amazing service, a clean store, and delicious food. Poké Bowl is kind of like the Asian cuisine version of Chipotle; you get to pick everything that goes into your bowl! You can dine-in or carry out which makes it easy to get for whatever occasion you are feeling. The price is pretty great too because it’s only based on the # of proteins so all other toppings are included. Something I love about this place is that it is so fast and easy but the ingredients are so fresh and overall pretty healthy as well – you really get the bang for your buck here!
Address: 367 Comet Drive, Lancaster, PA 17603
https://www.pokebowlstationpa.com/
Pricing: $$
My Go-To Order: A bowl w/ white rice, steak, shrimp, spicy shrimp, avocado, shiitake mushrooms, carrots, kani salad (crab), yum-yum sauce, sweet chili sauce, and tempura crunch topping. I also get a drink of some kind!
Rating: 10/10
- Copper Hill Public House
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Copper Hill Public House is a really beautiful but cozy restaurant on a golf course. It is located right up the street from Millersville University. They have a weekly weekend specials menu, daily specials, delicious food, great drinks, wonderful staff, and the manager makes it a point to not only know you but to always visit your table personally. Although Copper Hill is on a golf course, it isn’t too fancy or way overpriced. It is one of our go-to spots for a nice date night dinner since it’s a little nicer but not too much either.
Address: 1 Crosslands Ps, Millersville, PA 17551 @ Crossgates Golf Club
https://www.copperhillpub.com/
Pricing: $$ – $$$ [depending on what you order]
My Go-To Order: I usually try to get a special but I always get a side Caesar salad [to die for] and usually opt for steak or seafood.
Rating: 9/10
- SUgar Bowl (Millersville location)
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The Sugar Bowl is a MU college staple. It’s easy, quick, cheap, and convenient for students and non-students alike. Sugar Bowl is pretty much a right of passage but it’s not just another pizza shop: it’s more. Sugar Bowl has a lot of options and even though their pizza is delish, they offer tons of other foods for student to munch on. Sugar Bowl can be dined in, carried out, or be delivered which is really great to have so many options. If you go and try it out who knows. . . we might bump into each other and fight over a {relatively small} red diner booth.
Address: 9 Normal Ave, Millersville, PA 17551
https://www.customer2you.com/Sugarbowl.nsf/DisplayMenu
Pricing: $
My Go-To Order: 6 piece chicken nugget “dinner”, comes with fries and a drink [free refills] w/ bbq sauce and honey mustard.
Rating: 8/10
- Oriental Chinese Restaurant
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Now, there are multiple places around Millersville where I get sushi rolls, but there is one & only one establishment I get my Chinese take-out from and its OCR. I usually get it delivered and it is well worth the wait [which only takes about 30 minutes!]. I love the friendly staff and the taste just cannot be beat. I have sadly gotten sick at other Chinese restaurants near me and OCR is consistently the best one in terms of options, flavors, accessibility, and very tolerable after the fact.
Address: 1372 Columbia Ave, Lancaster, PA 17603
https://orientallancaster.5menucities.com/default.aspx
Pricing: $ – $$ [depending on what you order]
My Go-To Order: I usually get boneless Asian BBQ ribs, white rice, and some type of dumpling/fried won-ton situation. My boyfriend ALWAYS gets General Tso’s Chicken combo w/ white rice, broccoli, and an egg roll [that I steal and eat].
Rating: 8/10
- ShoGun hibachi
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Now – let me just express how much I love, desire, and CRAVE hibachi. No matter what, similar to Poké Bowl, I will NEVER turn down hibachi and I have no shame. I think there is something so cool about watching someone cooking in front of you and the experience you get. I love interacting with the hibachi masters and having fun during dinner. I also feel like Shogun really gives you so much amazing food for the price. There is not enough positive things I could say about this place – 100% must-try. They are constantly busy but move quickly and the wait staff are some of the kindest and fastest I have ever seen. Also, Shogun is located at Park City Mall but is accessed from the outside so you can just go for dinner or enjoy a day of shopping as well! Everything from the soup to the ginger salad to the proteins and fried rice to the cocktails are just. . . dare I say. . . perfect.
Address: 680 Park City Center, Lancaster, 17601
http://www.shogunlancaster.com/
Pricing: $$ – $$$
My Go-To Order: I get a hibachi combination of New York Steak & Shrimp and that comes with soup, salad, fried rice, veggies, and the proteins. If I’m really feeling frisky I get the steak, shrimp, & chicken combo but that is a little more expensive – worth it for sure but still more money. I normally get a Shirley Temple as well but tried their Georgia Peach cocktail recently and it was AMAZING, tasted just like a peach ring [an alcoholic one].
Rating: 10/10
- Iron Hill Brewery
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Iron Hill Brewery is a cut above the rest for me. This is very similar to Copper Hill but has more focus on the beer pairing with the food as well. This is another go-to place for a nice date night. Everything is amazing from the apps, to the dinners, to the specials and the desserts. I am not a beer drinker at all but my boyfriend is so it works well for us. It isn’t too far from Millersville’s campus, but is directly across from Franklin & Marshall College so that makes it double convenient. The staff are so kind and accommodating & the food is just yummy.
Address: 781 Harrisburg Pike, Lancaster, PA 17603
https://www.ironhillbrewery.com/location/lancaster-pa/
Pricing: $$
My Go-To Order: I always start off with the Kennett Square mushroom soup, and then I LOVE their fish & chips with remoulade & chipotle aioli. Normally I just get some soda with my dinner and then share a dessert to end the meal.
Rating:10/10
I hope that the next time you are in the Lancaster/Millersville area that you go check some of these places out! If you are a local, a college student here, or just here often for some other reason, it is so important to know where to grab some good eats. No matter what kind of food you like, what kind of dining you want to do, and what your price range is there is something for you to get. So, explore, taste, try, and have a good time exploring the vast food scene across Lancaster County – I know I have. :)
Until Next Time.
