Thank you all for watching. So I know a lot of my viewers also like whisky 🥃 so I’ve been working on a little project called Whiskey Yard - and have made a free tasting guide. Would love to send the first draft over to a few folks. Sign up here: bit.ly/whiskey-tasting-guide-2023
Got to The Nordic in 178 Nordic Trail, Charlestown, Rhode Island.. all you can eat seafood, lobster, crabs, Alasakan King crabs, Shrimp fish even Steaks...
@leyley1970 but really expensive. Shaun, a British woman who does videos on buffets has been, check it out. I've lived in RI 24 yrs, haven't heard of it til the last year
I want to commend Sean for his willingness to do something that often deters Europeans about the US into further exploring the country beyond LA, NYC, Miami, DC and [insert major/popular city]: getting into a car and driving.
@@ChristaFree Born and raised in a major American city. I believe many of the best that the US has to offer lie beyond the urban landscape of the country.
I told my Japanese friends "America" is NOT L.A. Preached to them to rent a car, and drive thru other states and cities, go to small towns etc. When they go back, they think all American cities are full of homeless, crime and dirty streets.
@@shaunvlog he's so right. Everybody goes to the usual tourist traps. BOOOOOriiiiing! Well those places are great but they leave out like 98% of the other awesome stuff to see and do in USA
I seriously SERIOUSLY appreciate the respect you are showing the Amish people. I am an atheist, so obviously I do not share one shred of the beliefs of the Amish people, but I detest the sneering attitude I see so often directed at people whose beliefs don't mirror their own. Thank you. This is how the world should work. Live and let live. 🍻
Sorry, but there is a great deal of significant problems in the Amish community that needs to be addressed outside of the community. Live and let live is fine as long as you are not allowing children to be hurt, and ostracizing them if they find the courage to report it!
When in St. Mary's County Maryland when my dad used to sail, he spoke to everyone and met an Amish family and they became friends in the 70s. He spoke to them quite frequently until he died in 2015. Their last name was Graber.
@@bkm2797 Yes, but there are the same problems in every group of people's homes. My point was not to give specific individuals a pass but to treat each other with basic respect regardless of belief systems. I am not my neighbor's judge. I am not responsible for anyone else's behavior. I am responsible for my own. I will treat people with respect and not assume I know whether they deserve it or not.
I live in Pennslyvania in a suburb of Pittsburgh, which is the other side of the state from Philadelphia. Something a lot of people don't know, including many Pennsylvanians, is that although they are called Pennsylvania Dutch, they aren't Dutch. They are German. Because the German language is called Deutsch, people thought the Amish were saying they were Dutch when they immigrated from Europe. The Amish are actually German immigrants and speak both German and English.
My Pennsylvania Dutch ancestors migrated west through Ohio to Indiana and beyond bringing their food culture with them. Can't decide if that's good or bad but it sure is tasty.
@@shaunvlog No, they don't speak German. I live in South Central PA, and I speak German, and for the most part they don't understand it. They speak Pennsilfaanisch Deitsch, or Pennsylvania German. Not all "Dutchies" are Amish ("old" and "new" orders), among other PA Dutch you have Mennonites (both "old" and "new" order), Dunkers, and other Anabaptist groups. Although many Dutchies can be other, more traditional Christian sects.
I'm from Ohio, an area that has a massive Amish population, and I find it so interesting that when I travel through PA the architecture of the houses, the lay of the land, the general feel of it all is identical to my area of Ohio. Those roads you were on could have been from any state or county road around me. THIS is the heartland of America. Rural roads, friendly people, and rich, flavorful foods that will engender memories for years.
It's fun to see you in my neck of the woods! Shady Maple is certainly an "experience". It may not be the best Pennsylvania Dutch food you can get your hands on but it's definitely the most! 😂 Even if you didn't have a ton of time to explore, thanks for showcasing this part of Pennsylvania. It has beautiful farmland, friendly people, and a really interesting culture. I hope you enjoyed your visit, even if it was cold!
I've been to Shady Maple a few times. It's good, but there's another smaller, much less expensive smorgasbord near The Outhouse that I always liked better. Shady Maple did serve good fried chicken and omelettes, though.
I have relatives who live just down the road from Shady Maple, so even though I am a Midwesterner, I’ve been there a few times. I love driving around the area and popping into the various shops. We went to a little quilt store just outside of Bird-in-Hand with a lovely selection of not just the big expensive quilts, but also fabric to make your own, and little “quillows,” which are small quilts that fold up into a pillow, which are much more affordable. My favorite little juxtaposition of shops was the auto body shop next door to the buggy repair shop.
Omg! You passed my house and my house is on your video!! I was so excited to see this video and about fell over when I saw my house! Thrilled you went to Shady Maple. Absolutely my favorite restaurant in the county. I hope you enjoyed your time in Kancaster County and come back anytime!
Yes it’s spelled Ephrata but enunciated F rata. Trust me I grew up in Manheim just a couple towns over so I know south central Pa and down towards the Philly area pretty well.
Sadly, you missed the chance to dine at the Good'N'Plenty, an Amish-style restaurant that closed a while back. One had to wait to be seated until enough people came in that could be accommodated at one of their huge rough-hewn dining tables. They would start you off with appetizers while everyone introduced themselves and learned a little about their fellow diners. The entree consisted of chicken and pork dishes with plenty of vegetable side dishes. Their fried chicken was amazing and the roast pork was some of the best I've ever eaten. The bread, rolls, muffins, etc were all freshly baked. Desert consisted of a variety of pies including shoo-fly, pecan, and Dutch apple. All of it was all-you-can-eat at a very, very reasonable price. It was a fair sampling of a typical Amish diet. I've never had a dining experience quite like it. Wonderful!
The food was good, but I hated the way you had to sit with a herd of people. Many people had no manners and would take massive helpings from the "family style" service, so things didn't make it all the way around the table on the first go. I waited far too long for refills to be able to get a decent portion of the food. I am not surprised they closed, I avoided going back after that disappointing visit and I'm sure others did too. I much prefer buffets.
I live In Pennsylvania! I’m so glad you had a good time! I have been to Scotland countless times, and it is absolutely beautiful, Tapadh leibh agus failte to Pennsylvania 🏴🇺🇸
You're in real rural America. Specifically in rural Pennsylvania. As a native Pennsylvanian in rural Pennsylvania, we're super nice people. A bit short-tempered, but nothing that bad. At least east of the Susquehanna River, we are. Still, the scenery is honestly unbeatable! Hell, we had license plates for a decade, with "You've got a friend in Pennsylvania"
@Shaun when you're back in Pennsylvania, stop by in north central Pennsylvania. Lotta history, and the scenery will still be great! By the way, whenever you left Pennsylvania, hopefully, it wasn't too rainy. (Yesterday (April 1st) we had some severe weather, and high winds). I could go on & on where to go when you come back to the "Keystone State", but it'll probably take half an hour to read.
As someone who grew up west of the Susquehanna, we are very nice too! For a couple of years, I actually lived close to the area where you guys were in Pa Dutch country. I love that area!
And it's pronounced Lan*cas*ter! Ephrata is pronounced Ef*ra*ta! I haven't been to Shady Maple in a long time. I'm enjoying your video, thanks for sharing your experience! 😊
@@frankisfunny2007 I should have specified “Germanic”. PA dutch people are more than Amish. My ancestors came from the Palatine area of Germany in the very early 1700’s. PA Dutch can be Moravian (like me!), Lutheran, Mennonite, etc.
"They" say that a big difference between a Philly cheese steak in Philly vs a Philly cheese steak anywhere else is the bread. The texture of it is very distinctive: fluffy and chewy. There's a place in my city in Florida that imports the bread from a famous bakery in Philly for their cheese steaks. I've noticed the difference!
I was having a conversation with two colleagues once: a 30-something from Quebec and millionaire in his 70s from central Europe who spent a lot of time in the US. I asked our elder statesman "If you want to understand the US, where do you go?". My young friend was clearly expecting to hear "San Francisco" or "New York". Instead, he said "the middle, the rural areas". I couldn't agree more.
I mean, yeah kinda. But it’s all America, just different versions of America, from the different cosmopolitan cities, to the countryside, to the south. I feel the same about Scotland - nobody can claim what the real Scotland - neither the highlands or city dwellers
The size of that buffet restaurant was gigantic, and reminded me of a giant funeral home. The food looked mostly like the smorgasbord choices of my youth (the 60s) when smorgasbord restaurants were popular. Fried chicken, roast beef, and lots of noodle and bean salads.
I’m not sure how I found this, but it was wonderful to see! I grew up not far from Lancaster and I just ended up moving back to the area about a year ago after living right outside of Philadelphia for 20 years. My mouth started watering as soon as you unwrapped your cheesesteak! I love Philadelphia, I just think it’s so fascinating! You can be walking down the street and the next thing you know you are standing right outside of a building where something amazing happened during the founding of this country. I hope that you enjoy the rest of your trip!
I’m a cheesesteak purist. It’s a cheesesteak, not a cheeseonionsteak or cheesepeppersteak or cheeseonionpeppersteak, so I just want meat and cheese, but I do prefer mine a little generous with the black pepper for seasoning. I also prefer provolone over whiz.
My mom was born and raised in Philadelphia. So her Philly cheesesteaks were the best. I would salivate just smelling the meat and fried onions while she cooked them for supper. I suppose my appetite isn't as big as it was all those decades ago when I was a kid. That's why I thought for sure you bought one cheesesteak to split and share. They are humongous! Anyway, I'm glad you both enjoyed the cheesesteaks!
I'm from Indiana, we have Amish area here. I went to a restaurant there and the food was absolutely delicious! Farm to table. Everything was homemade. Best fried chicken I ever tasted!
I live in the Philadelphia area (about an hour-hour and a half from Shady Maple/PA Dutch Country). People will take bus trips out to Shady Maple just for lunch!
I live in Central PA and only have been to Shady Maple twice. Go on your birthday and you eat for free. Locals pronounce it Lanc'a'ster. My material great grandmother spoke German with the Amish. Her parents immigrated from Germany. I asked my mom, why didn't you learn German from her? My mom said, I didn't want to. I told her she could have taught me. Scotland, Ireland and England are on my bucket list. Thanks for sharing your adventures with us.
"Geno's" and "Pat's" which are basically across the street from each other, are the big tourist places to get cheesesteaks, but are not the best. I prefer Poe's or Sonny's.
I've been to Lancaster several times and shady maples is definitely a place of fond memories for me. It was awesome to re-live them again. There's also a massive shop below the buffet
I am glad to see ya'll getting out of the cities and seeing what our beautiful country has to offer. Shady Maple and Bird in Hand are both on my bucket list for my next trip to Amish country. Ohio also has thriving communities of Amish. I love shopping in those areas. And of course love the food!! lol. Hope ya'll have a great week ahead and happy Palm Sunday! God bless!
Wow! Shaun! I am from Philadelphia and still live in the suburbs. Shady Maple is a popular place to eat and countryside around Lancaster is beautiful! The Amish are hard working and polite.
LOL, the minute you cross the Pennsylvania State line, the roads turn to junk. Has always been that way and likely always will. I have no idea why, it has always been that way. I love Amish country! If you are ever back there and have time, some of the places with quilts are spectacular. The Amish make some really nice ones. Pennsylvania Dutch country is really Americana at it's best.
@@alisgray I'd rather agree, but PA has one of the most ridiculous tax systems. There is a separate tax on everything. But, we don't have sales tax here. We have income tax between 3 - 6%. Miles and miles of roads. Same for most of the states back east. You cross into Maryland and there is a HUGE difference. I wondered when I lived in PA where it all went. 🤷♀🤷♀
@@trumphatesyou Oh, I do. My parents live in WV. They retired out of PA to there. Jersey can be pretty bad also. I haven't been to NY state in a long time but those roads can be really bad at times.
I’ve been there numerous times in my travels and never been disappointed. My favorite is breakfast/brunch. They make the best omelette however you request no matter the ingredients. The same with pancakes, eggs etc. bacon sausages bakery goods. It’s never ending!!
Thanks for making the effort to learn more about America than the big cities. Actually the word "Dutch" is not a corruption of Deutsch. Germany did not exist until 1870, 200 years after most Amish and Mennonites came from the independent principalities and kingdoms that make up modern Germany and Switzerland. Dutch was a word that the English applied to all Germanic peoples in Holland, Central Europe, Austria and Switzerland. Not to diss your viewer, but as a resident of an Amish area of PA/MD, that eatery is what I'd call a tourist trap. There are tours in Lancaster County and other areas where you can go to an Amish/Mennonite community and have a real Amish meal prepared and served by Amish ladies. The food is very unique from the usual American fare. If you have time in the future please do a bit of research first. You'll be happy you did.
Next time you’re in Lancaster, Pa try Good’N Plenty restaurant - family style small restaurant. Everyone sits around a long table and “family style” bowls are passed around for everyone to share. I used to organise tours for veterinarians visiting the States and this is one of the restaurants we booked! My favorite part was actually going to all,the farms and seeing the animals! If you’re❤ in Philly again, go to the Reading Market - the Amish have stalls and bring all their yummy homemade food for sale!
We had a lovely vacation in Amish country with three 13 year old boys. Their favorite things were the Amish buffets and the I ❤ Intercourse shirts ( it's the name of a town!).
Hi Shaun,from one Scot to another,i was born in Helensburgh and grew up in Clydebank,moved to the U.S.A when i was 21,lived in Virginia for quite some time,and ended up living in Lancaster,Pennsylvania where i live now.Amish country is very nice,lots to see,glad you got a chance to visit this neck of the woods.My husband is from Amish back ground so i've got to see and taste the good food.I remember being home in Scotland and being excited about going to see Pennsylvania Amish country,i rented the movie Witness,which has of course Amish people in it and was filmed around where i would be living,they had a scene in the movie were Harrison Ford needed to use a telephone,since the Amish don't have phones,he had to go to town,he used a pay phone outside a hardware store in a town called Strasburg,the phone box is still there with the phone inside,doesn't smell like someone peed in it,like ours back home did,LOL.it doesn't work,but it's still there,when my parents and my sister and my sister's father-in-law come over for a visit they had their picture taken inside the phone box,so cool.Anyway,glad you got a chance to see a little bit of the great State of Pennsylvania,sorry i missed you,next time you come for a visit look me up and i'll show you around the fun and interesting areas around here.It's brilliant your getting to see alot of the states here they are all so different,don't know if you have visited Maine yet,it's such a beautiful State and some parts of it remind me so much of our beautiful wee home Scotland.Safe travels on your fun adventures traveling the united States.
This place is almost exactly like a place in Hartville Ohio called The Hartville kitchen. The size and décor or very similar, except the Hartville Kitchen does not have a buffet.
Hey! You were in my neck of the woods! Shady Maple is great but to do it properly skip the salad and breads that will fill a body up. Gotta save for all the tasty bits.
I've only been to one Amish place out there and it wasn't a buffet, but it was a "family style" restaurant so you share lots of dishes with others at the table, strangers if your group isn't large enough for a full table of your own.
Really appreciate the respect you show the US. We often get a lot of negative press because the rest of the world just sees the stories from the big cities. And Hollywood. 🙄 Every state is different and full of great things. Hats off. Keep traveling. Enjoy your videos.
How cool! Roads and places I recognize! We live in the Baltimore area now, but my SO's family is from the area in which you filmed, and we visit often. In fact, we're headed up tomorrow for Easter with her family. What fun to watch someone else's perspective on it all. Thanks for making the trip.
The Grundy library/museum and Bristol Wharf are great destinations in Bristol Pa. (Home of the Bristol Stomp)There is also an Amish Market in Bristol only open on certain days.
Shaun, as you've, no doubt, noticed about this country on your visits, we have a lot of strangely-pronounced place names, including the one you're passing through at around 2:18, namely Ephrata = EFF-ruh-tuh. Very good job. The stories about Betsy Ross are correct. The only difference is obvious--back then, there were far less stars on it than there are today, since each star represents a state.
Ha grew up going to shady maple. It’s pretty we’ll know to the locals but, truth be told many of the Amish of Lancaster are more touristy than elsewhere. Where I moved to Ohio has far more genuine Amish than my home territory. Dutch btw is American English for deutsch or german not to be confused with the people of holland
I love seeing your travels. I’m going to Philadelphia in May. I visited once about 30 years ago. I’m looking forward to seeing your exploration of the city. I’ll take some notes.
The breakfast is the best buffet they have! I’m a sucker for the baked oatmeal. There is also a grocery store next door where you can buy a lot of the food, ready-made, to take home.
Thank you Shaun for making more Great new videos. I have been Subscribed for many years, but didn't see new videos for a Long Time even know you making a videos.
I've been to Shady Maple a couple times and I always have to roll out of there. I hope you were able to visit the gift shop downstairs. I could spend multiple paychecks in 15 minutes. Glad you were able to visit.
If you go to Shady Maple on your birthday. Bring someone with you. You get your meal free. The gift shop down stairs is also nice. They also have a small Cafe down stairs. If you don't want the buffet,
I used to go to Shady Maple (coming from Northern New Jersey) in the 1980s when it was the original, smaller restaurant. I preferred that one to the new larger building. Also shopped at their fabulous super market every week. Parking for horse and buggies alongside car parking.
I’m thinking of the Friends episode when Monica is trying to track down the woman that stole her identity and credit card and she says her name is “Monana” and says it’s Dutch and the woman speaks to her in Dutch and she goes “…Pennsylvania Dutch” 😂.
When I was in middle school we took a trip to Philly and went to see the Betsy Ross house and it was tiny. I don’t remember actually going inside. But being surprised by how small it was!
The Amish in western Pennsylvania are the old order Amish. Much different than Lancaster Amish. You need to check out New Wilmington PA. They are also tours and dinner in a real Amish home.
We here in Ohio have a huge Amish population up in north central it's up around Mount Vernon Mickey go up there they still have Hitching Post in front of the courthouse and all that so they can tie their horses up
@@shaunvlog 🤷🏻♂️ Hawaii is a mix of many cultural differences, with that also come the foods and ideas. Having taken road trips across the United States more than a six dozen times (mostly due to military service). Seeing other people adventures are a personal curiosity of mine. FYI Amish food to me is filling and good tasting. But, is mostly meant to be eaten after the hard laborers of the farm life. Different yes, Unknown no. Cheers and Safe travels.
America started in Philadelphia. I'm impressed you went to Philadelphia and had a Cheesesteak and then you went to Amish Country to Shady Maple and had some Pennsylvania Dutch food. These areas are old America
I'm a Lancaster Co. native and think it's very cool that you came here! The "eph" in Ephrata is an "F"...that parts gets butchered a lot. You were somewhat close w/ the pronunciation, except for the "rata" part of it. :) Lancaster is pronounced "lang-kiss-ter" and natives are very quick to notice an "outlander" by how they pronounce it.
Driving through Pennsylvania is beautiful. I don't know about the Amish smorgasbord. It seems to be a lot (a whole lot) of food, but not necessarily home made or memorable. Still, it looks like you found a great place to stay to learn more about our history. You both look and sound shattered, so I hope you found time to relax the next few days.
Most of the locals have eaten at Shady Maple and they do an impressive amount of tourist business. The vast majority of people working and eating there are not Amish. You can eat 10,000 calories of food for one low price though. The section of Route 23 that you drove from Shady Maple to Morgantown is a beautifully scenic drive. I'm guessing you got on the Pennsylvania Turnpike at Morgantown if you were going to Philadelphia. I enjoyed your video.
Pennsylvania Dutch is actually German descendants btw not Dutch. The naming is deceptive I get it. I feel like their is definitely more rural PA than you saw.
This is my neck of the woods! I don't think the Amish have that many restaurants. I think they make alot of homemade cheeses and baked goods and meat pies... etc. that you might be able to buy at an Amish market. That's nice that you went to check it out though.
Have you ever visited Country Kitchen? They have a gift shop with hard to find old fashioned candy and sodas from a bygone era. The food is great there too! You can even buy the meat they serve!
Shaun and Teka, you guys where in my territory, my husband and I grew up in Ephrata, and we go to "Shady" once or twice a Month. I wish I would've known you guys were here....
Now you’re checking near where I grew up. I love Amish country but if you have time to fit it in you got to get yourself to Longwood Gardens The fountain show is. amazing.
I'm going to 'learn ya' some about the Pennsylvania Dutch. It is more correct to call them Pennsylvania Deutsch. The country these German immigrants settled in couldn't say 'Deutsch' that well. So they called them 'Dutch' which they definitely were not. I'm not sure whether they have accepted this mangling of their name or not. Some of them hold to traditional values & don't like to be photographed. Many don't mind but it is best to ask first. I think they are fascinating.
Thank you all for watching. So I know a lot of my viewers also like whisky 🥃 so I’ve been working on a little project called Whiskey Yard - and have made a free tasting guide. Would love to send the first draft over to a few folks. Sign up here: bit.ly/whiskey-tasting-guide-2023
Done
Got to The Nordic in 178 Nordic Trail, Charlestown, Rhode Island.. all you can eat seafood, lobster, crabs, Alasakan King crabs, Shrimp fish even Steaks...
PA is very Haunted..especially around the sacred Indian and Battlefield grounds..
@leyley1970 but really expensive. Shaun, a British woman who does videos on buffets has been, check it out. I've lived in RI 24 yrs, haven't heard of it til the last year
Shady maple great place to eat been there a lot of times
I want to commend Sean for his willingness to do something that often deters Europeans about the US into further exploring the country beyond LA, NYC, Miami, DC and [insert major/popular city]: getting into a car and driving.
Thank you! Unfortunately we didn’t have a huge amount of time, but I’ll be back
Getting out of the big cities is the only way he'll get to know America.
@@ChristaFree Born and raised in a major American city. I believe many of the best that the US has to offer lie beyond the urban landscape of the country.
I told my Japanese friends "America" is NOT L.A. Preached to them to rent a car, and drive thru other states and cities, go to small towns etc. When they go back, they think all American cities are full of homeless, crime and dirty streets.
@@shaunvlog he's so right. Everybody goes to the usual tourist traps. BOOOOOriiiiing! Well those places are great but they leave out like 98% of the other awesome stuff to see and do in USA
I seriously SERIOUSLY appreciate the respect you are showing the Amish people. I am an atheist, so obviously I do not share one shred of the beliefs of the Amish people, but I detest the sneering attitude I see so often directed at people whose beliefs don't mirror their own. Thank you. This is how the world should work. Live and let live. 🍻
Sorry, but there is a great deal of significant problems in the Amish community that needs to be addressed outside of the community. Live and let live is fine as long as you are not allowing children to be hurt, and ostracizing them if they find the courage to report it!
Thanks - I know so little about them that it would be entirely ignorant of me to pass judgement
When in St. Mary's County Maryland when my dad used to sail, he spoke to everyone and met an Amish family and they became friends in the 70s. He spoke to them quite frequently until he died in 2015. Their last name was Graber.
@@bkm2797 Yes, but there are the same problems in every group of people's homes. My point was not to give specific individuals a pass but to treat each other with basic respect regardless of belief systems. I am not my neighbor's judge. I am not responsible for anyone else's behavior. I am responsible for my own. I will treat people with respect and not assume I know whether they deserve it or not.
Adox Artist, ahh, "Do Unto Others As You Would Have Them Do Unto You" , I agree with that, but who is sneering at the Amish?
I live in Pennslyvania in a suburb of Pittsburgh, which is the other side of the state from Philadelphia. Something a lot of people don't know, including many Pennsylvanians, is that although they are called Pennsylvania Dutch, they aren't Dutch. They are German. Because the German language is called Deutsch, people thought the Amish were saying they were Dutch when they immigrated from Europe. The Amish are actually German immigrants and speak both German and English.
Wow I had no idea. Thanks for sharing
Their own dialect of German.
My Pennsylvania Dutch ancestors migrated west through Ohio to Indiana and beyond bringing their food culture with them. Can't decide if that's good or bad but it sure is tasty.
@@shaunvlog No, they don't speak German. I live in South Central PA, and I speak German, and for the most part they don't understand it. They speak Pennsilfaanisch Deitsch, or Pennsylvania German. Not all "Dutchies" are Amish ("old" and "new" orders), among other PA Dutch you have Mennonites (both "old" and "new" order), Dunkers, and other Anabaptist groups. Although many Dutchies can be other, more traditional Christian sects.
The Amish are actually from Switzerland.
I'm from Ohio, an area that has a massive Amish population, and I find it so interesting that when I travel through PA the architecture of the houses, the lay of the land, the general feel of it all is identical to my area of Ohio. Those roads you were on could have been from any state or county road around me. THIS is the heartland of America. Rural roads, friendly people, and rich, flavorful foods that will engender memories for years.
Same here, in Indiana👍🇺🇸❤
It's fun to see you in my neck of the woods! Shady Maple is certainly an "experience". It may not be the best Pennsylvania Dutch food you can get your hands on but it's definitely the most! 😂 Even if you didn't have a ton of time to explore, thanks for showcasing this part of Pennsylvania. It has beautiful farmland, friendly people, and a really interesting culture. I hope you enjoyed your visit, even if it was cold!
Thank you - it’s some stunning countryside there. Would love to return 🌾
It's my neck of the woods too
I've been to Shady Maple a few times. It's good, but there's another smaller, much less expensive smorgasbord near The Outhouse that I always liked better. Shady Maple did serve good fried chicken and omelettes, though.
Too bad it wasn't your birthday you can get your meal for free at shady maple 😊
I have relatives who live just down the road from Shady Maple, so even though I am a Midwesterner, I’ve been there a few times. I love driving around the area and popping into the various shops. We went to a little quilt store just outside of Bird-in-Hand with a lovely selection of not just the big expensive quilts, but also fabric to make your own, and little “quillows,” which are small quilts that fold up into a pillow, which are much more affordable. My favorite little juxtaposition of shops was the auto body shop next door to the buggy repair shop.
Omg! You passed my house and my house is on your video!! I was so excited to see this video and about fell over when I saw my house! Thrilled you went to Shady Maple. Absolutely my favorite restaurant in the county. I hope you enjoyed your time in Kancaster County and come back anytime!
Oh wow that’s cool. Next time I’ll need to come for a visit 😊
😂😂 your internet famous or your house is😂
Yes it’s spelled Ephrata but enunciated F rata. Trust me I grew up in Manheim just a couple towns over so I know south central Pa and down towards the Philly area pretty well.
Sadly, you missed the chance to dine at the Good'N'Plenty, an Amish-style restaurant that closed a while back. One had to wait to be seated until enough people came in that could be accommodated at one of their huge rough-hewn dining tables. They would start you off with appetizers while everyone introduced themselves and learned a little about their fellow diners. The entree consisted of chicken and pork dishes with plenty of vegetable side dishes. Their fried chicken was amazing and the roast pork was some of the best I've ever eaten. The bread, rolls, muffins, etc were all freshly baked. Desert consisted of a variety of pies including shoo-fly, pecan, and Dutch apple. All of it was all-you-can-eat at a very, very reasonable price. It was a fair sampling of a typical Amish diet. I've never had a dining experience quite like it. Wonderful!
I'm pretty sure Good 'n Plenty closed for good recently.
@@michaelmcwilliams5475 Correct.
Good and Plenty was the best Family style restaurant in Lancaster Co.
I was thinking of that restaurant, too. Such a fun experience. It saddens me to hear it has closed.
The food was good, but I hated the way you had to sit with a herd of people. Many people had no manners and would take massive helpings from the "family style" service, so things didn't make it all the way around the table on the first go. I waited far too long for refills to be able to get a decent portion of the food. I am not surprised they closed, I avoided going back after that disappointing visit and I'm sure others did too. I much prefer buffets.
I live In Pennsylvania! I’m so glad you had a good time! I have been to Scotland countless times, and it is absolutely beautiful, Tapadh leibh agus failte to Pennsylvania 🏴🇺🇸
You're in real rural America. Specifically in rural Pennsylvania.
As a native Pennsylvanian in rural Pennsylvania, we're super nice people. A bit short-tempered, but nothing that bad. At least east of the Susquehanna River, we are. Still, the scenery is honestly unbeatable!
Hell, we had license plates for a decade, with "You've got a friend in Pennsylvania"
Love it. We had s great time and would love to return
@Shaun when you're back in Pennsylvania, stop by in north central Pennsylvania. Lotta history, and the scenery will still be great!
By the way, whenever you left Pennsylvania, hopefully, it wasn't too rainy. (Yesterday (April 1st) we had some severe weather, and high winds).
I could go on & on where to go when you come back to the "Keystone State", but it'll probably take half an hour to read.
As someone who grew up west of the Susquehanna, we are very nice too! For a couple of years, I actually lived close to the area where you guys were in Pa Dutch country. I love that area!
And it's pronounced Lan*cas*ter! Ephrata is pronounced Ef*ra*ta! I haven't been to Shady Maple in a long time. I'm enjoying your video, thanks for sharing your experience! 😊
Be advised that the “Dutch” in Pennsylvania Dutch is actually German. You should have tried the scrapple and shoofly pie…authentic PA Dutch fare!
Actually, the majority of Amish in Pennsylvania is Swiss.
@@frankisfunny2007 I should have specified “Germanic”. PA dutch people are more than Amish. My ancestors came from the Palatine area of Germany in the very early 1700’s. PA Dutch can be Moravian (like me!), Lutheran, Mennonite, etc.
Yes, it's a mispronunciation of "Deutsch" as in Deutschland.
I was very excited to see all the food
@@susanwestfall2051 I'm from Allentown / Bethlehem area that's where the Moravians originally settled.
"They" say that a big difference between a Philly cheese steak in Philly vs a Philly cheese steak anywhere else is the bread. The texture of it is very distinctive: fluffy and chewy. There's a place in my city in Florida that imports the bread from a famous bakery in Philly for their cheese steaks. I've noticed the difference!
There is a ton of good food in Lancaster from Shady Maple, Bird in Hand and the jam and jelly kitchen at Kitchen Kettle. It's all worth a try.
Will need to come back and see more
Dude, you are seeing real country. Off the path is the way to go.
So much to see 😊
I was having a conversation with two colleagues once: a 30-something from Quebec and millionaire in his 70s from central Europe who spent a lot of time in the US. I asked our elder statesman "If you want to understand the US, where do you go?". My young friend was clearly expecting to hear "San Francisco" or "New York". Instead, he said "the middle, the rural areas". I couldn't agree more.
I mean, yeah kinda. But it’s all America, just different versions of America, from the different cosmopolitan cities, to the countryside, to the south. I feel the same about Scotland - nobody can claim what the real Scotland - neither the highlands or city dwellers
The size of that buffet restaurant was gigantic, and reminded me of a giant funeral home. The food looked mostly like the smorgasbord choices of my youth (the 60s) when smorgasbord restaurants were popular. Fried chicken, roast beef, and lots of noodle and bean salads.
Looks to me like an old funeral home, converted into a restaurant!
I’m not sure how I found this, but it was wonderful to see! I grew up not far from Lancaster and I just ended up moving back to the area about a year ago after living right outside of Philadelphia for 20 years. My mouth started watering as soon as you unwrapped your cheesesteak! I love Philadelphia, I just think it’s so fascinating! You can be walking down the street and the next thing you know you are standing right outside of a building where something amazing happened during the founding of this country. I hope that you enjoy the rest of your trip!
I’m a cheesesteak purist. It’s a cheesesteak, not a cheeseonionsteak or cheesepeppersteak or cheeseonionpeppersteak, so I just want meat and cheese, but I do prefer mine a little generous with the black pepper for seasoning. I also prefer provolone over whiz.
Yocco's Cheesesteaks in Allentown are great.
My mom was born and raised in Philadelphia. So her Philly cheesesteaks were the best. I would salivate just smelling the meat and fried onions while she cooked them for supper. I suppose my appetite isn't as big as it was all those decades ago when I was a kid. That's why I thought for sure you bought one cheesesteak to split and share. They are humongous! Anyway, I'm glad you both enjoyed the cheesesteaks!
I'm from Indiana, we have Amish area here. I went to a restaurant there and the food was absolutely delicious! Farm to table. Everything was homemade. Best fried chicken I ever tasted!
I live in the Philadelphia area (about an hour-hour and a half from Shady Maple/PA Dutch Country). People will take bus trips out to Shady Maple just for lunch!
I live in Central PA and only have been to Shady Maple twice. Go on your birthday and you eat for free. Locals pronounce it Lanc'a'ster. My material great grandmother spoke German with the Amish. Her parents immigrated from Germany. I asked my mom, why didn't you learn German from her? My mom said, I didn't want to. I told her she could have taught me. Scotland, Ireland and England are on my bucket list.
Thanks for sharing your adventures with us.
"Geno's" and "Pat's" which are basically across the street from each other, are the big tourist places to get cheesesteaks, but are not the best. I prefer Poe's or Sonny's.
I don't think shrimp and grits are a traditional Amish food.
Whaddya mean? Haven't you heard of the Low Country Amish? lol...
Oh I didn’t think about that 😂
I've been to Lancaster several times and shady maples is definitely a place of fond memories for me. It was awesome to re-live them again. There's also a massive shop below the buffet
I am glad to see ya'll getting out of the cities and seeing what our beautiful country has to offer. Shady Maple and Bird in Hand are both on my bucket list for my next trip to Amish country. Ohio also has thriving communities of Amish. I love shopping in those areas. And of course love the food!! lol. Hope ya'll have a great week ahead and happy Palm Sunday! God bless!
Thank you Cathy! I’ll definitely need to come see Ohio
I recommend Good and Plenty.
@@janp719 closed
Bird in Hand Family Restaurant is the best. I think the food is better than Shady Maple.
@@joanloewen9875 they closed
Wow! Shaun! I am from Philadelphia and still live in the suburbs. Shady Maple is a popular place to eat and countryside around Lancaster is beautiful! The Amish are hard working and polite.
LOL, the minute you cross the Pennsylvania State line, the roads turn to junk. Has always been that way and likely always will. I have no idea why, it has always been that way. I love Amish country! If you are ever back there and have time, some of the places with quilts are spectacular. The Amish make some really nice ones. Pennsylvania Dutch country is really Americana at it's best.
taxes is why.
@@alisgray I'd rather agree, but PA has one of the most ridiculous tax systems. There is a separate tax on everything. But, we don't have sales tax here. We have income tax between 3 - 6%. Miles and miles of roads. Same for most of the states back east. You cross into Maryland and there is a HUGE difference. I wondered when I lived in PA where it all went. 🤷♀🤷♀
You should drive in WV. Their roads are way worse then PA.
@@trumphatesyou Oh, I do. My parents live in WV. They retired out of PA to there. Jersey can be pretty bad also. I haven't been to NY state in a long time but those roads can be really bad at times.
Thanks for sharing - I’ll need to buy a quilt next time 😂
Shady maple the breakfast there is great but when you grow up with it you take it for granted
I’ve been there numerous times in my travels and never been disappointed. My favorite is breakfast/brunch. They make the best omelette however you request no matter the ingredients. The same with pancakes, eggs etc. bacon sausages bakery goods. It’s never ending!!
Thanks for making the effort to learn more about America than the big cities. Actually the word "Dutch" is not a corruption of Deutsch. Germany did not exist until 1870, 200 years after most Amish and Mennonites came from the independent principalities and kingdoms that make up modern Germany and Switzerland. Dutch was a word that the English applied to all Germanic peoples in Holland, Central Europe, Austria and Switzerland.
Not to diss your viewer, but as a resident of an Amish area of PA/MD, that eatery is what I'd call a tourist trap. There are tours in Lancaster County and other areas where you can go to an Amish/Mennonite community and have a real Amish meal prepared and served by Amish ladies. The food is very unique from the usual American fare. If you have time in the future please do a bit of research first. You'll be happy you did.
Next time you’re in Lancaster, Pa try Good’N Plenty restaurant - family style small restaurant. Everyone sits around a long table and “family style” bowls are passed around for everyone to share. I used to organise tours for veterinarians visiting the States and this is one of the restaurants we booked! My favorite part was actually going to all,the farms and seeing the animals! If you’re❤ in Philly again, go to the Reading Market - the Amish have stalls and bring all their yummy homemade food for sale!
Most American soft non-diet soft drinks in the US are sweetened with corn syrup. It's cheaper than sugar.
Shaun has seen more of America as a Scottish visitor than I’ve seen. The local culture here (NH/ Massachusetts area) is completely different.
And in Pennsylvania the culture is completely different depending on what part of the state you are in.
I took a friend, who was visiting from Leeds, to Shady Maple! I think he tried to eat everything, he was overwhelmed!
I think it would take several visits 😅
We had a lovely vacation in Amish country with three 13 year old boys. Their favorite things were the Amish buffets and the I ❤ Intercourse shirts ( it's the name of a town!).
Hi Shaun,from one Scot to another,i was born in Helensburgh and grew up in Clydebank,moved to the U.S.A when i was 21,lived in Virginia for quite some time,and ended up living in Lancaster,Pennsylvania where i live now.Amish country is very nice,lots to see,glad you got a chance to visit this neck of the woods.My husband is from Amish back ground so i've got to see and taste the good food.I remember being home in Scotland and being excited about going to see Pennsylvania Amish country,i rented the movie Witness,which has of course Amish people in it and was filmed around where i would be living,they had a scene in the movie were Harrison Ford needed to use a telephone,since the Amish don't have phones,he had to go to town,he used a pay phone outside a hardware store in a town called Strasburg,the phone box is still there with the phone inside,doesn't smell like someone peed in it,like ours back home did,LOL.it doesn't work,but it's still there,when my parents and my sister and my sister's father-in-law come over for a visit they had their picture taken inside the phone box,so cool.Anyway,glad you got a chance to see a little bit of the great State of Pennsylvania,sorry i missed you,next time you come for a visit look me up and i'll show you around the fun and interesting areas around here.It's brilliant your getting to see alot of the states here they are all so different,don't know if you have visited Maine yet,it's such a beautiful State and some parts of it remind me so much of our beautiful wee home Scotland.Safe travels on your fun adventures traveling the united States.
This place is almost exactly like a place in Hartville Ohio called The Hartville kitchen. The size and décor or very similar, except the Hartville Kitchen does not have a buffet.
Hey! You were in my neck of the woods! Shady Maple is great but to do it properly skip the salad and breads that will fill a body up. Gotta save for all the tasty bits.
Can't wait to see more of your Philly visit! I love Philadelphia, it's not as big and busy as New York City, and it's easier to navigate.
We had a great stay there 😊
I've only been to one Amish place out there and it wasn't a buffet, but it was a "family style" restaurant so you share lots of dishes with others at the table, strangers if your group isn't large enough for a full table of your own.
A place like the Shartlesville Hotel whichserved family style.
I eat here a lot, and I think it's pretty cool that you went here.
The look on your face with the first bite of cheese steak said it all. You looked so happy. Great vlog as usual!
I love the Amish country, and it’s people! The food is awesome too!
We had a great time - will need to come back
@@shaunvlog If you’re ever in Northern Indiana, check out Shipshewana. It’s the coolest Amish town in the country. At least that’s my opinion.
Really appreciate the respect you show the US. We often get a lot of negative press because the rest of the world just sees the stories from the big cities. And Hollywood. 🙄 Every state is different and full of great things. Hats off. Keep traveling. Enjoy your videos.
If you see people selling homemade soft pretzels by the side of the road in Pennsylvania, definitely try them. So delicious
How cool! Roads and places I recognize! We live in the Baltimore area now, but my SO's family is from the area in which you filmed, and we visit often. In fact, we're headed up tomorrow for Easter with her family. What fun to watch someone else's perspective on it all. Thanks for making the trip.
Been too Shady Maple several times, nothing compares.
I’d love to go back
@@shaunvlog My parents use to live just west of Lancaster in York. That part of Pennsylvania is beautiful..
You weren't far from the cemetery that Ben Franklin is buried.
If you ever get back to PA checkout Bucks County, urbanized and rural areas.
Especially Doylestown! Great Museums and near there Pearl S. Buck's estate and gravesite.
Or the beautiful Pocono Mountains
@@jeffhampton2767 Yes!
@@jamesalexander5623 Love the Mercer Museum!
The Grundy library/museum and Bristol Wharf are great destinations in Bristol Pa. (Home of the Bristol Stomp)There is also an Amish Market in Bristol only open on certain days.
Shaun, as you've, no doubt, noticed about this country on your visits, we have a lot of strangely-pronounced place names, including the one you're passing through at around 2:18, namely Ephrata = EFF-ruh-tuh. Very good job.
The stories about Betsy Ross are correct. The only difference is obvious--back then, there were far less stars on it than there are today, since each star represents a state.
We have an Ephrata in Washington state too, but it's pronounce Eh-FRAY-tuh
Ha grew up going to shady maple. It’s pretty we’ll know to the locals but, truth be told many of the Amish of Lancaster are more touristy than elsewhere. Where I moved to Ohio has far more genuine Amish than my home territory. Dutch btw is American English for deutsch or german not to be confused with the people of holland
Darn auto correct keeps making weird sentences. PS shady maple is more like mass produced American rural food than anything specific to the Amish.
I love seeing your travels. I’m going to Philadelphia in May. I visited once about 30 years ago. I’m looking forward to seeing your exploration of the city. I’ll take some notes.
I live about 4 hours from there. We are planning on going there sometime in the next few months. Can’t wait to try all the different types of food.
Well worth a visit 😊
The breakfast is the best buffet they have! I’m a sucker for the baked oatmeal. There is also a grocery store next door where you can buy a lot of the food, ready-made, to take home.
The Shady Maple gift shop under the buffet is also massive. The largest gift shop I’ve ever seen. Amish country is always a good time.
Thank you Shaun for making more Great new videos. I have been Subscribed for many years, but didn't see new videos for a Long Time even know you making a videos.
Ahh yes - new videos every Sunday 😊 thanks for watching and good to see you back
Philly born and raised here. Welcome! I absolutely LOVE my city and I hope you do too. New subscriber. Cant wait to watch more content.
I've been to Shady Maple a couple times and I always have to roll out of there. I hope you were able to visit the gift shop downstairs. I could spend multiple paychecks in 15 minutes. Glad you were able to visit.
If you go to Shady Maple on your birthday. Bring someone with you. You get your meal free. The gift shop down stairs is also nice. They also have a small Cafe down stairs. If you don't want the buffet,
I used to go to Shady Maple (coming from Northern New Jersey) in the 1980s when it was the original, smaller restaurant. I preferred that one to the new larger building. Also shopped at their fabulous super market every week. Parking for horse and buggies alongside car parking.
I’m thinking of the Friends episode when Monica is trying to track down the woman that stole her identity and credit card and she says her name is “Monana” and says it’s Dutch and the woman speaks to her in Dutch and she goes “…Pennsylvania Dutch” 😂.
Hahah I remember that one!!! Love it
When I was in middle school we took a trip to Philly and went to see the Betsy Ross house and it was tiny. I don’t remember actually going inside. But being surprised by how small it was!
Oh yeah it does look quite small
I hear that is an amazing buffet. I am so jealous!
Well worth a visit
The Amish in western Pennsylvania are the old order Amish. Much different than Lancaster Amish. You need to check out New Wilmington PA. They are also tours and dinner in a real Amish home.
I didn’t wonder about that - wasn’t sure if doing a tour would be too much of a silly tourist thing to do
@@shaunvlog Not silly. They are very hospitable people. New Wilmington is about 60 miles north of Pittsburgh.
We here in Ohio have a huge Amish population up in north central it's up around Mount Vernon Mickey go up there they still have Hitching Post in front of the courthouse and all that so they can tie their horses up
There's a nice General Store south of Cuyahoga county.
Born & raised in Philly. We’re cheesesteak snobs. :))
I live in the middle of a large Amish community in Indiana. I grew up on their cooking and baking. Only my southern grandma could make better food.
It’s all so amazing 🙌
One of my favorites. You eat free on your birthday!
Excellent review of the road of around Pennsylvania. Thanks.
A by different from Hawaii I imagine 😂
@@shaunvlog 🤷🏻♂️ Hawaii is a mix of many cultural differences, with that also come the foods and ideas. Having taken road trips across the United States more than a six dozen times (mostly due to military service). Seeing other people adventures are a personal curiosity of mine. FYI Amish food to me is filling and good tasting. But, is mostly meant to be eaten after the hard laborers of the farm life. Different yes, Unknown no. Cheers and Safe travels.
The Betsy Ross house tour is fun and very historic. Hope you have time for it, but there are tons of museums and historic sites nearby.
America started in Philadelphia. I'm impressed you went to Philadelphia and had a Cheesesteak and then you went to Amish Country to Shady Maple and had some Pennsylvania Dutch food. These areas are old America
I'm a Lancaster Co. native and think it's very cool that you came here! The "eph" in Ephrata is an "F"...that parts gets butchered a lot. You were somewhat close w/ the pronunciation, except for the "rata" part of it. :) Lancaster is pronounced "lang-kiss-ter" and natives are very quick to notice an "outlander" by how they pronounce it.
Shaun!! U went to shady maples bro that is the best place in pa i live about 45 min from there omg its so tasty❤
According to the internet, the Shady Maple is the largest smorgasbord buffet in the USA.
It’s really huge
Hi Shaun. One of my older brothers use to live in that area near the Amish and Mennonite’s. Enjoy your visit.❤️👍
I was just talking to a friend about shady maple, it's good food. There's a really nice gift shop downstairs too.
Next time you are near there, try Miller's Smorgasbord, or Deiner's Smorgasbord on Rt 30 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania
I was just there with my niece after spending our Friday at the Green Dragon Amish Market in Ephrata.
Driving through Pennsylvania is beautiful. I don't know about the Amish smorgasbord. It seems to be a lot (a whole lot) of food, but not necessarily home made or memorable. Still, it looks like you found a great place to stay to learn more about our history. You both look and sound shattered, so I hope you found time to relax the next few days.
Fanta, in the US, is most likely sweetened with HFCS (High Fructose Corn Syrup).
Ef-Fer-Ta is how you say it, also dont forget to visit the MASSIVE Gift Shop in the basement.
Oh yeah we did but didn’t film. It was HUGE
Shady Maples is great, I live in Maryland about a half hour away from Shady Maples and we go there when we can.
Smorgasbords are Swedish or at least Scandinavian. We use to go to one in Florida when I was a kid visiting my Grandparents.
Most of the locals have eaten at Shady Maple and they do an impressive amount of tourist business. The vast majority of people working and eating there are not Amish. You can eat 10,000 calories of food for one low price though. The section of Route 23 that you drove from Shady Maple to Morgantown is a beautifully scenic drive. I'm guessing you got on the Pennsylvania Turnpike at Morgantown if you were going to Philadelphia. I enjoyed your video.
Shady Maple is fantastic!! Had to pause it right when you said you were ging there.
Pennsylvania Dutch is actually German descendants btw not Dutch. The naming is deceptive I get it. I feel like their is definitely more rural PA than you saw.
Im learning that in these comments. I’ll need to return
Ah... you're in my neck of the woods! Shady Maple is the bomb...go hungry!
I want to come back 😊
Shoefly pie is the best!
This is my neck of the woods! I don't think the Amish have that many restaurants. I think they make alot of homemade cheeses and baked goods and meat pies... etc. that you might be able to buy at an Amish market. That's nice that you went to check it out though.
Have you ever visited Country Kitchen? They have a gift shop with hard to find old fashioned candy and sodas from a bygone era. The food is great there too! You can even buy the meat they serve!
Meaty, cheesy, greasy. Perfect.
Shaun and Teka, you guys where in my territory, my husband and I grew up in Ephrata, and we go to "Shady" once or twice a Month. I wish I would've known you guys were here....
I love your vids & love u 2! On a watching binge, so fun 👍💕
Now you’re checking near where I grew up. I love Amish country but if you have time to fit it in you got to get yourself to Longwood Gardens The fountain show is. amazing.
Oh my goodness you are so close to me. I live outside Philadelphia and we go to Lancaster all of the time
Such a cool part of the world 😊
I'm going to 'learn ya' some about the Pennsylvania Dutch. It is more correct to call them Pennsylvania Deutsch. The country these German immigrants settled in couldn't say 'Deutsch' that well. So they called them 'Dutch' which they definitely were not. I'm not sure whether they have accepted this mangling of their name or not. Some of them hold to traditional values & don't like to be photographed. Many don't mind but it is best to ask first. I think they are fascinating.
It was the predominat English Settlers that corrupted Deutsch to Dutch and it stuck.
Beautiful part of Pennsylvania
I enjoyed visiting for sure
PA girl here. Gotta put ketchup on that cheesesteak! Also, try a Cheesesteak hoagie (with salad on it) very good, it lightens up the taste.