http://www.centralmarketlancaster.com/
Lancaster County is a tourist attraction mainly due to it’s Amish population and outlet malls. However the small city of Lancaster is a charming artsy enclave with excellent galleries and eating spots and well worth a visit. The Central Market building in downtown Lancaster was built in 1889 and is a lovely Romanesque Revival structure hosting over 60 stands carrying a mix of Amish and Mennonite local produce and products as well as newer hipster coffee stands, ethnic food stalls, delectable goat cheese and even a fresh horseradish stand.
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For a town this size, the scale and diversity of the market is remarkable and it is a treasure to enjoy. Some of the stalls have been passed down from generation to generation and there is a wonderful mix of tradition and innovation in the products offered. Though there are mainly food stands, there are also a few Amish craft stalls, lovely flower stands, candy vendors as well as herb, coffee and tea merchants.
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I couldn’t resist the fresh goat cheese and yogurt at Linden Dale Farms; the vegetable ash covered Linden Dalençay was luscious and the yogurt sublime. I also had to bring home fresh horseradish from Long’s Horseradish which has been at the market for over 60 years. Another outstanding stall is Rooster St. Provisions, carrying handcrafted meat products such hard to find Taso ham, interesting varieties of head cheese, pates, and varieties of proscuitto among lots of other carnivore delights. Make sure to buy a ” meat cup” from them…a sampling of several of their offerings and a tasty meaty treat!
The area surrounding the market is lined with interesting galleries and restaurants so leave yourself enough time to really explore.