Beyond Lancaster: Inside Western Pennsylvania’s Most Popular Amish Kitchen
When travelers think of authentic Pennsylvania Dutch cooking, they almost instinctively head east toward the crowded, tourist-heavy corridors of Lancaster County. However, on the opposite side of the state, nestled near the Ohio border in the rolling hills of Lawrence County, sits a deeply authentic culinary destination that locals try hard to keep a secret: The Volant Dutch Kitchen.
Located just outside the quaint, historic village of Volant, this expansive, family-style restaurant represents the absolute pinnacle of traditional, scratch-made comfort food in Western Pennsylvania. It is an establishment that completely ignores modern culinary fads, operating at an unhurried pace to serve the hearty, patience-built recipes that have defined the local Amish community for generations.
The Backstory: From Bakery Stand to Dining Hall
The Volant Dutch Kitchen was not always the sprawling, 250-seat dining hall it is today. Two decades ago, it began as a modest, open-air bakery stand operated by the Byler family. They sold fresh produce, hand-rolled butter, and legendary black raspberry fry pies to locals passing through the country roads.
As demand for their exceptional baking outgrew the small wooden stand, the Bylers started offering hot lunches—simple, stick-to-your-ribs meals of beef and noodles or thick potato soup—served on heavy picnic tables under a canvas awning. The word quickly spread throughout Lawrence and Mercer counties, and the line of cars became a daily fixture. Realizing that the region craved a permanent destination for authentic, sit-down heritage food without the long drive to Lancaster, the family constructed a beautiful, timber-framed dining hall. Today, the restaurant is run by the second generation of Bylers, who refuse to cut corners, using the exact same handwritten recipe cards that started it all.
What to Order: Dutch Kitchen Favorites
Dining at The Volant Dutch Kitchen is an immersive experience meant to leave you completely satisfied. Whether you opt for their famous weekend buffet or order straight from the menu, here are the quintessential items you absolutely must try:
| Item | The Culinary Draw |
| Genuine Broasted Chicken | A staple of the Amish dining hall. The chicken is pressure-fried in specialized equipment, resulting in an incredibly crispy, perfectly seasoned skin that locks in all the natural juices without the heavy grease of traditional frying. |
| Brown Butter Noodles | The ultimate Northern comfort dish. Thick, hand-cut egg noodles are boiled until perfectly tender, then tossed in a rich, nutty brown butter sauce and generously topped with toasted breadcrumbs. |
| Amish Fried Pies | The undeniable stars of the bakery case. These hand-sized, half-moon pies are stuffed with locally sourced fruit, deep-fried to a golden crisp, and heavily glazed. The apple and black raspberry varieties sell out daily. |
| Traditional Shoofly Pie | A masterpiece of regional baking. A flaky, handmade lard crust holds a dense, sticky molasses filling that is perfectly sweet, topped with a thick layer of buttery streusel crumbs. |
| Mustard Pickled Eggs | Sitting right on the deli counter in massive glass jars, these vibrant yellow eggs are deeply savory, slightly sweet, and carry a sharp vinegar bite that pairs perfectly with a heavy meal. |
The Volant Dutch Kitchen proves that you do not need to fight the crowds of Eastern Pennsylvania to find the state’s best heritage cooking. It is a testament to uncompromising quality, generous hospitality, and the simple perfection of doing things the old-fashioned way.
Visit the Business:
The Volant Dutch Kitchen, 1420 Mercer Road, Volant, PA 16156