Harvest Seasonal Grill & Wine Bar opened its Lancaster location at The Shoppes at Belmont in November. “Healthy Indulgence” is Harvest’s motto, and its mission is to create a menu that focuses on sustainable, health-conscious and locally sourced cuisine.
The Manheim Township restaurant joins eight other locations in Harrisburg, Moosic (Scranton area), the Philadelphia area, Moorestown, New Jersey, and Delray Beach, Florida. Each is committed to founder and CEO Dave Magrogan’s farm-fresh “know your farmer, know your food” philosophy.
“We’re excited to be in Lancaster. We have patrons who visit our Harrisburg location who live in Lancaster, and they’re bringing family and friends to dine with us here,” says General Manager Erin McMullen.
As for the farmer connection, Erin says, “A lot of our other restaurants use food sourced from Lancaster County through Lancaster Farm Fresh Co-op, so it’s wonderful to be so much closer to them. We are using the community,” she says of local food growers, “as well as serving the community.”
The spacious restaurant has a warm, casual feel. A dual-sided fireplace in the lobby also fronts onto the lounge, which offers seating at the bar and in cozy booths. An adjoining garden room seats up to 70. It’s a four-season room, and all of the doors open onto a 70-seat patio with a firepit.
Harvest’s main dining room seats up to 150 at booths and tables. Stone accents and dark wood distinguish this area. The restaurant’s second patio opens off the main dining area. It seats about 30.
A private dining room boasts its own fireplace and seats 50. Windows line one side, while the restaurant’s wine selection is artfully stored on two of its other walls. Erin notes that the private dining space has become a popular spot for rehearsal dinners, bridal showers and other special celebrations. It’s also used for overflow dining on weekends.
The restaurant also features a gleaming open kitchen that is headed by Chef Taylor Davis, who was born in California but grew up in York County.
“Our focus is local farm-to-table, so we’re committed to providing sustainable, health-conscious local cuisine,” Erin says of the menu, which changes seasonally. The green concept extends to materials such as recycled glass countertops and post-consumer fiber menus.
A spring menu was unveiled March 20. Although menu offerings shift with the season and availability of local ingredients, one popular item that’s on nearly every menu is the spicy shrimp noodle bowl. It’s also one of the few items on the menu that’s over 500 calories. Menu staples also include filet and scallops, but Erin points out that the accompaniments change.
Butternut squash soup and butternut squash dip (served warm with rye crostini) have become Harvest’s signature items. “They’re on the fall and winter menu, so it’s not year-round. They’re really popular; we have customers at our other restaurants who begin asking for them in August,” she explains.
There are also a number of vegan and gluten-free offerings on the menu. “We’re strongly committed to offering items for guests with allergies and food intolerances. Our chef, Taylor Davis, does amazing things with food,” Erin says.
In addition to lunch and dinner, brunch is served on Saturday and Sunday. Like the rest of the menu, brunch items change seasonally.
For holidays such as Easter and Mother’s Day, Harvest will offer its regular menu plus some chef’s specials.
Harvest’s bar menu complements its local mission. Beer selections are hyper-local, while spirits such as vodka and gin are as local as possible. The wine list focuses on wineries with sustainable growing practices; 50 wines are available by the glass. “Our servers are well trained on wine pairings. We have a meeting every day before dinner service to discuss specials and wine pairing,” she says.
Guests may also opt for beer flights (a sampling of all six draft beers); wine flights (three 3-ounce samples); or sangria flights (a sample of red, white or blush sangria).
Harvest also offers special wine dinners four times a year. Bourbon dinners are also planned.
Harvest Seasonal Grill and Wine Bar, 1573 Fruitville Pike (The Shoppes at Belmont), Lancaster. Hours are Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m.-11 p.m., and Sunday, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Reservations are recommended and can be made via the restaurant’s website. Take-outs available. Call 717-545-4028 or visit harvestseasonalgrill.com and Facebook.
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