Ham loaf is one of those old Pennsylvania Dutch comfort foods that seems to fade away everywhere except right here in the heart of Lancaster County and beyond. It shows up as a loaf or as those famous ham balls, usually with a sweet glaze, and it tastes like a Sunday dinner from a farmhouse kitchen.
If you grew up on it, you know exactly what I mean, and if you never have, you owe yourself a plate. I rounded up eight real spots across the state where this dish still holds a proud place on the menu.
Some are giant smorgasbords, some are cozy cafes, and a couple are tucked inside busy farm markets. Grab a napkin and start planning your drive, because this list is built for hungry travelers.
1. Bird-in-Hand Family Restaurant & Smorgasbord, Bird in Hand, PA
Right along Old Philadelphia Pike at 2760, this Lancaster County landmark has been feeding travelers Pennsylvania Dutch home cooking for generations. You can go the smorgasbord route or order a la carte, which makes it easy whether you want one plate or several trips back to the buffet.
The endless buffet leans into classic Amish fare, and ham balls sit right alongside the ham loaf. You will also find Lancaster County roast turkey and filling, broasted chicken, a soup and salad bar, and shoofly pie for dessert.
Plan around the hours, since it runs Tuesday through Saturday from 7 AM to 7 PM and stays closed on Sundays and Mondays. Prices land around twenty to thirty dollars per person for the smorgasbord experience.
There is even a theater downstairs, so some diners pair dinner with a show. Parking is free and plentiful, reservations are accepted, and the whole place is set up for families and groups.
2. Dienner’s Country Restaurant, Soudersburg, PA
Set in the small farming village of Soudersburg at 2855 Lincoln Hwy E, this country restaurant keeps things simple and affordable. The lunch and dinner buffet is the main draw, but you can also order sandwiches and platters of down-home country fare.
Meat selections here include ham, ham loaf, roast beef tips, and chicken, so the buffet gives you a straightforward taste of Pennsylvania Dutch cooking. Sides like buttered noodles and home fries round out the plate, and the dessert case leans into coconut cream and sticky buns.
Prices are gentle, usually in the ten to twenty dollar range per person, which makes it a friendly stop for families. Hours run Monday through Thursday until 6 PM, Friday until 7 PM, and Saturday until 6 PM, with Sundays closed.
Free parking sits right outside, reservations are accepted, and the atmosphere stays casual and easygoing. I would save this one for a low-key weekday lunch when the crowds thin out.
3. Dutch-Way Family Restaurant – Gap, Gap, PA
Part of the larger Dutch-Way Farm Market complex, this Gap location at 365 PA-41 puts made-to-order cooking front and center. You get a full menu for walk-in dining plus banquet rooms you can reserve for bigger groups.
The kitchen is known for traditional homemade meals and desserts, and the Pennsylvania Dutch lineup includes ham balls, shoofly pie, and brisket served buffet-style or straight off the menu. Sweet potato fries and fried chicken show up as favorites too.
Prices sit around ten to twenty dollars per person, and the early hours make it a solid breakfast option. Doors open at 6 AM Monday through Saturday and close at 8 PM, with Sundays off.
A fireplace adds to the cozy dining room, and the market next door is worth a browse while you are there. Reservations are not accepted here, so plan for a wait during busy Saturday stretches.
4. Dutch-Way Family Restaurant, Myerstown, PA
Over in Lebanon County at 649 E Lincoln Ave, this Dutch-Way spot pairs a farm market with a full family restaurant. The buffet stacks up Pennsylvania Dutch classics and American comfort food, plus salads, desserts, and seafood.
Hamballs land right on the menu highlights, joined by patty melts and meatloaf for anyone who wants a plated meal instead of the buffet line. The spread reportedly changes daily, so repeat visitors get a little variety each trip.
The room stays clean and family-oriented, with a quiet, cozy feel that suits groups and solo diners alike. Prices run about ten to twenty dollars per person, keeping it budget-friendly.
Hours match the Gap location, opening at 6 AM Monday through Saturday and closing at 8 PM, with Sundays closed. Reservations are accepted here, parking is free, and the connected grocery makes it easy to grab something for home before you leave.
5. Dutch-Way Café, Ephrata, PA
Coffee lovers, this is the Dutch-Way stop for you. The Ephrata cafe at 1125 S State St runs a full lineup of coffee and espresso drinks alongside breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus.
The food goes from pressed wraps and paninis to burgers, meatloaf, and yes, ham balls, so you can keep it light or go full comfort meal. Prices stay in the ten to twenty dollar range, and the setting is clean and family-friendly.
There is a gorgeous indoor seating area plus a courtyard with removable windows for warmer weather and a fireplace when it turns cold. It sits right beside the Dutch-Way grocery store but stays sectioned off in its own space.
Hours are generous, running Monday through Saturday from 7 AM to 9 PM, with Sundays closed. It is also a comfortable spot to work on a laptop, so I would grab a coffee and a ham ball plate for a slow afternoon.
6. Shady Maple Smorgasbord, East Earl, PA
If you want the grandest ham ball experience in the state, this is the giant everyone talks about. Shady Maple at 129 Toddy Dr in East Earl is a legendary buffet-style smorgasbord in a huge cafeteria-style space beside its farm market complex.
The ham ball is basically the star of the show here, and it shares the line with mashed potatoes and gravy, pickled eggs, pulled pork, and fresh egg custard. Themed dinner nights add rotating features like steak, seafood, and prime rib.
It is a true Pennsylvania Dutch and Amish tradition served at massive scale, which is exactly why people make the trip. Prices run about twenty to thirty dollars per person, and the salad bar and dessert selection are enormous.
Hours run Monday through Saturday from 7 AM to 7:30 PM, closed on Sundays. There is even a drive-through, and parking is plentiful, though Saturday afternoons and evenings get packed.
7. Yoder’s Restaurant & Buffet, New Holland, PA
Ham balls with a pineapple glaze are the calling card at this New Holland standby. Yoder’s Restaurant & Buffet sits at 14 S Tower Rd inside Yoder’s Country Market, surrounded by small-town Lancaster County farmland.
American fare mixes with Pennsylvania Dutch specialties across three meals a day, with menu favorites like broasted chicken, potato cakes with gravy, meatloaf, and apple pie. The sweet pineapple glaze on those ham balls is the detail that keeps people coming back.
Prices land around ten to twenty dollars per person, and the buffet and salad bar make it easy to load up a plate. Hours run Monday through Thursday from 6 AM to 7 PM, Friday and Saturday until 8 PM, and Sunday from 10 AM to 2 PM.
Unlike some spots on this list, Yoder’s offers curbside pickup, delivery, and free wi-fi. Reservations are accepted, parking is free, and the connected market rounds out the visit.
8. Zig’s Bakery & Cafe, Lititz, PA
The smallest and most casual stop on the list trades the giant buffet for a bakery counter. Zig’s Bakery & Cafe at 800 E Newport Rd in Lititz is a country-style eatery built around baked goods, deli items, sandwiches, and salads.
Ham balls share the menu with pulled pork, mac and cheese, and inventive sandwiches, and the bakery side turns out cinnamon rolls worth the stop on their own. It is a locally made, fair-priced kind of place rather than a formal sit-down dinner.
There is a patio for outdoor dining plus cute indoor seating in a quiet, peaceful setting. Prices run about ten to twenty dollars per person, and the pace is quick and easy.
Hours are Monday through Friday from 7 AM to 7 PM and Saturday from 7 AM to 3 PM, closed Sundays. I would swing by for a lunch of ham balls and grab a cinnamon roll for the road.
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