A Taste of Gettysburg: Where to Eat from Our Gettysburg Food Tour

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Gettysburg is a small town with a big history, and one of the best ways to get to know it is through its food. When we visited, we took a three-hour walking food tour that led us to seven local spots, where we sampled everything from tacos and Irish cider to olive oil, crepes, and gelato. Along the way, our guide, Gayle, filled us in on the town’s rich past.

(Bonus points if you’re both a foodie and a history buff!)

Update: Savor Gettysburg Food Tours, the company that led our tour, has since closed. If you’d like to take a food tour in Gettysburg today, see How to Take a Food Tour in Gettysburg below. The restaurants on our tour are still worth visiting on your own, and I’ve updated their hours.

One thing to know about food tours: no two are exactly alike. Many local restaurants cook with fresh, seasonal ingredients, so menus change throughout the year. Your experience may be different from mine, but it should be just as delicious!

1. Tacos Monarca Mexican Grill

We started our tour at Tacos Monarca Mexican Grill, where we sampled authentic Mexican cuisine: a corn taco with chunks of beef, cheese, cilantro, and onion, served with a cup of beef broth for dipping.

It was fun to look out the window and imagine Abraham Lincoln arriving by train, just before he delivered his famous Gettysburg Address.

As you’ll notice in the pictures, the day started a little overcast, but by the time we finished, the sun was shining bright. Food tours typically take place rain or shine, so be prepared when you go.

Tacos Monarca is located by the railroad tracks at 11 W. Railroad Street. It’s open Tuesday through Sunday starting at 10:30 a.m. and closes at 8:45 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 9:00 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 7:45 p.m. on Sunday. It’s closed on Mondays.

2. Garryowen Irish Pub

Next, we headed west to Garryowen Irish Pub, an authentic Irish pub in the heart of Gettysburg. Once inside, it was as if we’d left Pennsylvania and been magically transported to Ireland. We sampled Scrumpy Prig cider and a helping of shepherd’s pie.

Garryowen Irish Pub is located at 126 Chambersburg Street. It’s open daily from 11:00 a.m. until midnight, and the kitchen serves food from 11:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m.

4. Thai Elephant Walk

Our next stop was Thai Elephant Walk. It may not be the fanciest restaurant on the block, but it serves really delicious, authentic Thai cuisine. We sampled red curry, drunken noodles, rice, and a spring roll, followed by slices of fresh watermelon.

If I hadn’t been so engrossed in my food, I might better remember what our tour guide said about the building. (I believe it may sit on the foundation of the building where Thaddeus Stevens once worked.)

Thai Elephant Walk is located at 51 Chambersburg Street. It’s open for lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and dinner from 4:30 to 9:30 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday (until 10:00 p.m. on Friday). On Saturday, it’s open from 11:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., and on Sunday from noon to 9:00 p.m. It’s closed on Tuesdays.

Around Gettysburg

About midway through our tour, we strolled through town while Gayle shared more about Gettysburg’s history. We stopped for a moment in front of the David Wills House, where President Lincoln stayed the night before he gave the Gettysburg Address. It was a nice place to reflect on Gettysburg’s role in our country’s history.

We stopped for a moment in front of the Wills House, where President Lincoln stayed the night before he gave his Gettysburg Address.

It was a nice place to ruminate on Gettysburg’s role in this country’s history.

4. Gettysburg Olive Oil Company

The Gettysburg Olive Oil Company was a natural stop on a food tour. We sampled olive oils and balsamic vinegars paired with bread, popcorn, granola, and even lemonade. Afterward, we were free to taste more of the oils and vinegars in the shop. If you haven’t tried flavored balsamic vinegar, you’re in for a treat!

Today, Gettysburg Olive Oil Company products are sold at Gettysburg Goods, located at 19 Lincoln Square. The shop is open daily from 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.

5. Cottage Creperie

As we neared the end of our tour, the sun was shining and the heat was building, so we were glad to sit under Cottage Creperie’s covered patio while we tried freshly made strawberry crepes topped with powdered sugar and whipped cream.

Cottage Creperie uses locally sourced ingredients to make both sweet and savory crepes, and it also serves homemade ice cream and French press coffee.

Cottage Creperie is located at 33 Steinwehr Avenue and is open Wednesday through Sunday from 8:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.

6. Cone Sweet Cone

Our final stop was at Cone Sweet Cone, because one dessert is never enough.

We were treated to homemade ice cream, gelato, and Italian ice, and my favorite part was that we got to choose our own flavor. It was the perfect way to end a great food tour in Gettysburg.

Cone Sweet Cone is located at 433 Baltimore Street. It’s open from 2:00 to 9:00 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, from noon to 9:00 p.m. on Saturday, and from noon to 8:00 p.m. on Sunday. It’s closed on Wednesdays.

How to Take a Food Tour in Gettysburg

Since Savor Gettysburg Food Tours has closed, the Gettysburg Historic Downtown Food Tour by Junket is a good option today. It’s a guided walking tour of historic downtown Gettysburg, with stops that include Blue & Gray Bar & Grill and Gettysburg Baking Co. You can book it through Viator or GetYourGuide.

Before booking any tour, I recommend reading recent reviews on TripAdvisor. They’re full of helpful tips about what to expect. And if you book through an app like Viator or GetYourGuide, download it so your ticket is right at your fingertips.

Why You Should Take a Food Tour

• You’ll sample dishes from restaurants you might not otherwise try.
• Some stops offer special deals, like coupons, for tour participants.
• It’s a great way to get to know a town, learn its history, and try new foods all at once.
• You’ll meet new people and maybe even make a few friends.

More Photos Taken Around Gettysburg

Notes

You never know who you will meet or what you will learn while on a food tour. A local from Gettysburg attended the tour we were on and told us that we needed to try the burgers at the Blue & Gray Bar and Grill.

We also learned that taps is played at the Gettysburg National Cemetery every evening at 7:00 PM.

And one last thing, we were told that the ghost tours in Gettysburg are good.

Final Bite

Have you eaten your way through Gettysburg? Share your favorite spot in the comments, or tell me about a food tour dish you still dream about. And if this guide helped you plan your trip, send it along to a friend who travels with their appetite!

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