Smoke was the first thing I noticed, a sweet hickory drift floating over farm fields where I expected only the smell of cut hay. I followed it the way a kid follows an ice cream truck, and it led me past a gift shop and down a hallway into a warm, wood-filled dining room.
What I found was some of the most satisfying barbecue I have eaten in Pennsylvania, served with a side of small-town kindness. It is the kind of meal that turns a quick country drive into a trip you keep telling friends about.
A Barbecue Hall on Old Philadelphia Pike
Old Philadelphia Pike runs through the heart of Lancaster County, and at number 3121 sits Plain & Fancy Farm, a longtime stop for travelers exploring Amish Country. Inside that farm complex lives the Smokehouse, a barbecue restaurant dressed up in farmhouse style.
The kitchen focuses on slow-smoked meats. Pork, brisket, chicken, and turkey arrive as platters and sandwiches, and the menu stretches further into comfort food territory with fried chicken, meatloaf, and generous scratch-made sides…