My Local Recommendations for Carlisle, PA and the Surrounding Areas

By Dave Fleming, published February 4, 2024. Updated January 19, 2025

Breakfast

• Fay's Country Kitchen - Best Breakfast Around
• Hook & Flask - Sunday Brunch!
• Hamilton Restaurant - Home of the famous hot-chee dog, they also serve a good diner style breakfast.

Restaurants
There are so many wonderful places to eat in downtown Carlisle! I recommend walking the first few blocks of East High St and North Hanover St to see what tempts you. My favorites are...

• Asian (great!): Issei Noodle https://goo.gl/maps/xkDYXmbTz2w9yT2Y6
• Steak: 1794 Whiskey Rebellion https://goo.gl/maps/QNE1eowUrFtEMBzT9
• Belgian (great fries, mussels, burgers): Café Bruges https://goo.gl/maps/a6VwxBU2BUhjkFYw8
• Indian: Passage to India https://goo.gl/maps/w81mYXwheJ5gw75t6
• Egyptian: King Tut https://goo.gl/maps/q9tJ24ERLsXnAYMj9
• Sushi: Mount Fuji https://goo.gl/maps/nAjNRA1gRPv5ARiY6
• Seafood: Rustic Tavern https://goo.gl/maps/TE6WRsNkYNjd1GRN6
• Italian: Misenos II https://goo.gl/maps/kU74vAauM4fUWrwn6
• Subs: Vinny's https://goo.gl/maps/rmv7kUHHeVQqnCDG9
• Pub food: Market Cross Pub and Back Porch Brewery https://goo.gl/maps/PTLar1oSXqHPSMNm7
• Classy: One13 Social https://goo.gl/maps/sp62cFm4yoXCCgZi7
• Near Carlisle: Cassels https://goo.gl/maps/h7rE5yjo543q1Jr59
  
• Near Carlisle: Three Pines Tavern https://goo.gl/maps/FBJQWDH2wEwGsbgd7 and upscale Allenberry https://www.allenberry.com

Drinks

• Molly Pitcher Brewing https://goo.gl/maps/Wwh84Cjqec9buoyWA
• Back Porch Brewing https://goo.gl/maps/KJdNbwmS2f2jkgzJ7
• Grand Illusion Hard Cider https://goo.gl/maps/ZCF8GyBJ6xLsvDXW6
• Market Cross Pub https://goo.gl/maps/3GyypCTzNYs1K7hx5
• Desperate Times Brewery https://goo.gl/maps/S7WWCD34R5FHT7MZ8

Sports Nearby

• The Hershey Bears - Ice Hockey
• Harrisburg Senators - Baseball
• Harrisburg Heat - Indoor Soccer
• Penn State - College Football and other sports
• Baltimore Orioles - Professional Baseball
• Baltimore Ravens - Professional Football

Events Nearby

• There are many great shops downtown. I recommend saving some time to walk around town if the weather is nice and stop in any place that looks cool! A great place to get gifts is www.CarlisleCreativeVibes.com
• A cute town to visit nearby: https://goo.gl/maps/b61BGxVUF9x5anHZ9
• Sports and games (arcade, mini golf, laser tag, climbing wall, go cart racing): https://g.page/CarlisleSportsEmporium?share
• Bowling, axe throwing, trivia, and other games: https://g.page/Midwaybowl56?share

Other seasonal events can be found at:

• Visit Cumberland Valley Events
• Visit Central PA Events
• Hershey & Harrisburg Events

​Local Day+ Trip Destinations

• 30mins to Harrisburg tour the capitol, bike the trails, and eat on the river.
• 45mins to Hershey Park if the weather is nice. 
• 1.5hrs to Baltimore stadiums, breweries, restaurants, science center, and crab cakes! I like the Baltimore Aquarium and the Inner Harbor. My favorite "secret" place to eat in Baltimore is Mt Washington Tavern https://g.page/mtwashtavern?share. My favorite crab cake is at Koco's Pub https://goo.gl/maps/zom8uGdtAcWfxiHWA
• 2hrs to Philadelphia with historic sites, sports, and a castle made of clay https://www.visitphilly.com/things-to-do/attractions/fonthill-museum/
• 2.5hrs to Washington D.C. and Annapolis, MD
• 2.5hrs to Ricketts Glen, NY great hikes https://goo.gl/maps/UcebuKUXKSBj7uf9A
• 3.5hrs to New York City, Pittsburgh, and Atlantic City
• 3.5+hrs to Delaware and Maryland beaches https://goo.gl/maps/LmzSc2yiZxRJZt4g7
• 4hrs to Ithaca and the Finger Lakes, especially Seneca and Cayuga lakes if you enjoy wine and Watkins Glen if you like to hike https://goo.gl/maps/GHEU7zYKiH786cze6
• 5.5hrs to Niagra Falls

There are lots of hiking trails nearby as well, so let me know if you'd like me to recommend some of them. I hope you have a blast living in Central PA!

Next Article: ​Spring Tips for Tenants

Check out all my FREE Tenant Resources Here

I am always expanding this collection with rental resources I think will be useful to renters.
If you know of a resource that might be useful, please submit it for consideration. Thanks!

Join my mailing list here to be among the first to know about any new listings I have before they're advertised to the general public.