Here are 7 York County restaurants we wish made USA Today's Best Restaurants list

Lena Tzivekis, York Daily Record
·5 min read

Viet Thai Cafe, a York County restaurant gem serving Thai, Laotian and Vietnamese fusion cuisine for over two decades, has made national news: Along with 46 other restaurants, Viet Thai Cafe was included in the 2024 USA TODAY Restaurants of the Year list.

It was one of only three Pennsylvania restaurants to make the list, along with the Speckled Egg Cafe in Pittsburgh and Doro Bet in Philadelphia. Each restaurant tells a story through its cuisine and offerings, dining experience and even the stories of the faces behind the business.

Could a York County restaurant make the list next year, putting us on the map yet again? Maybe. Here are seven restaurants we wish could make the list.

Hamir's Indian Fusion

24 S. George St., York

Before you even step foot inside self-taught chef Hamir Patel's restaurant, you are greeted by the vibrant aromas of Indian cuisine.

On the walls, you'll find intricate displays of art. On the menu, you'll find a diverse selection of Indian fusion lunches, and dinners, desserts and Indian-inspired cocktails, and spiced chai. Classic Indian dishes such as tikka masala and butter chicken are offered alongside naan.

Hamir's offers a variety of fusion dishes including Indo-Thai curry and an Indo-Chinese-inspired entree: a sweet and spicy stir fry with bell peppers, onions and chicken sauteed in fresh ginger and garlic with scallions and cilantro served over a bed of rice. This comforting dish is the perfect balance of spices and flavors. Finish off your dinner with fried Gulab Jamun infused with saffron simple syrup.

El Serrano

3410 E. Market St., York

Serving York for over 30 years, El Serrano has combined determination, a handful of family recipes and a loyal and dedicated staff to continue operating since 1986.

The name El Serrano represents the serrano pepper in Mexican cooking and also means "Men from the Andes" in Peru.

The cuisine consists of classic Tex-Mex with a Peruvian twist, including tapas dishes such as the ropa vieja, a comfort dish featuring pulled beef sirloin braised with tomatoes, red peppers and onions, served with white rice. Also try the mouthwatering ceviche made with tilapia fish, cooked with lemon juice, celery and rocoto pepper.

Review: York County restaurant is one of the best in the US. Everything you have to try

Bay City Seafood Restaurant

110 Eisenhower Dr., Hanover

In 1963, sales director William “Ted” Smith quit his job and purchased a Volkswagen Beetle, which he stuffed with bushels of crab and seafood.

He began selling fresh Chesapeake Bay seafood out of his car in Hanover, unknowingly starting a legacy that would last over 60 years.

Now, Bay City Seafood Restaurant is a hub for seafood lovers in Hanover. The building can hold over 300 patrons at any time: 100 on its deck, 100 in its lounge and 100 in its dining room. It additionally can hold 300 in its banquet hall alone. The carryout seafood market that the business first got its start as also remains. 

From left, Todd Smith, Christina Smith-Colgan, and Wesley Smith pose for a portrait underneath family photos of their parents, Ted Smith, and Georgeanna Smith, Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023, at Bay City restauraunt in Hanover Borough. The Smith family is celebrating the 60th anniversary of opening Bay City, which started in 1963 by Ted Smith.
From left, Todd Smith, Christina Smith-Colgan, and Wesley Smith pose for a portrait underneath family photos of their parents, Ted Smith, and Georgeanna Smith, Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023, at Bay City restauraunt in Hanover Borough. The Smith family is celebrating the 60th anniversary of opening Bay City, which started in 1963 by Ted Smith.

More on Bay City: Hanover staple Bay City restaurant celebrates 60 years of seafood and family

Revival Social Club

19 N. George St., York

A gem in downtown York, the Revival Social Club experience reflects the décor, flavor and ambiance of a New York or Philadelphia restaurant.

The restaurant offers a complex beverage menu, including a rotating list of craft cocktails and mocktails. A rotating dinner menu includes entree specialties such as a mouth-watering braised short rib, herb-crusted lamb loin, fish and more.

Revival Social Club offers a complex beverage menu, including a rotating list of craft cocktails and mocktails. A rotating dinner menu includes entree specialties such as a mouthwatering braised short rib, herb crusted lamb loin, fish and more.
Revival Social Club offers a complex beverage menu, including a rotating list of craft cocktails and mocktails. A rotating dinner menu includes entree specialties such as a mouthwatering braised short rib, herb crusted lamb loin, fish and more.

More: Here are the best things I ate at York County restaurants in 2023, both savory and sweet

Mesa Moreira

58 W. Market St., York

While it has not even been open for one year, Mesa Moreira has made quite the impression on York County and has brought flavors that we were missing out on.

Before moving to York in 2021, Steven Moreira grew up in the Ironbound section of Newark, New Jersey, home to a collection of restaurants and bakeries that pay homage to the local immigrant culture. His parents, along with waves of Portuguese immigrants, joined the Ironbound population in the 1960s.

When he arrived, Moreira met Christie, and the two later married. Through their foodie travels, Christie discovered the taste of Portuguese cuisine and fell in love with the ambiance of the restaurants and the cuisine itself. Mesa Moreira opened in July 2023 and has been serving up traditional barbecue chicken, Portuguese-inspired entrees, desserts and more.

Owners Christie and Steven Moreira pose for a photo in the kitchen area of their York City restaurant, Mesa Moreira, on Thursday, June 29, 2023.
Owners Christie and Steven Moreira pose for a photo in the kitchen area of their York City restaurant, Mesa Moreira, on Thursday, June 29, 2023.

Victor's Italian Restaurant

554 S. Ogontz St., York

The soothing sounds of Sinatra classics echo as you walk through the door. The menu showcases made-to-order pizza, antipasti, risotto and pasta, as well as main dishes such as osso buco, filet mignon and more.

In 1984, Harold and Eunice Fitzkee purchased the former church building and, according to local legend, the restaurant was named after the first chef the couple hired − who never showed up for the job. Over time, the restaurant has been sold to several couples and continues to serve traditional and Italian-American dishes, craft cocktails, desserts and more. The restaurant hosts live music events and theme nights and includes a bar, patio and bocce court.

Victor’s Italian Restaurant: 554 S. Ogontz St., York
Victor’s Italian Restaurant: 554 S. Ogontz St., York

Glen Rock Mill Inn

50 Water St., Glen Rock

Built in 1837, the Glen Rock Mill Inn has become an integral part of the Glen Rock community, operating for years as a flour mill, a woolen manufacturer and a seed mill.

The mill closed in the 1960s and remained closed for nearly two decades before being restored by Cecil and Mary Ann Artrip, who repurposed the building in 1984 and turned it into an inn and restaurant. It now stands as a fine dining restaurant serving farm-to-table cuisine in the heart of southern York County.

The restaurant has gone through several owners over the years and is currently owned by Brandon Hufnagel, who began his culinary career as a dishwasher at the restaurant when he was 15 years old. Over time, he became a line cook, graduated from culinary school, and currently serves as the owner, after purchasing the restaurant in 2017 from its previous owners.

There is outside seating at the Glen Rock Mill Inn.
There is outside seating at the Glen Rock Mill Inn.

More: The new owner of Glen Rock Mill Inn started out as a dishwasher

This article originally appeared on York Daily Record: 7 York restaurants we wish made USA Today's Best Restaurants list