Dining Around LCRW Spring 2024: Lombardo’s Italian Restaurant

Lancaster City Restaurant Week showcases the vibrant culinary landscape of Lancaster, celebrating its 10th Anniversary this season. As a steadfast founding sponsor for the past decade, Lancaster City Alliance proudly supports this event. This week, some members of the LCA team, including Director of Communications Anne Williams, Community Engagement Manager Alex Otthofer, and Team Coordinator Lori Herr, decided to join in the festivities with a rare lunch away from their desks. After browsing the Restaurant Week website, they settled on Lombardo’s Italian Restaurant (216 Harrisburg Pike) for their mid-day date. Impressed by Lombardo’s intentional pricing ($20 for a Two Course Lunch Special), that makes it an affordable option for many Lancaster foodies; they eagerly anticipated their dining experience.

For Alex and Anne, dining at Lombardo’s was a delightful first-time experience, while Lori, a longtime patron, has considered it one of her favorite spots for years. Arriving for an early lunch on the second day of the event, they were thrilled to find special Restaurant Week menus waiting for them on the tables. It took a bit of deliberation to settle on their choices as each of them wanted to try something different to add variety to the table. Fortunately, their server, Steven, made the decision-making process easier by bringing out a delectable plate of crusty bread, roasted peppers, seasoned oil, and freshly grated Parmigiano for them to enjoy while they made their selections.

At last, they were ready to place their orders, and just in time, as Alex had been dreaming of carbs all morning! They started with a light first course, with Anne and Lori opting for the Lombardo’s Salad – featuring olives, pepperoni, tomato, mixed greens, iceberg lettuce, and red wine vinaigrette. This was Lori’s tried-and-true favorite, and Anne found it to be a flawless blend with perfectly seasoned vinaigrette. Meanwhile, Alex went for the Caesar Salad – complete with ciabatta croutons, Romano cheese, romaine lettuce, and creamy Caesar dressing – and deemed it an outstanding rendition.

Entrees began arriving by our attentive server, Steven, and Alex had his carb-dreams fulfilled in his selection of Lombardo’s classic Spaghetti & Meatballs – beef & veal meatballs, in the famous Lombardo’s sauce. He thoroughly enjoyed this comforting classic of tender pasta paired with hearty meatballs, in savory sauce, delivering a taste of Italy with every bite!

Anne opted for the Eggplant Parmesan Panini – parmesan breaded eggplant, mozzarella, marinara, on a fresh & local Thom’s ciabatta. It can be difficult to gauge Anne’s reaction to a dish, but total silence is usually an excellent sign that is often followed by a clean plate. Needless to say, Anne savored the perfect blend of crispy Parmesan-coated eggplant, creamy mozzarella, and zesty marinara, all nestled within a crisp Thom’s Bread ciabatta.

Finally, Lombardo’s regular, Lori was able to dig into her choice of the Meatball Hoagie – Provolone, Romano, and Lombardo’s Sauce. The serving was impressive and there was much doubt among her lunch dates that Lori would be able to finish it all. They were hoping for a “to-go” box to share over late afternoon coffee. But Lori dashed those dreams by enjoying every last bite! Lori loves the savory goodness of Lombardo’s meatballs, layered with melted Provolone, on a fresh Italian roll.

The Lancaster City Alliance team returned to their desks within an hour, complete with happy memories of another Lancaster City Restaurant Week experience. They unanimously praised the exceptional quality & value of the meal, especially considering the reasonable price, and extended their heartfelt appreciation to Lombardo’s for offering such an affordable option this season.

Lombardo’s Italian Restaurant also offers a Two Course Dinner Special for $38 and is open for lunch and dinner for the Lancaster City Restaurant Week 10th Anniversary Spring Celebration through Saturday, March 9. Check out their full menus and hours on the LCRW mobile-friendly website!