Dine-In: My Father’s Place Offers ‘Amish Friendly’ Hospitality With Great Meals
Photo by Meredith Winner/Mer-Made Photography
AC JosepH Media
BRIDGETON – My Father’s Place, the quaint family owned restaurant that sits inside the Greater Bridgeton Amish Farm Market, that works like a magnet when one first walks in the door, with the aroma of freshly made soups and the serving of mouth-watering dishes , shoppers will experience the tug to be seated each time they pass.
My Father’s Place has become a primary reason people visit the Greater Bridgeton Amish Farm Market, at 2 Cassidy Court, off State Route 49, for those who somehow have not tried this treasure owned by Chris and Lillian Stolzfus, now is your opportunity to get hooked.
Front Runner New Jersey.com Dine-In found My Father’s Place cozy, with such a comfortable and relaxing atmosphere, serving up meals that are fresh and delicious. The service is prompt and Amish friendly.
Depending on the time you arrive, lines to get in can stretch to near the market’s entrance but the staff keeps it moving and any wait is worth it.
You will find My Fathers Place entwined among the hustle and bustle of the market shoppers, yet the atmosphere remains home like regardless of if it is in the middle of a busy holiday weekend or a more quiet Thursday afternoon.
During a recent Dine-In review, dishes served included grilled cheese with freshly sliced tomato, homemade chicken, corn soup, onion rings and their chef’s salad.
Although it was close to closing time, the staff made accommodations to make sure the dishes were freshly prepared and served without delay. The portion are very generous and the simplicity in the presentation affords time to savor the home cooked cuisine.
When visiting My Father’s Place one can count on consistency. The restaurant accommodates about 130 people, their hours coincide roughly with the rest of the market. Thursday and Friday hours are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday My Father’s Place is open from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
The Stoltzfus’s purchased the restaurant from Lillian’s father, Jonas and Kathryn King.
The name honors Lillian’s father and their religious faith. My Father’s Place has been operating at the Amish Market for 13 years. The Stolzfus’s worked together at the restaurant before the purchase.
They had previously owned and operated a restaurant elsewhere but when they came across the last of the spaces within the market they decided it was the perfect spot to establish My Father’s Place and so they began their next venture.
Signs for the Bible verse John 1:14 can be spotted at the restaurant in recognition of its name. The verse reads: “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
Family inspired and managed, Lillian Stolzfus said her mother still makes all the restaurant’s soups from scratch, with her recipes of love and devotion delighting customer’s taste buds. Chris added that his mother-in-law’s soups have become so popular that they are the most profitable dishes at the restaurant, particularly during the slower winter months.
The soups are a fan favorite at the buffet the restaurant opened about 18 months ago. Chris Stolzfus said the effort to keep the soup containers full requires a bit of work, but the customers love them so much and keep coming back for more.
Some of the most popular items include breakfast and lunch sandwiches and wraps, large egg omelets, pancakes, waffles, homemade jams and spreads, and paninis. Fountain drinks, juices, milk, tea, coffee and hot chocolate are available.
Chris Stoltzfus said he wants people to know that everything is made fresh with prep starting when they arrive from Lancaster on Thursday every week.
“We get the job done right and we want to satisfy our customers,” Chris Stoltzfus said.
Lillian talked about how much they love the area and the people who visit regularly. It’s like family she said, a wonderful community and it people are so friendly. We can’t help but know that the combination of their dedication to serving their customers fresh homemade meals equates to a happy community.
Traveling from Lancaster on Thursday, Friday and Saturday begins R 5at 3 a.m. when the workers are picked up for the roughly two-hour drive to Bridgeton. They arrive about 5 a.m. on Thursday and 6 a.m. on Friday and Saturdays.
The care the restaurant’s crew puts into the dishes they serve is well evident by the repeat customers My Father’s Place.
So, whether you need to shop for delicious Amish favorites for home, visiting with friends or just looking for a friendly hometown atmosphere to relax in, one would find My Father’s Place top on the list of the ideal spot.
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