One of the highlights of this trip was the most amazing meal we had at Out of the Fire Cafe in Donegal, PA, right off the PA Turnpike. Parts of our trip were hosted by the Laurel Highlands Visitor Bureau, but this meal was on our own and absolutely worth the stop. If you are in the area, I highly, highly recommend it.
Best Restaurants in the Laurel Highlands
Currently, Out of the Fire Cafe is open for dinner hours Thursday through Sunday, and for lunch or brunch Friday through Sunday. Things everywhere are still in a bit if flux, so be sure to check their website or call to confirm hours before you go.
First up: drinks. They have a fabulous bar menu, and tons of beers, wine, spirits, and signature cocktails. How photo-worthy are these drinks? Gorgeous. And they tasted just as good as they look.
We had an amazing server (shoutout to Zach) who made great recommendations for both drinks and our meal. After much back and forth, we decided to order one of everything on the menu and share it.
Okay, maybe not one of everything, but we ordered a big variety of small plates and it was such a fun and delicious way dine.
Out of the Fire Cafe in Donegal, PA
Out of the Fire Cafe changes up their menu based on what’s in season locally, and I can already see that some of the items we ordered are no longer on the menu (and there are new offerings I’d like to get back there to try!). But let me show you what we got because the one consistent thing is that it was all amazing!
We were told that the smoked salmon is the signature dish and we had to try it. I loved smoked salmon and this was fantastic. This is actually the dish that the restaurant was built around, and they smoke it right on site.
We also shared this delicious flatbread that had cheese, bacon, and scallions on it. This was one of my favorites and was so flavorful.
Laurel Highlands Restaurants
The beef tips on the right side of the photo above were my pick, and I think I ate most of them. So tender – they melted in your mouth.
We all enjoyed the charcuterie spread with olives, cheeses, pickled veggies, and fruit, too. I’m telling you, this is the way to eat. Just try it all and share!
My friends have a taste for hot stuff, and they ordered these blistered peppers, which as of right now are still on the menu.
I am not a hot pepper person, but they loved them and cleaned the plate. I just took a picture because the presentation is gorgeous!
Laurel Highlands Places to Eat
Finally, we ordered truffle fries to share because who doesn’t love truffle fries?
We kept having to shift plates around to make room for all of these dishes our server delivered, and we ate it all!
The atmosphere is great. It’s the sweet spot between being fancy and casual, and the food is upscale but the vibe is relaxed. The food was obviously fantastic, and I love that we were easily able to order a variety of plates to sample so many different delicious options.
Visit Laurel Highlands
Visit the Out of the Fire Cafe website to check out their complete lunch, brunch, dinner, and bar menus, and get info on their hours of operation. I would suggest calling first just to confirm they are open before you head over.
This is one of many wonderful dining options in the Laurel Highlands. Visit Go Laurel Highlands to learn more about what to do, where to stay, and where to eat in the area!
Leave a Reply