Country Rock

Per Diem Blends Lancaster County Bounty With Rock Lititz Vibe

BY M. DIANE MCCORMICK PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF PER DIEM

Back in 2014, Rock Lititz brought a pulsating beat to the serene hills of Lancaster County.

If you want that kind of rural-rock mashup on a plate, come to Per Diem. It’s the place where, as the owners say, farm-to-table meets rock and roll.

Per Diem opened its doors on the Rock Lititz campus in 2018. This is not a kitschy tribute restaurant to the tours that rehearse there but an elegant spot for casual dining and gathering. Look for Rock Lititz-themed “Easter eggs” dotting the space, such as stage cards from Ozzie Osbourne and AC/DC tours, or ceiling beams repurposed from stage sets built at Rock Lititz.

Here, walls covered in greenery or stone provide texture, wood floors gleam, white chairs and tables contrast with black upholstery, and light pours in through floor-to-ceiling picture windows.

“There’s a vibe here that you don’t have to go to Philly for, you don’t have to go to New York for, you don’t have to go to LA for,” says Shannon Hamblin, marketing manager for Per Diem owner TFB Hospitality. “Per Diem has that very big-city feel, but we’re in the middle of a cornfield in Lititz, Pennsylvania. It’s very inclusive, but we like to make you feel like you’re in someplace exclusive.”

At Per Diem, food and beverages share top billing, and it all starts in Lancaster County.

“We’re surrounded by so many farmers, vendors, and purveyors, it would be almost silly of us not to incorporate these people into our dishes,” says Hamblin. “We have strong partnerships with a ton of different farms and venues in Lancaster. I would say that 90 percent of our menu at Per Diem is fresh, local ingredients.”

Even the specialty cocktails designed by bar manager Dan Zeiders—he’s the bearded guy wearing a Hawaiian shirt—are often inspired by finds from local purveyors. Zeiders has also been known to forage for ingredients on his forest walks, once transforming teaberries into bitters.

Per Diem serves dinner nightly and Sunday brunch, plus continental breakfast buffet for hotel guests that is also open to the public. Chef Travis Holder designs an extensive menu stocked with dishes for everyone’s tastes. Vegans and vegetarians might find a satisfying chickpea meatballs entrée with roasted red pepper coconut cream and white bean ragu. Fire-roasted pizzas offer available vegan cheese and gluten-free crusts.

Per Diem pizzas include such enticing options as bacon and brussels sprouts, spinach and artichoke, or spicy soppressata and hot honey. For entrees from the sea, try the crab bucatini or the seared scallops starter, served with heirloom cauliflower.

Meat lovers always have hearty choices, like the BBQ brisket sandwich topped with cherry cola BBQ sauce. The tour burger, a nod to Rock Lititz’s roots, features two beef patties, American cheese, special sauce, lettuce, house bread-and-butter pickles, and caramelized onion, all on a potato or gluten-free bun—the juiciest, tomato-jammy Big Mac you ever ate, with truffle frites on the side.

The tour burger might also appear on the brunch menu, along with a delectable lemon ricotta pancake, steak and eggs, apple and pecan salad, or Southern-style chicken and waffle with a buttermilk-fried chicken thigh poised on top of the waffle.

Of course, it’s not brunch without a cocktail (with mocktails available) such as the chai-tini made with vanilla vodka, chai, espresso liquor, milk, and the delightful touch of a Nutella rim. The bloody Mary is tantalizingly spicy with house-made mix, green chili vodka, and Old Bay rum.

Pastry chef Lydia Thompson caps your meal with a house-made, seasonal dessert. Selections range from the red wine cranberry cheesecake to the fudgy Andreas chocolate cake accented with pomegranate puree.

Per Diem attracts diners from throughout the region and beyond. They are drawn by the idea of a varied menu offering farm-fresh meals crafted from the renowned goodness of Lancaster County, all served in a modern, comfortable setting. Servers skilled at recommending dishes and pairings “make you feel super important,” says Hamblin. “They make you feel like you’re the only customer in the room.”

For those who enjoy stepping away from the table to dine, Per Diem’s lobby area has pool tables and QR codes for ordering delivery. From around April through October, diners can enjoy patio dining with firepits, cornhole, or Jenga, while ordering food and drinks that come straight to them.

“You don’t even need to sit inside the restaurant,” says Hamblin.

No matter what you choose to eat or how you choose to eat it, she adds, the overall Per Diem feel is one of thoughtfulness behind the food, drinks, décor, and experience.

“We have the most artistic people,” says Hamblin. “Every cocktail we have, every dish we have is really a work of art. It takes so many pieces of Lancaster County and Lititz and makes it into one dish.”

Per Diem

50 Rock Lititz Blvd, Lititz, PA 17543

Perdiemlititz.com

For reservations, call 717-500-3436