| Tied House Lititz 27-31 E Main St | Lititz, PA 17543 (717) 568-8085 tiedhouselititz.com |
Saint Boniface Brewing in Ephrata has been a beloved and well-respected Pennsylvania brewery for nearly a decade. In all that time, the company has not opened a second location, as many craft brewers in the state have done following a change in licensing law allowing such expansion.
On Tuesday, August 10, that changed with the opening of Tied House in Lititz, PA. Rather than another tap room or brewpub, however, Tied House offers a full-service dining experience with an elevated pub food menu and an elegant yet relaxed atmosphere.
Guests were able to get a peek at the new location beginning June 17th, when Tied House began offering take out service from the basement bar while the main dining area was in the final stages of construction. But now, guests can enjoy the full sit-down, dine-in experience. It was long in planning, and, like with most things these days, those plans had to change from time to time. You can get an in-depth story of how Tied House came to be in our interview with Dain Shirey, co-owner of Saint Boniface, in podcast episode 195:
We were lucky enough to be invited to a soft open dinner service held the day before the official opening, and though it’s taken a while for one of our hands-down favorite breweries to expand, it was well worth the wait.
The tap list was long and impressive, with 22 beers on draft, one cask ale, and two taps of ciders from Big Hill Ciderworks. While you really can’t go wrong with any beer from Boniface, a notable stand-out that filled our glasses was the English Origins Series Bitter aged in Woodford Reserve oak barrels and served on cask. Barrel aged bourbon character in a classic English ale that is only four-and-a-bit percent alcohol is a dream. We also enjoyed the Verklempt Coffee Brown, Orange Pollinator Heffeweizen, Ace in the Hole Dry Irish Stout, Black Currant Stout, Cherry Mr. Balloon Hands Sour IPA, and the always-great-all-the-time-no-matter-where-you-are-or-what-you’re-doing 225 Lager – contender for the best lager in Pennsylvania.
Great beers had great company in the food we had alongside them. From the sweet and smokey wings, street corn and chunky guacamole appetizers, through chicken and biscuits, tofu tacos, and grilled chicken sandwich, to the finale of ice cream and mousse, everything was beyond our expectations. I have to give a shout out to a small aspect regarding my fries – they were pale golden, not the shriveled, almost burnt kind you usually find in a brewpub. Think fancy McDonald’s fries, in the best possible way.
Given the crazy world we live in, it is prudent to address the social-distancing and sanitation practices that were employed during our visit. Tables were generously spaced and capacity was limited – though the dining area is large enough that a decent crowd could be accommodated even with 6 feet distance between groups. The servers were all masked and clean-gloved, not to mention super friendly and attentive. We were even able to see into the kitchen from our table where masks and fresh gloves were in abundance. It’s a shame we have to consider these things, but I can say personally this was my first dining out experience since the pandemic began, and I couldn’t have felt more comfortable.
We had a great time at Tied House and are excited to head back again soon. Thanks to the Saint Boniface team and to our good friend Dain for inviting us out to this event.
