| Shady Maple Smorgasbord | |
|---|---|
 | |
 | |
| Restaurant information | |
| Established | 1985 |
| Owner(s) | Phil Weaver (as of 2023) [1] |
| Street address | 129 Toddy Drive |
| City | East Earl Township |
| County | Lancaster County |
| State | Pennsylvania |
| Postal/ZIP Code | 17519 |
| Country | United States |
| Coordinates | 40°06′57″N76°01′56″W / 40.115952°N 76.032127°W |
| Website | www |
The Shady Maple Smorgasbord is a buffet restaurant located in East Earl, Pennsylvania. It is the largest buffet in the country. [2]
The Shady Maple began as a farm stand run by the Martin family. The name came from its location in the shade of a large maple tree. The farm stand evolved under the next generation of family ownership into a small IGA, Inc. supermarket by 1970. A cafeteria with seating for was added to the supermarket in 1982. This was later expanded into a Smorgasbord (buffet) with 300 seats. Subsequent expansions saw it moved to its own building and seating expanded to 1,200. [3]
The Shady Maple primarily serves the cuisine of the Pennsylvania Dutch. It serves three meals a day: breakfast, lunch, and dinner. [2]
The buffet is 200 feet long, [4] and together with the gift shop cover 111,000 square feet (10,300 m2) [1]
The building also includes a gift shop [2] and during elections serves as a polling place. [5]
In 2024, USA Today rated Shady Maple Smorgasbord the best buffet in the country. [6] [7]