Top Spots In Peddler's Village
Less than an hour from Philadelphia, Bucks County's Peddler's Village offers six restaurants, over 70 shops and a carousel for the kids, all nestled within a quaint, 18th century-style village—just follow the red brick road! –Chelsea Karnash
SHOPPING
Apparel, Accessories, Gifts & Housewares
Apricot Lane
Store #69 (by the water wheel)
www.apricotlaneusa.com
Cute, on-trend clothes for great prices.
Artisan's Gallery
Store #35 (just off the Village Green)
Packed full of gorgeous, hand-crafted treasures, this shop stocks everything from jewelry and cookware to lamps and furniture.
Country Accents
Store #39
A super cute shop that's merchandise—and location—reflect its name. The best spot for yummy smelling, hand-poured candles.
Pine Wreath & Candle
Store #70 (inside the Grist Mill)
www.pinewreathandcandle.com
It's Christmas all year round at this place, and that's a great thing. Peruse the plethora of holiday ornaments and décor upstairs, or head downstairs for tons and tons of candles from brands like Yankee and Village.
Velvet Chic
Store #37
www.velvetslipper.com
With racks so jam-packed they're hard to sift through and apparel from James Perse, Ella Moss, Velvet and Vince, this store is the place to find upscale (and—be warned—expensive!) clothing and handbags.
Velvet Slipper
Store #41
www.velvetslipper.com
The sister store to Velvet Chic, Velvet Slipper stocks tons of Uggs, Donald J. Pliner and Marc Jacobs shoes, as well as less expensive brands like Anne Klein and Rocket Dog. There's also a great selection of Marc Jacobs bags, plus a wall of socks, leggings and tights for accessorizing. And FYI – the shoes regularly go on sale, so check back frequently.
Village Flower Shoppe
Store #162 (near Giggleberry Fair)
Like a smaller, less-expensive Terrain, the Village Flower Shoppe offers up beautiful stuff for your home—think paintings, pillows, lamps and seasonal items. Head to the back of the store for the greenhouse and nursery, where you'll find both ordinary and unusual plants…and a small fountain filled with turtles and koi that will be a big hit with the kids!
Gourmet Food & Wine
Chaddsford Winery
Store #20
www.chaddsford.com
Friendly staff, free samples and well-organized merchandise make this Chaddsford outpost a great place to pick up your next bottle of wine. There's also a Tasting Room that can be rented out for events, and the Wine by the Glass Café, which is perfect for relaxing with a glass of wine and escaping from weekend crowds.
Grandpa Hicks Cheese & Gourmet
Store #45
www.grandpahicks.com
Exactly what you'd expect from a gourmet food store in a place like Peddler's Village: quaint, homey and old-school. There's even a "Hot Room" with over 400 hot sauces—perfect for spicy food fiends (like me!).
House of Coffee
Store #58
www.houseofcoffeepa.com
A coffee (and tea!) lover's dream, House of Coffee stocks a huge selection of loose and bagged teas and international coffee beans, and they adhere to strict roasting and storage standards (check out their antique Probat Roaster at the front of the store for proof).
Want to taste the merchandise? Walk to the back of the store and down the stairs, where you'll find a quiet café that serves hot and cold drinks, pies, scones and croissants. Order the Peanut Butter Coffee Smoothie and settle down with a book, and you'll never want to leave.
The Nut Kettle
Store #63 (by the windmill)
www.nutkettle.com
The smell that wafts out of this place will lure you in, the Kettle Korn Krunch and a half-pound of the honey roasted nuts of your choice will keep you coming back.
Town Crier Bakery
Store #29
www.towncrierbakery.com
The Town Crier bakes up delicious, irresistible sweets from scratch every day, including an array of exotic cupcakes. Try the pepperoni bread for something savory, or the bread pudding-like German Apple Cake for a sweet treat. Yum.
DINING
Cock 'n Bull
215-794-4000
Lunch: Mon – Sat, 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Dinner: Mon – Thu, 4:30 – 8 p.m.; Fri, 4:30 – 10 p.m.; Sat, 4 – 9 p.m.; Sun, 3 – 8 p.m.
Sunday Brunch: 9:30 a.m. – 2 p.m.
This semi-hokey "Colonial" restaurant manages to still be fun. Take a trip back to the olden days with classic entrees like Chicken Pot Pye and Beef Burgundy, or try the Thursday night King Henry's Feast—an all-you-can-eat buffet with fresh seafood and hand-carved roasts. The brunch buffet is also delish.
Hart's Tavern
215-794-4066
Food: Mon – Thu, 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.; Fri – Sat, 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.; Sun, 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Cocktails: Mon – Thu, 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.; Fri – Sat, 11 a.m. – 11 p.m.; Sun, 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.
A casual tavern that offers solid salads and sandwiches. There's also a comfy bar for sipping on a cocktail or two.
Nancy's Village Café
215-794-8201
Open daily, 7 a.m. – 3 p.m.
The cutest little lunch spot ever! Fantasize about turning the place into your new apartment while you enjoy a slice of buttery quiche, a homemade soup, or a dessert special like banana cake. The Veggie Sandwich (cream cheese, avocado, scallions, watercress and Major Grey chutney on pumpernickel bread) is a fav, too.
Oh, and Nancy also does breakfast.
Pigadilly's Ice Cream & Gelato
215-794-2122
www.pigadillys.com
Sun – Thu, 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.; Fri – Sat, 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Pigadilly's serves both homemade and Bassetts ice cream as well as fro-yo and homemade gelato. Try the Banana Chip or the seasonal Pumpkin Cheesecake…mmm.
Sweet Lorraine's
215-794-4040
www.sweetlorraines.com
Breakfast: Daily, 7 – 11 a.m.
Lunch: Daily, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Dinner: Sun – Thu, 4 – 9 p.m.; Fri – Sat, 4 – 11 p.m.
Happy Hour: Mon – Fri, 4 – 6 p.m.
Not sure what type of food you're in the mood for? Head to Sweet Lorraine's, where award-winning chef Lorraine Platman serves up world cuisine that runs the gamut from fish 'n chips to hummus or quesadillas.
KIDS
The Fun Place
Store #76
215-794-0200
Challenge their young minds at this shop, which specializes in "smart" toys like puzzles, games and crafts.
Giggleberry Fair
#166 (across from the Lahaska Post Office)
215-794-4047
Sun – Thur, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.; Fri – Sat, 10 a.m. – 9 p.m.
It's all about the kids at Giggleberry Fair, where you'll find an indoor obstacle course, kid-friendly arcade games and a fully-restored 1922 carousel. The Painted Horse Café—serving kid-favorites like chicken fingers and fries—will keep them fueled up for hours and hours of fun at Giggleberry.
Skip's Candy Corner & Sugar Shack
Store #27 and #23A
215-794-8087 (Candy Corner)
www.skipssugarshack.com
An old-school candy shop with lots and lots of chocolate goodies. Try the Peddler's Trash (a combo of pretzels, cereal and M + M's coated in white chocolate) or take a trip down Memory Lane with retro candy like Flying Saucers and Mallow Cups at Skip's Candy Corner.
Have a little one with a food allergy? Go to Skip's Sugar Shack, the peanut and tree nut free outpost, instead.
Village Toy & Doll Shoppe
Store #160
215-794-7031
With Playmobil, Brio, Lego and a slew of stuffed animals and dolls, it will be hard to get the kids out of this store…you might have a little trouble leaving, too!
FESTIVALS
Strawberry Festival
Held in late April or early May, Strawberry Fest features jams, cakes and pastries made from the juicy red fruit. There's also live entertainment, sales and a pie-eating contest.
Scarecrow Display & Festival
Though the Scarecrow Festival is only one weekend in mid to late September, the scarecrows are on display through Halloween. At the festival, enjoy pumpkin-painting, scarecrow-making and more.
Apple Festival
Usually held in early November, the Apple Fest is a fall version of the Strawberry Festival. Enjoy gorging on all-things apple while you shop vendors and artisans. There's live entertainment and—of course—an apple pie-eating contest, too.
Grand Illumination & Christmas Festival
Sat, Nov. 18, 2011 (6 – 10 p.m.); Sat - Sun, Dec. 3 & 4 (10 a.m. – 6 p.m.)
Santa switches on the holiday lights in mid to late November, and guests can enjoy toasted marshmallows and apple cider. Then, in early December, Santa rides into town for the holidays in the Peddler's Village Christmas Parade as onlookers sip cider and hot chocolate. Throughout the weekend Christmas Festival, there's live entertainment and children's events, and the village will be decked out in its Victorian best—think fruit wreathes and garlands made from greenery.
