When I saw PA Bakery advertising mini King Cakes for Mardi Gras, I was genuinely thrilled. A…read morereasonably sized King Cake felt like a dream come true -- all the fun of the tradition without committing to feeding an entire village. I immediately pre-ordered two mini King Cakes at $5.50 each (total $11), already imagining the moment I'd get to gloat when I found the hidden baby! The mini King Cakes were actually quite generous in size. Easily enough for 3-4 people...although I personally demolished mine in one sitting and have zero regrets. Now for the part that caught me off guard. The plastic baby -- arguably the entire point of a traditional King Cake -- was perched on top instead of hidden inside. I was fully anticipating that moment of excitement that comes from discovering the baby mid-bite, because that's kind of the magic of a King Cake tradition. Without that element, what I ended up with felt more like a very festive brioche-style cinnamon roll wearing Mardi Gras colors than a King Cake. To be clear, it tasted good. The cake itself was soft without being dry, had plenty of cinnamon-esque filling without tipping into overly gooey territory, and was generously finished with frosting and sugary crystals. Flavor-wise, no complaints. But if you're marketing something specifically as a King Cake, the expectation is that the baby is hidden within. Otherwise, it changes the experience entirely. For food safety purposes, there are plenty of creative alternatives -- an edible marzipan baby, a clearly oversized non-choking-hazard version, sticker on the box, etc. -- but the surprise element is part of what makes a King Cake a King Cake. Overall, not a bad experience -- just not quite the Mardi Gras moment I was hoping for. Next year, I'll probably seek out a bakery that leans into the full King Cake tradition...because if I'm chasing the thrill of finding a tiny plastic baby in my dessert, I want to earn that victory properly. If the baby isn't going in the cake, just let me know up front so I can manage my expectations (and my Mardi Gras excitement) accordingly.

The place to order or get a great variety of tempting sweet treats for any time, but especially for…read morecelebrations. Today, in search of two different birthday treats, I decided on cupcakes and a cheesecake. Luckily, the items I decided on are always available to purchase, and there's no pre-ordering required. Generally, the service is quick here as long as you take a number when you enter the bakery. Lots of ideas for sweet holidays, hostess gifts, or stocking stuffers. A fun, festive atmosphere with holiday decor, you can't help but be in the Christmas spirit here at PA Bakery.

Headed back to the airport from a weekend of camping in the Poconos and just wanted something quick…read moreand delicious. My hotel told me that it was worth the 15 minute drive out of my way to visit Donut N Joe's... and boy they were not lying! I was a little worried they might be picked over when I arrived around 10, but they still had a really good selection; things like coconut custard which I enjoyed along with a chocolate cake doughnut that was the best I've ever had. They've also got chocolate iced, Boston cream, lemon filled, cherry - filled you name it and I think they probably got you covered. If not, the breakfast sandwiches I saw coming out of the kitchen were pretty phenomenal looking. They have egg and cheese, bacon and cheese sausage pork roll, egg and cheese bagels, again it's gonna be hard for anyone to be disappointed here. Unfortunately, they were out of the other coconut that is topped with caramel drizzle and some other goodies, but I left fat, happy and with a big old honkin' smile on my face. The staff is super friendly, the place was immaculate and I'm surprised they even had any product left when I left because it was a constant line out the door. I will certainly add this to my route for next year's camping trip. Hopefully on the way over I can pick some up for our group to enjoy as a whole. DO NOT SLEEP ON THIS DONUT SHOP! I promise you it won't be disappointed, They've only been in business for two years and I believe she said they opened another location too, that this was hands-down the best donut experience I've ever had in my 65 years. And not saying quite a bit....because this fluffy old bag loves a good doughnut and delicious coffee.

Lazy Sunday. Woke-up-at-1-p.m. kind of Sunday. Tried to…read morewrestle myself out of bed to get to Ressler's Bagels, but found out it closed at 1. What can I say, early bird gets the worm, and I never get the worm. So I pulled up Yelp looking for a comparable egg sandwich and found Dough N Joe. I'd been meaning to try their donuts anyway, but saw they had breakfast sandwiches, so I had to bust out and go. Funny enough, I pass one near work all the time and thought that's where I was headed, but GPS took me to Mechanicsburg. C'est la vie. I like a nice little Sunday drive, so here we are. Got there close to closing, pretty quiet, nobody really in there, donut selection a little picked through. but I grabbed an egg sandwich on bagel with cream cheese, a custard donut, and a cherry cake donut, then bounced. Sat in the car and started eating the sandwich while driving, which is a type of love language. Really good sandwich. Now, it wasn't quite the loaded, gooey, dripping egg sandwich my 1 p.m. soul was seeking, pepperoncinis, tomatoes, lettuce, onion, the whole artistic gooey goodness. It wasn't that. But it was really good. I definitely wouldn't call it standard fare. The ingredients were quality, the chew of the bagel was excellent, and I can still remember biting into that thing. It just wasn't the exact sandwich fantasy I woke up chasing. But the real tour de force. the reason you go to Dough & Joe is the donuts honey. That cherry cake donut? Big, Big, Big Fluffy. Airy. Cakey. Cherry. So good. Seriously, everything about it was so good. And look, I'm on a little health kick right now, so homeboy can't be eating giant cherry cake donuts all the time. I had to stick my neck out a little. when in Rome. Had a guilty conscience about it. Worth it. #cheatmeal Completely worth it. Highly advise you go. Highly advise you get the donuts. I also got a custard one that the fat boy in me wants to demolish, but I may hand it to my roommate because honey... it is not on the meal plan. You understand. Only thing I can knock is I wish I'd gone during peak morning energy. I showed up in my weird late-boy window, and I feel like I missed the full ambiance--the cases packed, espresso machine hissing, people piling in, the Mechanicsburg morning hustle. I bet that version of this place is its own kind of magic. So I'm giving Dough & Joe 4 out of 5 stars. Docking one star only because I didn't get to experience the full New-York-hustle-bustle-in-a-Mechanicsburg-morning fantasy.

Hands down the best donuts I've ever had in my life. The best part though is that they are fried in…read morebeef tallow and not seed oils! Thank you for nourishing the people!!!! Being a very health conscious person this is the main reason I gave them a try. Usually donuts are unhealthy but this place is changing that!! Thanks

As noted in my review of Dough N Joe's Mechanicsburg location, this place is heaven on earth with…read morethe best donuts I've ever had. The Camp Hill location is equally excellent, and my companion and I made a special trip there this morning since we were craving so Dough N Joe. The awesome Duncan assisted us and talked my companion into 6 donuts instead of the 4 we'd planned. This location is in a small shopping center on Carlisle Pike and is a bit tricky. The parking lot is a bit small and you have to keep an eye peeled for the store. Minor issues. Make the trek. Enjoy!

HERSHEY/HARRIBURG, PA BANANA SPLIT SPOT!…read more Get Yo' Creamie on HERE! With Friendly's disappearing from the Downtown Hershey Scene, where do you go for ice cream these days?!? You figure there'd be something in Chocolate Town USA that would blow your mind, but... surprisingly, not really. To get your creamie cravings satisfied, Thee Spot is 3 B! Located on Derry St. in between downtown Harrisburg and downtown Hershey! Since the early 2000s, once I learned the lay of the land, 3 B has been my favorite, during their open months! Yelp directions are on point, and note, It is not in any strip mall, this spot is a converted humble abode into an Ice Cream Haven! Dedicated parking space and street parking also. Lots of spaced out benches to enjoy your goods in the sun. Staff is patient, friendly & helpful and definitely gives the most generous scoops of any creamery in Chocolate Town! Oh yeah, Let's EAT! BANANA SPLIT: Biggest size Split in the region! Its Ice Cream Tray is big, scoops are big, toppings are generous... that's the way it was back in early 2000s and it still holds true today, 2026!!! Total bang for your buck. Their ice cream sources these days are local vendors Gallagher's & Lieby's. My scoops for today's Split was CHOCOLATE ALMOND, MooseTracks, and STRAWBERRY! Each one chunky with additives, flavors were delightful, and toppings were generous! As always, I Loved it! Still as good as 20 years ago! VERY EASY RECOMMENDATION! During their open months, 3 B is truly the best spot for ice cream in Chocolate Town & PA's Capital! Enjoy!

Great soft serve ice cream. Love the seasonal blueberry sundaes. Big variety of hand scooped…read moreflavors to pick from also.

Sometimes all you need to turn a long week around is a really good ice cream sundae. That's exactly…read morewhere I found myself on a Friday evening in late July. I was in Hummelstown with no real plans, a loudly growling stomach and one very specific craving...ice cream. I'd probably driven past King Kone a hundred times over the years without ever stopping. For whatever reason, this was finally the night. I pulled into the parking lot around 7:30 p.m. and was pleasantly surprised to find plenty of parking, even on a beautiful summer evening. There were lots of people enjoying ice cream, but almost no line inside, which my stomach appreciated immensely. I quickly realized a cone or a bowl wasn't going to cut it. This needed to be a sundae. One of the things I love about King Kone is that many of their sundaes have fun jungle-themed names. After spending a few minutes studying the menu, I settled on the Elephant's Delight, which came to about $10.50. When I placed my order, I looked at the gentleman behind the counter and said, "It's been a long week. Can you take a couple extra minutes and put some good vibes into that sundae for me?" Without missing a beat, he smiled and said..."Absolutely." A few minutes later, he made eye contact across the room and handed me what can only be described as a bowl of ice cream the size of my head. I completely lost my composure. Right there, in the middle of a busy ice cream shop, I audibly squealed and told him, "You are making my dreams come true right now!" I wasn't exaggerating! And I think every person inside King Kone Creamery that night was aware of my excitement. Absolutely no regrets! The sundae was absolutely enormous, piled high with whipped cream, crowned with a perfect cherry and loaded with enough peanut buttery goodness to make my approximately 63.8% peanut butter personality feel completely understood. I carried my masterpiece outside and found a picnic table overlooking the beautiful property behind the shop. It was the perfect place to slow down, enjoy the evening and devote the next half hour of my life entirely to that sundae. The ice cream was fantastic. The toppings were incredibly generous, and I especially appreciated that everything was served in a large bowl instead of a tiny cup that would've had me wearing half of it before I finished. Every bite felt like the reward for surviving a very long week. King Kone turned out to be one of those places that's been hiding in plain sight all these years. Great ice cream, friendly people, generous portions and exactly the kind of place you hope an old-school neighborhood ice cream stand will be. Needless to say, it won't take me another hundred drive-bys before I stop again!

So many choices of ice cream! Soft serve and Hershey's Ice Cream. The service is great. A fun place…read morefor the kids because they have a playground for them. Eat inside or outside. The servings are huge and the sundaes are even bigger.

The golden whisk is a place I would gladly break my diet for! Everything is delicious and you can't…read morego wrong with a ooey gooey cinnamon bun. The smell upon entering is heavenly and irresistible.

For our wedding we ordered and assortment of desserts from around York and Lancaster from local…read morebakeries. We had a tough time finding a Macaron we liked and ventured to The Golden Whisk after trying 4 previous bakeries and were pleasantly surprised. The baker explained they make their Macarons with White Chocolate Ganache, but they would make a few samples with other filling if I could come back next week (I, the bride do not like chocolate). So we left this day with bellies full of other sweets (highly recommend the lemon bar and a Chai Tea Latte) and waited a week to return. We came back the following Saturday to pick-up a sample, to our surprise there was not one but multiple samples with non-chocolate ganache filling (amazing) AND the baker hand wrote on each to make sure we knew what we were trying. We were very happy with the the samples and moved forward with ordering a Macaron Tower for our Wedding with the Chai (cream colored) and Cookies & Cream flavors (black & white colored).... TO DIE FOR, these flavors were BETTER than the samples and we didn't event try either of these flavors previously! We highly recommend The Golden Whisk for your next event or just stop by to grab yourself a drink and a pastry (we are from southern York it's work the drive).

First Impressions! WOW ! Not your typical Ice Cream parlor! It has an interesting take on soft…read moreserve where you choose your flavor from hard ice cream and then add your fruit choice! They put it into a special machine and whip you up one of the creamiest fruit flavored ice cream cone or dish ever! The girls working the counter are very friendly and happy to help and answer your questions! They informed me that it was slow when they opened up last year but it won't be slow for long! I had the Tropical and brought home a pint of Mango! Creamy Deliciousness! This Ice Cream Lover will be returning gotta try more! BTW Toppings are Always Free and Include Rainbow Sprinkles Chocolate Sprinkles Toasted Coconut Graham Cracker

What a fun and interesting take on ice cream. They take hard ice cream and mix in fruit and smash…read moreit through a machine to turn it into soft ice cream. It was the first time we had something like this and it was amazing. Definitely worth the trip.

It was good. They make their own ice cream. My in-laws are moving to E-town, so I'm sure we will be…read moreback.

Been going here for the last three years under previous ownership and current ownership. Both…read moreowners have been stellar! Stopped in over the weekend and got the Whisk Apple Crisp Sundae. Gawd was it ever good! They have great made on site ice cream that is wonderful no matter how it's served up, whether in a dish, cone, sundae or extra special concoction!