264 West Main Street, Leola, PA 17540 • (717) 556-0004
8am–8pm Mon-Sat
8am–2pm Sun
Please check our Facebook page for any last-minute changes to hours!
Our Story
In the spring of 2013, Jim & Gracie were newlyweds with not a lot of money, but big dreams. After one look at a tiny 18-seat café with exposed brick & lots of natural light, Gracie knew this was a place that could make those dreams come true.
Jim's twist on classic American diner food and Gracie’s gift for creating a welcoming atmosphere quickly earned them a growing following in Lancaster County. Focussing on local & scratch-made food combined with Gracie’s inspiring chalk art, we’ve always said, “Jim fills the belly & Gracie fills the soul.”
A building, that at one time was the Leola Bakery, provided a unique opportunity for the tiny cafe to expand quickly. With our growing loyal fanbase, Gracie’s expanded almost every year for 7 years, doing a total remodel just before the pandemic. Two additional expansions since have created the 6 dining room, 250+ seat restaurant that now serves Leola and well beyond.
About Us
Meet Jim
Jim grew up in Berks County, and the cooking bug bit him at a young age. He was pulling a chair over to the stove and cracking eggs for his dad at age 5. He was helping his mom run the concessions stand at the local community pool when he was 11. By 16 he was running the outdoor kitchen at a popular bar and grill. 17 was graduation from Berks County Career and Technology Center’s culinary arts program and running a local restaurant. Then Jim turned towards the pizza business, being a part-owner of two pizza shops in his twenties. With years of experience in everything from pizza to fine dining, Jim still spends his free time learning new techniques and studying new trends. It’s his constant desire to keep finding better ways of doing things that has helped Gracie’s menu become the wonderfully creative and award-winning centerpiece of the restaurant.
Meet Gracie
Gracie grew up in Lancaster and always loved food and hosting people. Some of her earliest memories are of her parents' ice cream shop on the west end. More than anything, she loved being creative- music, art, theater. In college, she studied Latin and History, with the intention of going into museum work. As fate would have it, as a young newlywed with few museum job prospects, she found herself entering the food service industry just to get a job. She was the shop manager and baker for a small cafe in Strasburg, where she quickly fell in love with the pace, the people, and of course the food. After several years of hard work, that business more than doubled and moved to a larger location. It was that experience and success that led Jim & Gracie to take a leap of faith and open Gracie's.
Take a Virtual Tour
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