This Small-Town Pennsylvania Breakfast Buffet Gets Absolutely Packed On Sunday Mornings
Sausage gravy and biscuits share a Sunday buffet with French toast sticks, and the whole spread overlooks a golf course designed by the Father of American Golf.
That combo alone got my attention. The buffet runs every Sunday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
It’s all-you-can-eat, and nobody needs a membership card to grab a plate or go back for seconds.
The building looks out over the rolling hills of central Pennsylvania.
Big views come standard here, along with pancakes, bacon, and a fresh fruit bowl for anyone pretending to be virtuous.
I like that a club with more than 1,400 members still sets out an open breakfast table for everyone in town and beyond.
So what does a Sunday morning look like at a lodge this size?
Sunday Mornings Start Early, So Set An Alarm
Eight o’clock on a Sunday is when the Philipsburg Elks Lodge & Country Club fires up its weekly breakfast buffet.
The serving lasts until 1 p.m., which gives sleepy households a generous five-hour window.
That window matters more than you’d think. A buffet this popular rewards people who show up with a plan instead of a vague idea about brunch.
The format is simple and kind of brilliant. It’s all-you-can-eat, and the food is made fresh, so nobody has to choose between pancakes and biscuits ever again.
The best part might be the guest list. The restaurant is open to the public, so you don’t need to be an Elk to eat like one on Sunday.
Some folks assume a lodge dining room is locked behind a secret handshake. Here, the only requirement for breakfast is showing up hungry and leaving room for a second lap.
Families, golfers, and road-trippers all share the same tables. That mix gives the place a real hometown feel, even if you’ve never set foot in this corner of Pennsylvania before.
My advice? Arrive closer to opening if you like elbow room and the freshest first trays.
Gravy, Eggs, And Cheese Sauce Run The Savory Side
Sausage gravy and biscuits sit right there on the line, and that tells you plenty about this kitchen’s priorities. Comfort food gets top billing at this Sunday spread.
Scrambled eggs anchor the hot trays. Next to them you’ll find peppers and onions, plus a cheese sauce that turns a plain scoop of eggs into something far more exciting.
Here’s a move worth trying. Build your own breakfast bowl with eggs on the bottom, peppers and onions next, and a ladle of cheese sauce on top.
Diced potatoes round out the savory lineup. Add them to that bowl and you’ve basically made a custom skillet without paying anybody to stand over a stove.
Bacon and sausage are on the buffet too. Both are classics, and both disappear from plates faster than anyone admits.
The beauty of a buffet like this is control. You can go light with eggs and fruit, or you can treat the gravy like a main event and nobody will judge you.
Pace yourself on round one, though. The sweet side of the table is waiting, and it plays dirty.
Save Room For The Sweet Stuff On The Other End
French toast sticks belong on every grown-up buffet, and this one agrees.
They’re easy to grab, easy to dunk, and somehow impossible to stop eating at just two.
Pancakes join them on the line. Between the two, kids and adults alike can build a plate that looks a lot like a cartoon breakfast.
Then come the assorted pastries. They’re the kind of treat you tell yourself you’ll skip, right up until you’re holding one.
A fresh fruit bowl balances things out. It also makes a handy alibi when someone at the table comments on your third pancake.
I love how this half of the buffet keeps everyone happy. Picky young eaters get their sweet fix, while fruit fans still have something bright and fresh to enjoy.
Try a smarter order of operations. Start savory, take a quick break to look out at the view, then come back for the sweet finish.
Because it’s all-you-can-eat, there’s no pressure to cram everything onto one plate. A little restraint now means a much happier second trip later.
Grab A Window Seat, Because The Hills Steal The Show
Rolling hills stretch out past the dining area, and the golf course fills the foreground.
Few breakfast spots can claim scenery this wide with their scrambled eggs.
The indoor dining room is open and welcoming to everyone. No membership is needed, so the best seats belong to whoever claims them first.
Warm weather opens up another option. An outdoor patio gives diners a front-row look at the course and the hills of central Pennsylvania beyond it.
Eating outside here feels like a small vacation. Fresh air, open greens, and a plate of biscuits make a pretty convincing argument for lingering.
Golfers heading out for a round add a little motion to the scene. Watching someone line up a putt while you sip coffee is oddly relaxing.
Inside or out, the views give this buffet its personality. Plenty of places serve pancakes, but not many serve them with a landscape like this one.
Bring a light jacket on cooler mornings if you’re aiming for the patio. The hills are lovely, but the breeze up here doesn’t always read the forecast.
Two Old Clubs Became One Big Sunday Table
Back in 1909, the Philipsburg Elks Lodge got its start on 2nd Street in town.
That’s well over a century of members gathering, eating, and swapping stories.
The country club side came along later. It was officially established on July 3, 1922, with plans for a new golf course and clubhouse.
The course was ready for play by 1923, and its first club championship followed in August 1924. That gave local golfers a place to gather long before today’s clubhouse existed.
For decades, the two groups operated separately. Then in 2008, they finalized a merger that brought the lodge and country club together under one organization.
It’s a smart pairing when you think about it. One side brought a strong lodge community, and the other brought green hills and fairways.
Philipsburg itself has deep roots in coal and clay mining. Hardworking towns like this tend to appreciate a hearty breakfast, and this buffet fits that tradition nicely.
The merger also built something bigger than either group alone. Today the lodge counts more than 1,400 members, making it one of the largest Elks lodges in the United States.
So when you sit down for Sunday eggs, you’re joining a story that started more than 100 years ago. Not bad for a plate of pancakes.
A Newer Clubhouse With Plenty Of Elbow Room
Thirteen thousand square feet is a lot of building for a small town.
The lodge and clubhouse project was completed in 2010, following the merger of the two organizations. That relatively recent construction means the place doesn’t feel dusty or cramped.
It was built with a combined community in mind, so there’s room for diners, members, and events.
You’ll find it at 200 Country Club Ln, Philipsburg, PA 16866. The road name is a helpful clue, since the course and clubhouse sit together on the same property.
Philipsburg is in Centre County, up on the Allegheny Plateau. That higher ground helps explain those sweeping views of central Pennsylvania from the dining area.
Inside, the setup separates spaces nicely. The public dining room serves everyone, while a members-only bar stays reserved for Elks and their guests.
A private dining room can also host up to 70 people. It’s handy for showers, reunions, or anyone who wants a breakfast party without sharing the syrup.
Parking is available on the grounds. Give yourself a minute to admire the hilltop setting before heading in for that first plate.
Tee Times And Pancakes Make A Great Sunday Pair
Alex Findlay, often called the Father of American Golf, designed the course out back.
That’s a pretty fancy pedigree for a place known for French toast sticks.
It’s a nine-hole, semi-private course. The layout features short holes, small sloping greens, and wide fairways that forgive a slightly wobbly drive.
Those small greens are the sneaky part. A wide fairway might make you feel confident, but the putting surfaces will humble you quickly.
Golf members enjoy priority access on weekend mornings. Public golfers can book Sunday tee times after 1:30 p.m., according to the club’s published rules.
That makes breakfast before golf the smart plan for visitors without a golf membership. Enjoy the buffet between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m., then head out for an afternoon round.
Members with earlier tee times can reverse the order and stop in for pancakes after playing, provided they finish before the buffet closes.
The course has been part of the property since the early 1920s. Generations of Pennsylvania golfers have walked these hills over the past century.
Even non-golfers get something out of it. The course is a big reason the dining room views look so green and open.
The Kitchen Keeps Busy Long After Breakfast
Taco Tuesday, Wing Wednesday, Cheesesteak Thursday, and Fish Fridays.
Somebody here clearly enjoys a good weekly theme.
The breakfast buffet happens every Sunday, but the kitchen stays open throughout the week. Lunch and dinner service begins at 11 a.m.
Monday through Saturday.
Monday through Thursday, the kitchen closes at 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday hours stretch until 10 p.m., giving evening diners a little more time.
Sunday starts earlier. The kitchen opens at 8 a.m. for the breakfast buffet and continues serving until 9 p.m.
Beyond the specials, the regular menu leans hearty. Half-pound burgers, wings, tacos, and cheesesteaks give you plenty of reasons to come back after your pancake visit.
Just like breakfast, lunch and dinner are open to the public. Nobody checks for an Elks card before handing you a menu.
I think that weekly rhythm is part of the fun. You can plan a whole week around it if you’re the type who likes knowing exactly what Thursday tastes like.
Visiting the area for a few days? Try the buffet on Sunday, then circle back midweek for wings or a cheesesteak with the same great view.
Big Events, Bigger Heart, And Room For Everyone
Three hundred guests can fit under the outdoor pavilion here.
That’s enough room for a reunion, a company picnic, or a very ambitious birthday party.
On-site catering is available for pavilion events and the private dining room. The same kitchen behind the Sunday buffet can feed your whole crowd.
The lodge does more than host parties, though. It runs community programs, including services for veterans and programs for young people.
That community work gives the place real depth. Your breakfast stop supports a club that puts serious effort into its neighbors.
I believe that’s why the Philipsburg Elks Lodge & Country Club feels different from a typical restaurant. It’s a gathering place first, and the food is how it welcomes people in.
Planning a trip through central Pennsylvania? Make this a Sunday stop, arrive early, and leave time for the view.
Bring the family, bring a friend, or bring your golf clubs. Just don’t bring a tiny appetite, because those French toast sticks have no intention of going easy on you.