When you visit the Amana Colonies and you want to have a great meal, you can go to the Ronneburg Restaurant or the Ox-Yoke Inn where you will find a wonderful selection of Amana-German dishes as well as soups, salads, and sandwiches.  You can go to Millstream’s Brau Haus and chose from a variety of appetizers, sandwiches, sides, and desserts in a Pub style atmosphere.

If you are looking for a unique dining experience, there are two great choices!  The Amana Heritage Society offers Communal Dinners about twice a month, and White Cross Cellars along with The Ox-Yoke Inn offer Vintner’s Dinners several times a year.

Communal dinners replicate the daily dining experience the Amana people had for nearly one hundred years.  You sit at a table with others so you can visit, and the food is served “family style”.  Often there is a speaker who shares history of the Amana Colonies.  The menu is similar to meals that would have been enjoyed years ago.

A Vintner’s Dinner is a themed meal, prepared by and held at The Ox-Yoke Inn.  White Cross Cellars owners select the theme, create the menu, select the recipes, and pair the wines with each course.  Your hosts are David and Mary Rettig, owners of White Cross Cellars.  David will talk about each course and the wine paired with it.  Then you get to enjoy the wonderful food and wine!

Both of these dining experiences require a reservation and ticket purchased.  Both have limited seating.  You can go to amanaheritage.org, and whitecrosscellars.com to find out details about their next event.  Both dinners last about 2 hours.  Both dinners are a WONDERFUL experience and well worth making time to enjoy!

Communal Dinners upcoming are: July 8 and 22, August 12 and 27, and September 16.

Vintner’s Dinners upcoming are: July 23, October 15, and November 5.