By: Sean Guay
Lancaster, Pennsylvania – A relic of downtown Lancaster that originally opened in 1951 has returned after being closed since 2019. The Rendezvous Steak Shop & Pizzeria is now open in a new building at the same location on the 200 block of West King Street. The former owner’s family continues to make cheesesteaks using the classic Rendezvous recipe of nearly 70 years.
Cheesesteaks at The Rendezvous Steak Shop & Pizzeria are made with a blend of ribeye, chuck roast and sirloin served on an Amoroso roll with American cheese and topped with steak sauce. The rolls are steamed on top of the meat, to soften them up and allow them to absorb some of the flavor.
“I think we nailed it pretty well and people will not notice a single difference,” said Riley Kaminski, operator of the new restaurant that he owns with his father, Ed, and sister, Zoe as reported by LNP News.
Ed Kaminski’s late mother, Helen, was a sister of Roger and Romolo Gaspari, who originally opened Rendezvous Steak Shop in 1951 in a spot across the street from its last location at 239 W. King St. Roger Gaspari became the shop’s owner after Romolo Gaspari died in 1971 and then worked there until its last day on New Year’s Eve in 2019.
Roger Gaspari offered some instruction to the new owners on how to make the sandwiches, including a session that was put on video. Gaspari turned 93 years old this weekend.
In addition to cheesesteaks, the menu includes pizza made in a wood-fired pizza oven. The menu will eventually be expanded to include salads and sandwiches.
The new Rendezvous Pizzeria & Steak Shop occupies the first floor of Landis Place on King, the seven-story apartment building that was built on the site of the former steak shop. The newly constructed restaurant at 243 W. King St. has seating for nearly 50, including some window counters and a counter with a direct view of the pizza oven. Like with the former restaurant, the cooking area will be visible from the outside.
Ed Kaminski is the director of Landis Quality Living, which developed the 55-plus housing building that opened in May. He said his family interest in continuing the restaurant and his own children’s experience in business and the restaurant industry led to the decision to reopen the steak shop.
Riley Kaminski previously was manager of a Pizzeria Vetri location in the Rittenhouse Square neighborhood of Philadelphia. He also previously worked at Luca in Lancaster city. Zoe Kaminski is a former investment banker living in New York City.
In the late 1970s, Ed Kaminski spent a summer working at his uncle’s shop, which he said has always played an important role in the life of his family.
“The Rendezvous not only meant so much to so many people outside the family but within the family it’s always been a gathering place,” he said.
The Rendezvous Pizzeria & Steak Shop
Address: 243 W. King St., Lancaster
Hours: 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Sunday.
Harrisburg100 
I remember eating there in the 70’s and it is still delicious
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