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Circular Dining Room resides in Hershey, Pennsylvania, less than a mile from Hershey Park, though there’s a lot more than just milk chocolate on the menu at this Four-Star restaurant. Before you head to the restaurant, know these five facts:

1.The restaurant is from the original hotel. Circular Dining Room, which serves up contemporary American cuisine, is original to The Hotel Hershey, which opened its doors in 1933.

2. There’s a valid reason behind the design. The restaurant’s circular design wasn’t solely for aesthetic reasons: Candy bar creator Milton Hershey worried that bad tippers would be given tables in the corner, so he wanted a dining room without any. Instead the real-life Willy Wonka wanted a restaurant in which every table had a nice view.

3. It is most recently turned more casual. While the vibe is still on the more formal side, a recent change relaxed the dress code to resort casual. It’s more welcoming to the many families who stay at the hotel for its proximity to Hershey Park and all of the chocolate.

4. Pay attention to the operating hours. The hours of the restaurant are slightly unusual, with lunch only being offered on Saturdays and dinner on Tuesdays to Fridays. Keep in mind that these hours change depending on the season, so always call before heading out.

5. A smaller production of brunch is available on select mornings. While the restaurant is known for its decadent Sunday brunch buffet — with entrées like poached shrimp and pork medallions with zucchini, pistachios and brandy-cherry glaze, as well as lengthy list of chocolaty desserts, including double chocolate cheesecake and a chocolate fountain — a smaller version of the spread is available on select mornings during peak season. Call ahead to check.

Circular Dining Room does have a children’s menu. In keeping with the more formal nature of the Four-Star restaurant, the menu is divided into appetizers, entrées and desserts. We should probably warn you that the options are more adult than many kids’ menus. The restaurant forgoes deep-fried foods for smaller, healthier and more mature dishes, like Caesar salad, chicken noodle soup, bacon-wrapped steak and grilled salmon. For the picky eaters, an option of buttered noodles ensures no one will go hungry. Dessert options are more classic and simple than those on the adult menu, but they’re just as alluring. You’ll easily be able to coerce your child into eating his salad with the promise of chocolate after-dinner choices like a hot fudge sundae or Hershey’s chocolate cream pie drizzled with chocolate sauce.

Circular Dining Room is romantic, especially if you can snag a more secluded two-person table by the windows. It’s in those seats where you and your honey can take full advantage of the view, which overlooks The Hotel Hershey’s formal gardens, gazebos and reflecting pools. While the space does not have the coziness or private spaces that many might associate with a romantic restaurant, you’ll find that its soaring ceiling, painted frescoes and stunning chandelier impart an air of grandeur and elegance that are romantic on their own.

Circular Dining Room offers a small menu of wines by the glass that includes mainly domestic selections with a few popular international varieties as well. Whites ranges from traditional oaky California chardonnay to a more delicate blend of chenin blanc and vouvray from France. Reds are mostly bold California varietals like cabernet sauvignon and zinfandel, but two more soft pinot noirs give good options for those ordering lighter fare. There are also two sparkling wines available by the glass: A rosé and the popular Veuve Clicquot Brut. The sommelier also has rotating white and red specials available by the glass, so if you’re interested in one of those, just ask your waiter about what’s on offer.

Set in a place like Hershey, Pennsylvania, dubbed “The Sweetest Place on Earth,” you know that the desserts at Circular Dining Room have to be good. But the lush desserts are perhaps more unusual and exotic than the chocolate cake you might expect from a Hershey restaurant. While there are, of course, simple chocolate-based options like the signature Hershey’s chocolate soufflé, other dishes veer into more creative waters. The chocolate tomato cake, for one, may raise a few eyebrows with its combo of sugar and more farm-fresh sweetness — especially since it’s paired with cinnamon basil ganache and sweet corn ice cream. The black sesame panna cotta with sour cherries and yuzu meringue also offers an unexpected, although perhaps more traditional, combination of sweet and tart flavors. Whether you want classic chocolate or something more adventurous, your sweet tooth will get its fill at the Four-Star restaurant.

Ken Gladysz serves as the executive chef of Circular Dining Room and The Hotel Hershey. Gladysz began his career in 1981 as the sous chef at Aldo’s Black Pearl in Sarasota, Fla. He then went on to get his certification from the Culinary Institute of America. After graduation, he worked on New American cuisine at Actuelle in Dallas and then at Four Seasons Resort and Club Dallas at Las Colinas in Texas. From there he traveled abroad, working in Tokyo, Saudi Arabia and Indonesia for Four Seasons. He returned home to be executive chef at the resort group’s property in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, before coming to The Hotel Hershey and the Four-Star restaurant.

The menu at Circular Dining Room is seasonal, so the best things to order change as the menu evolves. But here are our picks for the five best things to pick from the menu:

1. Chocolate dishes. Considering the Four-Star restaurant resides inside a Hershey, Pennsylvania, resort, it’s always worth trying the dishes that creatively integrate chocolate. One to order is the popular cocoa-dusted sea scallops, which are made all the sweeter by the light-handed treatment of the powder.

2. Local dishes. Look for dishes that feature locally sourced ingredients, like the organic mesclun and heirloom tomato salad with goat cheese from Apple Tree Farm or the Berkshire pork tenderloin with Anson Mills grits. The fresh ingredients make a difference.

3. Sunday brunch. The restaurant is known for its big Sunday brunch buffet spread, which features stations of seafood, meats, made-to-order omelets and hot dishes like pork medallions with zucchini, pistachios and brandy-cherry glaze. Of course, the buffet is chock-full of chocolaty confections, including double chocolate cheesecake and a chocolate fountain.

4. The chef’s table. On Friday nights, inside the semi-private dining room, you’ll find a cooking class of sorts. The chefs whip up a six-course tasting menu and present it to you themselves. You get to ask questions and learn about the ingredients and preparations.

5. Dessert. There’s no way you can walk away from the Hershey restaurant without indulging in some dessert. Be sure to get at least a forkful of the traditional Hershey’s chocolate soufflé or the more exotic black sesame panna cotta.

The menu at Circular Dining Room is classic without being predictable. The starters, entrées and desserts are all approachable, while still incorporating combinations, infusions and sauces that elevate them to a gourmet level. Salads and soups make up many of the starters, with grilled meats and game, light takes on fish and vegetarian options rounding out the entrées. These dishes usually include special sauces or accents that bring a simple steak dish up a few notches. Since the restaurant is in the heart of Hershey, Pennsylvania, you can obviously expect lots of chocolate on the dessert menu. However, what you might not expect are some of the menu’s more exotic flavors, like the black sesame panna cotta with sour cherry pearls and yuzu meringue. The restaurant also offers a small but decent cheese menu made up of many local options. Though if you did want a classic chocolate confection, order the Hershey’s chocolate soufflé.

Circular Dining Room does not have a bar in the traditional sense. You’ll be offered a full bar menu of liquors, wines and beers when you dine at the Four-Star restaurant, but you won’t see a physical bar within the space. If you’d like to belly up to a bar prior to your meal, visit the nearby Iberian Lounge, which is located just next door off The Hotel Hershey’s Fountain Lobby. The lounge is a beautiful, wood-paneled space that features a large fireplace and other library-inspired fixtures. It offers the same drinks on the menu in Circular Dining Room, but you’ll definitely get that more casual bar vibe here.

The noise level at Circular Dining Room is a bit on the loud side, which is probably due to the Four-Star restaurant’s soaring ceiling and wide-open dining area (but we’re not complaining — all of this makes the space feel light and airy). We especially noticed the noise during the brunch service, when our fellow diners made pit stops at all of the various buffet stands, not to mention the scraping of utensils on serving trays. If you have a late dinner here (i.e., when all the little ones have gone to bed), you’ll find the dining room much more subdued and, in turn, quiet.

The table arrangements at Circular Dining Room are comfortable. The tables are well spaced in the round dining room, creating plenty of privacy and room to breathe. You’ll also have a comfy seat, as the chairs themselves have nice padding and make a leisurely meal all the more enjoyable. Wooden arms on the chairs are nice for post-meal lounging, especially with an after-dinner drink. The tables are actually quite large compared to the more narrow option preferred by newer restaurants, but this leaves you with plenty of room to place drinks, plates and more without pushing onto your neighbor’s space.

Service at the Four-Star Circular Dining Room is nearly impeccable. The hosts will start off your dining experience by taking your name and never forgetting it throughout your meal; and for the duration, every staff member who visits your table will address you by name, whether it’s to ask how your steak is or to wish you a good evening at the end of dinner. The staff members also make the effort to address the smaller comforts — they might offer you a newspaper with your coffee at breakfast or escort you to the nearest bathroom. We think you’ll find the wait staff here formal and attentive, with a well-timed arrival of courses, frequent check ins and an always-full glass of water.

We think the best table at Circular Dining Room would be one that’s directly in front of the old-fashioned, stained-glass-accented windows along the back of the room. The dining room was designed so that no guest would feel like his or her table was shoved in the corner, which is why it has a circular design. However, the window seats really are a step above the rest, since they offer the best views of the Hotel Hershey’s gardens, gazebos and reflecting pools, which are lovely during the day and at night. The tables by the windows also are the most removed from the traffic of other diners and the staff, giving you a bit more privacy during dinner.

The table settings at Circular Dining Room are elegant and traditional. When you sit down at your table in the Four-Star restaurant, you’ll see bone china by Fortessa that has a white center and a tan and blue fan-patterned edge. The tables are dressed with white tablecloths and napkins, and accented with small, low arrangements of fresh flowers to create a sense of formality without feeling stuffy. Salt and pepper sits on each table; but sugar and other condiments are brought to you with appropriate orders or upon request. The tables are of a generous size, allowing plenty of room for cutlery, drinks and plates without encroaching on your neighbor’s space.

Circular Dining Room has one private dining room. The Alcove is actually a semi-private area that seats eight to 12 people. The space is adjacent to the main dining room and sports the same décor, including the dark woods, brocade fabrics and soaring ceilings. If you book the Alcove space on a Friday, you can take advantage of the chef’s tasting menu, which is served at 6 p.m. This interactive six-course meal is presented by the chefs, who encourage you to ask questions and learn about the ingredients and preparations. If you’re hoping for a little more privacy for a special occasion, see if you can snag a meeting space. The catering department of The Hotel Hershey can supply you with all the details.

What you’ll pay for a meal at Circular Dining Room will depend on the meal in question. If you stop at the Four-Star restaurant for breakfast or lunch, you’ll pay around $10 for each appetizer and about $15 for an entrée. The cost of the well-known Sunday brunch buffet is a little heftier, coming in at $39.95 per adult. The price goes up even more at dinnertime. If you order a starter, entrée and dessert, your bill will range anywhere from $50 to $100 (it will obviously be on the higher end if alcohol is involved). Kids’s dishes are about $5 for appetizers and $12 for entrées.

Circular Dining Room resides in Hershey, Pennsylvania, less than a mile from Hershey Park, though there’s a lot more than just milk chocolate on the menu at this Four-Star restaurant. Before you head to the restaurant, know these five facts:

1.The restaurant is from the original hotel. Circular Dining Room, which serves up contemporary American cuisine, is original to The Hotel Hershey, which opened its doors in 1933.

2. There’s a valid reason behind the design. The restaurant’s circular design wasn’t solely for aesthetic reasons: Candy bar creator Milton Hershey worried that bad tippers would be given tables in the corner, so he wanted a dining room without any. Instead the real-life Willy Wonka wanted a restaurant in which every table had a nice view.

3. It is most recently turned more casual. While the vibe is still on the more formal side, a recent change relaxed the dress code to resort casual. It’s more welcoming to the many families who stay at the hotel for its proximity to Hershey Park and all of the chocolate.

4. Pay attention to the operating hours. The hours of the restaurant are slightly unusual, with lunch only being offered on Saturdays and dinner on Tuesdays to Fridays. Keep in mind that these hours change depending on the season, so always call before heading out.

5. A smaller production of brunch is available on select mornings. While the restaurant is known for its decadent Sunday brunch buffet — with entrées like poached shrimp and pork medallions with zucchini, pistachios and brandy-cherry glaze, as well as lengthy list of chocolaty desserts, including double chocolate cheesecake and a chocolate fountain — a smaller version of the spread is available on select mornings during peak season. Call ahead to check.

The interior design of Circular Dining Room is traditional with touches of the Mediterranean style that inspired the exterior of The Hotel Hershey. Oriental-style carpets, brocade and wood-framed chairs, and white tablecloths make the space lush and ornate. The showstopper is the wall of lead-glass windows framed with stained-glass accents, the bank of which looks out over the hotel’s formal gardens. For a bit of calm, lift your eyes up to the painted ceiling, which depicts a perfect blue sky and fluffy clouds above rose terraces. Topping it all off is an impressive chandelier that dangles in the center of the room.

Reservations are required at Circular Dining Room for lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch buffet seatings. However, you don’t need to reserve a table for daily breakfast service. To book a reservation, call the restaurant directly, book online through OpenTable.com or speak with the concierge at The Hotel Hershey, which is home to Circular Dining Room. Keep in mind that the restaurant does frequently change its hours depending on the season, and because that, reservations can book up quickly. Plan ahead and make your arrangements as soon as possible for the best chance of securing a table at your requested date and time.

When you need to eat something other chocolate in Hershey, sample savory fare at Circular Dining Room inside The Hotel Hershey on Hotel Road in Pennsylvania. It’s about 30 minutes from Harrisburg and an hour and a half from Baltimore and Philadelphia. The Four-Star restaurant sits at the back of the Fountain Lobby, the former main entrance hall of the hotel that was designed by Milton Hershey to emulate the Mediterranean style he liked so much. Being slightly elevated, the restaurant gives you a look into the hotel’s formal gardens and onto the rolling hills below. For families making the trek to Hershey Park, the conveniently located hotel is less than a mile away from the rides and all of that cavity-causing chocolate.

Circular Dining Room is open for breakfast daily from 7 a.m. to 10:30 am. There are also three scheduled seatings for the grand Sunday brunch buffet at noon, 12:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. Lunch is served only on Fridays and Saturdays from noon to 2 p.m.; and dinner is available Tuesdays to Saturdays from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Reservations are required for all meals, except for breakfast. These hours may change depending on the season, so be sure to call ahead, especially during the fall and spring, when fewer visitors frequent Hershey.

To get to Circular Dining Room at The Hotel Hershey, take Hershey Park Avenue to Hotel Road and head up the hill to the main entrance of the property. Enter the hotel through the new main entrance, which was part of the 2009 expansion, and then head to the stairwells or elevators to the left and right of the reception area, and go up one floor. Follow the signs into the Fountain Lobby, where you’ll see a grand space that was once the original reception area for the hotel. Circular Dining Room sits directly to the rear of the lobby behind the center fountain.

The dress code at Circular Dining Room is resort casual. Men will fare best in slacks and a collared shirt, while women can don a casual dress or pants and a blouse. This dress code was just recently changed; the previous version was more formal and required a suit jacket for gentlemen. Men are still welcome to wear a jacket — especially during dinner service — however, more casual yet tailored items are welcome now. So feel free to arrive at the Four-Star restaurant in your favorite pair of khakis, unripped denim or capri pants.