Chester County

Exton

A crossroads that became Chester County's mall town — minus the mall, these days. Exton Square went dark for good this summer after 53 years, but "Main Street at Exton," a shopping center built to look like a downtown, still pulls in the county on a Saturday.

$633K typical home ~50 min rail to Center City West Chester Area school district

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Downtown Exton
Downtown ExtonRowEpict, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)

11 things on this weekend, 191 on the calendar in Exton.

Everything in Exton

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Mimi’s Pizza Exton

A takeout pizza counter on Marchwood Road, open 11 to 9 every day including Sunday. The kind of no-drama weeknight order you don’t have to check the hours for first.

4.6 (58) on Google

31 Marchwood Rd

Appetites On Main

A neighborhood American kitchen on Main Street in Exton with a long, something-for-everyone menu. It pulls a steady regular crowd rather than a scene.

4.2 (1.3k) on Google

286 Main St

Issho sushi and steakhouse

Sushi and steak sharing one kitchen on North Pottstown Pike. Nigiri and rolls on one side, cuts off the grill on the other.

4.5 (372) on Google

216 N Pottstown Pike

Gentili's Pizza & Steaks

The Exton half of a two-shop pizza-and-steaks operation; the other Gentili's is down in Springfield. There's a Gentili Family Rewards program for anyone whose pizza night is a standing appointment.

4.6 (593) on Google

318 E Lincoln Hwy

Fontana Pizza & Grill

Pizza and grill on North Pottstown Pike, where the pies are only half the story. Behind them runs a full Italian-American grill menu.

4.8 (1.5k) on Google

260 N Pottstown Pike

L'Olivo Trattoria

Handmade pastas and crudos from a founder whose family made pasta under the olive trees of Perugia — hence the name. It moved into Eagleview's former Suburban Brewing space in 2025; happy hour holds the bar and patio Tuesday through Thursday, plus early Sunday evenings.

4.6 (140) on Google

570 Wellington Square

Stolen Sun Scratch Kitchen & Taphouse

Brewery and scratch kitchen on North Pottstown Pike, pouring its own beer next to a full dinner menu. The taphouse setup means a flight and a plate without leaving your seat.

4.5 (442) on Google

342 N Pottstown Pike

The Pour House

A gastropub on Pottstown Pike in Exton with a draft list that runs deep. Come for wings and the big game on the screens.

4.5 (3.3k) on Google

116 N Pottstown Pike

Bella Vita Coffee & Cream

Coffee and ice cream under one roof on Main Street, which is the correct arrangement. Espresso in the morning, a cone in the afternoon.

4.7 (295) on Google

284 Main St Ste 200

Pike's Dinner & Drinks

Bar and dinner spot on North Pottstown Pike, part of the Whole Foods at that end of town. Come for a drink and a plate without the full sit-down-restaurant production.

175 N Pottstown Pike

Twin Valley Coffee

The Eagleview Town Center outpost of a local coffee company that promises your first cup will leave you 'ruined for the ordinary.' One of five Twin Valley cafes; grab a bag of their Gazebo Blend on the way out.

569 Wellington Square

VK Brewing Co. & Eatery

Veteran-owned brewpub in the historic Ship Inn on Lincoln Highway, brewing its beer on site with a full kitchen and bar behind it. There's now a second taphouse in Honey Brook, but Exton is where the tanks live.

693 E Lincoln Hwy

Silk and Silver Bliss

Clothing boutique at the Iron Lake Drive leasing center, carrying apparel and accessories. An easy local stop when you'd rather skip the mall.

5.0 (3) on Google

Leasing Center

Wellington Square Bookshop

The Eagleview bookshop that made Atlas Obscura's list of the world's 62 best independent bookstores. There's a cafe, and enough nooks and crannies that an errand here rarely stays an errand.

4.8 (331) on Google

549 Wellington Square

Bella Boutique & Consignment

A consignment boutique on Gordon Drive where the stock turns over on somebody else’s closet-cleaning schedule. Open till 5 most days, a shorter Saturday, closed Sundays.

317 Gordon Dr

Chester County Library

The county's central library branch off Exton Square Parkway. Shelves to browse and a full events calendar most weeks.

4.7 (319) on Google

450 Exton Square Pkwy

Chester Valley Trail (Exton Trailhead)

A paved, ADA-accessible rail trail running 13.5 miles in Chester County plus 5.1 more in Montgomery, connecting east to the Schuylkill River Trail. The Exton Park trailhead at Church Farm Lane puts you near the western end, with the first mile of a five-mile Downingtown extension under construction.

132 Church Farm Lane

Exton Park

A 701-acre park bought jointly by Chester County and West Whiteland Township, with 19.1 developed acres holding two playgrounds, a sand volleyball court, picnic tables, and a half-mile walking trail with a story-walk funded by the Chester County Library. It is also the only county-owned trailhead on the Chester Valley Trail, so one parking spot buys you miles of riding.

132 Church Farm Lane

Good questions

What is Exton known for?

Not a main street, but a crossroads that traded charm for convenience and got a fair price: the Chester Valley Trail, Exton Park, a train station, and every errand within ten minutes.

How far is Exton from Philadelphia?

About 45 minutes by car, off-peak. By rail, Exton station on SEPTA's Paoli/Thorndale Line reaches Center City in about 50 minutes. SEPTA and Amtrak Keystone trains share the station.

Is Exton walkable?

Partly. There is a walkable stretch, but plan on driving between some stops. We score its main-street walk 1.5 out of 5; the Exton scouting report shows how that compares to the other towns.

Is Exton a good place to live?

That depends on what you want out here, so we keep a full Exton scouting report for exactly this question. The quick numbers: a typical home runs about $633K, schools are West Chester Area School District, and 5,622 people call the census-designated place (West Whiteland Township) home.