Food, Shopping, Stays and more in Ohio’s Amish Country

GETAWAY STAYS 

Dutch Valley Campus, Sugarcreek
Once travelers park their car at Dutch Valley’s Sugarcreek campus they have five attractions to explore on-site — all connected by walkways that make getting from one to the other easy. The 500-seat Ohio Star Theater features family-friendly live entertainment, including musicals, concerts and comedy acts, while the Barn-Raising Buffet at Dutch Valley Restaurant, Bakery and Cafe offers an all-you-can-eat Amish meal with choices that include a variety of meats, mashed potatoes, noodles, a salad bar and more. Each of the Carlisle Inn Sugarcreek’s 69 rooms has its own balcony or porch for scenic views, while a gift shop and a separate food market at the campus offer visitors the chance to pick up a few reminders of their stay. Additionally, an outdoor pavilion, fire pit, water feature and upgraded playground make it easy to simply relax and enjoy the quiet surroundings. 1343 Old State Route 39, Sugarcreek 44681, 330/852-4627, dhgroup.com

The Inn at Honey Run, Millersburg
This secluded getaway spot is tucked away among the trees but is still just a short drive from Holmes County’s most popular attractions. Travelers can choose inn accommodations or book one of the unique honeycomb rooms carved into the hillside. The on-site restaurant, Tarragon, offers a fine dining experience and sources its ingredients from local farmers and purveyors as much as possible, while the outdoor Holmes County Open Air Art Museum provides the opportunity to follow a trail and discover sculptures nestled within the natural landscape. The works are created by a variety of different artists, many of whom are based in the area. 6920 County Rd. 203, Millersburg 44654, 330/674-0011, innathoneyrun.com 

Market Street Inn, Wooster 
Those looking for a cozy stay within easy walking distance of Wooster’s variety of downtown shops will find it a couple blocks from the Wayne County Courthouse at the Market Street Inn. The more than 9,000-square-foot bed-and-breakfast covers three floors and has six guest rooms. Once owned by Walter Foss, son of Wooster Brush Co. founder Adam Foss, the beautifully cared for home has antique touches throughout. A full breakfast starts each morning, which provides the perfect fuel-up before heading out to explore downtown Wooster. Stores in the area include the stylish and fun Blue Spruce Boutique, the well-curated Blackbird Records and the bibliophile bonanza that is Books In Stock. 356 N. Market St., Wooster 44691, 330/262- 4085, marketstreetinnwooster.com


CLOTHING

Cottonwood Shanty, Millersburg
When Holmes County native Alyssa Eliot traveled to France and Germany in 2019, she was inspired to bring European style to her hometown. Indeed, her carefully curated home, garden and clothing store deftly combine Midwestern utility with timeless elegance. Clothing is primarily comfort-forward neutrals with details like embroidery, contrast stitching and drapes, with a focus on Eliot’s preferred linen. Similarly, classic hats and bags and tastefully fun jewelry let you create an entire outfit or two that will take you from season to season. The store also carries kitchen and dining ware, garden and outdoor goods, and baby, bath and furniture items — everything needed to make the place a shopping destination. Be sure to check out Cottonwood Shanty’s collection of hand-rolled scrolls, home decor hangings adorned with quotes, drawings and designs custom made by Eliot. Shoppers can also purchase her DIY chicken coop plans to add country flavor to their own backyard. 65 W. Jackson St., Millersburg 44654, cottonwoodshanty.com

Farmhouse Frocks, Millersburg
Lena Schlabach operates this shop with 35 Amish seamstresses and a crew of in-studio employees. Together, they design and sell a lineup of clothing in which women of all shapes and sizes can feel stylish and comfortable. The approach has gotten attention beyond Millersburg, with much of Farmhouse Frock’s business coming from online orders. (An Instagram following that tops more than 100,000 followers helps get the word out as well.) Farmhouse Frocks not only empowers its customers, but also provides opportunity for the local Amish seamstresses who craft the clothing in their own homes. Note: Farmhouse Frocks closed in 2023. Follow along on Instagram or visit the website for owner Lena Schlabach's next venture. farmhousefrocks.com

Sheiyah Style Boutique, Berlin 
Although it’s just one of the many shopping experiences at the expansive, 50,000-square-foot Sheiyah Market campus, the Sheiyah Style Boutique is a great stop for those seeking trendy women’s clothing and accessories. Located on the main floor of a converted former dairy barn — now known as the Village Gift Barn — the boutique offers a range of clothing, from casual jeans to cute dresses to more professional looks. The boutique’s bags, jewelry and shoes can help complete any look, and the staff is happy to help customers do so. 4755 St. Rte. 39, Berlin 44610, 330/893-2648, sheiyahmarket.com

COUNTRY EATS

Mary Yoder’s Amish Kitchen, Middlefield 

For more than 50 years, Mary Yoder’s Amish Kitchen has been serving up old-fashioned Amish fare. We’re talking creamed chicken over biscuits, noodles over mashed potatoes, and a hot trail bologna sandwich with Middlefield Swiss cheese. Everything is housemade, including the bread. If it’s your first visit, you can’t go wrong with the Amish Dinner Buffet, which lets you try lots of different mains and sides, along with a full salad bar. Family-style meals offer a chance to eat like an Amish family, with pass-around dishes that include mashed potatoes and stuffing, along with a meat of choice. If you’ve never tried broasted chicken, now’s the time to do so. Not roasted, not fried, the chicken is marinated, seasoned, battered and pressure-fried, resulting in, well, perfection. When it’s time for dessert (and saving room for it is advised) order a dessert made by the in-house bakery. 14743 N. State St., Middlefield 44062, 440/632-1939, maryyodersamishkitchen.com

Boyd & Wurthmann Restaurant, Berlin
There is often a line stretching outside this restaurant and for good reason. The business began as a small grocery store known as Hummel’s Market in 1938, before adding a lunch counter two years later. (Dale Boyd and Herman Wurthmann bought the place in the mid-1940s). The original counter still exists today, but there are also booths and tables, which are filled on any given day by diners drawn here for the lineup of home-style favorites like chicken and noodles and a hot roast beef sandwich with mashed potatoes and gravy. Boyd & Wurthmann also offers a variety of scratch-made pies, which have been a hallmark of the place for decades. 4819 E. Main St., Berlin 44610, 330/893-3297, boydandwurthmann.com

Mrs. Yoder’s Kitchen, Mount Hope
Gloria Yoder opened her restaurant in 1994 and draws both travelers and regulars from the local Amish and Mennonite communities. Raised locally, where she was one of the few “English” students in a largely Amish school, she liked the mix of different cultures, which is exemplified by the restaurant she created and the fare she serves at it. The menu covers entrees like hand-breaded and pressure-fried chicken and slow-cooked pot roast as well as sides like real mashed potatoes and gravy and noodles. Go for the lunch and dinner buffet to sample a little of everything. 8101 St. Rte. 241, Mount Hope 44660, 330/674-0922, mrsyoderskitchen.com

HOME DIY

Keim Home Center, Charm
Visit Keim Home Center and you’re just as likely to see professional builders buying wood and supplies as you are to see home hobbyists. That is due not only to the store’s vast inventory but also the employees who work here. Most come from the surrounding community and take an interest in helping customers bring their projects to life. Keim Home Center stocks more than 140 species of wood, which includes domestic and exotic choices, natural-edge options and even a variety of “blanks” — wood that is sized to the rough dimensions of another item. There are pen blanks, baseball bat blanks and guitar body, neck and fret blanks for instrument-makers. The home center has more than 65,000 items in stock, and if you don’t see it, they can probably order it for you. If it’s a custom-sized wood product you’re after, there is an on-site mill. 4465 St. Rte. 557, Charm 44654, 330/893-2251, keimlumber.com

Lehman’s, Kidron
For those who really want to do it themselves — from simple backyard gardening to full-on, off-grid living — Lehman’s stocks a wide range of products that don’t require electricity and help customers focus on creating a more self-reliant lifestyle. The huge store is fun to explore, with finds ranging from nostalgia sodas and wooden toys to cast-iron skillets and canning supplies to lanterns and wood-burning stoves. What all started as a hardware store serving locals during the 1950s has grown into a destination covering more than 400,000 square feet. 4779 Kidron Rd., Kidron 44618, 800/438-5346, lehmans.com

E&H Ace Hardware Flagship Store, Wooster
For guidance on an upcoming home-improvement project, the old-fashioned hardware store was always a place where one could find a friendly face and advice. E&H Ace Hardware’s flagship store, located in downtown Wooster’s historic Quinby Building, delivers that experience in an inviting space that covers multiple floors. The first level is packed with seasonal inspiration and displays, while the second and third floors are filled with whatever one might need to get the job done. Nearby shops give fellow travelers other places to explore while the do-it-yourselfer in the family gets lost in home-improvement inspiration. 115 S. Market St., Wooster 44691, 330/262-8821, ehhardware.com

BREWERIES & WINERIES 

Millersburg Brewing Co., Millersburg
Located in a century-old downtown building, this craft beer spot serves 20 brews on tap alongside a great lineup of pub fare. The two most popular beers are the light and crisp Lot 21 Blonde Ale and the French Ridge IPA. If you want to try options like the Peach, Love, Rock & Roll shandy/radler or the Black Jacket schwarzbier as well, order a flight of all four and sample away. Not a beer fan? There is also a full bar lineup that includes boozy slushies and local Ohio wines. The food menu features creatively built burgers and multiple appearances of beer cheese — as Bavarian pretzel dip, nacho cheese and on the Beer Cheese Burger, which is also topped with beer-pickled onions. There’s a friendly, neighborhood vibe to go along with the local brews, as well as a calendar of live music and trivia nights. 60 E. Jackson St., Millersburg 44654, 330/674-4728, millersburgbrewing.com

Swiss Heritage Winery, Dover
Tucked behind and owned and operated by Broad Run Cheese House, Swiss Heritage Winery provides a welcoming spot to sample locally made wines and enjoy a lineup of great casual foods that range from build-your-own burgers and cheese melts to flatbread pizzas to a grilled trail bologna and Swiss cheese sandwich known as Bob’s Favorite Melt. The 23 wines here include fruit, grape and berry wines that can be enjoyed in the Hans’ Place tasting room or outside on the expansive patio and boardwalks that climb the hillside, offering different vantage points from which to sit and sip. 6011 Old Route 39 NW, Dover 44622, 330/343-4108, swissheritagewinery.com

Blue Barn Winery, Wooster
This winery’s namesake barn, which was constructed just after the Civil War, is painted in Union Blue, a color the original owners chose to reflect their pride in the North’s victory. In 2015, Brett and Marcia Urian turned it into a winery. The country setting with its 19th-century brick farmhouse and ornamental pond, make for a serene spot to visit and sample the Urians’ selection of wines, which include both dry and sweet reds and whites. Spend some time soaking in the atmosphere here, which frequently includes live music, and the challenge may be convincing yourself that it is time to leave. 4408 Columbus Rd., Wooster 44691, 330/575-1028, bluebarnwinery.com 


CULTURE & HISTORY

Amish & Mennonite Heritage Center, Berlin
The Behalt Cyclorama stands 10 feet tall, stretches 265 feet long and visually shares the history of the Anabaptist Movement from Zurich, Switzerland, in 1525 through the beginnings of the Mennonite and Amish communities that live in Holmes County and the surrounding area today. Artist Heinz Gaugel completed the stunning and impactful cyclorama in 2000, and it is one of just four such types of in-the-round artwork in North America. Travelers stop in to take a 30-minute guided tour of Behalt, which means “to keep, hold, remember.” The heritage center’s goal is not only to inform and entertain tourists, but also to offer a cultural museum for people in the faith community. The center’s thoughtful approach extends to its on-site pioneer home and one-room schoolhouse, which provide additional context for the history and culture of the Amish and Mennonite communities. 5798 County Rd. 77, Berlin 44654, 330/893-3192, behalt.com

Age of Steam Roundhouse Museum, Sugarcreek 
The roundhouse rises out of the surrounding fields like it’s been there for decades, but it is a relatively new addition to the countryside. Jerry Jacobson built it to house his collection of historic steam locomotives. Although Jacobson died before his Age of Steam Roundhouse Museum opened, his dream of sharing his collection lives on. The roundhouse has 18 bays, while a 115-foot railroad turntable and 2 miles of storage track are installed out back. Regularly scheduled guided tours let the public take a closer look at these classic machines and offer a peek into the restoration shop. 213 Smokey Lane Rd. SW, Sugarcreek 44681, 330/852-4676, ageofsteamroundhouse.org

End of the Commons General Store, Mesopotamia
Serving locals since 1840, Peter Schaden’s general store is the oldest in the state. Of course, the place has expanded in size and evolved its offerings over the years, but End of the Commons General Store still very much serves as a focal point of this small Trumbull County community. The vintage items displayed throughout the store were all sold here at one point or another during the business’ history. Along with penny candies and meats and cheese supplied by the local Amish community, travelers stop in to pick up the made-on-site fry pies, which the store churns out fresh daily. 8719 St. Rte. 534, Mesopotamia 44439, 440/693-4295, endofthecommons.com