14 Ohio Dessert Spots Locals Drive Out Of Their Way For
Ever notice how Ohio manages to surprise you at the exact moment you think you have it figured out?
I used to believe I knew every trick this state had up its sleeve, then someone handed me a slice of pie from a tiny bakery miles off my route, and suddenly I understood why people here treat dessert like a small adventure.
One bite led to another detour, then another, until I caught myself planning entire weekends around places that do not show up on billboards but somehow stay packed anyway.
These spots are tucked inside old storefronts, glowing behind neon signs, or humming quietly in corners where regulars know exactly when the fresh batches roll out.
The more I explored, the clearer it became that Ohio’s sweetest treasures rarely sit in plain sight, and that chasing them is half the fun.
So if you are wondering where locals willingly add extra miles for something sugary, let me show you the fourteen places that make those detours feel absolutely worth it.
1. Schneider’s Bakery – Westerville, Ohio
Some Ohio mornings blur together, but I remember every single one that starts in line at Schneider’s Bakery in Westerville.
You will find Schneider’s Bakery at 6 S State St, Westerville, Ohio 43081, right in the heart of Uptown where the air already smells like warm dough and icing.
They have been turning out old-school donuts, cookies, and pastries here since the mid-1950s, and the place feels proudly unchanged in the best way.
On student nights, Otterbein kids treat the shop as a rite of passage, shuffling in for late runs that keep the display cases buzzing.
When I finally reach the counter, I usually cave and order both a double-twist glazed donut and a cream stick for research.
The staff moves fast but somehow still chats, recommending seasonal specialties while grabbing boxes for regulars who barely need to speak.
I have driven up from Columbus before sunrise more times than I care to admit, always promising myself I will stick to a single donut.
Every time I walk out with a warm box on the passenger seat, I know I will be planning my next excuse to come back before I even hit the first stoplight.
2. Mama Jo Homestyle Pies – Amherst, Ohio
Road trips along the Lake Erie corridor always seem to reroute themselves the moment I remember Mama Jo Homestyle Pies.
This cozy pie shop sits at 1969 Cooper Foster Park Rd, Amherst, Ohio 44001, in a small plaza that does not even hint at how serious the baking operation is inside.
They have been baking homestyle pies here since the early 1990s, with more than thirty flavors of fruit and cream pies rotating through the cases.
I still remember the first time I walked in and saw rows of golden crusts cooling behind the counter, each one labeled with a simple handwritten tag.
My usual order is a slice of warm cherry or apple with a scoop of vanilla on top, plus a whole pie to take to whoever I am pretending to visit.
The crust stays impossibly flaky, the fillings taste like actual fruit rather than goo, and the slices come out generous enough to silence a table.
Locals line up ahead of holidays, but I like dropping by on an ordinary afternoon when there is time to talk flavors with the staff.
By the time I load a pie into the car, I never mind the extra miles, because every forkful later reminds me why I left the highway in the first place.
3. Dietsch Brothers Fine Chocolates & Ice Cream – Findlay, Ohio
Some towns have a dessert shop, but in Findlay, it feels more accurate to say the town has Dietsch Brothers.
The main store is at 400 W Main Cross St, Findlay, Ohio 45840, a brick building where the line often stretches past the door on warm evenings.
This family business has been making fine chocolates and ice cream since 1937, and that kind of practice shows in every dip and every truffle.
When I walk in, my first problem is always choosing between a double scoop in a waffle cone and a box of caramels to demolish later.
The ice cream leans rich but not heavy, with classic flavors like butter pecan and mint chip that somehow taste clearer than versions I have had anywhere else.
On my last visit, I watched a kid stare through the glass at rows of molded chocolates while a staff member patiently described each one.
I took my sundae to a small table near the window and realized half the people walking by were carrying the same signature white boxes.
By the time I left downtown, the back seat smelled faintly of cocoa and vanilla, and I understood why people in northwest Ohio grow up measuring all sweets against this place.
4. Taggarts Ice Cream Parlor – Canton, Ohio
There are plenty of reasons to visit Canton, but I keep finding myself there primarily because I cannot stop thinking about a Bittner from Taggarts.
Taggarts Ice Cream Parlor anchors a corner at 1401 Fulton Rd NW, Canton, Ohio 44703, with blue-and-white floors, tall wooden booths, and a counter that looks ready for a movie close-up.
The shop has been around since the 1920s, and the famous Bittner sundae, built on vanilla ice cream, chocolate topping, and roasted pecans, has earned near-mythic status with locals.
I still remember my first Bittner arriving in a tall frosted glass that seemed comically oversized until I took a few bites and forgot about volume.
The texture lands somewhere between a thick shake and soft-serve, with enough nuts mixed through to give every spoonful a bit of crunch.
Families crowd the booths, couples share sundaes at small tables, and the staff moves from table to table with a practiced rhythm that suggests they have seen generations grow up here.
Whenever I finish one, I tell myself I will order a smaller dessert next time, though that promise never survives contact with the menu.
Driving away, I usually feel like I have just stepped out of a little pocket of Canton that refuses to let dessert be an afterthought.
5. Pav’s Creamery – Akron (Portage Lakes), Ohio
Any time I find myself near Akron on a warm evening, I somehow end up pointed toward the Portage Lakes for Pav’s Creamery.
The Portage Lakes shop sits at 3769 Manchester Rd, Akron, Ohio 44319, a busy corner spot where the parking lot fills with people who clearly know the routine.
Pav’s is known for decadent custard and ice cream, and the menu reads like someone gave a creative person permission to turn every dessert into a frozen version.
My first visit ended with me holding a towering sundae layered with custard, hot fudge, and mix-ins that probably violated structural engineering guidelines.
Ordering at the window feels casual, but the flavors are dialed in, from simple vanilla to rotating specials that sneak in brownies, fruit, or candy pieces.
Families cluster at picnic tables, people lean on their cars while they eat, and the whole scene feels like a nightly neighborhood gathering built around dessert.
I have stayed in the area longer than planned, more than once, just to justify returning the next evening for a different combination.
By the time I pull back onto the main road, I always end up thinking that no simple ice cream stop should be allowed to taste this overachieving.
6. Mitchell’s Homemade Ice Cream – Cleveland (Ohio City), Ohio
Cleveland’s Ohio City neighborhood has plenty to distract me, yet my feet somehow keep steering me straight toward Mitchell’s Homemade Ice Cream.
The flagship kitchen and shop is at 1867 W 25th St, Cleveland, Ohio 44113, in a renovated building that still wears a grand marquee over the entrance.
Through the big windows, you can watch the team making ice cream in the open kitchen, which has permanently ruined the mystery of where the good stuff comes from.
Mitchell’s leans hard into seasonal Ohio ingredients, so flavors like strawberry in summer or pumpkin in fall really do taste tied to the calendar.
On my last visit, I ordered a scoop of caramel sea salt with a second scoop of something fruity, mostly so I could pretend balance.
Upstairs seating gives you a bird’s-eye view of the shop below, where kids press faces to the glass and adults pretend they are there only for the children.
The staff happily hands out tiny spoons for sampling, which is dangerous when half the board sounds appealing, and you lack self-control.
Whenever I leave, cone in hand, I feel as if I have just checked a mandatory Cleveland box that somehow still feels thrilling each time.
7. Aglamesis Bros Ice Cream & Candy – Cincinnati (Oakley), Ohio
Some dessert stops are good, but Aglamesis Bros in Cincinnati is the kind of place that makes you adjust your travel plans around a sundae.
The original Oakley Square shop is at 3046 Madison Rd, Cincinnati, Ohio 45209, with marble counters, tile floors, and pastel touches that give the room a gentle glow.
They have been making premium ice cream and hand-dipped chocolates since 1908, and that century of experience shows in the confident simplicity of the menu.
I usually start with a two-scoop sundae crowned with real whipped cream, then talk myself into a box of opera creams for the road.
The service feels unhurried even when the line coils toward the door, and staff members patiently describe flavors that regulars already know by heart.
Every corner of the shop offers something to look at, from old signage to boxed candies lined up behind spotless glass.
I once sat near the window and watched people walk past several other dessert options, clearly headed straight for this one.
Leaving with a paper bag of chocolates tucked under my arm, I understood why locals describe it less as a treat and more as a tradition.
8. Hartzler Family Dairy Ice Cream Shoppe – Wooster, Ohio
Driving through farm country around Wooster, I always feel a little victorious when I see the Hartzler Dairy sign appear on the horizon.
The Hartzler Family Dairy Ice Cream Shoppe is at 5454 Cleveland Rd, Wooster, Ohio 44691, sharing a property with the creamery that supplies the milk.
The philosophy here focuses on minimally processed dairy from local family farms, and you can taste that freshness in every scoop that slides into a cone.
On my first visit, I grabbed a simple chocolate scoop and immediately regretted not asking for a double, because the flavor landed deep and clean.
Inside, the shop sells milk, butter, and cheeses alongside ice cream, so I usually end up turning a quick cone stop into a small grocery mission.
People show up in jeans and work boots, still dusty from the day, and stand shoulder to shoulder with travelers who clearly left the highway on purpose.
Picnic tables outside make it easy to stretch a quick stop into a slow half hour of watching cars roll by.
As I head back toward the interstate, the cooler in my back seat clinks softly with glass bottles, and I know the detour was entirely justified.
9. Toft Dairy Ice Cream Parlor – Sandusky, Ohio
Trips to Cedar Point country are already sweet, but adding a stop at Toft Dairy Ice Cream Parlor in Sandusky turns the whole outing into a dessert mission.
You will find Toft’s main parlor at 3717 Venice Rd, Sandusky, Ohio 44870, where a huge cow mural and steady flow of cars signal that you are in the right place.
Billed as Ohio’s oldest dairy, Toft’s offers more than seventy flavors, and the scoops come out so large they practically require strategy.
I once ordered a waffle cone with two flavors, thinking I was being reasonable, and ended up cradling something roughly the size of my forearm.
The menu runs from classic vanilla to playful options loaded with candies, cookies, or ribbons of fudge, so choosing becomes more of a personality test than a simple decision.
Locals mix with tourists in line, trading suggestions about which flavor actually deserves the top-billing spot in the freezer case.
I like grabbing my cone and wandering outside to lean on the railing, letting the lake breeze cut through the sweetness for a minute.
Later, when I pass a grocery store selling Toft’s pints, I always smile a little, knowing the real magic lives at that Venice Road counter.
10. Resch’s Bakery – Gahanna, Ohio
Some bakeries manage to feel both brand-new and deeply rooted, and Resch’s Bakery in Gahanna pulls off that trick without breaking a sweat.
The current home of this century-old Columbus institution is at 150 N Hamilton Rd, Gahanna, Ohio 43230, a larger space built to keep up with customers who never seem to lose interest.
Resch’s has been around since 1912, and the new location simply gives them more room to showcase the donuts, cakes, cookies, and pastries people grew up with.
When I walked in for the first time, I froze halfway to the counter because I needed a moment to process how many iced and glazed options were staring back at me.
The staff moves with calm efficiency, boxing up dozen after dozen of donuts while helping people pick out birthday cakes and special-occasion treats.
My sweet spot is a simple glazed ring paired with a slice of their classic white cake, which tastes exactly how I imagine bakery cake should taste.
Even on weekday mornings, the parking lot turns over quickly, hinting at how many people quietly build this place into their routine.
Driving away with a box on my lap, I always feel a little grateful that a shop with this much history is still happily feeding the present.
11. Just Pies – Westerville, Ohio
There are days when only pie will do, and in Westerville, that means pointing the car toward a storefront with a very clear name.
Just Pies operates its main retail bakery at 736 Northfield Rd Ste 1, Westerville, Ohio 43082, a modest shop that hides a serious pie-making operation behind its doors.
This family-owned spot turns out more than thirty-five different fruit and cream pies, plus seasonal specials and savory pot pies that regulars scoop up quickly.
I still remember walking in just before a holiday and seeing racks of cooling pies destined for family tables all over central Ohio.
Choosing a flavor feels like a tiny crisis, but I usually land on something tart like key lime or a classic like Dutch apple.
The staff handles preorders, walk-ins, and last-minute panicked customers with equal patience, even when the phone will not stop ringing.
On slower days, they have time to chat about which fillings are tasting particularly great that week, which always tempts me to add one more pie to the order.
By the time I carry a warm box back to the car, the whole interior smells like butter and fruit, and suddenly every gathering on my calendar seems like a valid reason to return.
12. Donald’s Donuts – Zanesville, Ohio
Certain donut shops have a way of turning early mornings into something you actually look forward to, and Donald’s Donuts in Zanesville does exactly that.
The shop sits at 2622 Maple Ave, Zanesville, Ohio 43701, with a steady stream of cars pulling in as soon as the lights flick on.
Founded in 1960, this family operation has spent decades perfecting yeast donuts, cake donuts, and just about every glazed shape you can imagine.
The first time I walked through the door, the display case looked so full it almost seemed unfair to other bakeries.
I picked a cream-filled long john and a maple donut, then watched regulars rattle off a dozen-count order without even glancing at the glass.
The coffee pours steadily, the counter chatter stays friendly, and the whole room hums with the rhythm of people starting their day on a sweet note.
I have rerouted more than one trip through eastern Ohio just to sync up with their morning hours.
Each time, the box on the passenger seat disappears faster than I plan, and the empty liner becomes my cue to start plotting the next visit.
13. Jolly Pirate Donuts – Grove City, Ohio
Some places lean into nostalgia so hard that walking through the door feels a bit like stepping onto a movie set, and Jolly Pirate Donuts pulls that off with ease.
The Grove City location is at 3118 Southwest Blvd, Grove City, Ohio 43123, sitting at the corner of Southwest Boulevard and Broadway with its familiar sign watching over the lot.
This shop has been serving classic donuts for decades, from glazed rings and jelly-filled rounds to seasonal creations that appear without much announcement.
I once rolled in late at night and found construction workers, night-shift nurses, and insomniac travelers all sharing the same trays of fresh dough.
The selection covers every craving, including simple cake donuts dusted with sugar and old-fashioneds that practically demand a second cup of coffee.
Staff behind the counter keep things moving while still finding time to joke with regulars who clearly know the schedule of fresh batches.
I like to grab a mixed dozen, then sit for a few minutes and watch people stream in at all hours, each with their own donut agenda.
By the time I leave, the box feels a little heavier than it should, and somehow the extra weight never survives the drive home.
14. The Peanut Shoppe – Springfield, Ohio
When my sweet tooth wants something a little different from the usual bakery fare, I start thinking about roasted nuts and fudge from The Peanut Shoppe in Springfield.
This long-running shop is at 1576 E Main St, Springfield, Ohio 45503, a compact storefront whose windows glow with jars and tins of candy.
The Peanut Shoppe has been operating since 1937, and they still roast nuts daily on-site, filling the air with a toasty aroma that hits you the second the door opens.
Inside, you will find warm peanuts, cashews, and mixed nuts alongside bins of old-fashioned candies, chocolates, gummies, and generous slabs of homemade fudge.
My usual move is to build a small bag of mixed nuts for snacking and then accidentally add a box of chocolate-covered treats for dessert.
The owners are usually behind the counter, happy to explain the different roasts and offer tiny samples that quickly complicate your decision.
Everything gets weighed and bagged with care, turning even a small purchase into something that feels like a gift.
Driving away from Springfield with the car smelling faintly of warm peanuts and chocolate, I always understand why people consider this tiny shop a destination rather than a simple errand.