Ohio

Some of my favorite meals in Ohio have come from towns I almost skipped without slowing down. I have learned the hard way that the best food in this state…

Waiting in line for a meal usually ranks somewhere between sitting in traffic and folding fitted sheets on the fun scale. But Ohio has a special breed of restaurants where…

By Friday afternoon, my brain starts bargaining with me, promising productivity in exchange for a really good breakfast somewhere in Ohio. I have learned that the best way to close…

I learned pretty quickly that the best Italian food in Ohio rarely announces itself with flashing signs or trendy buzzwords. One weekend drive turned into another, then another, and suddenly…

Ohio has a funny way of testing my loyalty every time a familiar logo pops up near the exit ramp. I know the routine, I know the menu, and yet…

A gravel lot in Champaign County should not feel like a concert venue, yet that is exactly what happens when I roll up to Uncle Beth’s BBQ. I point the…

I’ve driven past countless restaurants in my years of exploring Ohio, but only a handful have made me want to get back in the car immediately and return for another…

I learned very quickly that in Ohio, some restaurant doors are not meant to be opened on a whim, and Cincinnati knows exactly which ones those are. There are places…

I’ve driven past Big Al’s Diner at 12600 Larchmere Blvd, Cleveland, Ohio, more times than I can count, and every single morning the parking lot looks like a Black Friday…

I still remember the first time I walked into Partial to Pie Bakery at 200 Shroyer Rd, Dayton, Ohio. The sweet aroma of freshly baked crusts hit me instantly, and…

Ohio mornings have a funny way of turning my to-do list into a waffle quest, and I am not even mad about it. If you need a Facebook caption, steal…

In Ohio, my morning motivation has a very specific shape: a warm bagel with a glossy crust and a chew that makes my brain clock in on time. If you…

I used to think “great barbecue” required a border crossing into the South, then Ohio casually proved me wrong. Follow the smoke, trust the packed parking lots, and accept that…

I never expected to walk into a restaurant on South High Street in Columbus, Ohio, and leave thinking about it for weeks. But that is exactly what happened at Agni,…

Ohio has a way of turning a simple cup of coffee into a full-blown local tradition, and I learned that fast the minute I started hopping from neighborhood to neighborhood…

I never plan a burger road trip in Ohio; it just sort of happens when hunger and nostalgia team up and grab the steering wheel. Some states do burgers well,…

I learned pretty quickly that in Ohio, the most honest food reviews are written in chalk dust, exhaust fumes, and the length of a line that refuses to shrink. I…

Driving through Sidney, Ohio, you might easily miss the bright neon sign on South Ohio Avenue that marks a true local treasure. I’ve stopped at The Spot Restaurant at 201…

Ohio’s hot dog scene has one job, and it does it with the confidence of a condiment bottle that never misses. I’ve chased snappy franks from lakefront stands to city…

I’ll admit, when I first heard about a castle library tucked away in a small Ohio town, I thought someone was pulling my leg. But there it stands at 215…

The funniest thing about Ohio is how it can hand you a Great Lakes fish basket while you are still mentally picturing cornfields. I learned that lesson the first time…

Ohio has a habit of luring me off the highway with the kind of scenery that makes my phone camera work overtime and my sense of direction completely optional. One…

I still remember the first time I rounded the bend and saw Marietta sprawled along the riverbank, its church steeples and historic buildings rising against the green hills of southeastern…

Ohio has a talent for turning “just one bite” into a full-on detour, and I have happily fallen for the trick more times than I can count. Lately, I have…

The moment I turned toward Sauder Village in northwest Ohio, I knew I was headed for the kind of meal people talk about like a family story they never get…

Picture this: you’re cruising through the rolling hills of central Ohio when suddenly you spot an actual train car perched on a hilltop, beckoning hungry travelers to pull off the…

Ohio has a special talent for turning “just one more exit” into a full-blown food mission, and I have fallen for that trick more times than I can count. In…

I pulled into the gravel lot at 1715 E Perry St, Port Clinton, OH 43452, and knew I was in for something special. Jolly Roger Seafood House sits right on…

My inner kid grabbed the steering wheel the second I turned onto Brookpark Road in Cleveland, Ohio, and honestly, I let them drive. At b.a. Sweetie Candy Company, 6770 Brookpark…

Picture yourself sitting by the Ohio River, watching the lights dance across the water while the smell of slow-cooked barbecue fills the air around you. That’s exactly what I found…

I’ve eaten a lot of sandwiches in my life, but nothing quite prepared me for my first visit to Slyman’s Restaurant at 3106 St Clair Ave NE, Cleveland, Ohio. Walking…

Sitting along the Ohio River at 101 Front Street in Marietta, OH 45750, Riverfront Bar & Grill has been serving up memorable meals for years inside the historic Lafayette Hotel….

I’ll be honest with you: I never expected to walk into a little diner in Buckeye Lake and find myself ordering walleye for breakfast. But that’s exactly what happened at…

Ohio cafés have a sneaky superpower: you walk in for “just a quick cup,” and walk out with a favorite chair, a familiar face behind the counter, and no regrets…

I’ve been searching for a place that truly understands the art of the chili dog, and I finally found it at The Hotdog Cafe, located at 7529 Broadway Ave, Cleveland,…

My wallet and I have an agreement in Ohio: I bring the snacks, and the state brings the wow factor. When I want a real getaway without the “who approved…

Ohio has a special talent for turning one dish into a full-blown local legend, and I have happily built entire detours around that kind of delicious obsession. I still remember…

Saturday in Ohio has a soundtrack, and for me, it is the clatter of tents going up, the shuffle of reusable bags, and someone proudly announcing they picked those tomatoes…

I still remember the first time I stepped through the gates at Inniswood Metro Gardens, located at 940 S Hempstead Rd in Westerville, Ohio. The air smelled like fresh earth…

Picture this: rows upon rows of tables stretching as far as your eyes can see, each one piled high with everything you never knew you needed until this exact moment….

I pulled into the gravel parking lot at 6262 OH-245 in North Lewisburg, Ohio, and immediately knew I was onto something special. Cars packed every available space, and a line…

The moment I see a hand-painted burger sign in Ohio, my “just one bite” discipline files a resignation letter. Last summer, I pulled into a little parking lot expecting a…

A plain Ohio storefront has tricked me more times than I can count, and pizza is usually the delicious culprit. If the sign is faded, the parking lot is oddly…

Midnight in Ohio has a funny way of turning my stomach into a motivational speaker. When the fridge looks uninspired, and my options feel limited, I follow the glow of…

Saturday mornings in Ohio have a funny way of turning my to-do list into a to-chew list. I have lost count of how many times I told myself I would…

Ohio mornings have a funny way of negotiating with me, and the deal usually involves coffee, a cozy chair, and the promise that I can take my time. I have…

Ohio fried fish has a way of turning my weekend plans into a breadcrumb-covered scavenger hunt. I start out saying, “Just one stop,” and somehow end up collecting perch baskets…

Ohio has a sneaky talent for turning an ordinary day into a full-on comfort parade, and I keep falling for it one forkful at a time. When I want food…

A glowing diner sign in Toledo, Ohio, has a way of hijacking my plans, and Schmucker’s Restaurant at 2103 N Reynolds Rd, Toledo, OH 43615 is the kind of “quick…

Sunday mornings in Gahanna, Ohio have a special rhythm. Families pile into cars, friends gather in parking lots, and everyone heads to the same destination: The Barn at Rocky Fork…