15 Ohio Meat-And-Three Cafeterias Where The Home-Style Sides Outshine Everything Else
Walking into an Ohio cafeteria with a tray in hand feels different than most dining experiences.
Instead of ordering a fixed plate, you get to choose your own adventure, and if you are anything like me, that adventure usually involves piling on more sides than any sensible person should attempt.
Ohio has quietly mastered the meat and three tradition, where fried chicken or roast beef might be the official headliner, but mashed potatoes, noodles, and buttery rolls run the show.
These cafeterias understand that a perfect scoop of creamy potatoes or a generous helping of dressing can turn a simple meal into something memorable.
I have spent years trying to find the best side dishes across the state, from Amish Country buffets to city cafeteria counters, and I can tell you that the real magic happens when the sides crowd the plate, and the meat politely waits its turn.
If you love comfort food that feels like a warm hug on a plate, these 15 spots will show you exactly why Ohio takes its sides seriously.
1. Hartville Kitchen: Hartville, Ohio
On certain days, I point my car toward Hartville Kitchen already thinking about side dishes before I even park.
The restaurant fills a huge building at 1015 Edison St NW, Hartville, OH 44632, and it always seems busy for a reason.
Plates arrive with generous portions of chicken, turkey, or roast beef, but my attention keeps drifting toward the side of the plate.
Real mashed potatoes, rich noodles, dressing, vegetables, and fresh rolls keep reminding me why Hartville has a steady line of regulars.
I usually turn it into a personal meat and three challenge and try to build the most satisfying combination possible.
One visit ended with mashed potatoes, noodles, corn, and a modest portion of meat that clearly was not the star.
The bakery case waits in the background with pies ready to reward anyone who somehow finds a little extra room.
When I recommend Hartville Kitchen to friends, I always start by naming the sides, then casually mention they serve meat too.
2. Mrs. Yoder’s Kitchen: Mount Hope, Ohio
My first time at Mrs. Yoder’s Kitchen, I made the rookie mistake of underestimating how serious the buffet line gets.
This Amish Country staple sits at 8101 State Route 241, Mt Hope, OH 44660, drawing locals, tour buses, and anyone with a soft spot for comfort food.
The famous buffet leans hard into fried chicken and roast meats, but the real story lives in the steam rising off the sides.
Homemade mashed potatoes, glossy noodles, seasonal vegetables, and a salad bar that never looks tired keep plates crowded and decisions difficult.
I once told myself I would keep it simple here and walked away with three different starches anyway.
The staff move through the dining room with the calm of people who know guests always come back for a second plate.
Dessert usually turns into a negotiation with myself about whether pie counts as a side if I already committed to three.
When I drive through Mount Hope now, I measure my day by whether I have time to stop for those potatoes and noodles.
3. Der Dutchman: Walnut Creek, Ohio
Some buffets feel polite, but Der Dutchman in Walnut Creek is where I learned that a buffet can turn into a full-contact sport with myself.
You will find it at 4967 Walnut St, Walnut Creek, OH 44687, perched on a hill that feels perfectly matched to the traffic it attracts year-round.
Inside, the Barn Raising Buffet lines up broasted chicken, roast meats, and more sides than any reasonable person should try to track in one pass.
Mashed potatoes, dressing, Amish noodles, creamed corn, green beans, and rolls appear in such generous pans that I always rethink my strategy halfway through the line.
On one visit, I promised myself I would save room for salad and immediately betrayed that plan at the mashed potato station.
The meats taste solid and satisfying, but every time I sit down, the first bite that makes me grin is a side.
More than once, I have gone back to top off potatoes and noodles while the chicken still waits politely on my plate.
If someone asks me about Der Dutchman, I describe it as the place where the buffet sides quietly run the show.
4. Dutch Valley Restaurant: Sugarcreek, Ohio
Somewhere between the salad bar and the hot buffet, Dutch Valley Restaurant taught me that all you can eat can also mean all the sides you can justify.
It anchors a busy campus at 1343 Old Route 39, Sugarcreek, OH 44681, and feels almost like a small village built around a buffet.
The hot buffet serves broasted chicken, carved meats, and a steady rotation of homestyle standards that rarely leave anyone wishing for more options.
I always drift toward the mashed potatoes, noodles, stuffing, vegetables, and fresh bread before I even think about what protein I am pairing them with.
One afternoon, I watched a family at the next table turn side selection into a group project, and I silently took notes.
By the time my plate lands on the table, the meat usually occupies a neat corner while the sides spill into friendly chaos.
Dessert from the bakery adds another dilemma, but the truth is that the pies just feel like extra sides with sugar.
Whenever I leave Dutch Valley, I remember the texture of the mashed potatoes and noodles long after I forget which meat I chose.
5. Berlin Farmstead Restaurant: Berlin, Ohio
The moment I spot the Barn Raising Buffet sign at Berlin Farmstead, I know my sensible plans are about to disappear.
The restaurant sits just off the main drag at 4757 Township Rd 366, Berlin, OH 44610, and it stays busy with good reason.
Their buffet reads like a love letter to sides, with mashed potatoes, gravy, dressing, green beans, creamed corn, and more crowding every corner.
I once decided to count how many starches I put on my plate here and gave up halfway through the first pass.
Meats such as broasted chicken and turkey certainly hold their own, but the noodles over mashed potatoes deserve their own fan club.
I love watching people in line realize they can pair multiple sides with a sampler plate and immediately change their entire strategy.
The salad and dessert bars add another layer of trouble, but I still treat the hot sides as the main attraction.
By the time I leave Berlin Farmstead, I always feel certain that the sides are the reason most cars in the lot are repeat visitors.
6. Boyd & Wurthmann Restaurant: Berlin, Ohio
Sliding onto a counter stool at Boyd & Wurthmann was the moment I realized noodles over mashed potatoes should probably count as a food group.
You will find it downtown at 4819 E Main St, Berlin, OH 44610, in a low-key building where the line often starts before sunrise.
The menu runs from fried chicken to roast beef and hearty sandwiches, but the sides quietly build their own reputation.
Noodles over mashed potatoes, generous scoops of gravy, and a parade of classic vegetables keep plates looking more like side samplers with bonus meat.
One chilly morning, I promised myself I would order something light and still walked out discussing mashed potatoes with a stranger.
The dining room stays simple and unpretentious, which lets the food do all the talking while the pies wait for their turn.
I often end up planning my second visit somewhere between the last bite of noodles and the first glimpse of the dessert case.
If someone wants to understand Amish Country comfort food through sides alone, I send them here and tell them to start with those noodles.
7. Der Dutchman: Plain City, Ohio
On long drives between Columbus and the countryside, I somehow keep finding myself exiting for Der Dutchman in Plain City.
This location sits at 445 S Jefferson Ave, Plain City, OH 43064, surrounded by a parking lot that fills quickly around mealtimes.
Inside, you can order from the menu or head for the buffet, where chicken, turkey, and roast beef share space with big trays of sides.
I always start out telling myself I will be reasonable, then immediately ask for mashed potatoes, noodles, and one more side just to be safe.
Green beans, dressing, and rolls seem to follow me back to the table before I even realize I passed them on the line.
Once, I watched a staff member refill the potatoes with such speed that it felt like they were personally protecting my dinner plans.
The bakery and gift shop tempt me to linger, but the thing I talk about later is how the sides crowd every plate.
Whenever I pull out of the lot, I always think about coming back with a better strategy and even more room for sides.
8. Der Dutchman: Bellville, Ohio
Any time I am cruising along I-71, the Bellville Der Dutchman becomes my favorite excuse to pull off and claim I needed a quick bite.
It sits at 720 State Route 97 W, Bellville, OH 44813, close enough to the highway that my car seems to know the turn on its own.
Inside, the same Amish-style cooking shows up with comforting meats, but the buffet and platters let the sides steal the spotlight.
I usually gravitate to mashed potatoes, noodles, stuffing, vegetables, and fresh bread until my plate turns into a color chart of carbohydrates.
One snowy evening, I watched travelers shake off the cold and head straight for the buffet, clearly already thinking about potatoes and gravy.
Dessert waits patiently here, but the truth is that the sides already feel indulgent enough to count as a full event.
Every time I leave Bellville, I remind myself that this quick stop added at least three legendary sides to my day.
On future drives, I rarely remember the exact mile marker, but I always remember the taste of the potatoes and noodles.
9. Amish Door Restaurant: Wilmot, Ohio
At Amish Door Restaurant, I learned that phrases like buffet and broasted chicken are just friendly invitations to overdo it on sides.
The restaurant anchors a larger complex at 1210 Winesburg St, Wilmot, OH 44689, sharing space with a bakery, market, and inn.
The menu and buffet both lean heavy on roasts and chicken, but my brain goes straight to potatoes, noodles, vegetables, and salad bar options.
One visit turned into an accidental sampler mission where I tried to see how many different sides I could fit beside the chicken.
Mashed potatoes and gravy, dressing, green beans, and creamed corn crowd the plate so much that the meat becomes a decorative anchor.
I like wandering through the attached shops afterward, partly to walk off dinner and partly to convince myself I practiced restraint.
The staff keep the buffet looking fresh, which makes it very easy to pretend I have not already tried everything once.
Whenever I think of Amish Door, my first memory is the sides, and only afterward do I remember the broasted chicken everyone talks about.
10. Ripley’s Dinner Bell: Ripley, Ohio
In the river town of Ripley, Ripley’s Dinner Bell is where Ohio quietly borrows a Southern accent and serves plates that feel built around their sidekicks.
This country spot sits at 15 S 2nd St, Ripley, OH 45167, giving the river town a dining room packed with regulars and road trippers.
The menu runs through country fried chicken, pork chops, and catfish, but the homemade sides are the real crowd magnets.
Mashed potatoes, pinto beans, green beans, fried potatoes, and cornbread show up in portions that make a single side feel like a personal challenge.
On one visit, I watched a neighboring table debate which side was best, and then solved the problem by ordering nearly all of them.
The servers talk about the specials with the kind of detail that tells you they care about the sides as much as the mains.
By the time you roll back out onto Ripley’s streets, it is usually the seasoning on the beans and potatoes that you remember first.
For a small town diner, this place proves that home-style cooking can easily let the sides share top billing with the meat.
11. MCL Restaurant & Bakery: Kettering, Ohio
On my first visit to the Kettering MCL, I grabbed a plastic tray and realized cafeteria lines can feel oddly thrilling.
You will find it at 4485 Far Hills Ave, Kettering, OH 45429, a familiar address for Dayton area families who grew up on these plates.
Here, you slide along the line choosing carved turkey, fried chicken, or roast beef, but the real fun starts in the side zone.
Mashed potatoes, macaroni, casseroles, vegetables, and rolls wait under the lights, and I always end up asking for one more scoop than planned.
One evening, I watched a kid in front of me carefully build a plate with three sides and the tiniest slice of meat.
The atmosphere feels casual and nostalgic, with plenty of locals who clearly have favorite side combinations down to a science.
Dessert from the bakery can be tempting, but I often feel like the pies would just be honorary members of the side roster.
Whenever I pass through Kettering around dinner time, I start picturing that line and wondering which three sides will win the next round.
12. MCL Restaurant & Bakery: Kingsdale, Upper Arlington, Ohio
Whenever someone in Columbus asks where to find an old school cafeteria plate, I usually send them straight to the Kingsdale MCL.
It sits at 3154 Kingsdale Center, Upper Arlington, OH 43221, tucked into a busy shopping area that somehow always smells faintly of gravy.
The setup is pure cafeteria comfort, with a line of meats followed by a stretch of sides that feels more like a tasting lab.
I usually start with turkey or fried chicken, then get distracted by potatoes, green beans, corn, and something cheesy that demands a spot on the tray.
One weekend, I met a friend there just for a quick lunch and watched us both walk away, balancing plates full of sides.
Regulars move through the line with impressive speed, clearly dialed in on their personal meat and three formulas.
Bakery slices wait at the end, but half the time I feel completely satisfied with a plate that is at least seventy percent sides.
For a supposedly simple cafeteria, this Kingsdale location proves that choosing sides can be the most strategic part of the meal.
13. MCL Restaurant & Bakery: Whitehall, Ohio
Some cafeterias feel predictable, but MCL Whitehall is the one that convinced me dining this way can be both familiar and slightly dangerous to my self-control.
You will find it at 5240 E Main Street, Whitehall, OH 43213, and the steady traffic makes it obvious that locals already know the routine.
The line starts with meats, but most of the conversations I overhear are about favorite side combinations and which casserole is on deck today.
Mashed potatoes, macaroni, vegetables, stuffing, and rolls come in such friendly portions that my tray turns into a balancing act.
One night, I watched a couple successfully share three sides and then immediately go back for another round because they regretted being reasonable.
The dining room is relaxed and multigenerational, which makes it easy to linger over those sides and forget you promised yourself an early night.
Bakery pies and sweets sit nearby as a gentle reminder that MCL has more ways to test your willpower.
When I think of this location, I picture trays loaded with sides first and the meats tagging along like polite supporting players.
14. Fran’s Meat + Three: Columbus, Ohio
Tucked inside Columbus’s East Market, Fran’s Meat + Three quickly became the place I think of when I crave a proper plate of sides.
This counter inside the East Market at 212 Kelton Avenue, Columbus, OH 43205, turns the classic meat and three format into a daily temptation.
The concept is simple and brilliant, letting you pick one protein and three sides for a fixed price.
Fried catfish, turkey legs, meatloaf, and other mains anchor plates, but sides such as mac and cheese, yams, greens, and cornbread constantly steal focus.
I once stood in front of the menu for far too long, trying to choose only three sides while my stomach argued for six.
The counter staff talk about each side with the pride of people who know guests sometimes come back just to reorder the same combination.
Eating here feels casual and fun, with market energy around you and a plate that shows off a full lineup of hearty sides.
Every time I leave Fran’s, I start plotting my next visit based entirely on which three sides I did not manage to fit last time.
15. Susie’s Homestyle Cafe: Vermilion, Ohio
On quiet mornings near the lake, Susie’s Homestyle Cafe feels like the natural place to let breakfast and lunch sides take over the whole conversation.
You will find it at 4789 Liberty Avenue, Vermilion, OH 44089, just a short walk from the water but fully focused on the plate.
The menu leans into comfort food, with eggs, country-fried steak, sandwiches, and daily specials, yet the sides often feel like the main attraction.
Hash browns, corned beef hash, biscuits and gravy, pancakes, and other homestyle staples show up in portions that quickly erase any thoughts of restraint.
One morning, I promised I would keep it light and still found myself treating hash browns, a biscuit, and gravy as my unofficial meat and three.
The room feels cozy and neighborly, with regulars chatting over coffee while plates of golden potatoes and fluffy pancakes keep landing on tables.
By the time I stepped back outside, the memory that stuck with me was the crunch of the potatoes and the comfort of that biscuit.
Whenever I pass through Vermilion now, I time my visit so I can sit at Susie’s and let the sides set the tone for the day.