People Go Outside Of Pennsylvania Just To Get A Bite of These Amish Comfort Food Spots
I’ve always had a soft spot for homestyle cooking, and nowhere does it quite like Amish country. There’s something deeply comforting about hearty, made-from-scratch meals crafted with farm-fresh ingredients and time-honored recipes passed down through generations.
While Pennsylvania remains the heartland of Amish culture, the irresistible appeal of their food has reached far beyond its borders. From fluffy shoofly pie to perfectly roasted chicken and buttery noodles, these dishes offer a taste of tradition that keeps people coming back for more.
In fact, folks travel across state lines just to experience the warmth, flavor, and hospitality of these exceptional Amish eateries.
1. Dutch Valley Restaurant (Sugarcreek, Ohio)
Cheese lovers, prepare for paradise! Last summer, I stumbled upon this hidden treasure while road-tripping through Ohio’s Amish Country. Their cheese-stuffed meatloaf haunts my dreams in the best possible way.
Housed in a charming complex alongside a bakery, market, and inn, Dutch Valley serves authentic Amish cuisine with a smile. The chicken and noodles practically melt in your mouth – those noodles are hand-rolled daily, folks!
Pro tip: Save room for their peanut butter cream pie. The sweet-salty combo is absolutely life-changing. The restaurant’s warm wooden interior and friendly staff make you feel like you’ve been welcomed into an Amish family’s dining room.
2. Blue Gate Restaurant (Shipshewana, Indiana)
Holy haystack! That’s what I blurted out when I first laid eyes on Blue Gate’s famous Haystack Meal – a towering creation of seasoned ground beef, veggies, and cheese piled high on a nest of crispy tortilla chips.
Shipshewana might be small, but this restaurant draws crowds from three states away. Their pressure-fried chicken rivals any I’ve had in Pennsylvania, with skin so crispy it practically sings when you bite into it.
Brace yourself for their cinnamon rolls – each one’s the size of my face and dripping with vanilla icing! The restaurant’s bright, airy dining rooms filled with Amish crafts create an atmosphere that’s both charming and comforting.
3. Essenhaus (Middlebury, Indiana)
Butter-lovers, rejoice! My waistline never forgives me after visiting this enormous Amish food wonderland, but my taste buds throw a party every time. Their beef and noodles swimming in rich buttery goodness are worth every single calorie.
As Indiana’s largest restaurant, Essenhaus serves over 30 varieties of pie daily. Yes, THIRTY! My personal addiction is their shoofly pie – molasses perfection with a crumb topping that makes me weak in the knees.
The restaurant complex includes charming shops and an inn for when food coma inevitably strikes. Their bread basket with freshly-baked dinner rolls and apple butter should be classified as a national treasure. Trust me, you’ll be plotting your return visit before the check arrives.
4. Der Dutchman (Plain City, Ohio)
Breakfast champions, listen up! I’ve crossed state lines at dawn just for Der Dutchman’s breakfast buffet. Their pancakes are fluffier than sleeping on clouds, and the bacon? Crispy perfection that would make any pig proud of its sacrifice.
The restaurant sits in Ohio’s small Amish community, serving family-style feasts that leave no belly empty. Their roast beef practically dissolves on your tongue – slow-roasted for hours until it reaches fork-tender nirvana.
Grandma’s recipe has nothing on their creamy peanut butter spread slathered on warm homemade bread. The restaurant’s enormous windows overlook Amish farmland, where you might spot horse-drawn buggies passing by while you contemplate a second helping of everything.
5. The Amish Door Restaurant (Wilmot, Ohio)
My first bite of their legendary fried chicken nearly brought tears to my eyes! Nestled in Ohio’s rolling countryside, this family-owned gem serves up plates that would make any grandmother proud.
Their broasted chicken pairs perfectly with cloud-like mashed potatoes swimming in savory gravy. The bread basket alone is worth the trip – warm dinner rolls and date nut bread with apple butter that’ll make you swoon.
What keeps me coming back? Their cinnamon-swirl pie with a dollop of homemade vanilla ice cream. The restaurant’s rustic beams and quilted wall hangings create the perfect backdrop for food that truly feeds the soul.
6. Yoder’s Restaurant (Sarasota, Florida)
Florida might seem like a strange place for Amish cuisine, but Yoder’s proves that sunshine and shoofly pie are a match made in heaven! During my winter escape last year, I discovered this gem where Amish comfort food meets tropical paradise.
Their fried chicken has achieved legendary status – marinated for 24 hours before being hand-breaded and fried to golden perfection. The mashed potatoes are so creamy they’ll make you question everything you thought you knew about spuds.
Don’t even get me started on their pies! The peanut butter cream version has won national awards and caused family feuds over the last slice. Despite the palm trees outside, stepping into Yoder’s homey dining room feels like being transported straight to Lancaster County.
7. Hartville Kitchen (Hartville, Ohio)
Cheese lovers, prepare yourselves! My taste buds still haven’t recovered from Hartville Kitchen’s chicken with homemade noodles smothered in their special cheese sauce – a combination so divine it should be illegal in at least seven states.
This massive restaurant began as a small donut shop in 1966 and has expanded into an Amish food empire. Their freshly baked bread arrives warm at your table, perfect for sopping up every last drop of gravy or sauce.
The salad bar features their famous sweet and sour dressing that I may have attempted to smuggle home in my purse (unsuccessfully). With a bakery and marketplace attached, you can take home goodies like their famous coconut cream pie that makes grown adults fight over the last slice.
8. Mrs. Yoder’s Kitchen (Mount Hope, Ohio)
Buffet warriors, prepare for the ultimate challenge! My stretchy pants get their toughest workout at Mrs. Yoder’s all-you-can-eat spread. Their fried chicken rivals any I’ve tasted – juicy inside with skin so crispy it practically shatters.
Located in the heart of Ohio’s Amish country, this unassuming spot draws folks from hours away. The homemade noodles swimming in chicken broth might be the most comforting food on planet Earth. Each bite tastes like a warm hug from a grandmother you never knew you had.
The real showstopper? Their dinner rolls with apple butter – I’ve watched grown men weep after their first bite. The restaurant’s simple decor and views of Amish farmland create the perfect backdrop for food that speaks directly to your soul.
9. The Olde Mill Restaurant (Intercourse, Pennsylvania)
Whoopie pies bigger than your fist! That’s what first caught my eye at this Pennsylvania treasure. While technically within PA, The Olde Mill draws visitors from neighboring states who cross borders just for their famous sticky buns.
Housed in a restored 19th-century mill, the ambiance alone is worth the trip. Their chicken pot pie isn’t the kind with crust – it’s the traditional Pennsylvania Dutch version with thick, square-cut noodles that’ll change your definition of comfort food forever.
The ham balls glazed with pineapple sauce create a sweet-savory combo that’s downright addictive. While enjoying your meal, watch water flow through the original mill race visible through glass floor panels. It’s like dining inside a delicious history lesson!
10. Dutch Kitchen (Frackville, Pennsylvania)
Road trip royalty! Strategically positioned along Interstate 81, this Pennsylvania Dutch paradise has saved many a hungry traveler from fast-food fate. My first encounter happened during a snowstorm, and their chicken and waffles turned a travel nightmare into comfort food heaven.
Don’t be fooled by its highway-adjacent location – everything’s made from scratch. Their pot pie soup with thick, hand-rolled noodles warms you from the inside out. The crispy fried chicken atop a Belgian waffle with maple syrup creates a sweet-savory combination that’ll make you pull over every time you pass by.
Save room for shoofly pie – their version has the perfect balance of gooey molasses bottom and crumbly top. The restaurant’s vintage diner aesthetic with Pennsylvania Dutch accents makes for a charming roadside respite.