Der Dutchman restaurants fall under the umbrella of the Walnut Creek, Ohio-based Dutch Hospitality Group. The company has grown from a single restaurant in Walnut Creek to a 7-restaurant hospitality enterprise with a theater and food distribution arm. The company was founded by families rooted in the Amish and Mennonite culture. Per their website:
Dutchman Hospitality Group now includes seven restaurants, four inns, seven bakeries, shops, a 500 seat theater and two wholesale food suppliers.
I have been to their restaurants in Shipshewana, Plain City, Berlin, Walnut Creek, and Pinecraft, Florida. They used to have a location in Waynesville, Ohio, but it was destroyed by a fire 20 years ago. Too bad, because I miss that location.
🥄 Der Dutchman's Authenticity
First of all, I like Der Dutchman. I have been to four out of their seven restaurants. And there is an air of authenticity about them. I ran into Amish novelist Wanda Brunstetter once at the Farmstead's buffet. And I know of some Amish women who have worked in Der Dutchman's kitchens, which definitely makes the food more connected to Amish culture when it is made with Amish hands.
Each restaurant is also outfitted with a huge bakery where you can get fat cinnamon rolls, cookies, breads, and spreads to go.
Here's the thing with Der Dutchman: anytime a restaurant tries to please the masses and starts expanded then it seems like the food has to get slightly more bland to appeal to palates. This isn't a huge problem since Amish food is, by its nature, not the most exciting on the palate. This mass production/lose flavor proposition is even more pronounced in Tex-Mex and Asian chains.
So, my verdict: If you are looking for intimate ambiance, the true noodles-made-by-hand and supper-by-lamplight Amish experience, Der Dutchman isn't it. There are other places you can go for that. But if you don't mind an Amish facsimile, Der Dutchman isn't bad. There are super salad bars, buffets with very good fried chicken, side dishes, and so on. Big puffy rolls with squirt bottles of Amish church spread on the table. And the Der Dutchman restaurants are sprawling with a gift shop, gathering rooms, and a bakery. I love taking my girls to the Der Dutchman in Plain City, Ohio. They love stopping there to feed the goats in their "mini farm" outside.
Again, I like Der Dutchman, its just not necessarily an "Amish experience." And if you have children, Der Dutchman's properties are super to visit because there's a lot for them to do, the restaurants are sprawling and kid-friendly. So, yeah, no complaints from me.
🗺️ Der Dutchman Locations
You can get the Der Dutchman experience in the following locations:
Middlebury, Indiana
Berlin, Ohio (Farmstead Restaurant)
Bellville, Ohio
Plain City
Walnut Creek
Sugarcreek
Plus, they have a rolling doughnut truck. Dang, I have been to more of these places than I thought...the only one I actually have not been to is maybe the one in Walnut Creek.
🍽️ Photos From the Buffet
Der Dutchman restaurants are known for their buffet. These are scenes from a visit of mine to Plain City, Ohio. You can go up and load your plate as often as you want and, of course, I did just that.
Noodles, mashed potatoes, and meats are all found on the main course buffet. And the food is all really good, authentic Amish, though? I'd call it comfort food fare.
The salad is a whole separate buffet. Buffets in general make me squeamish, so I generally skipped this one.
Each table comes with softball-sized fat, puffy dinner rolls. Along with bottles of "Amish church spread" to squirt on them. That's a nice authentic Amish touch, although the church spread here isn't as good as homemade.
And, well, you can see by my plates that I'm not complaining about the food. I make a couple of trips to the main course buffet. I think the fried chicken was my favorite.
But the ham was pretty good too!
There were also veggies like green beans, corn, and a pot roast-type beef. All were good and had me going back to the buffet for more.
🎁 A Place To Gather
Der Dutchman, in my opinion, works best as a place to gather. For instance, we had not had our Christmas gift exchange with some family members yet, even though the holiday was months ago. Der Dutchman was a great halfway point between where those family lived and we live, so after eating we sat at one of many gathering spots in the lobby area and exchange gifts.
My daughters opening their presents.
So, again, my Der Dutchman verdict: a great place to gather, to fill your belly, to buy some baked goods, I have zero complaints about the place. I like it. I just wouldn't call it authentic Amish and I'm not sure that Der Dutchman would call it that either. It's comfort food and comfort space.
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