During my years studying Amish and Mennonite culture, I've also had a chance to eat my way through their culture and few places are more delicious than the Country Crust Bakery in Bainbridge, Ohio.
🍞 My First Visit To Country Crust
Years ago, I people would tell me about an "Amish bakery" near Bainbridge, Ohio. So one snowy day as the flurries began to swirl down ever more swiftly, I found myself driving by the Country Crust, so I stopped in. And I introduced myself to the ower and told him about my website and that many of my readers had told me about this "great Amish bakery" in Bainbridge. The gentleman took me aside and politely said "thank you for the kind words, but we're Mennonites, not Amish." Rookie mistake. I should have known by the lack of beards that these were Old Order Mennonites. Almost all adult Amish men have beards.
Since that first visit, I have had the chance to swing by the Country Crust Bakery in Bainbridge, Ohio many times. This is a fabulous bakery owned and operated by Old Order Mennonites and, man, it is worth the drive from just about anywhere. I really think you could make a two-day trip into this area just by starting out at the Home Place bakery in Brown County, Ohio, working your way east and eating your way through Keim and Miller's Bakeries in Adams County, Ohio and then cap it all off with a delicious stop in Bainbridge.
Hands-down my favorite item from Country Crust are their peanut butter whoopie pies. Man, they are good.
❓ Country Crust FAQ
It is a beautiful drive, about 90 minutes east of Cincinnati and 90 minutes south of Columbus. Country Crust is near the tiny town of Bainbridge, nestled in the Appalachian foothills. The address is 4918 State Rte 41 S, Bainbridge, OH 45612
Bring cash or check, yes, checks still exist. But they don't accept credit cards as of this writing!
✅ Reviews of Country Crust
I mean, you can take it from me that this place is amazing, but thought I'd share what others are saying. This place is more than just a bakery, though, You can get a whole lunch there and eat it outside and, to me, is near perfect on a nice spring or summer day in Ohio where you can catch the soothing breeze off the Appalachian hills and watch horse-drawn buggies plod by.
Here are some Trip Advisor and Google reviews:
Pro tip: all the reviews I read heap praise on their homemade chicken salad. Yes, they are a bakery, but they also do other goodies like chix salad, so give that a try!
All the classic American baked goods, cookies and pies. All fresh and fresh tasting, of the best quality. Solid. Good sandwiches, too. Great selection of jams and other foods. Busy and bustling, but still good service. And the bakery is lighted by gas lights - very cool!
The selection of breads and baked goods was great! They were set up so you went down one side and back the other . You ordered your sandwich or pizza at the far end and paid for it at the other. The place was so popular there was a line outside the door . Only waited a short while for our sandwiches outside after paying. All sandwiches are the same price. I had chicken salad on a pretzel bun and my friend had a reuben. Sandwiches were huge and tasty. We will definitely be back next time we hike at Miller’s Nature Sanctuary or any of the Arc of Appalachia sites
Everything that this place produces is absolutely delicious. The pretzel bun sandwich is my favorite. The peanut butter cookies were absolutely the freshest and easily most addictive I've ever tried. The huge pretzels w cheese dipping sauce were a big hit back at the cabin. If you're in the area and really hungry, give them a try. Portions are very satisfying and the freshest you will find in the area.
📷 Scenes From Country Crust
These are some sweet scenes from the Country Crust Bakery.
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