By Kevin Williams
There are not many actual Amish-owned restaurants. Â There are a few, mainly owned by Beachy Amish Mennonites. Â There is an actual Old Order Amish-owned coffee shop in Arthur, Illinois, but I have not been to that one, so it did not make my list.
A good sign of authenticity, I think, is how many actual Amish people you see as customers. Â For instance, my wife and I recently went to lunch at a small Indian restaurant in Dayton, Ohio. Â It was packed with Indian diners, a fact, I remarked, boded well for a good meal. Â I use the same rule at Amish restaurants. If Amish people are there eating then it probably "tastes like home."
SIGH, one Amish restaurant I was so bummed that I didn't get to sample is in Rexford, Montana, tucked away in the back of the Kootenai General Store, 72717 W Kootenai Rd,Rexford, MT.  When I was there in Rexford, the restaurant was closed while the owners were out of town.  What a bummer!   Here is how a lucky Yelp reviewer described her experience there:
Oh my gosh where do I begin??? When visiting in Montana in the Northwestern part this a must visit Friday night buffet.
Actually this is a Amish owned general store that serves a Friday night buffet and Saturday morning buffet. And weekday hamburgers. But we've only so far had the Friday night buffet. So let me tell you..........
First off you have to travel up through beautiful country to get there across the Koocanusa Lake then up the Yak Valley, Once there you go into the store and you are directed into the back where there is a buffet set up.
A salad bar then the first time we visited it was meatloaf, baked chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, homemade bread, two kinds of pie and beverages all you can eat.
SIGH, I was so, so close to what sounds like Amish food heaven! I would imagine the odds of me making it to that remote corner of Montana again are fairly slim. Â Still, one never says never. Â But the five places listed below are awesome in their own right, do you have any Amish restaurants you think should be added to this list?
The sign says it all!
Mrs. Yoder’s Kitchen:  This place is amazing.  There simply aren't words to describe the authentically delicious Amish food in Mount Hope, Ohio.  There's a regular menu but also a buffet most nights, a main course buffet and a buffet devoted just to desserts.  Where else can you find homemade rivvel soup? Poor Man's Steak? And shoofly pie?  Yum!  And there are times when you can go to this restaurant where the Amish crowd far outnumbers English diners. A very good sign!
Yoder’s Restaurant:  Unrelated to the place in Mount Hope, Yoder's in Sarasota, Florida is famous for their fried chicken and amazing assortment of pies.
Miller’s Dutch Kitch'n:  This place is off the beaten path a bit, away from the Amish bustle in Sarasota and instead is in Bradenton, but the owners of Miller's have an Amish background and it shows in their delicious desserts and main course buffet.  Miller's is definitely worth checking out!
Gastoff Amish Village: Â Located in Daviess County, Indiana, this Amish-themed village is home to a great restaurant full of homemade bread, soups, and pastries. Â Absolutely give this place a try if you are in the area!
Dutch Kitchen: Â Tucked away inside Crafts Unlimited is an Old Order Mennonite run restaurant in Bainbridge, Ohio. Menu is very basic, but very good! Check it out here.
Melissa Doyle
Awwwww I was soooooo sad not to see Hartville Kitchen on the top 5 Amish Restaurants. It far exceeds anything in Holmes County.
Kevin
Melissa, thanks for telling me about this...I have not been to Hartville Kitchen before...where is it? And is it Amish-owned?
Melissa Doyle
Hi oh my you have missed the best. I believe you are in Ohio right? 77 North to Portage Rd. / North Canton exit. Right off the exit, to the square of North Canton. Turn left on route 8 go north to Edison St. in Hartville turn right. Follow it till you see a big beautiful white building on your left. I suggest roast beef, salad with house dressing, and green beans. Do not leave without pie!! Store inside is a must. The 3d pictures in the lobby are breathtaking. Go on monday once the weather is good. Down further on same road is their flea market. You won't be dissapointed. Last time I was home the tru value in Hartville is also Mennonite owned. You will find Amish and Mennonite communities working together both at the restaurant and the flea market. Large area of Hartville has very dark black dirt, the produce in the summer at the flea market is the best ever!
Kevin
Interesting....I know some Amish people who were raised in Hartville, but I didn't think there were any Amish left there. Sounds great, I will be sure to check it out next time I am in that area!
Ron S.
Am planning a tour of Amish areas in Lancaster, PA and nearby Amish areas. Any suggestions for me to try their delicious fine dining restaurants?
Ron
Gail
Honestly, no. Most have closed. The Stoltzfus family did wedding suppers by reservation. I've heard good things about Yoder's in Lititz, but I haven't been there. Millers, Good and Plenty, and Plain and Fancy are aimed at tourists. Miller's is $30 for the buffet, I believe. Restaurants are very consuming in terms of time and labor.
I would suggest hiring a guide from the Lancaster Mennonite Historical Society. They will take you to the off the path places, and they will have a suggestion as to where to eat.
RMFrancis
What is the name of the coffee shop in Authur Il?
Kevin
Rosenlyns Delights
Michael Land
I feel Denniers on route 30 in Lancaster County should be on this list. They have a great selection of deliciously tasty food. A must visit if in the area.
Kevin
Thanks, Michael, I have not been there before so it didn't make the list, but I have heard nothing but good things about Denniers!
Gail
I don't like Denniers. The last time we were there, it was horrible. Heavily salted to hide the taste of bland food. I ate a small amount, and was physically ill by the time we made it to the car. Family Cupboard was wonderful. More space, and better food. I never understood why they didn't close Denniers and keep Family Cupboard open. Especially since the food there was MUCH better. In the summer, the AC at Denniers can't keep up, and eating is just a hot miserable experience. We have stopped eating there because each visit was just worse, and after I was ill, we couldn't make excuses anymore. We've also noticed that each visit is more and more tourists, and virtually no local people.
Most of the restaurants are aimed at tourists, and they are expensive. Bird in Hand Family Restaurant has also transitioned to high quantity low quality food. I really know if no good place. People have found that reservations for things like an Amish Wedding Supper are more profitable because they know the number of people attending, and can control cost. Restaurants are very time, labor, resource consuming. It's much easier to do a bulk food store or some other retail outlet with better hours.
Kevin
Gail, I completely agree with you on Family Cupboard...having not been to Dennier's I can't speak to their quality, but I have been to Family Cupboard and loved it....
Denise
I live in Sarasota and the 2-story Der Dutchman Restaurant in Pinecraft is fabulous.
Kevin
Hi, Denise...I have been there and it is good, but I like Yoder's better!:)
Jeanine
Have you been to Boyd & Wurthman's in Berlin, Ohio? Not far from Mrs. Yoder's but much better in my opinion. Also, Dutch Valley outside of Sugarcreek has excellent food, and their German Chocolate pie is to die for!
Kevin
Jeanine, thank you for your post. Hmmm, maybe I should do a "Mrs. Yoder's vs. B & W" post sometime! I have been to B&W....I don't think they purport to be an Amish restaurant per se (someone correct me on this if I am wrong), they are just a restaurant that happens to be in Amish country...although they do have a number of Amish that work there, so you do get an Amish influence in the cooking...B &W is located in charming downtown Berlin and is definitely worth a stop.. If I could only have one meal in Holmes County, I'd pick Mrs. Yoder's hands-down over B & W. That said, if you are visiting over a period of days, B & W is absolutely worth a stop...I'd pick them over, say, the Farmstead in Berlin...and B & W really excels with their pies, man, they have good pies...so, moral of this post: spend a couple of days in that area so you don't have to just pick one place to eat at! And I have not been to Dutch Valley, but I have heard good things!
Gail
We like Yoders in Mt. Hope Ohio. But, we also like the Amish Door and Der Dutchman. When we go home, we always try to get to Der Dutchman. Hartville is amazing too.
In PA, the Bird-in-Hand Bake Shoppe on Gibbons road is WONDERFUL, and not to be confused with the Bird-in-Hand Bakery across from the farmer's market. Take the turn at the railroad underpass to find the Bake Shoppe.
Kevin
Thanks, Gail, for these suggestions!
Kate
Hi there! First, thanks for all of the great info on your site. I was wondering if you’d visited Mrs Yoder’s recently. My family went there this week and. I was expecting home cooking, fresh bread, etc. The food was terrible. I would compare it to a hospital cafeteria. The mashed potatoes tasted like instant potatoes and the pot roast was over cooked and dry. The gravy did not taste like it was made using the meat juices…I’m pretty sure it was canned. The rolls were store bought.. not freshly made. We were disappointed, especially at those prices. Just wanted to give a heads up. We had much better luck at Miller’s Bakery…the cheese tarts were to die for. Thanks for all you do!
Kevin Williams
Wow, Kate, totally unlike my Mrs. Yoder's experiences, but, it's probably been...wow, well, when I think about it...it's probably been 5 years since I was last there...maybe 4...I'll have to make a point to visit again soon and see if the quality is as you describe, that is too bad if it has gone downhill because it was once so good! Thanks for the report!