By Kevin Williams
We all have our favorite spots when we visit our favorite places. For me, if you are visiting Ohio's Holmes County Amish community there is only one place to go: Mrs. Yoder's Kitchen.
It was founded by Gloria and Eli Yoder as a place to sample authentic Amish cuisine and a sign of its authenticity is the large number of Amish customers that pack the place. I've been there before when half the customers (and it has two large dining areas) are Amish.
When I was meeting with blogger Bruce Stambaugh (more on that meeting soon, I promise) he heaped praise on what Mrs. Yoder's Kitchen has contributed socially to the fabric of the Amish community:
" A beautiful aspect of Gloria and Eli’s dream of having a restaurant there it has allowed this part of the Amish community to have a place to go out to eat for breakfast, buffet, or a candlelight dinner at Valentine’s Day, to see couples come together and celebrate in the public eye is a mark of progress and understanding," Bruce remarked.
Look at this sumptuous spread that we enjoyed at Mrs. Yoder's last week.
Mrs. Yoder's has a regular menu and then they have TWO buffets, a salad bar buffet and a regular meal buffet...this is my plate from the salad bar...holy moly.....Mrs. Yoder's has true traditional items on their menu, like these pickled eggs (the yolks inside were massive)
Hoemade bread is on each table and, the kicker, two squeeze bottles on each table, one with peanut butter-marshmallow mixture and the other with apple butter...my opinion: spread it with the peanut butter mixture.
Buffet featuring meatloaf as the star...
Loretta
We were there about a month ago. You know this place is the cream of the crop when approximately 20 Amish were standing in line to be seated. We have waited up to an hour to get a seat...worth every second. We don't eat anywhere else while visiting the area.
Kevin
Yep, Loretta, they are the best!
Nana
I have been to Mrs. Yoder's restaurant in Mt. Hope many times. I also am very taken with The Amish Door in Wilmot , Ohio. A part of visting in Mt. Hope is always the store on the corner just below Mrs. Yoder's . The name escapes me but it sells bulk foods and has an interesting assortment of medicinal items. All sorts of herbal items, home remedies for most anything that ails one, supplements, vitamins, creams, cough medicines and more. Things I have never seen at Walgreen's or CVS.
Kevin
I need to try The Amish Door sometime, I hear nothing but good things!
Jackie
There is a Yoder's restaurant over in Sarasota, FL. They have the best pies. IMO better than Der Dutchman 2 blocks away. Is this owned by the same Yoder family?
Kevin
Jackie, I love Yoder's in Sarasota! They are a different family, though, than the one in Ohio!