Over the past four years, I’ve visited Ohio Amish Country about a dozen times. People often ask me for recommendations as they plan their own trips, so I created a list of my top 10 favorites in Ohio Amish Country.

10. Rebecca’s Bistro      If you’re not in the mood for Amish fare, head over to this restaurant in Walnut Creek. Breakfast and lunch are served daily (Monday through Saturday). The lunch menu changes weekly, and Rebecca uses locally grown, seasonal fresh fruits and vegetables.

9. Dutch Valley Restaurant – Sugarcreek    Interested in a meal of Amish favorites? This restaurant serves hearty meals, but be sure to save room for their delicious desserts. The Der Dutchman in Walnut Creek and the Berlin Farmstead in Berlin are similar establishments.

8. Hershberger’s Farm and Bakery in Millersburg, Ohio     Cuddly puppies and a variety of farm animals used to draw our daughters in the door, but now they’re just as interested in the farm store, flowers, and fry pies.

7. Walnut Creek Cheese     A one-stop shop which includes grocery, deli, bakery, and bulk foods departments as well as a gift shop and a café.

6 and 5. Wendell August Forge     Craftsmen hand-etch and hand-wrought functional and decorative metalwear from ornaments to jewelry to home décor and table pieces. Stop in for a free workshop tour and browse through the store.

When we visit Ohio Amish Country, we reserve a room at the Berlin Grande Hotel. I like its location – just a 5-10 minute drive to the other places included on this list and a scenic 15-20 minute drive to Sugarcreek. As an added bonus, guests are given a voucher for a complimentary Amish-themed ornament from Wendell Forge. The year’s design changes each April. (picture from Wendell August website)

4. Helping Hands Quilt Shop      Located in Berlin, this fabric store sells handmade quilts made by Amish and Mennonite ladies. Amish women may be working on a quilt during your visit, so you may wish to call ahead.

3. Behalt Cyclorama at the Amish and Mennonite Heritage Center (picture from their website). This mural-in-the-round “illustrates the heritage of the Amish and Mennonite people from their Anabaptist beginnings in Zürich, Switzerland in 1525 to the present day.”

Take a minute to browse in the gift shop for crafts handmade by members of the Amish and Mennonite communities like baskets and wooden and fabric crafts. There’s also a bookstore and a reference collection of genealogical resources.

2. Yoder’s Amish Home in Millersburg. Interested in learning more about the lifestyle of Amish people? Tour both homes, a schoolhouse, and a barn on the property and take a ride through the field in a buggy. Stop in the bakery for jams and jellies, fresh-baked breads, cinnamon rolls, and cookies made on site.

1. Mt Hope Auction  in Mt Hope, Ohio     Hosting livestock, hay, and produce sales on a weekly basis, Mt Hope Auction also welcomes a variety of special sales throughout the year. If you’d like an immersive Amish experience, check the schedule on their website and plan to go during your stay.My daughter and I attended one of these special auctions in Mt Hope this weekend. One hundred percent of the Haiti Benefit Auction proceeds benefit missions in Haiti. I recorded the winning bids for 32 quilts (listed on two pages in the booklet), and they raised over $30,000 on those sales alone. There were three additional pages of furniture listings, one page of specialty items, several large-ticket items (like outbuildings, playsets, and lawn care equipment), and a silent bidding board. What an amazing event!

“I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink.” Matthew 25:35

During future trips, I hope to visit the following places which have been highly recommended by our Amish and non-Amish friends:

Lehman’s in Kidron, Ohio

Keim Lumber in Charm, Ohio

Mrs. Yoder’s Kitchen in Mt Hope, Ohio

It’s been fun sharing this list. I’d love to know where you enjoy spending your time when you visit Ohio Amish Country!