On Ohio’s Menu

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Ohio excels at many culinary creations, from fresh fruits to fried fish, chili to barbecue, and hot dogs to sausages. Here are 10 can’t-miss Ohio foods — and some of the best spots to find them.

MARKET GARDEN BREWERY

LAKE ERIE’S

FINEST

LAKE HOPE DINING LODG E

XXXXXXX: CREDITS HERE Nicholas Dekker is a food and travel writer based in Columbus. He and his family love exploring every part of Ohio, from the big cities to the lakeshores to the rolling hills. He loves tasting beers at Columbus Brewing Company, exploring Cleveland’s West Side Market, seeing movies at Studio 35 in Clintonville, and walking through the historic Over-the-Rhine in Cincinnati.

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BBQ BBQ

Enjoy exquisitely smoked meats from the Old Canal Smoke House (PICTURED) in Chillicothe or pit-smoked brisket or pork at Lake Hope Lodge in McArthur. Bring the sauce home with you from Michael Symon’s Mabel’s BBQ in Cleveland.

Chili – Cincinnati has a national reputation for its chili, made with ground beef and loads of spices. It’s the signature at Skyline Chili or family-run spots like Price Hill Chili and Camp Washington Chili. Vegetarians aren’t left out with Skyline’s bean and rice bowl. For a different take, try Café Mochiko’s Cincinnati-style ramen, called a “Most Super Bowl” by Food & Wine.

Goetta – Cincinnati is known for this unique sausage made with meat, oats, and spices. Bring some home from Eckerlin Meats or taste it in-person with a Liege waffle at Taste of Belgium in Over-the-Rhine.

HOT DOGS BRATS

You’ll find loads of great hot dogs and brats in Ohio! Load it with chili at Tony Packo’s (LEFT) in Toledo or creative toppings at Cleveland’s Happy Dog (ABOVE). The Bahama Mama is a favorite at Schmidt’s Sausage Haus in Columbus. Carle’s has been making brats in Bucyrus since 1929. Taste them at the Bucyrus Bratwurst Festival Aug. 17–19.

Lake Erie Perch

OLD CANAL SMOKE HOUSE: LAURA WATILO BLAKE, HAPPY DOG: HAPPY DOG, TONY PACKO’S DINERS: ENOCH WU, HOT DOG: TONY PACKO’S, JOLLY ROGER’S SEAFOOD HOUSE: JASON SHAFFER XXXXXXX: CREDITS HERE

If you’re visiting Lake Erie, look for fresh fried perch at local restaurants. Jolly Roger’s Seafood House (PICTURED) in Port Clinton is a long-running favorite, as is in Grand River.Brennan’s Fish House

BABY SWISS CHEESE

Did you know baby Swiss was invented in Ohio’s Amish Country? Millersburg’s Guggisberg Cheese (PICTURED) created it. Find it there and at Heini’s Cheese Chalet (BELOW). Be prepared to pack a cooler to take some back home!

With its rich ethnic heritage, northeast Ohio is a haven for delicious pierogies. Stock up at Pierogi Palace (ABOVE, LEFT) at West Side Market in Cleveland. Parma’s hole-in-the-wall Little Polish Diner (ABOVE, RIGHT) makes especially delicious ones. Pair them with a pint of Progress Pilsner at Market Garden Brewery in Ohio City.

Pawpaws

Ohio’s state native fruit tastes like a cross between a mango and a banana. Taste it in cheesecake, sauces, even beer at the Ohio Pawpaw Festival. Integration Acres in Albany serves it in jams and salsas.

The buckeye is the signature taste of Ohio, with its delightful blend of peanut butter and chocolate. Give one (or two, or 10) a try at Marie’s Candies (ABOVE) in West Liberty and Nothing But Chocolate in Cambridge. There are plenty of buckeye recipes out there to make your own! Half Baked Harvest’s 5-Ingredient Buckeyes has you mix creamy peanut butter, honey, butter, and vanilla, then scoop it into balls and freeze. Once they’re frozen, simply dip them in melted dark chocolate. Get the full recipe at halfbakedharvest.com.

Apples Did you know Johnny Appleseed planted trees all across Ohio? You can pick your own apples at dozens of farms, like Burnham Orchards in Berlin Heights or Brumbaugh Fruit & Fun Farm in Arcanum. Prefer your apples baked? Cozy up with a slice of apple pie at The Nutcracker Family Restaurant (BELOW) in Pataskala.

Pastry chef Aaron Clouse has made a name for himself nationally, where his creations have wowed judges on Guy’s Grocery Games and the Food Network’s Halloween Baking Championship. We asked this notable Ohioan how he spends his time around the state.

Some of Clouse’s favorite dining spots in Columbus include the French-inspired The Refectory. Any meal can be finished off with a visit to Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams.

His favorite places to go across Ohio include Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens in Columbus or shopping in Yellow Springs. You also might find him at the Groovy Plants Ranch in Marengo or tasting his way around Cleveland’s Little Italy.