Farmstead Restaurant offers a true sense of the spirit of Amish Country
By Dave Mast
Sometimes what makes a restaurant experience inviting enough to come back time after time is more than just the food.
The good folks of Farmstead Restaurant, located in the heart of Amish Country in Berlin, Ohio, want patrons to experience the thrill of exquisite cuisine combined with a family atmosphere that embodies what Holmes County and Amish Country are truly all about.
“For us, it’s all about creating a special place where people can come in, relax, and be part of the family,” said manager Cindy Swartzentruber. “I think at this point we are kind of a hidden treasure in Holmes County, and there’s a lot of people who don’t know we’re here.”
Since Farmstead has only been around for six years, it hasn’t yet garnered the same notoriety as some of the other Amish Country restaurants, but thanks to a new management team, it is beginning to create quite a buzz among visitors seeking a clean, quality restaurant, which offers some of the finest Amish, cooked meals in the area.
Much of that newfound excitement comes not from the food — which can stand up to the most finicky of standards on its own merit — but from the service and attitude that patrons can sense the moment they are greeted at the front door.
“Our staff is comprised of people who call Holmes County home,” said Swartzentruber. “These are people who come from all of the little towns throughout Amish Country surrounding the restaurant. We’ve got a lot of servers with Amish backgrounds and cooks who bring a definite authenticity to the restaurant’s cuisine, but most importantly, we’ve got people who know how to treat patrons the right way — with smiling faces, great service and a true family atmosphere.”
Since its doors opened in 2003, the Farmstead Restaurant has been welcoming visitors as well as locals to its beautiful and spacious dining rooms. Traditional Amish cooking is at the heart of the Farmstead’s menu, making it popular for singles, groups of 100, or anywhere in between.
What sets the Farmstead apart is that everything the restaurant serves is made from scratch, under the watchful eye of experienced Amish cooks, who pride themselves on using the best ingredients available to prepare dishes that are pleasing to the eye as well as to the taste buds.
If it’s traditional Amish fare you desire, Farmstead Restaurant is more than ready to roll out oven roasted chicken made with the restaurant’s own unique blend of herbs and seasonings, homemade noodles and dressing, green beans and one of dozens of homemade pies. But if traditional Amish cuisine isn’t your thing, there are plenty of other options which will keep you coming back for something new every time you drop by.
“We make our food from scratch, and there’s nothing fake about any of what we serve,” said Swartzentruber. “We use a lot of local Holmes County grocers, and buy a lot of our fruits and vegetables from the local produce auction.”
Indeed, the Farmstead Restaurant has quality and freshness at the heart of its menu. The Farmstead is also open on Sundays, playing to the Sunday after-church crowd, something which is not often seen by Amish-themed restaurants in Holmes County.
“We felt that we wanted to give people a place to enjoy a Sunday lunch without having to slave over it themselves,” said Swartzentruber. “We have a buffet and a limited menu, but it’s still all quality Amish-made food.”
Whether it’s a family of four or a party of 100, Farmstead Restaurant provides a perfect setting to satisfy your hunger.
And as an added bonus, the restaurant is conveniently located in the heart of Berlin, Amish Country’s biggest drawing card. Situated walking distance away from rows of craft shops, quilt shops, Amish handcrafted wood stores and even The Original Holmes County Amish Flea Market, Farmstead Restaurant makes a perfect place to re-energize and refuel before heading back out on the shopping trail.
Of course, before you depart for home, make sure to indulge in some fresh baked goods from the Farmstead Bakery. Cinnamon rolls, cookies, dinner rolls, pies, and other delicious items can be purchased to enjoy later. Of course, you won’t want to leave without purchasing the smooth, mouth-watering homemade peanut butter and apple butter for which Amish Country is so well known.
From their family to yours, the people of Farmstead Restaurant want your trip to Holmes County to be a memorable — and very tasty — experience.
“We like to think that we are local people serving local quality,” said Swartzentruber. “We are striving to be the very best, not because of any competition, but for our patrons who walk through the front door, whether for the first time or if they are a regular. It is their satisfaction that matters. When they walk in that door, we want them to feel as if they are part of the Farmstead Restaurant family.”
The Farmstead Restaurant is open Monday through Saturday, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., and is one of the few local eating establishments also open on Sundays, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Located at 4757 Township Road 366, Berlin, just off U.S. 62, the restaurant is just a few blocks from the popular Berlin shopping district. Banquet rooms are available for larger groups, meetings, and tour bus groups. For more information, contact the Farmstead Restaurant at 330-893-4600.
