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Heini's Cheese Chalet and Gourmet Market
 Along with the horses and buggies, breathtakingly beautiful countryside and unique shops, there’s one thing that every visitor to Amish Country remembers—the food. Now one area market has opened its doors and offers visitors the opportunity to sample local artisan food and take it home. Heini’s Gourmet Market, located in Sugarcreek, is a genuine Amish Country experience, as guests are encouraged to sample the items throughout the 4,000-square-foot store. As the anchor store for The Taste of Ohio products, the shop is packed with locally made goods ranging from cheese to chocolates to pastas to peppers. “This is not just a store to look at things. This is an experience, where you can actually taste how the actual ingredients we carry here can add something special to your meal,” said owner Lisa Troyer. She, along with her husband, Bob, and sister, LeeAnne Dauwalder-Martin, own the State Route 39 market. The family trio is not strangers to the food industry business, as they are second-generation owners of the famous Heini’s Cheese Chalet in Berlin, or as locals know it, the Bunker Hill Cheesehouse. A decision was made in 1935, when the cheesehouse opened its doors, to use only local, wholesome products in their cheese. That tradition has remained and is the foundation, which sets Heini’s Gourmet Market apart from other area shops. “Our focus is, whether here at the market or at the mother store, that the cheese is manufactured with 100 percent local Amish farm milk,” explained Troyer. “We want to make sure that folks know our product is set apart because we use raw materials and it’s absent of artificial growth hormone.” Another tradition that was started at Heini’s Cheese Chalet in the 1960s has continued on at Heini’s Gourmet Market—sampling. “Our assumption is that we don’t expect someone to buy something that they have not tasted. Early on, when our parents started offering sampling, people said they were going to go out of business giving away all those samples. But we’ve always believed that people should taste what they are buying,” Troyer remarked. In fact, along the refrigerated showcases, beneath each cheese is a container filled with cube-sized bites of each cheese, waiting to be sampled. Cheese sampling is not the only thing that Troyer wants customers to try. At the demonstration kitchen area, a select number of items found in the store are available to try. Whether it’s homemade bread dipped in a seasoned garlic olive oil or corn chips and salsa, your taste buds will love Heini’s Gourmet Market. Another way Heini’s Gourmet Market focuses on quality is in the demonstration area. “We recognize that there are so many folks that enjoy the Food Network and the talent in the Midwest and how it has broadened, so we’re offering products here to bring that culinary experience into their own homes,” she explained. Near the cooking demonstration area is the L & L Bistro that features specialty sandwiches, all made, of course, with products sold in the store. With a menu featuring a Jam-N-Swiss or Garden Veggie Gobbler Panini, bistro eating has never been more delicious. Recently added is the Buckeye Wine Gallery. With a tasting bar and samples available, customers can enjoy some of Ohio’s best wines. After finding the perfect fit for your palate, a bottle or two of Ohio’s finest wines can be purchased. While Troyer noted that the original Heini’s Cheese Chalet in Berlin on US 62 is still a definite destination. The chalet is much more than just a cheesehouse that produces over 70 varieties of cheese. With ample parking available, a retail outlet, gift shop, lace boutique and fudge factory are on the premises. Guests can also view the cheesemaking process through a 100-foot viewing corridor. For best viewing, arrive prior to lunch since cheesemakers have an “early to bed early, to rise” work ethic. A cheesemaking video is shown if you arrive at the cheesehouse after the day’s cheesemaking work is completed. Celebrating the cheesemaking art is a 5’ x 60’ hand-painted mural that narrates the history of cheesemaking. At the new market in Sugarcreek a “more leisurely” shopping experience offers a complete taste of the Amish Country experience. “There are so many products that are labeled from Amish Country,” Troyer said, “but don’t originate from here. When you buy a piece a cheese with the Heini’s brand label on it, you can be guaranteed that it originated in Holmes County.” It’s that same tradition, that began years ago at the cheesehouse, that continues on at Heini’s Gourmet Market. For a genuine taste of Amish Country and a Taste of Ohio, a stop at Heini’s Gourmet Market makes any trip to Amish Country complete. For more information about Heini’s Cheese Chalet or Heini’s Gourmet Market, log on to www.heinis.com. Large group tours can be made by calling 800-253-6636. |
Address: P.O. Box 358 Millersburg, OH 44654 330-674-2300
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