Best of Ohio — Readers’ choice
By RICH WARREN
Best farmer’s market — North Market, Columbus
The readers have made an interesting choice in this category. They’ve picked a farmer’s market in a big city! Columbus’s North Market has an outdoor farmer’s market on Saturdays in the summer and fall, so perhaps the readers were thinking that in addition to stopping by to pick up some Ohio-grown produce, they also can pop in to the North Market itself and browse through the many vendors of meats, fish, pastry, cheese, wines or ethnic cuisine. Or maybe they might also step over to the adjacent bustling Arena District with its many restaurant, entertainment and sports choices. Clearly, this is a “destination” farmer’s market! North Market, 59 Spruce Street, Columbus, 614463-9664, www.northmarket.com (Runner-up: Bergman Orchards, Port Clinton)
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he readers of Country Living have weighed in, and here are the winners of this year’s Best of Ohio awards. We’ve checked them all out and can concur that our readers have made some fine choices this year. Many thanks to those who voted and a special thank you for those who wrote notes telling us what was unique, fun or festive about their nominations. It’s clear — readers are passionate about their “hidden gems” around the Buckeye State!
Best family-owned restaurant — Plaza Inn, Mount Victory
For 48 years, folks have been flocking to this town not just for the many antiques shops that line its main street but also to dine at the Plaza Inn, crowded no matter the time of day by diners sampling the fine home-cooked meals. The Plaza takes special pride in its fried chicken, served on its popular buffet three times a week. Sister and brother owners Joan Wagner and Edward Elliott also have gone the extra mile for their local electric Cooperatives. During the famous ice storms a couple winters back, they cooked on gas stoves by flashlight for the many linemen repairing the damage. Another unique feature of the restaurant is that it sits adjacent to an airstrip, so if you’ve got a mind (and the means!) to do so, you literally can fly in and eat. In fact, on a busy weekend, as many as a hundred planes have done just that. The food is that good! The Plaza Inn, 491 S. Main St., Mount Victory (Hardin County), 937-354-2851 (Runner-up winner: Theo’s, Cambridge)
Best steakhouse — Stockyard Steakhouse & Saloon, Marysville
This unique restaurant, housed in what originally was a grain elevator that then became a coal storage facility, a concrete manufacturing company and a rubber fencing company, now offers diners a choice between a full-service fine dining restaurant and a Western-style saloon, both serving an array of steaks, pasta and seafood. You also can enjoy live entertainment, karaoke, sporting events on the big screen and even cornhole tournaments on the 4,000-square-foot patio. Stockyard Steakhouse, 404 S. Oak St., Marysville (Union County), 937-644-2691, www.stockyardsteakhouse-ohio.com (Runner-up: Top Steak House, Columbus)
Best U-pick farm — Schacht’s Farm Market, Canal Winchester
Readers of Country Living will already know about Schacht’s, since it was featured in a story we ran in August of 2006 that focused on this farm’s unique
(Above) You literally can fly to Mount Victory’s Plaza Inn (although most folks drive!) (Right) The North Market in Columbus.
Stockyard Steakhouse & Saloon in Ma dining restaurant and a Western-style
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challenges as it’s surrounded by sprawling suburban development. Still, that means many more folks living close by to pick up produce at their farm stand or to actually pick the fruits or vegetables themselves out in the fields. Run by fifth-generation family farmers, Schacht’s also uses such innovative techniques as growing produce in metal-tunnel frames with tarp coverings, extending the growing season of crops like strawberries. Schacht’s Farm Market, 5990 Shannon Rd., Canal Winchester, 614-837-4663, www.localharvest.org/farms/M12869 (Runner-up: Lynd Fruit Farm, Pataskala)
Best dining worth the drive — Raven’s Glenn Winery and Restaurant, West Lafayette
We drove. We dined. Believe us, it’s worth it. In fact, we thought it merited a story by itself (See page 25). You’ll recommend this place to your friends. Raven’s Glenn, 56183 County Road 143, West Lafayette, www.ravensglenn.com (Runner-up: Clark’s Dining Room, Jacksontown)
served family-style since 1918. It’s brought to you by the bowlful with heaping home-cooked side items. Don’t want the chicken? Try the ham or steak. This popular restaurant at the junction of St. Rte. 13 and U.S. 40 gave Raven’s Glenn a run for its money in the “Best dining worth the drive” category and also scored high in the “Best familyowned restaurant” since it’s run by the third generation of the Clark family. Look for the portrait of Grandma Clark in the dining room while you enjoy her culinary heritage Clark’s Dining Room, St. Rte. 13 and U.S. 40, Jacksontown (Licking County), www.clarksdiningroom.com (Runner-up: Plaza Inn, Mount Victory)
Best town to live in — Canal Winchester
Or as one voter put it: “Canal Winchester. Of course!” Folks here think they’ve got the best of both worlds, close enough to Columbus to enjoy the city’s amenities, but also close to the beautiful countryside of Fairfield County. With its charming storefronts and restaurants downtown, its treelined streets and such curiosities as the Mid-Ohio Doll and Toy Museum and the Barbers’ Museum and Hall of Fame, Canal Winchester is both a nice place to live and to visit. (Runner-up: Lancaster)
Best bed-and-breakfast — Colonel Taylor Inn, Cambridge
This impeccable, huge Victorian home in a historic neighborhood not only has four comfy and lavishly decorated rooms but also features high teas, luncheons and elegant dinners. The home is so large there’s even room for special events like murder mystery dinners, weddings, bus tours, even class reunions! The inn has garnered accolades from Midwest Living and also was selected “Best in the USA” by Arrington’s Bed & Breakfast Journal. Colonel Taylor Inn, 633 Upland Rd., Cambridge, 740-432-7802, www.coltaylorinnbb.com (Runner-up: Greatstone Castle, Sidney)
Best Italian restaurant — Undo’s, St. Clairsville
Located in a Hampton Inn high atop a hill overlooking the Ohio Valley Mall, Undo’s is a popular stop with Buckeye Power and Ohio Rural Electric Cooperatives employees as they travel to or from the Cardinal Generating Station on the Ohio River. So we can agree with Country Living voters — Undo’s is Italian cuisine at its best! Undo’s also has other (Continued on page 12)
Best fried chicken — Clark’s Dining Room, Jacksontown
Sorry, Plaza Inn, your fine fried chicken was edged out by the scrumptious pan-fried chicken at Clark’s,
You can’t miss Raven’s Glenn with its distinctive red roof.
At Schacht’s Farm Market, you can buy produce or pick your own!
n Marysville has both a fine -style saloon.
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Best of Ohio (–continued from page 11)
restaurants across the river in Benwood and Weirton, West Virginia, and a banquet and conference center in Elm Grove, West Virginia. Undo’s, 51130 National Road, St. Clairsville, (Exit 218 on I-70), 740-695-8888, www.undos.com (Runner-up: Adornetto’s Pizzeria North, Zanesville)
Best Mexican restaurant — La Fogata Grill, Pickerington
Meaning “the bonfire” in English, La Fogata has the standards you’d associate with Mexican cuisine prepared in their own innovative style plus a few dishes of the house well worth sampling. We enjoyed the “Carnitas dinner,” a special recipe of slow-cooked pork tips with special seasonings. Muy delicioso! La Fogata Grill, 1849 Winderly Lane, Pickerington (Fairfield County) (Runner-up: Yucatan in Coshocton)
very own dining room and serve you boatloads of authentic country cuisine. We were charmed by the entire dining experience here right from the moment Gene answered our initial phone call and said “Can Judy call you back? She’s out at the rest home visiting Aunt Bea.” From the moment our party arrived, the Faubles were as hospitable as if we’d known them forever. And the food! There are many choices (and you’ll have to make them in advance of your visit and everyone in your party needs to agree), but it’s doubtful you’ll get anything that isn’t downright delicious. A couple hints: The Creamy Cucumbers, a family recipe, are to die for, as is the Pear Pie made from pears on a tree just outside. If you have trouble reserving a night, note that the Faubles intend to start adding other weeknight evenings after the first of the year. Country Dining, 129 W. Main St., Amanda (Fairfield County), 740-969-4382 (Runner-up: Der Dutchman in Walnut Creek and Plain City)
Best main street — Marietta
Situated at the confluence of the Muskingum and Ohio rivers, Marietta is one of Ohio’s most picturesque communities. We’ll give details of its many attractions in a feature story we’ll be running in September, but its charming downtown is worth visiting all by itself. Explore the many charming boutiques, sample the wares at Rossi Pasta or have a dinner at the historic Lafayette Hotel. (Runner-up: Cambridge)
Best camping — Indian Lake
Located right on the lake itself, adjacent to the beach, and with docking for boaters, the campgrounds at Indian Lake State Park not only are large (with hundreds of campsites) but also quite scenic. There is electric hookup for most sites, heated shower facilities, a laundry and camp commissary. Indian Lake State Park, 12774 St. Rte. 235N, Lakeview (Logan County) 937-843-3553, www.dnr.state.oh.us/parks/parks/indianlk.htm (Runner-up: Burr Oak State Park)
Best “home-cooked” meal away from home — Country Dining, Amanda
How about “home-cooked” literally in someone’s home? Twice a week on Friday and Saturday evenings, Gene and Judy Fauble throw open their
Best fishing spot — Lake Erie
This is one large fishing hole our readers have selected — the wide expanse of Lake Erie itself and specifically its West Basin, the area around Port Clinton, Catawba and the islands. Smaller lakes that surfaced among the nominations were Seneca Lake and Salt Fork, both in Guernsey County.
Cambridge’s Colonel Taylor Inn
La Fogata Grill in Pickerington was the winner in the “Best Mexican” category.
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Best theater — Ohio Theater, Columbus
Apparently country folks enjoy driving into the city to take in shows at the opulent Ohio Theater right on Capitol Square downtown. Home of the Columbus Symphony and site of many visiting Broadway shows, the Ohio this month is hosting its annual summertime vintage movie series with hits ranging from Sunset Boulevard to Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Ohio Theater, 55 E. State St., Columbus, www.capa.com/columbus/venues/ ohio_about.php (Runner-up: The Palace Theater, Marion)
Favorite Ohio celebrity
Country Living readers decided that our respected astronaut/politician John Glenn has “the right stuff.” Others who came close to winning were Ohio State coach Jim Tressel and our gonebut-obviouslynot-forgotten comic legend Bob Hope. t
(Above) Indian Lake’s campgrounds are right on the lake itself; Clark’s fried chicken is served family-style. (Left) Marietta wins in the “Best main street” category.
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