Best food in Ohio

T

tom 48

Well-known member
According to several food sites, here are the best foods in Ohio. Maybe you concur or disagree ( if you have been there)

Fries:
Ohio: Senate Restaurant, Blue Ash
While the Senate Restaurant is far from a hidden gem, due to the national attention it receives, sometimes places are famous because they really are that good. This restaurant is a case in point, as they serve by far the best fries in the Buckeye State. They come either fried in duck fat until rich and golden brown, or decadently drizzled in truffle oil. No matter which fries are ordered, they are almost guaranteed to be life-changing.

Burgers:
Ohio: Swensons Drive-In
You'd be hard-pressed to find someone in Ohio who hasn't tried a Galley Boy from Swensons Drive-In. This double-patty burger is served on a buttery toasted bun with cheese and two secret sauces. Though the popular drive-in (with multiple locations across the state) has never shared what exactly those secret sauces are, they best resemble tartar sauce and barbecue sauce. The burger is finished off with a signature olive on a toothpick for a recognizable flair.

Iconic food:
Ohio: Cincinnati Chili
This iconic Ohio dish consists of beef and chili sauce served over spaghetti. It is topped with various toppings, such as onions, cheddar cheese, and oyster crackers. It’s a unique and delicious dish that is a favorite of locals and visitors alike.

Waffles:
Ohio: Wally Waffle
Those lucky enough to have a Wally Waffle nearby (there are restaurants in Akron, Tallmadge, and Montrose) could be forgiven for feeling a little smug. Because, whether you order from the permanent menu – offering waffles topped with fruit, nuts, or fried chicken – or choose a seasonal special, you’re guaranteed a freshly made, fluffy yet nicely crisp waffle, served with the best ingredients. Regulars say the line is often long but, for good-value waffles that taste this good, it’s well worth the wait.

Pizza:
Ohio: Crust (Cleveland)
Crust, which has two Cleveland, Ohio, locations, may look like your standard slice joint, but it's anything but. The care put into these pizzas starts with the dough, which is handmade every day and allowed to slowly ferment and rise, and everything is made from scratch daily. You can top your pizza with more than 30 toppings, but we suggest you order the Finocchiona specialty pie: fennel salami, red onion, red sauce, smoked mozzarella, pecorino and rosemary.




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Swensons used to be good but I recently tried it again like 6 months ago and it was god awful. Nothing like it used to be.

Skyline Chili is pretty amazing though, thankfully I can get it in grocery stores and is the exact same thing they sell at the chains.
 
Here are a few more:

Seafood:
Ohio: Frank's Fish & Seafood Market
> Location: Columbus
This seafood market has a fry cook and both indoor and patio seating. Pick up some fresh, frozen, or smoked seafood to take home, and stay for a fried platter, po'boy, or gumbo. The lobster bisque, salmon salad, and clam chowder are always fresh, and the menu often includes gator sandwiches and frog legs.

Sandwiches:
Slyman's Deli. Cleveland, Ohio
Looking for a perfect corned beef sandwich in Cleveland? Everyone in the city will tell you to go to Slyman's. Well, except maybe the people who want to keep tourists away from this beloved spot. Come with an appetite. The owners aren't kidding when they say they have some of the biggest sandwiches in town.

Pasta dish:
OHIO: Lola & Giuseppe's Trattoria in Columbus
Ever tried deep-fried pasta? If the answer is no, make sure to put Lola & Giuseppe's at the top of your must-try restaurants. Customers can't stop raving about the famed pasta fritto, which features creamy spaghetti packed into a loaf, coated with bread crumbs, and fried till golden brown. The result? A piping hot guilty pleasure.

Fried chicken:
Belgrade Gardens, Barberton
What better place to sink your teeth into the crispiest, crunchiest chicken than the “Fried Chicken Capital of the World”? Belgrade Gardens not only lives up to its city’s nickname with its juicy pieces (the owner was the first to serve the chicken back), it also offers a hot relish for dipping unlike anything we’ve tasted.
 
tom 48 said:
Here are a few more:

Seafood:
Ohio: Frank's Fish & Seafood Market
> Location: Columbus
This seafood market has a fry cook and both indoor and patio seating. Pick up some fresh, frozen, or smoked seafood to take home, and stay for a fried platter, po'boy, or gumbo. The lobster bisque, salmon salad, and clam chowder are always fresh, and the menu often includes gator sandwiches and frog legs.

Sandwiches:
Slyman's Deli. Cleveland, Ohio
Looking for a perfect corned beef sandwich in Cleveland? Everyone in the city will tell you to go to Slyman's. Well, except maybe the people who want to keep tourists away from this beloved spot. Come with an appetite. The owners aren't kidding when they say they have some of the biggest sandwiches in town.

Pasta dish:
OHIO: Lola & Giuseppe's Trattoria in Columbus
Ever tried deep-fried pasta? If the answer is no, make sure to put Lola & Giuseppe's at the top of your must-try restaurants. Customers can't stop raving about the famed pasta fritto, which features creamy spaghetti packed into a loaf, coated with bread crumbs, and fried till golden brown. The result? A piping hot guilty pleasure.

Fried chicken:
Belgrade Gardens, Barberton
What better place to sink your teeth into the crispiest, crunchiest chicken than the “Fried Chicken Capital of the World”? Belgrade Gardens not only lives up to its city’s nickname with its juicy pieces (the owner was the first to serve the chicken back), it also offers a hot relish for dipping unlike anything we’ve tasted.
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For pasta, you are correct. The variety of their specials is really good. Service is unbeatable and the owner, Steve, will make sure things are good. Try their bakery which is 2 doors down. The sampler platter is my favorite.
 
vette22 said:
For pasta, you are correct. The variety of their specials is really good. Service is unbeatable and the owner, Steve, will make sure things are good. Try their bakery which is 2 doors down. The sampler platter is my favorite.
Click to expand...

It wasn't me; it came from here. However, I will make a point of going to this restaurant ASAP.

www.eatthis.com

The Best Pasta Dish in Every State

With the help of Yelp, we've narrowed down a list of the restaurants that serve the best pasta dish in every state. Prepare for your mouth to water.
www.eatthis.com www.eatthis.com
 
Fries:
Ohio: Senate Restaurant, Blue Ash
While the Senate Restaurant is far from a hidden gem, due to the national attention it receives, sometimes places are famous because they really are that good. This restaurant is a case in point, as they serve by far the best fries in the Buckeye State. They come either fried in duck fat until rich and golden brown, or decadently drizzled in truffle oil. No matter which fries are ordered, they are almost guaranteed to be life-changing

I‘ve lived in Cincinnati over 20 years. My daughter lived in Blue Ash for awhile and I worked near there at one time. I don’t know where this place is and never heard anyone talk about it. I like to think I get out a bit. Guess I’ll have to try out their fries.🤔
 
tom 48 said:
Here are a few more:

Seafood:
Ohio: Frank's Fish & Seafood Market
> Location: Columbus
This seafood market has a fry cook and both indoor and patio seating. Pick up some fresh, frozen, or smoked seafood to take home, and stay for a fried platter, po'boy, or gumbo. The lobster bisque, salmon salad, and clam chowder are always fresh, and the menu often includes gator sandwiches and frog legs.

Sandwiches:
Slyman's Deli. Cleveland, Ohio
Looking for a perfect corned beef sandwich in Cleveland? Everyone in the city will tell you to go to Slyman's. Well, except maybe the people who want to keep tourists away from this beloved spot. Come with an appetite. The owners aren't kidding when they say they have some of the biggest sandwiches in town.

Pasta dish:
OHIO: Lola & Giuseppe's Trattoria in Columbus
Ever tried deep-fried pasta? If the answer is no, make sure to put Lola & Giuseppe's at the top of your must-try restaurants. Customers can't stop raving about the famed pasta fritto, which features creamy spaghetti packed into a loaf, coated with bread crumbs, and fried till golden brown. The result? A piping hot guilty pleasure.

Fried chicken:
Belgrade Gardens, Barberton
What better place to sink your teeth into the crispiest, crunchiest chicken than the “Fried Chicken Capital of the World”? Belgrade Gardens not only lives up to its city’s nickname with its juicy pieces (the owner was the first to serve the chicken back), it also offers a hot relish for dipping unlike anything we’ve tasted.
Click to expand...
I do like Slyman's for sure but if anyone is ever in the Akron area and wants an amazing sandwich stop into Diamond Deli in downtown Akron. The best sandwiches I've ever had. Get there early or order online. It's only open 9-3 Monday-Friday and anyday after 11 expect to stand in line though it is quick and efficient.

Truly an Akron icon.
 
I know I'll get alot of heat for this but I tried the Swenson's hamburger for the first time about a month ago. I was absolutely shocked they put what tasted like brown sugar on the patties. At first I thought it was a really sweet ketchup that dominated the flavor but was told that this flavor was intentional. I am definitely not a fan.

The food was hot and quickly delivered. Everything else was good. I will still go to Swenson's but the burger won't be on my order from now on.
 
These best food things always get to me, not sure if it is personnel preference or some insider that wants to get pub for a certain place. The worst are the fan votes, almost always a restaurant stuffs the ballot box ala WMMS when they always won Rolling Stone's radio station of the year but it was found out the station's MGMT rigged it. Also what makes the best fries? In my French centric background I was told anything that isn't Belgian style pomme frites with some sort of aioli sauce or served plain to soak up some sort of broth isn't worth the discussion but then again as a kid McD's original fries cooked in animal fat with a pinch of sugar added to the salt were the best in many books including Julia Child's. Also the corn beef thing is crazy, Slyman's gets all the love because the amount they use which is way too much in my book, they use the same stuff that Corky & Lenny's and Jack's use up in the Heights that service the local Jewish community. The guys in the Heights actually give you a more traditional NYC deli experience and the Slyman's out post in Orange only lasted a year because they could not compete with the locals.

I will say the most iconic Ohio food is skyline chili, you really don't see that take on chili anywhere else, it is also traditionally served different than any other chili in the country. The others iconic foods under consideration like perogies and scrapple can be found in other locations throughout the country. Ohio also has developed an iconic candy, that buckeye it is really gaining some ground and I now see it around the country called a buckeye. It is different in presentation and flavor than the way most eat the combo of peanut butter and chocolate which is usually a very oily cup.

Finally I think Barberton style chicken is the most over rated Ohio food. First of all in no other chicken place is a back considered a piece, what is with that? Second is true Barberton chicken is seasoned with just salt, yes the flavor of the lard it is fried in is solid but I just need some more flavor profile to make it really stand out. In my book the best Ohio fried chicken is Uncle Nick's Greek Fried Chicken at the Buena Vista Café in Warren.
 
Yappi said:
I know I'll get alot of heat for this but I tried the Swenson's hamburger for the first time about a month ago. I was absolutely shocked they put what tasted like brown sugar on the patties. At first I thought it was a really sweet ketchup that dominated the flavor but was told that this flavor was intentional. I am definitely not a fan.

The food was hot and quickly delivered. Everything else was good. I will still go to Swenson's but the burger won't be on my order from now on.
Click to expand...
I agree with your take on the Swenson's burger except it is the prefect late night munchy food. That pinch of brown sugar after a night of drinking works well with the alcohol that is still on the palate, that is why you see a packed parking lot after midnight.
 
tom 48 said:
According to several food sites, here are the best foods in Ohio. Maybe you concur or disagree ( if you have been there)


Burgers:
Ohio: Swensons Drive-In
You'd be hard-pressed to find someone in Ohio who hasn't tried a Galley Boy from Swensons Drive-In.
fullscreen.svg
Click to expand...

I'd be hard pressed to find anyone that has.

Burgers: I think I'm more about the atmosphere where I'm eating them. The only thing differentiates them is how fresh the rest of the ingredients. I don't like burgers with so much they become a mess. Not a high standard. Same Fries. I can't think of any fries better than anyone else's. Just different.


Deli: I've got a favorite here in Toledo, Big Apple. But to my knowledge, they all are buying meat processed mostly from the same places. No places here anymore like Slyman's that makes their own stuff. Big Apple designs their sandwhiches well. Not sloppy. I can taste the individual parts. That's sets them apart from the do too much crowd.

Iconic Food: Ours would be chili or Middle Eastern/Lebanese
Middle Eastern: People from Dearborn and Detroit frequent The Beurut. That's all the rec that place needs.

Chili: I think has more to do with what I grew up with. Ours is more Hungarian/Meso than Greek. Very peppery, not sugary or soupy. Not hidden. That Cinci stuff is absolute crap to me. I can name five places here I prefer. Even here, there is open rebellion to Tony Packos more because of objection over who owns it now, too big for their britches, or didn't like their work experience... But favorites are legit. Mine is Packos but I won't pass up Rudy's. Packo's Pickles and Peppers seem to escape the local politics and be a favortie.

Pasta: again more mood, atmosphere and cost than taste preference. They're all pretty much the same to me and what meals they offer. In Toledo I like Rosie's to sit down and Calvino's before a game or after work. Calvino's is a bistro, which is rarer and rarer to find.

Pizza: close, no chain. That's all I need.

Fried Chicken: just over the line Eureka Eatery/gas station/booz store.
 
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Auggie said:
I agree with your take on the Swenson's burger except it is the prefect late night munchy food. That pinch of brown sugar after a night of drinking works well with the alcohol that is still on the palate, that is why you see a packed parking lot after midnight.
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When we went, it was after midnight and the parking lot was packed. I guess my only mistake was that I didn't have anything to drink before going there.
 
Auggie said:
Finally I think Barberton style chicken is the most over rated Ohio food. First of all in no other chicken place is a back considered a piece, what is with that? Second is true Barberton chicken is seasoned with just salt, yes the flavor of the lard it is fried in is solid but I just need some more flavor profile to make it really stand out. In my book the best Ohio fried chicken is Uncle Nick's Greek Fried Chicken at the Buena Vista Café in Warren.
Click to expand...
I'm not a big Barberton-style chicken person but I do like to have it as a change of pace once in a great while. I haven't had it in a couple years and we have been talking about making a trip fairly soon.
 
Auggie said:
These best food things always get to me, not sure if it is personnel preference or some insider that wants to get pub for a certain place. The worst are the fan votes, almost always a restaurant stuffs the ballot box ala WMMS when they always won Rolling Stone's radio station of the year but it was found out the station's MGMT rigged it. Also what makes the best fries? In my French centric background I was told anything that isn't Belgian style pomme frites with some sort of aioli sauce or served plain to soak up some sort of broth isn't worth the discussion but then again as a kid McD's original fries cooked in animal fat with a pinch of sugar added to the salt were the best in many books including Julia Child's. Also the corn beef thing is crazy, Slyman's gets all the love because the amount they use which is way too much in my book, they use the same stuff that Corky & Lenny's and Jack's use up in the Heights that service the local Jewish community. The guys in the Heights actually give you a more traditional NYC deli experience and the Slyman's out post in Orange only lasted a year because they could not compete with the locals.

I will say the most iconic Ohio food is skyline chili, you really don't see that take on chili anywhere else, it is also traditionally served different than any other chili in the country. The others iconic foods under consideration like perogies and scrapple can be found in other locations throughout the country. Ohio also has developed an iconic candy, that buckeye it is really gaining some ground and I now see it around the country called a buckeye. It is different in presentation and flavor than the way most eat the combo of peanut butter and chocolate which is usually a very oily cup.

Finally I think Barberton style chicken is the most over rated Ohio food. First of all in no other chicken place is a back considered a piece, what is with that? Second is true Barberton chicken is seasoned with just salt, yes the flavor of the lard it is fried in is solid but I just need some more flavor profile to make it really stand out. In my book the best Ohio fried chicken is Uncle Nick's Greek Fried Chicken at the Buena Vista Café in Warren.
Click to expand...
I agree, Jack's has always been my favorite.
 
Yappi said:
I know I'll get alot of heat for this but I tried the Swenson's hamburger for the first time about a month ago. I was absolutely shocked they put what tasted like brown sugar on the patties. At first I thought it was a really sweet ketchup that dominated the flavor but was told that this flavor was intentional. I am definitely not a fan.

The food was hot and quickly delivered. Everything else was good. I will still go to Swenson's but the burger won't be on my order from now on.
Click to expand...
You being from the area I am absolutely shocked that was your first visit. I worked there for 3 years about 22 years ago and to this day it is still my favorite job I ever had.
 
I've been there a number of times, I always got chicken tenders and fries. Their hamburgers never looked that great to me so I never tried them...until I saw how many people said they were the best.
 
rghrider98 said:
You being from the area I am absolutely shocked that was your first visit. I worked there for 3 years about 22 years ago and to this day it is still my favorite job I ever had.
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A friend’s daughter worked there and loved it. She made a ton of cash, tax free of course, and it was really a team effort. Some nights the drunks got out of hand but they had a couple bigger boys that would be available to act as the heavies if needed. They also had a bat phone to the cops as a last resort.
 
Auggie said:
A friend’s daughter worked there and loved it. She made a ton of cash, tax free of course, and it was really a team effort. Some nights the drunks got out of hand but they had a couple bigger boys that would be available to act as the heavies if needed. They also had a bat phone to the cops as a last resort.
Click to expand...
Yes the money was great and I believe it still is. Lots of good times and things usually were fine but you'd definitely have some characters coming in late night, especially the West Akron location.
 
tom 48 said:
Here are a few more:

Seafood:
Ohio: Frank's Fish & Seafood Market
> Location: Columbus
This seafood market has a fry cook and both indoor and patio seating. Pick up some fresh, frozen, or smoked seafood to take home, and stay for a fried platter, po'boy, or gumbo. The lobster bisque, salmon salad, and clam chowder are always fresh, and the menu often includes gator sandwiches and frog legs.
Click to expand...
Frank's is great, just up the street from me. I would add a vote for Jolly Roger's in Port Clinton, always a stop for us when in the area.
 
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tom 48 said:
Burgers:
Ohio: Swensons Drive-In
You'd be hard-pressed to find someone in Ohio who hasn't tried a Galley Boy from Swensons Drive-In. This double-patty burger is served on a buttery toasted bun with cheese and two secret sauces. Though the popular drive-in (with multiple locations across the state) has never shared what exactly those secret sauces are, they best resemble tartar sauce and barbecue sauce. The burger is finished off with a signature olive on a toothpick for a recognizable flair.
Click to expand...
Never heard of it.
 
Orin Swift said:
Used to be local to just Akron/Canton area. I think they have some Cleveland locations but they’ve just started expanding out of NEO. A few locations in Cincinnati now.
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3628 Madison Rd, Cincinnati, OH 45209

491 Ohio Pike, Cincinnati, OH 45255

swensonsdriveins.com

Menu | America's Best Cheeseburger, Sandwiches, Milkshakes & More!

Swensons Drive-In Menu, Home Of The Galley Boy®, "America's Best Cheeseburger". Burgers, sandwiches, milkshakes, & more. Voted #1 Burger in North East Ohio!
swensonsdriveins.com swensonsdriveins.com

The burgers aren't gourmet by any means, but very tasty.
 
Yappi said:
I know I'll get alot of heat for this but I tried the Swenson's hamburger for the first time about a month ago. I was absolutely shocked they put what tasted like brown sugar on the patties. At first I thought it was a really sweet ketchup that dominated the flavor but was told that this flavor was intentional. I am definitely not a fan.

The food was hot and quickly delivered. Everything else was good. I will still go to Swenson's but the burger won't be on my order from now on.
Click to expand...
Molasses mixed in with the beef.
 
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