Small Town Restaurants

E

Ericles

Well-known member
I posted this in the General Forum and it was suggested that I could post it here too.🙂

I have this debate with people on occasion who complain that we don't have enough restaurant options in our town. For context, our population is a little over 6,600 people and we are located at the intersection of two heavily traveled highways here in Ohio, albeit on the east edge of the city.

We have multiple fast food - Wendy's, Mc Donald's, Burger King, Taco Bell, KFC, and Subway (x2). A Bob Evans. Five pizza places, two of which are chains. Two small Chinese places. A somewhat higher end steak restaurant. A gastropub. An Italian restaurant. A barbecue place. And off the top of my head, four what I would consider mom-and-pop type places, one of which specializes in Mexican.

What factors go into whether or not a restaurant should gain a footprint in a community and what factors determine how many restaurant options a community should have relative to its population? Also, what factors into what TYPES of restaurants a community can support?
 
 
I think for the most part, people will give a new business a chance. They'll try you once. It's imperative to make that customer experience good in the first trip. I think local ownership is important. If the owner is known and respected in the community, it goes a long way to making the business successful. People will pay, IF they are happy with the quality and portions.
 
Auggie had a good response on the other thread.

The wife and I always try to eat at locally owned restaurants over chains.
 
I thought this would be placed under the Food? thread. No problem though. Here is my original post for reference:

Bottom line with most retail is can you make $s in a particular market. Fast food places are franchised so usually a regional ownership group runs a marketing survey and selects locations to service their target consumer. Subway is the least common denominator and everywhere as they don't have protected territories and require the lowest up front investment, then you go up to the big burger guys followed by the Yum Brands (KFC, Taco Bell, & Pizza Hut). If the market is big enough then the higher end guys start to pop up like Panera or a Chipotle.

Then you have the local greasy spoon operations. Same thing here the least common denominator is a dinner type operation that services a middle of the road customer with local comfort food. Might see the national chain that is big in the region like Bob Evan or Cracker Barrell, especially if near a highway exit. Also the breakfast/lunch place is solid for a smallish city as well as a recent immigrant operation, usually Mexican & Chinese, that views this as fresh territory with limited comp for a popular cuisine. Most of these usually do a brisk takeout business too.

Finally you have a special event type place and these are usually the toughest for a small community to support. The place for the local business to entertain clients, locals to celebrate milestones, and more affluent residents to enjoy a nice meal. Usually in a market in the 5K range steak is the safest route but better American inspired cuisine is also safe. That being said there is a trend for destination dining that offers usually a very cool space with cutting edge cuisine in a small town. This is how you get one of the best restaurants in Ohio, Chez Francoise, being located in Vermillion. Great space along a river with a solid take on classic French cuisine that has an average entre cost into the $60s, not sure many locals frequent this place.

Bottom line is a small market needs to support their locally owned establishments so they make $s. Do a good job of that and more will come, stay at home or drive 30 mins to the bigger city and then places close and are not replaced.
 
If it's been there awhile, it doesn't suck. If someone is looking for the hidden gem they can brag to their facebook friends they found and doesn't find it, whines it's not up to their one-time manhattan experience, that's a them problem.
 
It would be really good if posters would list the better locally owned (non chain) restaurants in their neck of the woods or even ones they have been to in other parts of the state that they enjoyed.
 
14Red said:
If the owner is known and respected in the community, it goes a long way to making the business successful. People will pay, IF they are happy with the quality and portions.
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BS
Do you know the owner of your local McDonald's?
 
irish_buffalo said:
It would be really good if posters would list the better locally owned (non chain) restaurants in their neck of the woods or even ones they have been to in other parts of the state that they enjoyed.
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The Wooden Shoe in Minster Ohio under its new ownership (3 or 4 years now) is a great place in West Central Ohio. My wife and I love going there when we are back in the area.
 
irish_buffalo said:
Waiting for EIB to sniff this page. He hunts local haunts.
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Already here and writing down new ideas, lol.


Some here have been all over and could probably fill the page . I thought it best to let locals recommend their own to get the really obscure. I will mention the meat market in Carey makes a damn fine brisket sandwich and sides. Next time, I'm trying the brats.

You know I'm going to mention the original Packos or the much lesser known Oregon Inn. Picking one, what "small town" (neighborhood) restaurant would you go with around Toledo? I'd have gone with Mama T's on E Broadway but she's closed now.
 
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eastisbest said:
Already here and writing down new ideas, lol.


Some here have been all over and could probably fill the page . I thought it best to let locals recommend their own to get the really obscure. I will mention the meat market in Carey makes a damn fine brisket sandwich and sides. Next time, I'm trying the brats.

You know I'm going to mention the original Packos or the much lesser known Oregon Inn. Picking one, what "small town" (neighborhood) restaurant would you go with around Toledo? I'd have gone with Mama T's on E Broadway but she's closed now.
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I’d say the same.

Toledo is full of locally owned wing/beer joints like Frickers, Ralphies, Sidelines, and now Roosters (all have multiple locations outside of Toledo area). These places track for Toledo.

Lake Erie Islands has some good ones. On Catawba Island you have Twin Oast Brewery, Gideon Owen Winery, Orchard. Put In Bay has Frostys, Boardwalk, and Heineman Winery and Kelleys has Caddyshack, Village Pump, Kelley’s Island Winery, and West Bay Inn.


Sandusky has Berardis and is the Fish House still going?

Bayview has The Baybell Inn.

Port Clinton has Jolly Rogers.

Marblehead has Reds Summerhouse and JJs Table.
 
irish_buffalo said:
I’d say the same.

Bayview has The Baybell Inn.
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Looking at it on google, I don't think I've ever been on that side of Sandusky Bay, west of where rt 6 runs into it at Margaritaville. You recommending or just showing off your geographical knowledge? :D One of these days, I'm going to get into that diner and museum at the Port Clinton airport. Everytime I'm in the area, it's either closed or I'm with someone that prefers more drinking.
 
eastisbest said:
Looking at it on google, I don't think I've ever been on that side of Sandusky Bay, west of where rt 6 runs into it at Margaritaville. You recommending or just showing off your geographical knowledge? :D One of these days, I'm going to get into that diner and museum at the Port Clinton airport. Everytime I'm in the area, it's either closed or I'm with someone that prefers more drinking.
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Yeah, Bay Bell was just revamped a year ago. Bayview is a neat little community. Only place in NWOhio that has black squirrels to my knowledge.

Forgot about the Tin Goose diner. Great breakfast lunch place. Every weekend they offer rides in the Tin Goose tri motor airplane, some WWII planes, and a Huey helicopter.
 
cjb5656 said:
Chez Francois in Vermilion is a dining experience you wouldn’t expect to find in a small town.

For all you big spender fancy pants types:

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I mentioned it above.

Been there a couple times and rivaled the old Maisonette in Cincinnati as the best French cuisine in Ohio. 1st time I went was as a kid, dad told me they had a dress code so grab the sport coat which to me was almost a no go until I ate the food. I remember it very well, he ordered a classic French preparation of duck for me and I knew how to properly eat the cuisine as well as pronounce the dishes, waiter was so impressed they comped me a table side creme brulee.
 
irish_buffalo said:
Yeah, Bay Bell was just revamped a year ago. Bayview is a neat little community. Only place in NWOhio that has black squirrels to my knowledge.

Forgot about the Tin Goose diner. Great breakfast lunch place. Every weekend they offer rides in the Tin Goose tri motor airplane, some WWII planes, and a Huey helicopter.
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Been to Bay Bell a couple times now - really solid perch and walleye with great views.

I keep meaning to check out the Tin Goose, but our go to for breakfast lately has been the Pancake House in Sandusky. Usually take care of other errands while there as well.

Orchard on Catawba has been our go to lunch spot - best patio in the area.
 
irish_buffalo said:
It would be really good if posters would list the better locally owned (non chain) restaurants in their neck of the woods or even ones they have been to in other parts of the state that they enjoyed.
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Hil Mak, in Ashtabula

Big fan of Yours Truly in Chagrin Falls. Will seek it out if I'm in the area. I believe they've added locations

Chef-o-Nette in Upper Arlington

When I go to Athens for OU games, Casa Nueva for farm-to-table Mexican-inspired fare. I usually stay the night and take my son who is an early riser and one of my favorite parts of the trip is Union Street Diner for breakfast while it's still kinda dark - they're open 24 hours.

Steinkeller in Oxford. German cuisine and lots of Euro beers I can't pronounce that you can get by the liter. It's very much like that bar shootout scene in Inglorious Basterds. You literally walk downstairs from High Street into this basement tavern.
 
When traveling I try to guess the local mom and pop place that seems most likely to still use animal fats but it's rare these days.
Townhall in Cleveland does not use seed oils.
 
Around Youngstown, if you're looking for something there's Inner Circle Pizza or Cocca's Pizza. Inner Circle is like a local chain. The Inner Circle near Canfield on 224 is better than the Poland one also on 224.

Zenobia's in Canfield is great for Middle Eastern food.

It's a small local chain, but Springfield Grille has a location in Boardman. Springfield Grille (Iron Bridge Inn, Rachel's Roadhouse, and Springfield Grille are all the same company, different names) started in Mercer (along with Iron Bridge Inn and Rachel's Roadhouse, which was just down the road from the original Springfield Grille). They're all very good. There's 7 total in western PA and the one in Ohio. So far I wouldn't say they've suffered from the usual problem a 'chain' has because they are just really good high end food. It's pricey though.

In Niles, I highly recommend Bombay Curry and Grill if you like Indian. It's on 422 across from the Eastwood Mall and Eastwood Field. There's other indian food in the valley (Cafe India in boardman, but it's bad. Only thing worth it was the lunch buffet, but they only have that on weekends now).

Down south, in Steubenville, for Italian, Naples Spaghetti House downtown and The Ville at the Mall are both great options. Yorgo's downtown for Gyros is a great place to stop.
 
In Trumbull County in the Warren area, I prefer mom and pops that are upscale. Stonebridge, Chophouse, and Leo’s are in Howland. Vernon’s Cafe in Niles on the Strip. Cafe 422 in Warren. Not quite as upscale is wildly popular Sunrise Inn in Warren. For Greek food and decadent desserts is Mocha House in Warren.
 
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