Smithville Inn Restaurant

I would not expect a former stagecoach inn in rural Ohio established in 1818 to be a diner's paradise on the best of days. So I was blown away by the mouth-watering fare at Smithville Inn in Amish country. Famous for pioneering the Inn Maid brand of egg noodles at the restaurant that has been in operation since 1924, my meal was flat out wonderful. Fried and flavorful Gerber (aka no antibiotics) chicken fell off the bone, the biscuits (the original recipe from 1924, we were told) are the flakiest and lightest I've ever eaten in a commercial establishment, and the side dishes of cole slaw and acorn squash perfect accompaniments.

The ambience is downtrodden-chic, truly, with carpets that have seen better days, silverware rolled in cheap paper napkins, and chairs that probably are years past needing to be replaced. But you can't judge a book by its cover, so if you're ever in Smithville shopping at the historic Mishler Weaving Mill, as we were, or in nearby Wooster or Orrville, buzz on over to Smithville Inn. It's a part of Ohio history and I would have liked to explore the building and its artifacts more. I will definitely be back when it's apple picking season.

this is one of the better places in the area if you're looking for an upscale-ish (for wayne county) / "white tablecloth" experience.  plus downtown smithville is rather cute, so visiting the smithville inn can make for a fun outing.

don't speed in smithville though.  really.  not even by 2mph.  the po-po there are ferocious.