Ohio Food Offers Range From Sweet To Spicy

By Kassidy Emmerson, Contributing writer

Traditional state foods in Ohio include Shaker lemon pie, buckeye candy and Skyline Chili's offerings, according to FoodTimeline.org. These favorites are a result of the cultural mix of people in the state. Besides these local favorites, Ohio also is known for a few other specialties that visitors shouldn't let their taste buds miss.

Amish Foods

Holmes County is "the world's largest Amish community," according to OhioParks.net, so it's only natural that their tasty cultural foods would catch on with others in the area. The quest for authentic Amish cuisine will take travelers to east central communities such as Millersburg, Berlin, Kidron, Walnut Creek, Charm and Sugarcreek.

Besides serving up goodies like Shaker lemon pie, Dutch apple pie and red velvet cake, the Amish are known for their delicious home style cooking. Typical dishes include country ham, fried chicken, roast beef, roast turkey, fish, real mashed potatoes, chili, corn chowder, macaroni and cheese, and baked beans. Of course, no traditional Amish meal is complete without piping hot, homemade bread or biscuits.

Buckeye Candy

Buckeye candy gets its name from the nut of the buckeye tree that it resembles. As Ohio is known as the "buckeye state," this local favorite is a natural.

There are a variety of recipes for this candy. Basically, buckeyes are creamy peanut butter balls coated with melted chocolate. Travelers can find these candies in small Ohio shops, markets, and at many grocery stores. To taste a "real" buckeye candy, you must be sure to have one that was made in Ohio. "Marsha's Homemade Buckeyes" are made by Marsha Smith in Perrysburg. This is one sweet treat that travelers to Ohio shouldn't miss.

Skyline Chili

Skyline chili is another cultural favorite food in Ohio. The story behind it goes back more than 60 years. Nicholas Lambrinides brought his mother's and grandmother's flavorful Greek recipes with him when he came to America. He then opened his Skyline restaurant in Cincinnati in 1949, according to SkylineChili.com.

Ohioans can't get enough of the authentic Greek cooking, especially the Skyline chili. The restaurant menu includes chili spaghetti, conies (with chili), chili cheese sandwich, chilitos and chili burritos.

Barbecued Ribs

Finding an eatery that offers barbecued ribs in Ohio is easy -- the locals clamor for them.

Despite being part of a small chain of restaurants based in Columbus, City BBQ in Centerville breaks from free from the idea good barbecue can't be found in a chain restaurant. The pulled pork is smoky and lean and the beef brisket is among the most tender you will ever find.

There are plenty of finger-licking barbecued ribs in Hinckley. According to the Web site of Desperado's BBQ & Rib Co., it has won awards consistently since 1992 for its cuisine.