If you’ve been putting off that trip to Amish Country, USA Today just handed you a very good reason to stop stalling.
Mrs. Yoder’s Kitchen in Mt. Hope has landed among the top 10 buffets in the entire country on USA Today’s 10Best Readers’ Choice list for 2026, one of only a handful of Ohio spots to ever crack the national rankings. And it’s sitting less than two hours from downtown Columbus.
About Mrs. Yoder’s Kitchen in Mt. Hope, Ohio
The Buffet That Keeps Showing Up on National Radar
This isn’t a one-time fluke. Mrs. Yoder’s landed on the same list back in 2025, and it’s back again this year, going toe to toe with heavyweight buffets from Pennsylvania, Florida, and beyond.
The restaurant has been serving Holmes County since 1994, when Mount Hope native Gloria Yoder opened her doors with a simple promise: real Amish cooking, made fresh, every single day. Her son Trent and his business partner now run the show, and the fried chicken recipe that made Gloria famous is still the star of the buffet line.
Gloria sadly passed away in October of 2025, but her spirit and memory live on inside the friendly confines of Mrs. Yoders Kitchen.
What’s Actually on the Buffet
This is not a mega-buffet with 400 lukewarm options. It’s a tighter spread built entirely around doing fewer things exceptionally well.
Expect broiled roast beef so tender you won’t need a knife, Gloria’s legendary fried chicken, hearty noodles over freshly made mashed potatoes, and a rotating lineup of meatloaf, pot roast, and daily specials. The salad bar gets its own devoted following, with fresh-cut veggies, broccoli salad, and pickled beets that convert even the skeptics.
Save room. The pie selection alone, think peanut butter cream and fresh fruit varieties, has earned a reputation that rivals the buffet itself.
The Price Point Columbus Diners Will Appreciate
A buffet with a drink runs right around $17 to $18, no reservations required and no portion limits to work around. That’s the whole appeal here: you build the plate you actually want, refill it as many times as you want, and never feel like you’re being nickel and dimed for a second helping.
Is the Drive Actually Worth It?
Mt. Hope sits roughly 90 miles from Columbus, which puts you at the table in under two hours depending on traffic. Pair it with stops in Berlin or Millersburg, and a lunch run turns into a full Amish Country day trip without much extra planning.
Mrs. Yoder’s is open Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and closed Sundays, so plan the drive accordingly. Given the national attention, expect the lunch rush to be a little heavier than usual, especially on weekends.
Plan the Trip
Mrs. Yoder’s Kitchen is located at 8101 State Route 241 in Mt. Hope. Menu items and buffet offerings rotate seasonally, so it’s worth calling ahead at (330) 674-0922 to confirm hours before you head out.
Columbus has plenty of good food close to home, but making an appearance on a national top 10 list? That’s worth traveling for. Grab a friend, clear your Saturday, and go see what the rest of the country is talking about.
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