The New Heart of Geauga County: A Taste of Tradition at The Amish Country Market
MIDDLEFIELD, OH – The morning fog still clings to the cornfields along Route 87 as the first buggies clip-clop their way toward town. It is 5:00 AM in Middlefield, the center of the world’s fourth-largest Amish settlement, and while most of Northeast Ohio is still hitting the snooze button, the lights are already blazing at 15711 West High Street. Inside, a symphony of flour, yeast, and sugar is reaching its crescendo.
This is The Amish Country Market, a destination that has rapidly transformed from a simple roadside stop into a culinary cornerstone of Geauga County. While the area is dotted with cheese co-ops and bulk food stores, The Amish Country Market offers something distinctly different: a fusion of traditional Amish baking, modern comfort food innovation, and an atmosphere that feels less like a grocery store and more like a community living room.
A Fresh Approach to Tradition
For years, visitors to Middlefield expected a certain “script” from their Amish country experience: buy a block of Swiss cheese, grab a fry pie, and head home. The Amish Country Market, however, flips the script. Housed in a spacious, welcoming building on the main drag of West High Street, the market is a testament to the entrepreneurial spirit of owner Danny Kuhns and his team.
What started as a mobile venture—a humble food truck trailer serving pretzels—has blossomed into a brick-and-mortar emporium that houses three distinct culinary experiences under one roof: The Pretzel Bar, Elliott’s Ice Cream, and a full-service Amish Bakery.
Walking through the double doors, the first thing that hits you is the smell. It isn’t just the singular scent of baking bread; it is a complex, layered aroma of caramelizing sugar, frying dough, and the savory tang of grilled chorizo. It is the scent of “homemade” amplified to an industrial scale, yet retaining that specific warmth that only comes from hands-on preparation.
The Pretzel Bar: A Twist on the Classic
While the market offers many delights, the undeniable anchor of the operation is The Pretzel Bar. If you think you know what a soft pretzel tastes like based on mall food court experiences, you are in for a startling re-education.
The pretzels here are born from a unique family recipe that emphasizes a lighter, fluffier interior enclosed in a perfectly golden, slightly chewy skin. They are hand-rolled and twisted daily, ensuring that no two are exactly alike—a hallmark of artisan quality. But where The Amish Country Market truly innovates is in how they utilize this dough.
The menu features “Pretzel Wraps,” a concept that has developed a cult following among the local workforce and visiting tourists alike. Imagine a breakfast sandwich where the biscuit or bagel is replaced by fresh, warm pretzel dough wrapped around farm-fresh eggs, cheese, and meats. The result is a portable pocket of comfort that is simultaneously savory, slightly salty, and buttery soft.
“The Chorizo Wrap is the sleeper hit,” says Mark Miller, a delivery driver from Chardon who stops by twice a week. “It’s got that little bit of spice from the sausage, but the pretzel dough soothes it out. It’s the best breakfast in the county, hands down.”
For purists, the classic cinnamon sugar pretzel remains a best-seller. Dipped in real butter and coated generously in a cinnamon-sugar blend, it bridges the gap between snack and dessert.
The Bakery: The 5:00 AM Standard
In Middlefield, baking is a serious business. The competition is stiff, with generations of family recipes floating around the community. The Amish Country Market has carved out its niche by focusing on freshness that borders on obsessive.
The donut case is the first stop for the early morning crowd. These are not factory-stamped donuts. They are large, irregular, and boast the distinct “fry ring” that marks a perfectly proofed yeast donut. The glaze is applied while the donuts are still hot, creating a delicate, crackling shell that gives way to an airy interior.
“You have to get there early for the apple fritters,” advises Sarah Jenkins, a local resident and frequent patron. “They are the size of a catcher’s mitt and loaded with actual apple chunks, not just filling. By 9:00 AM, they are usually gone.”
Beyond donuts, the bakery produces loaves of bread that recall a time before preservatives. The white bread is soft enough to compress into a dough ball but sturdy enough for a heavy sandwich. The cinnamon swirl bread, often sold still warm in the bag, needs nothing more than a toaster and a pat of butter to become a gourmet meal.
Elliott’s Ice Cream: A Sweet Expansion
Recognizing that man cannot live on bread alone, The Amish Country Market integrated Elliott’s Ice Cream into its operations, making it a year-round destination for frozen treats. This isn’t just a freezer in the corner; it’s a full-service dip shop offering hard scoops, sundaes, and their famous ice cream cakes.
The synergy between the bakery and the ice cream shop is where the magic happens. Visitors can order a “donut sundae”—a fresh glazed donut split open and filled with a scoop of butter pecan or vanilla bean, topped with hot fudge. It is an exercise in decadence that has become a bucket-list item for foodies exploring Geauga County.
During the sweltering Ohio summers, the market becomes an oasis. Families crowd the tables, enjoying hand-spun milkshakes made with real milk and generous scoops of ice cream, offering a cool respite after a day of touring the local furniture shops and antique malls.
More Than Just Food
While the calories are the main draw, The Amish Country Market has evolved into a true general store. The retail space is lined with products that showcase the craftsmanship and agricultural prowess of the surrounding community.
Shelves are stocked with bulk foods—spices, soup mixes, and baking supplies—packaged simply and priced fairly. You can find jars of locally tapped maple syrup, a staple of the Geauga County economy, alongside pickled beets, chow-chow, and vividly red strawberry jams.
Outside, the market showcases another pillar of the Amish economy: poly furniture. Rows of colorful, indestructible Adirondack chairs and patio sets line the storefront. Made from recycled plastics but designed to look like painted wood, these pieces are built to survive Northeast Ohio winters and have become a popular souvenir for visitors looking to take a piece of the “simple life” home to their suburban patios.
The market also features a rotating selection of seas onal items. In the spring, the front walk is bursting with hanging baskets and bedding plants. In the fall, it transforms into a harvest display of pumpkins, mums, and cornstalks.
The Service Ethos
Perhaps the most defining characteristic of The Amish Country Market is the atmosphere. In an interview with the Geauga County Maple Leaf, owner Danny Kuhns emphasized that the act of service is just as important as the quality of the product. “If (customers) have a bad day, they can walk out feeling better,” he stated.
This philosophy is palpable. The staff, a mix of Amish and non-Amish employees, operate with a quiet, friendly efficiency. There is a lack of urgency that is refreshing; transactions are not rushed, and conversations about the weather or the roads are commonplace. It is a place where “How are you?” is an actual question, not just a greeting.
Reviews on social media frequently mention this hospitality. “The staff is so polite and quiet. It’s a nice break from the noise of the world,” wrote one reviewer. Another noted, “I dropped my ice cream cone right after paying—total klutz move. They replaced it instantly with a smile and didn’t charge me. That’s rare these days.”
The Verdict
The Amish Country Market is more than just a grocery store or a bakery; it is a successful bridge between the traditional Amish lifestyle and the modern consumer’s desire for authentic, high-quality experiences. It honors the heritage of Middlefield while offering products—like the chorizo pretzel wrap or the bubble tea now available at The Pretzel Bar station—that appeal to contemporary tastes.
For the traveler driving through Northeast Ohio, seeing the sign for 15711 West High Street is a signal to hit the brakes. Whether you are in search of a 5:00 AM coffee and donut, a hearty pretzel lunch, or a gallon of premium ice cream, this market delivers with a consistency and warmth that keeps the parking lot full and the bell on the door ringing.
The Amish Country Market
Address: 15711 West High Street, Middlefield, OH 44062 Phone: 440-313-6230
Hours: Monday – Friday, 5:00 AM – 4:00 PM; Saturday, 5:00 AM – 3:00 PM (Closed Sundays)
Must-Try Items: Chorizo Pretzel Wrap, Apple Fritter, Cinnamon Sugar Pretzel, Hand-Dipped Ice Cream.