The Top 3 Buffet Restaurants in America Are All in Amish Country

Dessert selection at Miller’s Smorgasbord in Ronks, PA. Photo: Miller’s Smorgasbord/FB

That’s according to the latest Top 10 list just released by USA Today, which pegs several Amish Country/PA Dutch-style buffets as the best in the country. The top three, in fact, are all in that category. In order, they are:

Shady Maple Smorgasbord (Lancaster County, Pennsylvania)
Der Dutchman (Sarasota, Florida)
Miller’s Smorgasbord (Lancaster County, Pennsylvania)

And not only that, but a fourth Amish Country buffet – Mrs. Yoder’s Kitchen (Mt. Hope, Ohio) – makes the list at #7.

While I’m maybe a bit surprised to see the Amish Country outlets dominating all three top spots, Shady Maple landing at number one is not exactly a surprise.

It’s long been a high-profile buffet, in part due to its sheer size and footprint on the heavily-touristed Lancaster County culinary landscape. Not to mention, it’s now been ranked No. 1 three years running on this list.

The Shady Maple Smorgasbord was voted #1 buffet for the third year in a row. Photo: Shady Maple Smorgasbord/FB

These awards are “nominated by an expert panel and voted by readers as the best in the United States”, by the way. So we’re ultimately getting the people’s voice here.

And methinks that’s just as it should be, when it comes to that American culinary institution, the beloved all-you-can-eat restaurant. No snooty judges’ verdicts here; the people, and their taste buds, have spoken.

Eating is one of the top activities when you go to Amish Country. That’s because the Amish, and greater PA Dutch culture, are known for their food. There is a strong positive association between the Amish and good homestyle cooking. Not to mention their bakery items, canned goods, and other treats.

Buffet offerings at Der Dutchman Restaurant in Sarasota, Florida. Photo: Der Dutchman Sarasota/FB

The other restaurants in the top 10 are spread out around the country, and are not Amish-themed. But Amish-style cooking taking 40% of the top 10 is a pretty impressive feat. It suggests that Amish/PA Dutch cooking has a pretty firm grip on America’s popular dining scene, at least when it comes to the all-you-can-eat venue.

I admit I don’t really have the best grasp of all-you-can-eat buffet options, but I can say I’ve enjoyed the ones I’ve been to in Amish Country. For example, another one, albeit not on this list – Bird-in-Hand Family Restaurant – I thought was very good.

And I’ve actually been to three of the four Amish-style places listed here (all except Miller’s), though I think I ordered off the menu at least at one of them, so can’t attest to the buffet quality.

Mrs. Yoder’s Kitchen represents Ohio Amish Country on the list at #7. Photo: Tatiana L.M.

I’ll also say it’s interesting getting an entry in Florida – not the prototypical “Amish Country” we think of, but certainly an Amish location, with the prominent Pinecraft community.

What do you think? Any other Amish Country favorites that could be up for this list?