Review – Yoder’s Amish Village, Pinecraft
Hey, now. This road trip to the beach needs a breakfast stop.
We’d been living in Florida for a month and had yet to visit a proper beach. I suggested we check out Lido Key outside Sarasota. Several Amish and Mennonite acquaintances back home told me that the Sarasota region was an Anabaptist oasis for warmth in winter.
I was curious to see how the old orders take liberty and thought my wife might appreciate a little taste of PA Dutch (Deutsch) to ward off the homesickness. Thus, we decided to visit the little village of Pinecraft on our way to Sarasota and Lido Key
Of course, we’d need to find a spot to eat. As we were rising early to get a jump on the hour-long drive, breakfast seemed a good meal to explore. We had been tipped by our family that Yoder’s Restaurant and Der Dutchman were worthy spots to try. Christa looked up both and made a decision.
In the morning we dressed for cool weather at the shore and hopped in the sporty little runabout, anxious for some Dutchy vittles. At that point, the beach was secondary to coffee, eggs, and meat. We were headed for Yoder’s to break the fast; I could almost taste the scrapple.
Yoder’s Restaurant & Amish Village
3434 Bahia Vista St
Sarasota, FL 34239
Phone: 941-955-7771
Open Monday thru Saturday
Closed Sundays
Breakfast
6:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Lunch & Dinner
Monday – Thursday 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Friday & Saturday 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
www.yodersrestaurant.com/
We avoided the scenic drive to make good time and took I-75 to Fruitville Road to Bahia Vista Street and Pinecraft–a community of shoebox cottages on a grid of streets teeming with bearded men, bonneted women, and barefooted children. As wont to do up north, they got about on scooters, bicycles, and tricycles, but also (gasp) golf carts. There were no horse and buggies to be seen, but since most residents arrive by bus, they weren’t fitting them in the luggage compartment.
Not every resident of Pinecraft is of the Amish, Mennonite, Hutterite, or Brethren persuasion, but I suspect most hale from the same regions, such as those in Pennsylvania and Ohio. And not all residents are vacationers and snowbirds (shneefinks?). Quite a few Pinecrafters are retirees who left the plows and planes for pacific climes and pastimes.
And Yoder’s founders are from Indiana, not Pennsylvania. But since close counts in horseshoes and hand grenades, I’m going to call this quoit match even. Besides, I’ve scoured the internet and I cannot find a term that is synonymous with Pennsylvania Dutch in other states, i.e., Indiana Dutch, Ohio Dutch, Delaware Dutch.
We arrived at Yoder’s Amish Village mid-morning and joined the line of locals that grew longer behind us. The restaurant was bright and clean with a comfortable, homey atmosphere. Light pine paneling was tastefully decorated with modest kitsch–straw hats, quilts and needlework, postcards and photographs. Khaki vinyl gingham clothed the tables.
Yoder’s Restaurant was busy but not overwhelmingly so. Guests chatted happily with each other and the pleasant staff. The aromas wafting from the kitchen were downright torture on an empty stomach. I couldn’t wait to dig in.
We didn’t have to wait long. Once we were seated and coffee was ordered, we cracked the menus. Alas, they had no scrapple but cornmeal mush instead–hardly a substitute. No worries, there was plenty else to fill the tum. The menu prices were average and the portions increased the value.
I forgot to take pictures of our food. I feel a bit uncomfortable doing so when people are looking and the quarters were tight. Besides, I defy you to think of picture taking when those plates of food arrive. Whipping out my phone was not on my mind. For now, my descriptions must suffice.
The coffee was hot, fresh and filled regularly. I take mine with two Splenda, a Sweet ‘N Low, and two tubs of half and half. It had a nice medium roast flavor without bitterness, enriched by the creamer–a satisfying cup after the long drive.
I chose the Two Farm Fresh Eggs, over medium, grits, and toast with a side of bacon and sausage gravy. Never don’t try the sausage gravy.
Christa got Two Farm Fresh Eggs, scrambled with bacon toast and home fries. Would she like to split one of Mom’s Homemade Sweet Rolls? Of course, she would–my girl. It was wise to split one. When the waitress delivered the small frosted hassock, the weight of the damned thing almost split the table.
The sausage gravy was a milk-based, flour-thickened, peppery sauce chock-full of country pork sausage crumbles–a meal in itself. I wished I had ordered a biscuit, but I need toast to dip in my eggs and I was also in need of a second stomach or a hollow leg in which to fit everything on my plate. The eggs, by the way, were perfectly cooked over medium.
Christa’s eggs were also cooked to her liking, a fluffy single mass–typical of a country kitchen–not soft, small, custard-like curds as I prefer. But these were her eggs, not mine and if you like them that way, you’ll be pleased. They were moist, though not creamy, and plentiful. They also showed the signs of being cooked in a pan which I believe gives a better result than a flat top. A dash of salt made them complete.
The bacon was lightly smoked, well salty and standard thickness. It was evenly cooked–the meaty portions were not crispy, but not floppy, either. The fatty streaks were rendered just solid to a golden brown. It was just the right leathery texture with crisp edges that I like, though not crispy enough for Christa. lt was wonderful-gut bacon.
The home fries were a letdown for reasons all too common in our experience: A heaping helping of cooked, sliced potatoes, plopped on a griddle until browned on the outside, then flipped for the same effect on the other. The result isn’t so much home fries as it is home steams–a nice thin crust of browned potatoes with a steaming mass of blah on the inside. This is one reason I opt for grits.
Christa savored the crispy bits and scorned the soft innards. They could save money by cutting the quantity in half and spreading them thinner on the griddle for a more crispy texture and browned flavor throughout. Or simply dice the potatoes and drop them it in the fryer. We’d be happier, but the prevalence of steaming piles proves that our opinion is the minority one.
There were many appealing dishes to choose from, but I like to order eggs over medium when trying a new place. It’s how I judge the skill and care of the kitchen. I can now return and try the benedicts or skillets and know they will be crafted well, regardless of the number of tickets in the window. They certainly looked good on the neighboring tables.
The meals were rib-stickingly tip top. We both ate too much and agreed we would definitely return. Man oh man–that massive mattress of a sweet roll under its sugary white blanket. Let me shift that belt buckle one more notch.
As I stood in line to pay the bill, I learned that Yoder’s is well beloved for their other baked goods. The cashier station is also the bakery window. Stacks of pies, baked fresh every morning, awaited purchase and a whiteboard listed a dozen regular and seasonal varieties.
Is twenty dollars too much dough for a 10 in. pan of fruit and pastry? Ask the pie fanatics queued up to the carry-out window and the ladies with New York accents ordering them in threes and fours. I had zero gastro-estate to try a slice this visit.
After breakfast, we walked next door to peruse the produce market and deli. We were warmed to see many products from back home including Goods potato chips in the blue bag. Mmm. Lard-fried potato chips.
There were many canned good, such as pickled beets, red beet eggs, mustard eggs, chow chow, pickles, jelly and the like from the usual brands, like Jake & Amos. Fresh produce and meats were also available as well as cured meats and sausage. Farmer’s cheese, roll butter, and sweet bologna was stocked. They even had Kunzler hams and John F. Martin hot dogs.
Sadly, for Christa, they didn’t have the right brand of Lebanon bologna. We’ll have to rely on cured meat care packages from home. It was an odd feeling to be excited to see products that were so commonplace to us just a month ago.
Yoder’s Amish Village Markets might become a bimonthly shopping destination for those little vittles from home. Trust me on those lard-fried potato chips; you’ll never buy the big brands again. The prices seemed reasonable, if a skosh more than at home, but you pay for convenience and sentiment.
I recommend shopping the deli and produce before eating at the restaurant (bring a cooler). After that hearty meal, there’s little appetite for stocking up on provisions. Ordinarily, I’d have snagged bags of chips and pretzels, a jar of dipping mustard and a hunk o’ cheese, but my belly wouldn’t let my brain see the benefit.
Afterward, we took a leisurely drive around the neighborhood to get an eyeful of the local lax life. The streets were straight and narrow and the spacing of cottages even narrower. Pinecraft was antithetical to the vast rolling fields of corn and tobacco, the three-story houses separated by hundreds of acres, and the tree-lined winding roads left behind.
The residents could be found in the parks at shuffleboard and volleyball courts. They mingled at the squares and Big Olaf’s Creamery. They gather in the lot behind the Tourist Mennonite Church where busses roll in and out like the tide, releasing weary pilgrims from the likes of Lancaster County, PA, Holmes County, Ohio, and Elkhart County, Indiana and carrying away the rested and relaxed. The passengers aren’t strictly Anabaptists (Anabaptist is an outsider term–most self-identify as Taüfer) there are a few English as well. Regardless, it seems to be a town event to see them in and wave them off.
Amish fashion is almost a trope with most portrayals focusing on the ultra-conservative sects and overlooking the rest with their penchant for bright solid color fabrics. All around us lime green, royal blue, and vibrant red shirts and dresses contrasted the black pants, suspenders and (occasional) aprons. Where crowds assembled, Pinecraft resembled Munchkinland.
It didn’t take long to start feeling a bit like a hypocrite for having carped on the out-of-towners that would drive through Lancaster ogling the Amish. So, we ended the tour and headed west on Bahia Vista Street toward Sarasota and Lido Key. We had to burn off some breakfast with a walk on the beach.
I’m glad Christa chose Yoder’s over Der Dutchman. Though we’ll certainly try the latter, later. Der Dutchman is a small chain of buffet restaurants featuring “Amish Kitchen Cooking” straight outta Ohio. I’m not opposed to chains in theory, but quality and passion often diminish with expansion.
Yoder’s, on the other hand, is a family venture begun by Levi and Amanda Yoder, who sold their farm in Nappanee, Indiana and moved to Sarasota in the ‘70s. While they eventually did grow to two locations, they closed the Sarasota location, sharpened focus back to the one in Pinecraft and expanded in the ‘00s to include the gift shop, deli and produce market.
It’s worth noting they also do takeout. A sack of sandwiches and some deli salads would make a great lunch on the beach of Lido Key or under the oak and palm canopy of Myakka River State Park.
We will return for more, and perhaps for one of their country dinner offerings. Their fried chicken looks fantastic and I can already taste the pepper gravy over some fluffy mashed potatoes with a slice of strawberry pie. No, banana cream pie. No, shoefly. No, chocolate cream. Maybe they do a sampler…
If you find yourself peckish en route to Sarasota or simply in the vicinity of Pinecraft, give Yoder’s a visit. And have an empty stomach and a buggy for your belly. That sweet roll takes a heavy toll. Better yet, bring friends–a lot of them. Yaeder mon set gae.
Thanks for reading!