Inside: Join me as I drive an hour outside of Columbus to dine at Spearman’s Restaurant – located in a gas station. Was it worth the drive?
My husband is used to me being kind of nutty. I mean, we flew half way across the world to sleep with strangers in Hong Kong.
We contracted dengue fever in Thailand and then I wrote about how grateful I was for the experience.
Then there was the time I insisted we put on our figurative “ghostbusters” gear and explore a local haunted inn.
He is used to my crazy shenanigans and is the biggest enabler of all.
So he absolutely did not bat an eye when I told him I wanted to drive to Howard, Ohio, located about an hour outside of Columbus, so I could check out a really cool gas station.
I was expecting some sort of hesitation on his part, so I quickly started to tell him how it was supposed to be fantastic, and had all these 5 star reviews on Yelp and Tripadvisor…which is actually pretty impressive considering some of the reviews I’ve read. People can be particularly harsh on Yelp and Tripadvisor.
No need to worry – he was all in.
Damn, I love that man.
If you’re not familiar with Howard, Ohio, it’s a small town northeast of Columbus.
My family loves nearby Apple Valley Lake and we head up there as often as we can in the summer. Besides the gorgeous lake, there are three beaches to explore. It’s a slice of heaven, for sure.
You can also hike the Kokosing Gap trail, or check out the Honey Run Waterfall. Nearby Mount Vernon is also fun to explore for a day.
So without any hesitation or rolling of the eyes, we got in the car to drive an hour to eat at Spearman’s restaurant located in a vintage gas station.
When we pulled up, it was exactly as I had a pictured. A vintage gas station. With a restaurant inside.
There were a handful of tables and some booths along the wall. It had a super homey, comfy vibe. You could tell most of the people there were regulars – they were joking with the other tables and relaxing and having a good time.
Spearman’s Restaurant Menu
We grabbed a table and checked out the menu. Spearman’s restaurant menu is full of homestyle favorites and country dinners. The first thing I noticed were the prices. Nothing on the menu approached double digits.
EVERYTHING was under $10.
With classics like roast beef, Cincinnati style chili, burgers, beef tips, and a wide variety of sandwiches, there is something for everyone!
On the wall there was a handwritten dry-erase board with the daily specials, which included stuffed peppers, fried chicken and Swiss steak.
I pretty much always get meatloaf if it’s on the menu. I blame my solidly Indian upbringing. My lack of access to American comfort foods growing up makes meatloaf seem like this incredibly exotic, slightly forbidden treat. So, no surprise, meatloaf is what I ordered. It came with mashed potatoes and gravy, and green beans. It didn’t disappoint. Super tender, flavorful and topped with a yummy ketchup glaze.
I had read in some of the Yelp reviews that their coleslaw was killer. So, for research purposes, I had to order it. It was REALLY good.
I highly recommend.
Thank you, Yelpers, for never leading me astray.
My husband ordered the beef tips and noodles, but the little one conveniently had to go to the bathroom as soon as the food was set down and OMG it was an emergency, and then I lost the parental game of “not it!” so by the time I came back to the table his entire plate was finished.
I was sad that I couldn’t take a picture of it #ForTheBlog, but also happy that meant he could spend his time occupying the wee one while I ate my meal in peace.
#TeamParenting
Also, I don’t remember if they had an official kids meal because the sides were so awesome that we got a bunch of sides for the kid. Orange jello, banana salad, curly fries, pickled beets.
Here’s the most important thing to note:
Spearman’s Restaurant – SAVE ROOM FOR DESSERT!!
No matter what, absolutely make sure to save room for dessert.
Spearman’s is KNOWN for pie.
If you read through all their 5 star reviews on Yelp, every single one mentions their pie.
They had a HUGE list of all the flavors available, and we were happy to see the two that people rave about the most were offered.
The coconut pie was so good.
SO SO good.
It was custardy and full of coconut flavor and I loved the fresh whipped cream topping and the toasted coconut sprinkled on top. I’m a bit of an expert when it comes to coconut pie, and this was the best I’ve ever had. I would easily drive an hour out of my way to go eat another slice of this coconut pie.
The other fan favorite at Spearman’s restaurant is their fresh strawberry pie.
IT. IS. MASSIVE.
Like, really really huge.
It could easily serve a family of 4. It was also very good. Fresh, ripe strawberries and more of that delicious whipped cream.
Even if all you come for is the pie and cup of coffee, it’ll be worth the drive.
At the end of the day, I’m probably a major weirdo for driving an hour out of my way to eat a gas station. But it was totally worth it and I’m so glad I listened to my fellow Yelpers.
So tell me, would you drive an hour to eat at a vintage gas station?
pin me!
OMG I need to go! Bob is not quite as enthusiastic when I come up with similar crazy ideas, but he’s always glad I convince him to do such things afterwards. Adding this to the list.
I loved this post … I’m going to go there one day! It all looked so good!!
what a fun adventure! That coconut pie looks AMAZING and definitely worth the visit.
You had me hooked from the beginning with this post. I literally just told my husband to get ready to go on a road trip for some amazing gas station food. Thanks for sharing this hidden gem!