Originally called Uniontown back in 1815, Ashland is a small city in the Northeastern side of Ohio with many great people and places waiting to be discovered. Due to the fact that Ashland is so small, the community comes together to support each other. So it's no surprise that this city is often referred to as the headquarters of nice people. Now there are nice people, and there is great food. The food is made by people from different backgrounds who work really hard to keep their local business during these difficult times. Supporting these families is not only an act of kindness; it is a rewarding moment because you are spoiling yourself with a great meal. Here are some of the greatest local businesses in Ashland, Ohio.

Peking Chinese Restaurant

The authentic Chinese food that people in Ashland are obsessed with.

129 W Main St, Ashland, OH 44805 | +1 419-281-0004 | ohpeking.com/

This restaurant is often called by residents: "The best Chinese food in Ashland". The fresh vegetables, the friendly and effective service, and the variety of dishes from soups, and salads, to pork and vegetarian meals. Some of the house specialties include the Shan-Tan Beef, a filet of beef with scallion, garlic, and roast orange skin with hot oil. 

There is also the Seafood Combination; it comes with shrimp, crabs, and scallops with vegetables in a very light sauce. Also, there are special house dinners with different options for the protein as your main dish. It comes with a soup, an egg roll fried wonton, fried chicken wings, rice, and cookies. You are going to love it! This local business is open Tuesday to Sunday, and online ordering is available.

Best Chinese food in Ashland. I normally get takeout once or twice a month and dine in a couple of times a year. Every employee is very friendly, and I always feel welcome when I visit. Yelp Review. 

Ashland-Wooster Drive-In

A different way of making sandwiches

1134 E Main St, Ashland, OH 44805 | +1 419-281-2658 | ashland-wooster.com

Eight different kinds of sandwiches, ten different side orders, and a huge variety of soft drinks. Ashland Wooster opened its doors in 1957 as a humble rootbeer stand. In 1984, the current owners purchased the business and transformed it into a fast-food restaurant where the ingredients are fresh, and the rootbeer is homemade. Some of the side orders include fried pickles, shrimp, chicken tenders, and potato salad. 

All the soft drinks are available as floats, so there will always be something new to try. The shake flavors include peanut butter, Oreo, strawberry, and rootbeer. You can call and order for your next event, or just drive-in and try some of the best sandwiches in town!

Sometimes we all need to feed into guilty pleasures. Life can't just be quinoa and kale chips. When you need a quick fix, the A-W drive-in is your place.  Yelp Review. 

Fiesta Charra

The authentic Mexican restaurant you were waiting for

1202 E Main St, Ashland, OH 44805 |  +1 419-281-9319 | fiestacharraashland.com

The bright and bold colors of joy and positive energy from this restaurant are the first things you notice when you visit Fiesta Charra. 

This Mexican restaurant has a menu for lunch, for dinner, for children, and a vegetarian one. It's simply a place where all people, regardless of their taste and their budget, should visit. 

One of the specialties of the house is the Enchiladas Jalisco, with shredded carnitas, cheese, rice, and beans. A great meatless option is the vegetarian fajitas, fresh sauteed zucchini, mushrooms, peppers, and onions. It is served with rice, beans, and tortillas. If you are one of those people who like to try a little bit of everything, there is a buffet with delicious dishes, side orders, and sauces waiting for you here. You are going to love it!

Superb food, great customer service. The atmosphere is different, very bright, and upbeat. The food was super authentic Mexican. I'm not talking Americanized Mexican cuisine, but actually really flavorful, perfectly cooked, authentic Mexican food. Yelp Review. 

Shanks Bar and Grill

Live entertainment, contests, and a welcoming atmosphere.

1333 Center St, Ashland, OH 44805 | +1 419-571-4258 | ashlandgolfclubohio.com/shanks-bar-grill/

This dining patio is inside the Ashland Golf Club, rated 8th in the nation. A beautiful outdoor space to relax and play golf, host your events, and even get married! Now let's talk about the food. Shanks Bar offers a variety of appetizers, and traditional and boneless chicken wings to start your afternoon talking comfortably with your family. 

There is live music often, so you will enjoy the snacks with a beautiful view and relaxing background music. Then, you can order a sandwich or a burger. The Garden Vegetable Burger, for instance, is a veggie burger grilled with sauteed peppers and mushrooms, caramelized onions, melted swiss cheese, and chipotle ranch dressing served on a grilled ciabatta roll. Sounds too good to be dismissed!

The best food in Ashland! Expansive menu with tons of options from burgers and fries to tuna poke bowls to Hawaiian chicken. Live music almost every weekend, which is definitely a plus. Service is fast and friendly with a great selection of adult beverages! Yelp Review. 

Uniontown Brewing Company

The big dream of starting a brewing company in a historical place. 

105 W Main St, Ashland, OH 44805 | +1 567-215-5019 | uniontownbrewing.com

This business started in a building as old as Pre-Civil war America. In fact, Ashland was called Uniontown during that time! The owners refurbished the entire structure to make it resilient and with an aesthetic aligned to the values that they ambitioned for the Uniontown Brewing Company. This place is very well-known for its burgers. You can try the BBQ burger covered with pulled pork, house slaw, BBQ sauce, fried jalapeños, and cheddar cheese on a pretzel bun. There's also the Jupiter Burger, a ½ lb. burger with smoked gouda, grilled, Tuscan porchetta, pesto mayo, red onion, and romaine. It will seduce your palate in an unexpected but delightful way. 

On the other hand, all the beers are brewed in-house, from high quality classic to seasonal fresh brews; trying any of the beers from this place is a must to live the experience fully. Whether you like your beer light, dark, floral, heavy, smooth, toasty, or creamy, there is an option here for you. 

The portobello was amazing! Fresh mozzarella and a glaze that is both zesty and sweet. Coupled with coleslaw, which was homemade with bits of Brussel sprouts. A hardy portion too. Yelp Review. 

Donna D's Family Pizza

Some of the best pizza in Ashland, Ohio.

1315 Cleveland Ave, Ashland, OH 44805 | +1 419-281-1234 | donnadspizza.com

There are many restaurants out there where you can choose the ingredients of your own pizza, but the level of personalization at Donna D's goes even one step further. You can make your pizza with one to five toppings in a small, medium, or large pizza. There are vegan toppings, and gluten-free crust is available as well. The chicken wings are another great option as there are seven different sauces to choose from, including cajun, teriyaki, garlic parmesan, and oven-roasted. 

If you are going for a low-carb meal, you can try the chef salads. The turkey salad comes with lettuce, tomato, onion, black olives, cucumber, provolone cheese, and turkey. You can order online the seven days of the week and try some of the best pizza in Ashland, Ohio!

Something about the thick provolone cheese they use, the sauce is the absolute best pizza sauce I've ever tasted out of any pizzeria, the oregano seasoning, and the crispy ribbon crust is just perfect to me, and anyone I've ever got Donna's with agrees with me. Yelp Review.

Downtown Perk & Dessert Oasis

A healthy meal delivered by hardly working Ashland residents 

145 W Main St, Ashland, OH 44805 | +1 419-281-7375 |  downtownperk.com/

In the middle of the Great Recession of 2008, a group of Ashland natives decided to open this business with local food and exceptional service. The vision of this business is to have a friendly, warm, and welcoming place for Ashland residents and visitors, where people can talk, have a good time, eat breakfast or lunch, and have good quality and freshly made healthy food. 

Sandwiches, salads, wraps, and flatbreads are available with animal and vegan proteins with some gluten-free options. The assortment of beverages will make you want to stay even longer as there are hot, cold, and frappe coffee-based drinks. Carryout orders are available if you call ahead so that you can take your food home if that's what you prefer. You don't want to miss the Gluten-free Caprese with mozzarella, basil, tomatoes, and balsamic glaze. It is deliciously healthy!

I eat there all the time for lunch and occasionally breakfast. Love their food and the staff is always wonderful! It's a nice change of pace, having a place you can eat some fresh food at in Ashland and isn't a chain restaurant. Yelp Review.

Lotus Restaurant

Asian cuisine for everybody

1616 Claremont Ave, Ashland, OH 44805 | +1 419-496-0012 | ashlandlotus.com

This unique offering of Asian cuisine is definitely worth it for those of you who like to try different dishes on a regular basis. To begin with, you can try the Vegetarian Lettuce Wraps or the Shrimp and Chicken Spring Roll. Then, if you like the combination of sweet and salty, you should try the Pineapple Chicken. It comes with diced pineapples sauteed with sliced chicken breast and mixed vegetables. 

You will find a sweet and salty option in your favorite protein, like beef, chicken, shrimp, pork, or veggies, and all of them are carefully prepared by people who love and understand Asian cuisine. But that's not it! Lotus also has a sushi bar. Delight your palate with a Rainbow Roll, a combination of salmon, tuna, and tilapia draped over a California Roll, or one of the favorites, the Ashland Roll. Made with chicken tempura, cucumber, avocado, lettuce, and spicy sauce. As you see, it seems that the options here are never-ending, so give yourself the opportunity to try something new and be delighted by this highly-rated local business. 

The sushi is great. I ordered the lotus crunch. The plate was huge well worth the price. The server was very attentive and very friendly. Yelp Review.

Whether you like Mexican food, Asian cuisine, American burgers, or low carb vegan meals, there is an option in Ashland, Ohio, waiting for you. Let yourself be pleased by these wonderful local businesses that are working really hard to create delicious food and satisfy their clients. There are many options for you to choose from, and you will be happy to take a little break from cooking every day. Now the real question is: What restaurant do you want to visit this weekend?