[UPDATE: The Golden Jersey Inn is CLOSED and will become an event center.]
The Golden Jersey Inn (Facebook / @youngsdairy / Instagram @youngsdairy)
6880 Springfield Xenia Rd. (map it!)
Yellow Springs, OH 45387
(937) 324-2050
Open Mon-Thur, 11a-8p; Fri, 11a-9p; Sat, 8a-9p, Sun, 8a-8p (bfast served Sat & Sun till 2p; extended hours during summer)
Accepts cash & debit/credit
Vegetarian/vegan/gluten free?
Kid-friendly? Y
Visited: Sunday, August 23, 2015 at 9:30 a.m.
If you’re familiar at all with the Yellow Springs area, you probably know all about Young’s Jersey Dairy. It’s a veritable mecca for all things family- and farm-related. First and foremost, it’s a working dairy that produces its own cheese and ice cream, but on top of that they’ve got miniature golf, animals, batting cages, you name it. The dairy serves food (including breakfast!) cafeteria style, but on the grounds is also a fully-fledged restaurant, the Golden Jersey Inn.
Golden Jersey Inn ranks amongst those restaurants serving uncomplicated food that’s easy to like. This is your place if you’re seeking an inexpensive and filling breakfast in a faux barn-setting. Maybe not everyone’s top choice, but there’s certainly a time and place for it.
Our time and place was on the way to exploring Yellow Springs for the day. We spent it hiking the Clifton Gorge, strolling through town for coffee and comic books, sipping a few beers at Yellow Springs Brewery, and then playing games and gorging on ice cream back at the Dairy.
The Inn is a massive space with several dining rooms, all shaped like a barn and full of barn-related knick-knacks.
If the kids are getting restless, you can look at all the old dairy equipment and read about Young’s history.
Not surprisingly, the breakfast menu features items with names like the Chuckwagon, the Chicken Coop, or the Up & At ‘Em.
Beverage-wise, we kept it simple. Orange juice, iced tea, water.
Always open to something country-fried, we chose the Homesteader, a breaded and fried pork tenderloin with sausage gravy, eggs, and potatoes. This was the favorite dish of the meal: tender pork, good breading, a nice chunky gravy. But when you say “hash browns,” I expect shredded potatoes, not the diced home fries! (Sorry, pet peeve here.)
The weekly chicken and waffles special was pretty run-of-the-mill. Pre-cut fries, breaded chicken strips, and a waffle. I’ve come to like much spicier and saltier fried chicken, especially on my waffles. We asked for a side of hot sauce, and that helped.
The Chuckwagon, from the kid’s menu: two very nice biscuits with that same sausage gravy + potatoes.
And the Ranch Hand, also from the kid’s menu: pancakes, sausage, and eggs. Very basic but it earned two thumbs up!
Make sure you browse the cheeses before you leave. Young’s produces a lot of cheese, including spicy and smoked varieties.
Golden Jersey Inn is certainly a fun stop for the family, and for anyone who’s a fan of big breakfasts and farm-related settings. If you’re planning to spend the day at the Dairy or hiking the many parks around Yellow Springs, the Inn offers a great start to your adventures.
