By Ken Drenten

Clay’s Cafe started out as an ice cream stand in 1934 but now is well-known for its handmade stromboli and other Italian entrees. (Credit: Ken Drenten)

The year 1934 seems an unlikely date for establishing a successful family business. The nation had been locked into the Great Depression for four full years, and times were tough. But that’s when the Clay’s Cafe story begins.

The interurban railroad line that ran between Buckeye Lake Amusement Park and Columbus had shut down operations at the start of the Depression.

Even so, in 1934, Cummins Ice Cream was founded as a front-yard operation, doing well enough to move to a permanent structure a year later.

The nearby amusement park and lakeside cottages continued to draw visitors and weekenders via U.S. 40. The ice cream shop was located right alongside the busy highway in the village of Hebron. The amusement park deteriorated and closed by the end of the 1960s, but the restaurant continued to thrive.

Clay’s Cafe is known for its “home-made with pride” recipes. (Credit: Ken Drenten)

In 1979, the Cummins family sold the business to the Clay family, who renamed it County Fair Foods. In 1997, the next generation of the Clay family took over operations and renamed it Clay’s Café, both in honor of the family name and for Sen. Henry Clay, who was responsible for funding the original National Road in the 19th century. A former employee and his partner assumed operations in 2022 and maintain its family atmosphere and great food.

Now, in addition to ice cream, Clay’s Café is known for its stromboli. A large stromboli is a huge ring of handmade dough, baked and filled with cheese, pepperoni, sausage, or a choice of other typical pizza ingredients. They also specialize in pizza and freshly-handmade Italian pasta dishes, as well as an array of sandwiches, burgers and subs. Sides like fried pickles, beer-battered corn dogs, county fair-style fries, fried mushrooms are also popular.

Customers can sit on stools along an old-fashioned counter and watch as employees prepare their food or sit at tables and booths in the diner-style restaurant. New for 2024, the restaurant has expanded its seating capacity and has reintroduced catering services.

Clay’s Café is located at 808 W. Main St. (U.S. 40), Hebron (740) 929-2529, connect on Facebook. Find more diners and unique restaurants in Dusty Tires.

Ken Drenten is creator and editor of Dusty-Tires.com, a travel blog for out-of-the-ordinary places in Ohio.

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