HAMILTON, Ohio — This story started as a search for amazing pies for the Thanksgiving holiday — but what I found was a space full of great pies and great people.
When Tim Partin walks into Hyde's Restaurant in Hamilton, he doesn't need to place an order. His server, Barb, already knows what he wants.
"My waitress there, Barb, she says crispy, crispy, crispy on my order, so that tells them that Tim's here," Partin said.
The Hamilton establishment has built its reputation on homemade food and personal connections that keep people coming back generation after generation.
"It's homemade food. It's hard to find a place that does homemade food as well as they do here," Partin said.
While the entrees draw people into the cozy booths, it's the pies that have become Hyde's signature specialty.
The restaurant is preparing to celebrate its 80th anniversary in 2026, with third-generation owners working to honor tradition while staying relevant.
Watch us sit down and chat with patrons about why Hyde's Restaurant is their chosen spot:
"Our pies are a nod to the past," Amy Hyde told me. "There's not many little diners left in the world, we're going to be into our 80th year in 2026. As third-generation owners just trying to honor the past and stay present, pies are something that are a specialty of this time of year."
With Thanksgiving approaching, Hyde's goes all out for pie season.
The restaurant will host "Pie Peloza," featuring a drive-through pie pickup in their back parking lot. All orders are taken online, and the restaurant expects to sell between 600 and 800 pies in a single day.
The menu features an impressive variety, from pumpkin and banana to chocolate and strawberry rhubarb.
"People eat from the heart and that's really important to us with the pies," said Hyde.
The sisters who run Hyde's and their staff ensure every diner leaves feeling both satisfied and valued. The personal touch sets them apart in an increasingly impersonal dining landscape.
"I like to say that it's more than a meal because they can go anywhere to eat, maybe pay less or go through a drive-through, not have to tip or any of those kind of scenarios. It's the personal connections that our staff does a wonderful job of developing," Hyde said.
This tradition of community connection is one Hyde's has been carrying for nearly 80 years and shows no signs of slowing down.
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