Inside an unassuming 120-year-old former grocery store in central Toledo, one finds a surprising array of high quality food at the Red and White Restaurant.

Red and White is a “restaurant” in that it has a takeout-only counter you can order at in the back of what is now a medium sized carryout near the store’s meat section, but the foods they offer are honestly tastier than one might find at the average diner.

The menu is large and a bit of a hodgepodge but full of classic items so one mostly knows what one is getting. Most items are shareable and both of this writer’s visits were marked by an ability to order one thing for a reasonable price that is satisfying and also good the next day.

Known for their chicken platters, the ten wings and fries platter ($16) lives up to its billing. The restaurant offers a huge portion of fries and chicken that was way more than I could eat in one sitting on my first visit.

The chicken breading was unique, a little salty and crispy, with moist, meaty insides and it came with a cup of a spicier-than- traditional hot sauce that paired with the meal really well.

Given that that the meal included bone-in wings that did not come already doused in a sauce, it compared in my mind to the chicken recipe one can find at another store, Kroger, which I find to be consistently great.

Still, the meat tasted fresh befitting of a location that prides itself on fresh meat, which it also sells raw and in bulk, touting deals like 50 raw wings for $25. 

A lamb gyro with fries ($15.99) mostly sticks to classic ingredients, combining the tartness of banana pepper with refreshing tomato, and cucumber tzatziki sauce, paired with tender lamb chunks that one wants to see when they order a gyro.

A lot of the meals at the Red and White come with fries, which in my view is OK because far from being soggy, they were actually rather crisp, and were seasoned with a kind of spicy salt that tantalized the tongue.

Breakfast is another occasion to visit the Red and White.

On my second visit, we ordered a breakfast sandwich with sausage and bacon ($7) that was cooked on the griddle right in front of us. It was stacked high with meats and topped with American cheese and provided the grease I needed.

My dining partner ordered the steak and eggs ($23) which was a revelation. The man behind the counter pulled a fresh t-bone steak out from the display and it was cooked to a perfect medium with perfectly runny eggs just like we asked.

Other items on the menu, but not tried, include a five lamb chop dinner ($35), cheesesteak and fries ($13), and a taco salad ($14.99).

Bottom line: the Red and White Restaurant is a unique place. It is a little rough around the edges but it does really good business. My second visit on a Friday morning saw the relatively small area around the “restaurant” counter get jam packed with nearly 10 customers waiting to place orders.

It is worth noting, too, that the place has a vibrant delivery service and is the sixth most popular local restaurant in the Toledo area, according to Doordash.

There are even some items, like a Reuben omelet or an all meat omelet (both $13.99) that seem to be available only when you order online or through an app like Doordash. 

However you get there, the Red and White Restaurant is worth a try.

First Published November 30, 2023, 2:00 p.m.