(Photo by Jess Mancini) From left, Head Chef Bailey Null, owner Desiree Kerns and servers Hadley Bumgarner and Maddie Smith at the Ohio Redwood in Belpre. The Ohio Redwood will be featured by “America’s Best Restaurants.”

BELPRE — A restaurant in Belpre will be featured by “America’s Best Restaurants.”

The Ohio Redwood at 2813 Washington Blvd. was nominated by patron Linda Lockhart, who wrote about the home-cooked meals, daily specials and the “friendliest staff you ever met.”

“She was in here this morning,” said Desiree Kerns, who with her husband, Jared, have owned the restaurant since 2019. It was formerly called Jeannie’s Redwood.

Desiree was surprised, but was honored for the nomination.

“Absolutely,” she said.

(Photo by Jess Mancini) From left, Desiree Kerns and Hadley Bumgarner at a cash register at the Ohio Redwood in Belpre. A crew from “America’s Best Restaurants” will film an episode on Monday at the restaurant.

Head Chef Bailey Null was not surprised.

“Maybe a little,” he said. “Our food is great, don’t get me wrong.”

He attributes the quality of the service that customers get at the Redwood Restaurant.

“We have some of the best servers in the area,” Null said.

Diners feel at home and at ease, according to Null.

“People come here like you’re getting a home-cooked meal with your family,” he said.

The restaurant will prepare three meals, Desiree said. What those will be has yet to be determined, Null said.

“We’re up in the air on that one,” he said.

Popular menu items that may be featured include the Western Omelette that comes with ham, onion, tomato, green pepper, cheese and a side of chili, barbecued ribs and the Tall Boy Cheeseburger that is stacked with four patties and toppings.

“One of the biggest and most delicious burgers you’ll ever have,” Desiree said.

It will be business as usual when America’s Best Restaurants films, Desiree said.

The roadshow team will be at the restaurant from 9 a.m.-noon Monday when it will interview the Kernses about the restaurant’s place in the community.

The episode will extensively air on social media channels on a date to be announced on the “America’s Best Restaurants” Facebook page and on its website.

Restaurants are selected based on customer reviews, menu items, social media presence and involvement in the community from nominations by customers nominations, internal vetting or by a restaurant applying at www.americasbestrestaurants.com.

The Kernses bought the restaurant in October 2019. Both had industry experience growing up and a dream of having a place.

The Ohio Redwood serves breakfast that includes egg dishes, pancakes and platters and soups and salads, sandwiches, hot entrees, pasta, wings and sides for lunch and dinner. Daily specials are posted on social media.

“We like for people to walk into a warm and friendly atmosphere, with good homestyle dishes,” Desiree said.

The restaurant has been in business more than 60 years, among the longest-running locally owned restaurants in the area, she said.

More information about Ohio Redwood’ is on Facebook. “America’s Best Restaurants,” a media and restaurant marketing company, is based in Florence, Ky.