Bishops...50 years of relationships.

When the shirt says " Bishops World Famous Onion Rings” they have to be good.

Many will recall the popular drive-in located on Cleveland road in Madisonburg. Known for car hops, the nutty muffit and of course…onion rings.

Now the same great food and more importantly many the same people can be found at the new location at the intersection of US 30 and route 57.
Ok, they have been there eight years but it still feels new!

Bishops owner Denise Dorsey said she started as a carhop for Bishops when she was a sophomore in high school and would have never dreamed she would someday be the owner of the restaurant.

“Bishops was on Cleveland road for over 40 years until the property was sold and we closed. It was a shock to the community and left a void in our own lives” said Dorsey.


“Two years later we learned the that the current location was available. Soon after, Bishops was reborn”

As you look around the establishment you will find vintage photographs that span the years of operation. The dining area is clean and bright. A friendly hostess will seat you, provide you with a menu and make you feel at home.
Limited car hop service is still provided but it is clear that most customers enjoy dining inside.

“I like it better too” Dorsey said. Having the customer seated at a table provides a much more interactive experience than serving them at the window of their car.” The people who choose to eat here are not just a customer, they are like family to us.” It might sound corny, but its true. When you see the same people time and time again, you learn about them and their family, their likes and dislikes.

When you hear a restaurant owner speaking of relationships and 50 years of service you know they are doing things right.

What brings the customers back? “Quality food, great service and reasonable prices.” Denise said.

"Many of our items are made right here fresh every day. For example, our pies are made with hand rolled crust and baked in our kitchen." Dorsey went on with many other examples but they are to many to list!

No discussion about Bishops is complete without speaking of the onion rings. “We mix our own batter from raw ingredients using a special recipe. Like the pies, the batter is blended right here.” Dorsey said the onion rings are so popular that they sell the batter at the counter. It is also available at Buehlers markets.

"On average we use about 500 pounds of onions per week and none of the onion goes to waste. What is not used for the rings is minced and used in other dishes".
Dorsey pointed out that onions are a very heart healthy food and the rings are fried in a oil that contains no trans-fats.

A quick glance at the menu and it is easy to see that Bishops has something for everyone and the prices for most entrées are less than $10.00. I have noticed that there are normally no less than three daily specials.

Dorsey said that depending on the time of year 12-15 people are employed. When it came time for me to take the picture Dorsey said she could not be in it alone and quickly gathered some of her team to pose with her. "This is not about me she said."

Friday is patriotic day at Bishops. All the staff wear limited edition red white and blue tie dye shirts.
While Bishops offers other tee-shirts for sale, the patriotic day ones are only for the staff.

What does Dorsey do when she is not providing great food? “ I like to read and most recently started training my two border collies in the sport if agility.  My dogs Linus and Lucy are bundles of energy and I enjoy getting out and working with them when I have the time".

As for me? Twenty five year Bishops veteran Cheryl knows what I am going to order when I come in the door... "a nutty with the works, rings and of course a diet!