Submitted photo Two Trumbull County restaurants (Cockeye BBQ and Creamery, Peter Allen Inn) and one Mahoning location (Casa di Canzonetta) are featured in the book “Unique Eats and Eateries of Ohio.”

Three area establishments are spotlighted in the new book “Unique Eats and Eateries of Ohio.”

Cockeye BBQ and Creamery in Warren, Casa di Canzonetta in Youngstown and Peter Allen Inn in Kinsman are among more than 80 Ohio dining spots included in the book written by Brandy Gleason, who is the author of three other books, including “100 Things to Do in Ohio Before You Die.” She also is the chief writer for Gleason Family Adventure and founder of the Ohio Road Trips Facebook page.

Gleason will do a presentation and book signing on “Unique Eats” at 11 a.m. May 29 at the main branch of the Warren-Trumbull County Public Library.

“The ones that are in the book are ones I’ve eaten at, met the owners and was able to get to know them,” Gleason said.

Reedy Press, which also published “100 Things to Do in Ohio …,” has released similarly themed books for other states and approached Gleason about doing one for Ohio. She relied on her past travels around the state for Ohio Road Trips, suggestions from followers of the Facebook page and contacts in the travel and tourism industry to decide where to visit.

The responsiveness of the restaurants also was a factor.

“Restaurateurs are super hard to get a hold of,” she said. “They’re the busiest people on the planet.”

She described Ohio as “a hamburger-pizza kind of state” but found many ethnic restaurants to include, and the businesses range from newer establishments to places like the Spread Eagle Tavern in Hanoverton and the Golden Lamb in Lebanon that have been in business for centuries.

Gleason had high praise for the three area places she included.

“They’re all family owned or community focused,” she said. “They’re always giving back to their communities. They just care. That’s why they’ve planted where they’ve planted, why they are where they are.

“With Cockeye, (co-owner Stacey Hoover) said she kept driving by the empty building and finally was just like, ‘I’m buying the building. I’m sick of looking at it. I’m going to make it this.’ And Mark (Canzonnetta) went to downtown Youngstown and is helping revitalize that area. He’s really putting down roots, and he’s just made such an amazing contribution to the area. They’re just amazing people.”

Gleason also mentioned a couple of her favorites in the book.

“G&R Tavern (in Waldo) is a really unique little restaurant, cash only, in a little tiny town,” She said. “They claim they have the world’s best bologna sandwich, which I actually think it is. It was delicious. Bologna is one of those things that you’re not sure you’re going to love, and when you take your first bite, you’re like, ‘Oh my gosh, that’s really good.’

“We found Hamburger Inn, which has been around a long time in Delaware, Ohio, and it’s fresh-cut fries, milkshakes, U-shaped counters. It has that old-school feel that we look for in nostalgia dining.”

Since “Unique Eats” was released on May 1, the free Warren library event will be only the second presentation and the third book signing Gleason has done for the book.

“I’ll probably do more of a Q&A this time, just because I would assume people have more questions than wanting to hear me babble about the book. I’ll probably give a short introduction, and then just let them ask questions.”

If you go …

WHAT: Presentation and book signing by Brandy Gleason, author of “Unique Eats and Eateries of Ohio”

WHEN: 11 a.m. May 29

WHERE: Warren-Trumbull County Public Library, 444 Mahoning Ave. NW, Warren

HOW MUCH: Admission is free. For more information, go to wtcpl.org or call 330-399-8807.