Food tours during the international meet

Sarah Snook

Sarah Snook

PCS Life Member
I've had several people asking me about the logistics of doing an independent food tour of Akron and Cleveland during the international meet. If you have a day during the meet when you're not planning on going on any tours, there are definitely some well known places that you should check out.

If you are already signed up for tours every day, don't worry - you'll still get some great food.

If you're with the group on Tuesday, we will be going to Swenson's Drive-In Restaurant. Swenson's was awarded the coveted title of "Best Burger in America" by Forbes Magazine a few years ago, wins local awards all the time, and was featured on Michael Symon's Food Network show Food Feuds. Join us on Tuesday to try their famous Galley Boy for yourself.

On Wednesday, we will be having a lakefront lunch at one of Cleveland's newest, but sought after food trucks - StrEAT Mobile Bistro. Though they only opened early this year, they are already developing quite a following in Cleveland's ever growing gourmet food truck scene.

Restaurants that are not part of the PCS events, but that you may want to try out on a day off include:

-Melt Bar and Grilled - a restaurant specializing in grilled cheese in many forms. Melt wins "best restaurant" and "best sandwich" awards constantly. They have been featured in USA Today, Huffington Post and on the Travel Channel's Man VS. Food TV show. I suggest the Cleveland Heights location as it is closer to the hotel and because it's only two streets and ten minutes away from Lake View Cemetery - a gorgeous 285 acre historic cemetery in Cleveland. At Lake View you can check out the President Garfield memorial, the historic Wade Chapel, which was completely designed by Tiffany and lots of other neat stuff. If the wait for a table at Melt is too long, grab your sandwich to go and head to the cemetery for a memorable picnic.

-Iron Chef Michael Symon's restaurants Lola and Lolita are both places that PCS members have been asking about. He also has a new restaurant called B Spot too. I have not been to any of them myself, but I have heard great things about them - especially Lolita.

-Closer to the host hotel, Chrissie Hynde of the Pretenders has her restaurant - VegiTerranean. This restaurant is all vegan, but it is a well known restaurant in Akron for meat eaters too. They have fabulous sandwiches at lunch. Don't have a day off during the meet? This place is next door to the downtown Akron train station for the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railway (Thursday's tour), so get off of the train in Akron, have a great lunch, then hop back on the train in a couple of hours.

-Also within walking distance from the downtown Akron train station for the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railway (Thursday's tour) is the award winning restaurant, Crave. Known for its unique take on burgers and sandwiches and its extensive martini menu, this place is a favorite among Northeast Ohioans.

There's plenty more that I could list here too, but those are some of the foodie highlights that you'll be near during your stay with us in Hudson this July. If you're interested in checking some of them out, hide your scale, grab some friends and go for it. They are definitely worth your time. :D

See you all in 29 days!
Sarah
 
I am one of the "foodies" that has been asking Sarah for info, suggestions, etc. I plan on hitting up various spots that I have seen on TV, not only in Cleveland, but on my wat to and from the meat, er I mean meet. I have kept Friday open as a go eat in Cleveland day. If anyone is interested in joining me let me know so we can work out some details.
 
Building on what Sarah suggested:

1. Have bacon added to your Galley Boy. Makes an awesome burger even more incredible.

2. Melt's website seems to be working sporadically. If it isn't coming up, Google their menu page straight which is showing. Bring an empty stomach as their portions are large. So many wonderful varieties that you can't go wrong! More dependent on what mood you're in...

3. Another award winning trendy restaurant is Touch Supperclub in Ohio City, just outside of downtown Cleveland. Highly recommended to all out of town visitors for food, atmosphere, and vibe. Should prove a high quality alternative to one of Michael Symone's places if table wait is too long.
 
From one of my favorite shows :thumb:

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PuF74dmD7gg[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZzASXFv42I[/ame]
 
I made a list of places that I've seen on TV. If anyone has further input please share.

Steve's Gyro Stand

West Side Market

Momocho

Lucky's Cafe

Parkview Niteclub

Geraci's Restaurant

Sterle's Slovenian Country House

Melt Bar and Grilled

Hot Sauce Williams
 
I totally forgot about one more that is an ABSOLUTE MUST - you have no had pizza until you've had Pizza BOGO. A couple of months ago they were awarded the title of Best Gourmet Pizza in America and they are 5 minutes from the hotel! They are carryout and delivery only, but the pizza is incredible. Go with one of their specialty pizzas (like the extremely popular Chicago Stuffed) or customize and make you own with their unlimited toppings. Remember, as the name says, you get get TWO pizzas of your choice for the price that's listed on the menu. This place seriously is incredible. Check out their menu here: http://www.pizzabogo.com/documents/menu.pdf

Or if you are seriously wanting to go nuts eating for a day, The Cleveland Heights location is directly across the street from the Cleveland Heights Melt. Like Atti said though, don't expect to eat everything on your plate at Melt. I went there this weekend for lunch and had their veganized pulled pork grilled cheese special of the month. I was able to eat the coleslaw, and half the sandwich and that was it. I had to save the other half of the sandwich and the fries for dinner.
 
There are some great restaurants near the hotel as well. The committee has been taking in some of these in our meetings. The Tomato Grill in Hudson was awesome and Fishers in Peninsula is good too. The Diamond Grill in Akron has great steaks.
 
Scott Crittenden said:
I made a list of places that I've seen on TV. If anyone has further input please share.

Steve's Gyro Stand
West Side Market
Momocho
Lucky's Cafe
Parkview Niteclub
Geraci's Restaurant
Sterle's Slovenian Country House
Melt Bar and Grilled
Hot Sauce Williams
Click to expand...
Scott, the West Side Market is fabulous and it is definitely a tradition in Cleveland. Being that it's in the Ohio City area too, it will be easy to hit up that and Momocho at the same time. I've never eaten to Momocho, because every time I've stopped by for dinner it's been a 2+ hour wait, but the owner/chef had a restaurant named The Fulton in that same location years ago. He then closed The Fulton and renamed it Momocho and went Mexican with his cuisine. The Fulton was incredible, so I can only imagine that Momocho is incredible too.

Geraci's may have good pizza, but nothing beats Mama Santa's in Little Italy if you ask me. Their sauce is fantastic and the place is crazy cheap. Logistically speaking, it would be incredibly easy to go to Mama Santa's on your Melt / Lake View Cemetery run as Lake View Cemetery borders Little Italy. Leave the cemetery through the Mayfield gate, go down the hill and you're there. If you're really in a rush, just stop by their pick up window and buy whatever mistakes they have made. The mistake large one topping pizzas are $6. Here's a video I found on them:
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zgTNAa7SiE[/ame]

As for Sterle's, I've never heard of it. It may have fabulous food, but heads up, it's in what some would consider a pretty sketchy area.

Here's another video on Melt:
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTD9BtjE8q0&feature=related[/ame]

A short one on Momocho's guacamole:
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCHOELWsWOE[/ame]
 
Attila, I told Chase about your bacon on the Galley Boy at Swenson's suggestion and he's amazed that he's never thought of that. I'm somewhat surprised that he didn't immediately leave and drive down the street to get one. He sounded that excited about it. I know what he's ordering next time we go there.
 
I was talking to my physical therapist Friday and she told me about Melt and it is a must stop place, Im glad you mentioned it. I loves me some grilled cheese!!
 
I have a another suggestion for the food tour that you might be interested in too.

Slyman's Restaurant - home of the biggest and best corned beef. I've never been there, but they come highly recommended. I checked out their website and their sandwiches are HUGE!!! It's in the right area that you could hit up Slyman's and Hot Sauce Williams right afterwards (if you could actually physically eat more food). You better bring a lot of people on this tour, Scott, because if you are all actually going to eat at these places, there will be a lot of people sharing meals I think.

Also, I heard that the area around Sterle's Slovenian Country House, might not be as sketchy as some areas of East 55th.
 
I think Corky and Lennys has the best corned beef and their steak pastrami is second to none. The also have so good matzo ball soup.
 
Steve Loftin said:
I'm in...perhaps we can shop at Higbee's while we're in town.
Click to expand...

Uh, Higbees is being remodeled to become the site of a new casino Cavs owner Dan Gilbert is opening. But if you are on the Lakefront tour it is a few blocks away.
 
Hot Sauce Williams is still around?????????. WOW, the best ribs you've ever had. I used to stop there every time I went to the Cleveland Clinic or anywhere out in the eastside.

The powers that be won't let me recite here what they used to call me, but part of it was ".........crazy ***** *** from Sandusky......you got a body out there in that thing???.....get it the hell out of here, we serve good food here.....there you go ******' up business again.....".

All said with a big toothy grin and much other banter back and forth.
 
The monthly special at Melt is now listed on their website. It sounds awesome. I might need to head out there today to try it out - just to check for you guys to make sure it tastes as good as it sounds, that's all. I'm just taking one for the team. Aren't I considerate? lol ;)

http://meltbarandgrilled.com/this-month/
 
Make sure to get the one with the chicken and let us know how good it tastes... :1:
 
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