Farm-to-table comfort, craft brews, and rustic charm in a lovingly restored barn
📍 Where It’s At
Just over the line, about 30 minutes east of Erie, Riverside Brewing Company is tucked beside French Creek at 1 Fountain Street, Cambridge Springs. Housed in a beautifully reconstructed 1800s barn from Cochranton, the setting is homey, historic, and impossibly inviting. The grounds include gardens, cozy outdoor seating, and plenty of space to linger or enjoy a meal.
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🍺 What’s Good
This is one of those spots where the building and the food both feel like local love letters. The restored barn holds a large bar with 21 taps, serving up a rotating cast of local drafts alongside wine, cider, and spirit-forward cocktails.
On the menu? A smart, creative mix of comfort food and farm-to-table goodness:
Steak and handheld sandwiches like the Craft Burger or Cuban Reuben
Entrees including Duck Mac & Cheese, Cajun Shrimp & Grits, or Chicken Saltimbocca
Starters like nachos, pretzel sticks, and Brussels sprouts
A thoughtful selection of salads, soups, sides, and wood-fired pizzas
You’ll also find a small gift shop stocked with Riverside Brewing T-shirts, hats, and other branded gear, plus a few local goodies to take home—perfect for remembering your visit or grabbing a gift for a fellow craft beer fan.
The ambiance is as satisfying as the food, with an outdoor patio, live music events through their Summer Music Series, and even a brewing area you can catch a peek of.
Food-loving families who want quality meals in a relaxed, friendly setting
Couples or date-night groups seeking a cozy, unique backdrop with local flavor
Craft beer aficionados or anyone curious about regional brews and rotating taps
Shoppers who love picking up local merch and souvenirs along with their meal
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🌟 Final Thoughts
If you’re up for a short drive, Riverside Brewing Company is the kind of place where every detail—from the reclaimed barn to the brewed beer—tells a story. Whether you stay inside by the fireplace, on the patio under the trees, or linger over a song, you’ll come away with full bellies, a few new favorites, and maybe even a T-shirt or jar of local jam to remember it by.
Have you ever been hungry, out and about, have something you really want in mind, and then find out they’re closed? What do you do next? You head to your favorite search engine to help you figure out where to go so that you can get something to eat, right? Welcome to our past situation in Mentor, OH. We took to our phones and searched best restaurants in Mentor, OH and a list popped up. We clicked on Ridgewood Kitchen and Spirits, checked out the menu, and decided to go. We love random adventures like this, and we especially love when they turn out the way this one did. We’re so excited to say that we have a new go-to restaurant in the Mentor area and we can’t wait to tell you all about it! Read on!
Location:
Ridgewood Kitchen and Spirits is located at 9853 Johnnycake Ridge Road #8, Mentor, OH 44060. Mentor is a quick one hour drive from Erie, depending on where you’re coming from.
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Property Description:
Ridgewood Kitchen and Spirits truly has two distinct feels to it. When you come into the entrance, it feels like a high end bar. There is a massive bar lining the wall to your right, and high top tables to your left as you walk towards the back of the restaurant. When you reach the back, there is a set of doors to open that go out onto the patio.
The patio is where we spent most of our time at Ridgewood Kitchen and Spirits. We really, really enjoyed being on the patio. It’s tastefully decorated, covered with a cool roof, and massive. It’s not a small area, expect to see several tables.
This is only part of the upper level, and there is a lot more seating to the right
Men’s restrooms are located in the back of the restaurant, and women’s restrooms are located at the front of the restaurant.
What to Do:
This is a great stop if you’re looking for bars in Mentor, OH. We like that this bar allows you to be indoors or outdoors, and in each setting you feel comfortable and can pleasantly enjoy your food.
Speaking of food, Ridgewood Kitchen and Spirits has some wonderful dishes. The menu is plentiful, with options for everyone. We had someone with us who wanted gluten free and ordered the Rustic Zucchini Putanesca, which is sauteed zucchini noodles, roasted tomatoes, eggplant, olives, capers, fennel sauce, fresh basil, and shaved Parmesan cheese. Although we didn’t try it ourselves, we were told it was really, really good.
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We also ordered a Summer Salad, Chicken Tacos, Short Rib Tacos, and a Grilled Cheese and French Fries from the Kids Menu. All menu items were super yummy; even the grilled cheese! The littles ate all but one bite, and that’s only because it looked so good and we wanted to try it!
We ate outside, and were surprised to find a different type of ordering system on the tables. You simply scan the QR code on the sign with the camera on your phone, and you will be taken directly to the menu. You can order and pay straight from your phone, all in one step. In the era that we’ve living in, the less we have to pass things back and forth the better, and we can’t help but love paperless options!
Even though we had a paperless and less personal ordering experience (which was wonderful, by the way), we had exceptional service from those who work at Ridgewood Kitchen and Spirits. Everyone working there during our visit was very friendly, and checked on us several times. Even though we didn’t have anyone personally take our order, we did have a very attentive server; there was never an empty glass on the table and we were asked several times if we needed anything. Again, we don’t provide reviews on this site, but we felt that this was something we had to mention considering the paperless and online ordering experience.
Also, although we didn’t get to experience it personally, our server told us they have live music on the patio frequently! This definitely gives us a great reason to come back, even if we aren’t planning on being in Mentor for another reason! If you’re interested in checking out their live music dates, go to their website and click Entertainment,
Who Can Go:
Anyone can come to this restaurant and bar in Mentor, OH. We brought our littles, and they did great here. The outside atmosphere was refreshing for all of us. We also love that the area is super accessible, making it very easy to get a stroller or a wheelchair through to your table.
Final Thoughts:
Keeping in mind that we knew nothing about this restaurant before we entered, I think it far exceeded what we were looking for in grabbing a bite to eat before we hit the road.
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[Editor’s note: Please be aware that we are not affiliated with Ridgewood Kitchen and Spirits in any way. This is true of all of our posts. We simply enjoy wandering around the Erie area as we know finding what to do in Erie, PA can be hard.]
Thinking about Italian food in Erie, PA tonight? We’ve got a suggestion for you in Valerio’s Italian Restaurant! Italian restaurants in Erie, PA are plenty, but Valerio’s offers several food options for it’s diners, not only in the food that they serve, but in the location options to get that food to you!
Location:
Valerio’s Italian Restaurant has 4 locations (including a main office for catering) in Erie, PA. The location we went to is at 1803 East 38th Street, Erie, PA 16510. We decided to check out this location as it’s close to a local college, Mercyhurst University.
Property Description:
This restaurant is located in it’s own building, and if you’re on 38th street coming from Mercyhurst College, it will be on your right. There is ample parking available in front of the building. When you walk in, there will be a counter to pick up your order directly in front of you. If it’s not done yet, there are benches against the windows for you to sit and wait. To your right there is a drink refrigerator, and to your left there is a small hallway that leads to the dining room.
Counter for Pick Up
What to Do:
Valerio’s is a full service restaurant as well as a take out and delivery service restaurant. You can choose to dine in and enjoy their Italian theme, or if you would rather eat at home or at a different location, you can order online or call in your order. Valerio’s will either deliver your order to you or you can pick it up at the location you order from.
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Their menu is incredibly vast, featuring Italian food of all kinds. They have anything from pizza to soups, Italian stuffers to seafood dinners, subs to Italian dinners such as Chicken Parmesan, Fettuccini Alfredo, Stuffed Shells, and Ravioli. They even have an extremely large pizza called the Sasquatch; with 18 slices this is a great pizza to enjoy during the game! If you’re interested in checking out their entire menu, click here.
On this particular visit, we chose to pick up takeout, and got a simple cheese pizza. However, we’ve had Valerio’s before, and we can vouch that they do have some delicious food on the menu! If you’re looking for take out in Erie, PA, remember that Valerio’s not only offers you the typical “pizza shop” goodness, but several Italian dinners as well!
Large Cheese Pizza
We’ve said it before, there’s nothing like a local pizza shop’s pizza. It’s just different. Everything from the crust to the cheese. This is one you’ll definitely want to try.
Who Can Go:
This restaurant is accessible by all, and of course take out and delivery make it a great option for anyone who doesn’t want to eat inside! Anyone can enjoy Valerio’s food.
Final Thoughts:
Valerio’s is a great local Italian restaurant in Erie, PA that’s been serving Erie since 1994! With 4 locations, you’re bound to be close to one of them whether you’re looking for something near to your house or you’re out and about.
[Editor’s note: Please be aware that we are not affiliated with Valerio’s in any way. This is true of all of our posts. We simply enjoy wandering around Erie as we know finding what to do in Erie, PA area can be hard.]
A quick trip out of town as we wandered beyond Erie led us to one of the best ice cream shops in Cleveland, OH, and we just have to share the goodness!
View from the parking lot
Location:
Mitchell’s Ice Cream has 10 different locations in the Cleveland area, but the particular Mitchell’s we recently visited was located at 2101 Richmond Road at LaPlace, Beachwood, OH 44122.
Mitchell’s is specifically located in Cleveland and the surrounding area, and proud to get produce from surrounding farmers, as well as use local crafts and trades to furnish, design, and market their business. Cleveland owned and operated, and Cleveland proud.
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Property Description:
This is an ice cream shop, and is designed accordingly. You can enter from the outside, or from inside LaPlace Shopping Center. There is a long ice cream counter with over 30 flavors to choose from, a drink refrigerator, and a freezer containing pints of ice cream for purchase. A few tables and booths line the side of the ice cream shop.
Menu boards
It appears all locations have the same hours; Sunday-Thursday from 11 a.m.-10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m.-11 p.m..
Things to Do:
Eat ice cream! Here’s how your visit should go: If you enter from the outside, you will walk straight forward to get into line; which is usually pretty long considering this is a very popular ice cream place! Once in line, you can gaze at the many, many ice cream flavors you have to choose from.
Flavors and Options
If you’re unsure of what you want, you can taste test for free! Order your ice cream; bowl or cone, sundae, root beer float, shake, or malt. Gaze at the wonderful flavors behind the glass as you continue walking down the counter.
Ice Cream Flavors
Which one would you choose?
Your ice cream will be handed to you, take it down to the register and pay. Have a seat; enjoy your delicious ice cream inside the shop, outside, or inside of LaPlace.
Who Can Go:
Anyone who loves the cold goodness of ice cream will be more than welcome here!
Campfire Smores, Strawberry with Sprinkles, Coconut
It is definitely handicap and stroller accessible, but you may have a bit of a hard time squeezing into line if you enter from inside of LaPlace Shopping Center. We found it a little difficult to sneak our stroller through because of the amount of people in line and eating inside the shop.
While this is a great ice cream shop for families, we believe this is also a great stop for a date night in Beachwood, Ohio. Open until 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights, Mitchell’s could provide that perfect ice cream treat after dinner and a movie!
Final Thoughts:
If you’re looking for some of the best ice cream in Cleveland, we think we might have found the right destination to go to in Mitchell’s Ice Cream. Maybe you have an appointment at Cleveland Clinic and would like to treat yourself after, or maybe you’ve just enjoyed a day at the zoo with your family, or maybe you want to impress your date; no matter what the occasion, Mitchell’s is a great place to check out if you’re looking for things to do in the Beachwood, OH area!
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[Editor’s note: Please be aware that we are not affiliated with Mitchell’s Ice Cream in any way. This is true of all of our posts. We simply enjoy wandering around Erie as we know finding what to do in Erie, PA area can be hard.]
We’ve shown you a few ice cream stand locations on the west side of Erie County towards Ohio, such as Castle Ice Cream, and even though we’ve been east at the Double Dipper, we decided to head even east even more towards New York, and we ended up at The Straw Hat in North East, PA. And we have to say, it is a really cool place to visit with some great ice cream treats! With over 50 years of service to the North East community, this sundae shop is pretty impressive!
Location:
The Straw Hat is located at 207 South Lake Street, North East, PA 16428. It is right on the main street of town, and very easily accessible.
Property Description:
The Straw Hat is an ice cream stand that is outdoor only for patrons. The area where you order is covered, which is the first we’ve seen of this in the Erie area! You actually feel like you’re indoors because it is covered so well, with overhead lighting included. There are picnic tables outside for you to enjoy your food at.
We found parking across the street, but we think you may also be able to park behind the building as well.
View from the side
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What to Do:
The Straw Hat in North East, PA is home to not only Perry’s Ice Cream, but ice cream from the Penn State Berkey Creamery as well! Between the two, we counted well over 30 flavors of ice cream! We tried the Grilled Stickies ice cream, and it was so, so yummy! They also have milkshakes, root beer floats, and soft serve ice cream.
Bubble Gum
Pumpkin Pie in a Waffle Cone
Chocolate Mint
Grilled Stickies over Pumpkin Pie in a Waffle Cone
Some of the many flavor options!
We also love that The Straw Hat has dairy free options, for those who are lactose intolerant or vegan. They also have dairy free shakes!
We found something here that we have never seen before; the Straw Hat has a Mighty Fine Donut ice cream sandwich! We had to try one, and of course it was all sorts of delicious! This insanely good donut sandwich is filled with soft serve ice cream. Fair warning, one might not be enough to fill you up, and in our case took a lot less time to eat than an ice cream cone!
Mighty Fine Donut Sandwich
We also found several “Instagram-able” spots if you enjoy taking photos. On the side of the building, there’s a sign with a giant ice cream cone on it, as well as a vintage Straw Hat sign with a chicken on it. In the very front, near the road and within the picnic tables, there is also a giant rooster statue to take photos with as well.
“Instagram-able” Ice Cream sign
Who Can Go:
We love that this ice cream stand is easily accessible by anyone who wants to stop by. We also really appreciate the covering over the front, which makes it so that you can always get your ice cream, even when it’s raining!
Final Thoughts:
This is a really cool place! We love the amount of seating, the covered ordering area, and the yummy donut sandwiches!
We appreciate the variety of flavors between Perry’s Ice Cream and Penn State Berkey Creamery. If you’re a Penn State alumni or if you live in the Erie area and you’re looking for Penn State ice cream without traveling to State College, this is a great stop for you!
They are open from 5 p.m.-9 p.m. Monday through Friday and 12 p.m.-10 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.
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[Editor’s note: Please be aware that we are not affiliated with The Straw Hat Sundae Shop in any way. This is true of all of our posts. We simply enjoy wandering around the Erie area as we know finding what to do in Erie, PA can be hard.]
Wander Erie 