Tag Archives: food erie pa

The Crick Coffee House and Eatery

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The Crick Coffee House & Eatery

We are on a mission to find locally owned coffee shops in Erie County. On a random trip in the Girard area, when going through town we noticed a really cool coffee shop and parked out front. Unfortunately, they were closed at the time. We checked the hours and ventured on back to The Crick Coffee House & Eatery with hopes of getting a great cup of coffee, and they surprised us with so much more!

#meetmeatthecrick

Location:

The Crick Coffeehouse and Eatery is located at 236 West Main Street, Girard, PA 16417. If you are planning on going to any of the other businesses on West Main Street, or if you work at any of them, The Crick is the perfect stop for breakfast or lunch. They are open from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 8 a.m.-2 p.m. on Sundays. There is parking in the front and in the back of this place to get food and coffee in Girard, PA.

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Property Description:

This coffee house in Girard, PA faces Main Street, and has a beautiful brick front facade. A sign hangs sideways over the door welcoming you into this coffee house and restaurant. When you walk in, you will see tables on the outskirts of the room, and a doorway to your left which leads into a room featuring more seating. Ahead of you will be a bakery counter and signs letting you know what the specials are for the day. If you walk past those signs, you will see the counter to your right where you can place a to-go order. Keep walking straight and the kitchen is to your right, while another doorway leading into more seating is to your left. Continue straight back to the restrooms and a door that leads to the outdoor area and more outdoor seating.

Ordering Counter

What to Do:

We have to say, The Crick in Girard completely took us by surprise. We thought we were walking in to get coffee and maybe have a few sweet treat options to check out. We were delighted to find out that you can get breakfast and lunch (as in full meals) at this coffeehouse and eatery in the west county of Erie. [View their menu here.] Now, even though we found this out, we still decided to order what we had come in for because the sweet treats looked amazing! We plan on heading back to try a full meal sometime soon!

We’re always excited to try a new cup of coffee! Upon walking up to the counter, we saw several, and I mean several, different types of syrups that they use to flavor coffee. Because we have differing tastes, as we know you all do as well, we tried two completely different coffees.

The first was a pumpkin cold brew. We ordered it as a pumpkin cold brew with almond milk and pumps of pumpkin pie spice flavoring syrup. Now, we do have to say this was unlike any other pumpkin coffee we’ve had before, and we say that as a good thing! We often find that pumpkin spice anything can be completely overbearing with pumpkin spice; that being said, this pumpkin cold brew was not. That was refreshing to us. If you’re looking for somewhere to get pumpkin spice coffee in Erie, PA but don’t really enjoy a whole lot of spice, this would be a great drink for you to try, especially if you like cold brew coffee.

Pumpkin Cold Brew

The other drink we tried was blueberry blend with cinnamon and added cream and sugar. It was a hot drink, very different in comparison with the cold brew. The blueberry gave it some goof fruity flavor while the cinnamon came in and delivered the Fall kick of spice we were looking for.

We were able to try several treats; a green monster doughnut, an XL birthday cake macaroon, gluten free coffee cake, and a cinnamon bun with frosting. Every treat we tried was flavorful and scrumptious. The macaroon tasted as good if not better than macaroons we’ve had from bakeries in bigger cities. The cinnamon bun was dripping in delicious frosting and the green monster doughnut was “good and tasty and yummy” as described by one of our littles. And we just had to try something gluten free, and the coffee cake did not disappoint! It was flavorful and had a very good consistency, a delectable dessert for those with a gluten intolerance, or those wanting to cut back for other reasons!

  • Macaroon
  • Gluten Free Coffee Cake
  • Green Monster Chocolate Doughnut
  • Cinnamon Roll

Whether you get your order to go or dine in, you have the option to sit inside or outside as you enjoy your coffee, treats, drinks, or meal (or all of the above). We had no idea that The Crick had an outdoor seating area, and one table is even under cover on this adorable porch. Day date idea in Girard, PA? We think so.

Who Can Go:

This coffee house and eatery in Girard, PA welcomes everyone and is accessible by anyone. There are a couple steps to get up to the ordering counter, so if you’re planning on coming in and getting take out, be aware of that if you are entering from the front of this Girard coffeehouse. You can, however, enter The Crick from the back (where the patio is located, there is also parking in the back) and you will not encounter any steps to get to the counter. If you are coming to dine in, there are no steps to get into the entry dining area of the dining area through the doorway to your left.

Final Thoughts:

One thing we would hate to leave out of this post is how wonderful we felt the service there was. Our barista was more than willing to help us out in making our drinks the way we would like them, and offered several suggestions to us. We were checked on when dining outside even though we had just gotten our stuff to go and decided to sit outside anyway. And the “hometown charm” in this coffeehouse in Girard, PA is phenomenal, everything about this place made us want to come back.

If you’re on a search for great coffee in Erie County, The Crick should be on your list of places to try out.

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[Editor’s note: Please be aware that we are not affiliated with The Crick Coffeehouse and Eatery 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.]

Rita’s Italian Ice & Frozen Custard

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Rita’s Italian Ice & Frozen Custard

If you’re looking for a frozen treat, but you’re not in the mood for ice cream, we have a great spot for you to check out! Rita’s Italian Ice & Frozen Custard is a unique alternative to your basic ice cream stand. This is a great location to get frozen custard in Erie, PA!

Location:

Rita’s Italian Ice is located at 1406 West Gore Rd, Erie, PA 16509. They are conveniently located right off of Peach Street, close to Med Express and PNC Bank. Across Peach Street is Monroe Auto Service, so if you plan according to Rita’s hours, you could always grab a treat while your car is being worked on!

They are open from 2 p.m.-9 p.m. daily. They do close for the winter season at the end of September, so be aware of that.

Property Description:

Rita’s is an outside only Italian Ice and Frozen Custard stand for patrons. You will stand in line and order through a window. Once you get your treats, you can hang out on the benches to the left of the building or eat in your car.

There are quite a few parking spots to the right of Rita’s. Try to stay within the Rita’s parking lot when you park as there are other businesses close by.

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What to Do:

Rita’s Italian Ice and Frozen Custard is nothing short of delicious. When we go, some of us get the same thing every visit while others like to try new treats each time. A tried and true favorite of ours is the Misto Shake! We can also vouch for the Reese’s Peanut Butter Concrete! Try it with Salted Caramel Custard if it’s available. It may sound weird, but you won’t regret it! The classic Gelati, a mix of Italian Ice and Frozen Custard, is also a fan favorite at Rita’s.

  • Misto Shake
  • Reese’s Concrete
  • Italian Ice

Our littles love to get Frozen Drinks, which is Italian Ice blended into a drink. It really hits the spot on those hot summer days! They’ve also enjoyed a custard cookie sandwich, and we have to say it was pretty delicious as we ended up finishing it for them as it’s pretty large.

  • Custard Cookie Snadwich
  • Custard Cookie Sandwich
  • Frozen Drinks

Who Can Go:

Rita’s is for everyone, and is accessible by anyone. Although it may appear from the front that you have to walk up stairs to order, that’s not true as there is a ramp to the right of the stand.

Italian Ice can be enjoyed by all, even the little littles! It’s definitely a favorite of most everyone who lives within walking distance; you’ll typically see as many people walking towards the stand from nearby neighborhoods as there are that drove their cars there.

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Final Thoughts:

We love the traditional ice cream stands in the Millcreek area, such as Whippy Dip and Creamland, but if you’re looking for something truly different and unique, give Rita’s a try! The Italian Ice is super refreshing on a hot day. We also love that Rita’s allows everyone with differing wants a chance to get something that looks good to them, whether you’re looking for a loaded custard sundae or just a simple Italian Ice drink!

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[Editor’s note: Please be aware that we are not affiliated with Rita’s Italian Ice 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.]

Pressed Books and Coffee

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Pressed Books and Coffee

We love supporting local, and when we started this website we set out to showcase as many of the locally owned businesses in Erie County that we could. One local business that we’ve frequented is Pressed Books and Coffee. It is a bookstore, gift store, and coffee shop all rolled into one.

Location:

Pressed Books and Coffee is located at 1535 West 8th Street, Erie, PA 16505 in Greengarden Place. It is sandwiched right in between Donatos Pizza and PopLuck. There are two large signs above the two entrances into this book and coffee shop in Erie, PA.

View from the parking lot

Property Description:

This bookstore and coffee shop is set up as two separate locations that are connected by a set of sliding doors inside. We love that you can browse the bookstore and then go hang out in the coffee shop without having to step foot outside.

Bookstore into Coffee shop

We love the atmosphere inside of this tastefully decorated store. We’ve talked about it several times, and we agree that this is a place that both men and women can feel comfortable in. We love the dark stained wood and how it plays off of the black and white, the patterned floor in the middle of the transition between the coffee shop and the bookstore, the white bricks, and the lighting. Honestly, it’s just a really cool space. It feels “homey.” Is that the right word? We think it is.

What to Do:

We can’t help but absolutely love the children’s bookstore inside of Pressed. It is decorated to perfection, and includes an adorable hollow tree that the kids can sit inside. They have a wide selection of books for kids of all ages, babies through teenagers. Fair warning, we can’t walk into this room without leaving with some sort of treat for the kids; whether it’s a book, puzzle, or soft and lovable plushie, we always find something either educational or adorable at Pressed.

Children’s Bookstore

They had a story time for kids which we have attended in the past, but we recently checked and there are no current events such as this coming up. If you would like to know when events like this pop up, follow them on social media to get the scoop! If you’re looking for a great local children’s bookstore in Erie, PA, you’ll find it at Pressed.

The coffee shop at Pressed never disappoints; they have great drink concoctions and yummy treats to go with them. They have espresso, latte’s, coffee, teas, and even milkshakes. There’s literally a drink for every member of you family on the menu. They even have treats like cookies and macaroons; but if you’re looking for something more solid, you could grab an English muffin or a bagel.

We definitely recommend asking about seasonal specials, because you never know what they are going to have. With fall quickly approaching, they are currently offering drinks such as dark chocolate and mint, pumpkin and white chocolate, and pumpkin spice.

  • Iced Stroopwafel Coffee
  • Chocolate Chip Cookie
  • September Drink Specials

Who Can Go:

Pressed is a great place to bring the whole family. As we mentioned above, the Children’s Bookstore is a great place to bring the kids, but the rest of the bookstore appeals to adults of all ages.

  • Children’s Bookstore Room
  • Pressed Bookstore
  • Pressed Bookstore

We think that the coffee shop makes for a great location if you’re looking for places to study in Erie, PA. Although it’s not completely silent (remember, kids come in, too), the atmosphere is great for just kicking back and relaxing while getting your work done. Not only are there tables set up in the coffee shop, but a lounge area as well. There’s also a lounge area in the bookstore itself.

We also think Pressed makes a great place for a day date or early evening date in Erie. Start off by looking at books together, then head over to the coffee shop to grab a drink and a snack. Pick out a high top or have a seat in the lounge area in the coffee shop and talk while you enjoy your food and drinks.

Final Thoughts:

Pressed Books and Coffee is a wonderful place for the whole family. If you’re looking for a great locally owned bookstore and coffee shop in Erie, PA, we believe Pressed should be on your list of places to check out. They are open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m.-6 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m.-5 p.m., and Sunday 10 a.m.-3 p.m..

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[Editor’s note: Please be aware that we are not affiliated with Pressed Books and Coffee 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.]

Twisted Elk Brewery

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Twisted Elk Brewery

Do you appreciate sitting in a calm, relaxing outdoor setting while enjoying a delicious meal and a cold beer? We do; and Twisted Elk Brewery in Lake City, PA is the perfect place to do that. This local brewery is a wonderful go to on a summer evening.

Location:

Twisted Elk Brewery is located at 10139 West Lake Rd., Lake City, PA 16423.

The Twisted Elk Brewery is super close to Creamland and Lake Erie Community Park. If you’re headed out for a date night in Erie County, especially in the summer, let us plan it really quick for you. Dinner and drinks at the Twisted Elk Brewery, ice cream at Creamland, and sunset viewing at Lake Erie Community Park.

Property Description:

The outdoor setting is pretty cool, with your choice of a table and chairs or picnic tables to enjoy your food and drinks at. You’ll see it right when pull into the parking lot as it is right off of the lot.

Unfortunately, we had no reason to go inside of the brewery, so we can’t detail the indoor atmosphere for you. We are still trying to limit time spent indoors at locations, and with this location we were able to stay outdoors the entire time.

Outdoor Seating

Because we chose to sit outdoors, we did not have the opportunity to go inside on this trip. However, we know that you can grab some beer to go inside of this brewery, and there is also more seating.

What to Do:

We really enjoyed the food here. Our table had plenty of plates to try out, and went for antler fries and pretzel fries, en elk burger, a grilled cheese, and buffalo nachos. Everything we ate was super good, and even the kids ate well!

  • Antler Fries and Pretzel Fries
  • Grilled Cheese, Chips, and Pickle
  • Elk Burger

The beer list was vast and plentiful, and we just had to try at least one of them. We went with the Kona Dream, and it was definitely pretty dreamy! A perfect blend of vanilla and coffee in a stout beer.

Kona Dream

If you still want to enjoy a beer or two, but don’t have time to relax at their location, you can get your beer to go! With beer choices such as Country Blonde, Elk Creek IPA, and The “Gudge” Stout, you’re sure to find something you’ll enjoy. You’re not going to want to miss out on these!

This is an amazing location to enjoy with friends, coworkers, family, or on a date. They have live music outside on select dates, and plenty of space for their patrons to sit. Check out their website at Twisted Elk Brewery for more information!

f you’re not going on a night that they provide live entertainment, they do have music playing outside to add to the atmosphere.

We would also recommend arriving at the Twisted Elk Brewery roughly an hour to thirty minutes before sunset. We timed our trip perfectly so that we had just finished our meals as the sun was setting, and we caught a beautiful glimpse of the sunset from our table outside. Pretty romantic, if we do say so ourselves.

Great place to be as the sun is beginning to set!

Who Can Go:

As far as the vibes outside, we really feel like this is a restaurant the whole family can enjoy. We felt like we were in a very casual environment, and it was easy for everyone to enjoy their meal and the surrounding area. We had plenty of room to pull our stroller up to a table outside, and we think that it would be very easy for a wheelchair to do the same. As we mentioned above, this is also a great location to meet up with friends at to enjoy dinner and drinks (or even just drinks), or to enjoy a date night.

Final Thoughts:

If you appreciate a good beer, and you’re looking for local breweries in Erie County, put the Twisted Elk Brewery on your list and go there!

And fun fact, the Twisted Elk Brewery is a member of the Lake Erie Ale Trail, which celebrates local breweries in Erie! For more info on the Lake Erie Ale Trail, click here.

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Ice Cream and a Sunset in Erie, PA

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Ice Cream and a Sunset in Erie, PA

To celebrate our 50th blog post (Yes, this is number 50!) and Summer 2021 coming to an end soon, we’ve paired some great ice cream stands with our favorite places to watch the sunset, so you can enjoy the close proximity and won’t have to drive all over Erie to plan a fun evening!

Whether you’re looking to have fun on a date night in Erie, enjoy time with friends, spend an evening with family, or take some me time, this list will bring you some pretty wonderful ice cream and sunset locations.

We even included a map and directions from the ice cream shop to the park, so you can visualize it before you go! Click the name of each location to find out more! (Side note: We haven’t posted our blog about Dairy Oasis yet, but we will link it when we do.)

The Double Dipper and Shorewood Park

Castle Ice Cream and Elk Creek Access

Whippy Dip and Chautauqua Park

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Dairy Oasis and Lake Erie Community Park

The Straw Hat and Freeport Beach

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[Editor’s note: Please be aware that we are not affiliated with any of these businesses or locations 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.]

The Straw Hat Sundae Shop

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The Straw Hat Sundae Shop

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.]

Mike N’ Dangelo’s

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Mike N’ Dangelo’s

We love a great Italian restaurant and pizzeria, and we’re sure you guys do as well! Our quest to eat local brought us to Mike N’ Dangelo’s in Girard, PA, and they did not disappoint!

Location:

Mike N’ Dangelo’s is located at 137 West Main Street, Girard, PA 16417. It’s right on the main street of town, and it’s easily accessible by anyone who works in the buildings on Main Street.

Outside view

Property Description:

When you walk into the restaurant, you will see a counter with a cash register straight ahead. The kitchen is right behind that, and you can see into it by looking through an open cutout window behind the counter. On the counter you’ll find chips and other snacks, and to the right of the counter are two large refrigerators full of drink options, such as iced tea and bottled water.

Front Counter with view of the kitchen

If you continue past the refrigerators, you’ll find a set of French doors that leads in a dining room. Currently, the dining room is closed. They also have a lottery ticket dispenser machine, and a small area to wait for your order.

French doors to dining area
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What to Do:

Mike N’ Dangelo’s has several pizza combinations to choose from, such as philly steak, mexi melt, veggie supreme, m&d’s nightmare, and maui! There’s something about their pizza, we can’t quite put it into words. It’s has the perfect amount of crunch in the crust. The cheese is melted to perfection, not to mention the texture is great. And you know we’re not here to review, just to describe. It just has that awesome homemade, local pizza taste to it, if you guys know what we’re talking about! You can’t get that taste at a chain pizza place, it just doesn’t happen!

Cheese Pizza and Pepperoni Pizza

But Mike N’ Dangelo’s is so much more than just pizza! (Although we do have to admit that on this trip, pizza is what we got!) They have several appetizers, subs, salads, calzones, sides, wings, and desserts. This is a great one stop shop for dinner if you’re out in the Girard area (or even if you’re not)! We will put a link to their menu below if you want to check out all of their offerings!

Click here to view the menu!

Who Can Go:

Anyone can enjoy M&D’s, and we believe it’s easily accessible for anyone to enter. The dining area is absolutely wonderful for bringing your family out to dinner, and we can’t wait for them to reopen that space!

Final Thoughts:

Mike N’ D’s offers some amazing menu items at their pizza shop in Girard, PA. If you live in the area, or are going to be in the area, we recommend you stop by and check it out!

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[Editor’s note: Please be aware that we are not affiliated with Mike N’ Dangelo’s 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.]

Mason Farms Country Market: Summer 2021

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Mason Farms Country Market: Summer 2021

We couldn’t let the summer season in Erie, PA end without a trip to Mason Farms on Peninsula Drive before they turn over to Fall. The beauty of the flowers, the smells of the fruits and vegetables, and the merchandise in the greenhouse all provide a great transition from summer to fall.

Outside View

Mason Farms is not only a country market with two locations; one on Peninsula Drive and another on Old French Road, but also has a farmstand on their farm for pick your own, and many satellite locations. We’ve been to “Pick Your Own” several times, and we’ll provide the links here if you’d like to check those out so you can go as well!

Mason Farms Pickle Picking

Mason Farms Strawberry Picking

Mason Farms Raspberry Picking

Location:

As a market, they have two different locations, but the location we visited is at 839 Peninsula Drive, Erie, PA 16505. Currently, they are open 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 9 a.m.-6:30 p.m. on Sunday.

Inside the Market

Property Description:

Mason Farms Country Market is a very cozy, farmhouse style shop with a greenhouse and several outdoor areas. Their tagline is “Bringing Country to the City” and they truly succeed at this in their market space, especially considering that it is located on Peninsula Drive, which gets a ton of through traffic.

Outside of the Entrance

There is ample parking in the parking lot to the left of the building (if you’re looking at it from the street), and very wide sidewalk like concrete spaces to push a cart, stroller, or wheelchair through the outside walkways. Indoors, it is easy to get around while pushing a stroller as well.

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What to Do:

Inside the market, you will find a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables. The produce here is plentiful and plenty yummy! Mason Farms has over 350 acres of farmland in Lake City where they grow over 100 varieties of fruits and vegetables that they sell in this store. They also have candy, treats, goat’s milk fudge (we recommend chocolate peanut butter), baking supplies, jams, jellies, maple syrup, cider, and so much more!

Inside the Market

The outdoor area is beautiful, and overwhelms you with flowers of every color, available in hanging baskets and pots. It’s a great place to walk around as you shop. The outdoor area transforms with the seasons, and soon it will be filled with pumpkins and gourds of all sizes and everything fall. We will definitely do an update post so you can check it out and decide if you want to go for yourself!

Greenhouse

Inside the greenhouse you’ll find a plethora of merchandise. You can find ornaments for your garden, fertilizers, different types of pots, Halloween decor, Christmas decor, and much, much more. Honestly, there’s so much to check out when you’re in here and not only did we enjoy looking around, but the kids did as well.

Inside the Greenhouse

Who Can Go:

This country market is easily accessible by anyone. If you are looking for flowers or fresh and local produce in Erie, PA, this is a great place for you to check out.

Outside Flower Display

Final Thoughts:

Mason Farms is the perfect place to go if you want seasonal fun in Erie, PA. Providing a great atmosphere all year round, they never disappoint. If you’re looking for things to do in Erie, PA, Mason Farms is a stop we would definitely suggest!

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Outside Flower Display

[Editor’s note: Please be aware that we are not affiliated with Mason Farms Country Market 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.]

Lakeside Beach Bar

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Lakeside Beach Bar

In realizing that the Erie summer is quickly coming to an end, we wanted to do something “summery.” We heard good things about Lakeside Beach Bar in Edinboro, PA and we really wanted to check it out, so we did! They are open 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Tuesday- Thursday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and 11 a.m.-8 p.m. on Sundays. They are closed on Mondays.

Location:

Lakeside Beach Bar is located at 220 W Plum St # 575, Edinboro, PA 16412. You basically pull into what looks like a simple shopping plaza, and continue on straight to the back of the plaza, where there is parking located specifically for Beach Bar. To be honest, we thought we had the wrong location at first. Don’t fret, you’re in the right place.

Parking Lot and Entrance
Cornhole

Property Description:

The entrance to the indoor restaurant space is right off of the parking lot. From the parking lot, you’ll see the entrance and then towards the lake you will see some cornhole games set up. We went right up to the door and got seated outside at one of the many tables, which are covered with umbrellas to block out the sun. There are regular tables and hightops located in the outdoor area. If you’d like to be outside but prefer to be under a tent, you are able to sit at one of many tables set up inside of a tent located next to the cornhole game area. Inside, there are also tables set up and a bar area.

Indoors

To walk outside from the indoor area, you will pass through little seating areas that are around fire pits, which we thought was a really cool idea! There’s also a stage set up next to this space.

Fire Pit

Lakeside Beach Bar has a perfect view of Edinboro Lake. Adirondack chairs surround the lake, providing comfortable seating and beautiful views. There’s even a dreamy archway set up, and they do offer private events! So if you love the place and you’re looking for somewhere to get married in Edinboro, PA, this location may be a dream come true!

Archway in the Background

What to Do:

If you’ve been looking for a gluten free restaurant in Erie, PA, we highly suggest checking out the menu at Beach Bar. Not only do they have chicken bites with gluten free breading on the appetizer menu, but all of their flatbreads can be substituted out for cauliflower crust, gluten free crust, or sweet potato flatbread! They also have several vegetarian options. In our opinion, that is such a win! We know that everyone has different eating preferences, and when a restaurant really tries to cater to everyone, even with a smaller menu (which we loved, by the way), we really think that’s a great thing. And don’t worry if you eat meat or are gluten tolerant, you have just as many choices, if not more.

  • BLT
  • Organic Veggie Hummus Wrap (only half, the other half removed to see the inside) with a side of Pasta Salad
  • Kids Grilled Cheese and Tots
  • Gluten Free Chicken Bites
  • Smith’s Garlic Ring Bologna
  • Garlic Parmigiana Tots
  • Kids Sherbet Dessert
Menu and Malt Liquor Adult Slushie

Lakeside Beach Bar is a wonderful place to hang out with many differing groups. Not only would we recommend this for a night out or a date night, but we’d also recommend bringing the whole family to this restaurant. We brought our littles with us, among others, and they enjoyed the food and had so much fun listening and dancing to the live music!

And speaking of live music, we thought going on a night that entertainment wass provided was a ton of fun. With lots of space to run around, we were able to get up and have the kids dance. And there was ample space on the outskirts of the tables to move around. If you’re looking for easy accessibility and the ability to get away from the table when needed, we would recommend sitting at one of these tables on the outskirts.

Night View of the Lake

Who Can Go:

We truly believe that this restaurant in Edinboro, PA is fun for the whole family. Our kids were easily entertained and we were able to pull our stroller right up to a table for easy access to our toddler. We saw people of all ages enjoying the atmosphere.

If you are a student and looking for things to do around Edinboro University, this would be a great place for you to enjoy a night out with friends, especially in the beginning of the school year or the end of the school year when the weather is super nice.

This beach bar in Edinboro, PA is also dog friendly! We saw at least 3 dogs while we were there, and the pups were able to hang out in the shade underneath the tables as the rest of their family enjoyed food and drinks.

Final Thoughts:

We had a great time on our trip to Lakeside Beach Bar in Edinboro, PA! The food was delicious and the atmosphere provided for a fun, yet relaxing evening! Check it out for yourself before the warm weather turns to cold.

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[Editor’s note: Please be aware that we are not affiliated with Lakeside Beach Bar 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.]

Patti’s Pizza

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Patti’s Pizza

If you’re in search of local pizza restaurants and want to support small businesses in the area, Patti’s Pizza might be the place you’re looking for! With locations on both the west side and the east side, this multi-generational family pizza shop has been serving up fresh pizzas, subs, and salads daily for decades.

Location:

Patti’s Pizza has two locations in Erie, PA, but the one we visited is located at 3403 West 38th Street, Erie, PA 16506. Patti’s Pizza is open from 11 a.m. until 9 p.m. daily, but holiday hours will differ. It’s conveniently located by McDowell High School, so it’s a great place to grab a snack after school or grab an early dinner after picking up your kids, or even a late dinner after a sporting event.

Property Description:

This is a pizza and sub shop with a counter placed almost directly in front of you as you walk in. To your right, you will see a set of French doors that open into a lovely dining area, in case you would like to eat inside of the restaurant. To the left of the counter, you’ll find chips and other small snack bags, as well as cold drinks, such as grape soda and other various flavors. Patti’s has built their reputation on quality and consistency, and it’s no surprise that the recipes haven’t changed in years. They’ve found what works and they keep it simple for their patrons.

What to Do:

If you enjoy a good piece of pizza, this is the place for you. With crust that’s nice and crisp on the edges to its cheesy goodness all the way into the center, we think Patti’s boasts some excellent pizza. Their toppings include cheese, pepperoni, mushrooms, onion, banana peppers, sweet peppers, black olives, sausage, meatballs, ham, bacon, and anchovies. They also offer a few specialty pizzas like chicken bacon ranch and vegetarian.

If you’re not into pizza but still want to try out Patti’s, they offer 19 different subs, 7 different salads, wings, pepperoni balls, and pizza balls. Click here to check out their full menu.

Cheese Pizza
Turkey Sub

You can order your food as take out, or you can enjoy it in their dining room, which is to your right after you walk in. We love that Patti’s Pizza has a dining space; we believe it makes this a great go-to spot for anyone in the area to come have lunch or dinner.

Dining Room

Who Can Go:

Anyone can enjoy the deliciousness of this local pizza place in Erie, PA. It is easily accessible for all people. They also have a simple operation, so unless it’s something big like Super Bowl Sunday pizza you are after, you can usually call in an order for pickup and have it ready within about 10 to 15 minutes. This is why you can stand there for just a few minutes and see what feels like dozens of customers coming in for pickup orders or a quick lunch, and the food is simple enough, yet creative enough, that young and old alike can find something great to eat in Erie, PA.

Final Thoughts:

When trying to choose a local pizza place in Erie, PA, we recommend giving Patti’s a try! We really enjoyed their pizza and subs. They serve great food and are so conveniently located on both the east and west sides of Erie.

Like what you read? Subscribe below and be notified of new things to do in Erie County whenever we post!

[Editor’s note: Please be aware that we are not affiliated with Patti’s Pizza 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.]