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Valerio’s Italian Restaurant

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Valerio’s Italian Restaurant

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.

Looking for more pizza in Erie? Click here.

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[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.]

5 Coffee Shops for Studying in Erie, PA

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5 Coffee Shops for Studying in Erie, PA

We know what time of year it is. Finals week is quickly approaching and end of the semester projects are due. Knowing there are many colleges in the Erie area, we wanted to highlight a few coffee shops students may want to stop by to have a cram session or work on a project while taking in some much needed caffeine, and maybe even grab a bite to eat!

Pressed

If you’re looking for a place to not only grab a coffee and study, but do a little shopping for books and gifts too, Pressed is a super cool place to visit. Head into the bookstore first and pick up some new reading material (or bring your own) and then walk through the doors into the coffee shop to grab a drink and a snack to enjoy while you read. Hightops, tables, and a couch provide different locations for you to relax while you indulge (in studies or coffee, or both). You can also sit outside, right in front of the shop. This is a great option for Gannon and Mercyhurst students, as it isn’t a very far drive from either. Open from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturdays, and 10:00 a.m.-3 p.m. on Sundays, convenient for those of you who may have evening classes.

Above: Seating in Coffee Shop
Interested in more info? Click the picture above.
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The Crick Coffeehouse & Eatery

Although it is a small drive from most colleges in the area, we think The Crick is worth it. With seating indoors and outdoors, you can choose your atmosphere. This is a great place to go if you’re looking for a place to study while eating breakfast or lunch. The Crick is great for students who enjoy studying earlier in the day, as it is open from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. every day except Monday, when they are closed.

Outdoor Seating
Some Indoor Seating
More info? Click the photo above.

The Mainstreet Cakery Cafe: 2 Locations

Either location (Fairview or Millcreek) of The Mainstreet Cakery Cafe would be great for studying while grabbing a bite to eat. While both locations offer indoor and outdoor seating, you will find a wonderful atmosphere to dive into your studies while enjoying a coffee, eating a meal, or even indulging in a bakery treat or some ice cream. The tables are spaced well, and it’s a great place to meet up with a group for dinner as you dive into your studies. Open from 7 a.m.-8 p.m. every day except for Sunday, this is for studiers at any time of day.

Outdoors: Fairview Location
Indoors: Millcreek Location
Want more info? Click the picture above.
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Javamango’s Outpost

A quaint coffee shop and small eatery as a pass-through inside of an office building, Javamango’s Outpost offers a few tables and a hightop bar that are perfect for posting up while hitting the books and enjoying some much needed caffeine. Enjoy the calm atmosphere of a quiet space while you get your study on. Open from 6:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Monday-Friday, and 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturdays, this is for morning and early afternoon studiers.

Want more info? Click the picture above.

Romolo Chocolates

Studying while drinking coffee in a candy store? Initially, it sounds like a bad idea, and quite unattainable. But if you’ve ever been to Romolo Chocolates, you would understand why it’s a good idea. With a quiet atmosphere in the ice cream and coffee shop, you’ll find couches and tables set up for social interactions or some time to yourself. If you’re more of an outside person, you’ll find several tables outdoors in front and to the side of the building, and even heaters available to warm you in the colder months. Enjoy the provided scenery of a fictional alleyway well lit with many Instagram worthy spots to snap a picture in between cramming for your classes. And added to all of that, you can induldge in some amazing sponge candy! Romolo Chocolate is open from 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturdays, and 10:00 a.m.-5 p.m. Sundays.

Above: Seating inside of the shop
Beside: Seating in front of the shop

[Editors Note: We know there are several other coffee shops in Erie, some we have yet to visit and post on our site. We are not trying to be selective, simply offering choices from our current blog posts. If you have any suggestions of other places we could visit and highlight, please comment and let us know! We want to make sure we mention as much of what Erie has to offer as we can! All business hours are current as of 4/18/2022, please check the hours on their Facebook pages or Google Search if you are reading this at a much later date.]

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

Wooden Nickel Buffalo Farm

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Wooden Nickel Buffalo Farm

As we’re still focused on Fall, we wanted to go to another farm. We stumbled across Wooden Nickel Buffalo Farm, and decided to head on out as we have been wanting to go there since early Summer 2021, and boy are we glad we finally went!

Location:

Wooden Nickel Buffalo Farm is located at 5970 Kuman Road, Edinboro, PA 16412.

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Property Description:

This is a working buffalo farm, so you will see farm equipment, pastures, several different animals, and barns. There is a restaurant and gift shop on the property, as well as a corn maze. One of our favorite things about this property was looking out by the buffalo pastures and just seeing greenery and sky in one direction, it was really cool, especially when you’re used to being in neighborhoods or on city streets.

What to Do:

There is plenty to do while visiting Wooden Nickel Buffalo Farm in Edinboro, PA. First, you can walk in the gift shop and take a look at everything they have to offer inside. You can purchase anything from novelties, like buffalo and donkey plush animals, to actual buffalo meat.

We took a look around the store, and after much persistence from one kiddo insisting a plush donkey was coming home with us at the end of our trip, we walked up to the register to purchase some feed to take to the real animals in their petting zoo. Each cone of food will cost $1, and if you would like, you can bring your cone back up for a refill for only 50 cents. When you’re done with refills, you break up the ice cream cone and the animals will eat that as well. We can tell you from experience that the donkeys love it, but there was also a goat that butted in to claim some as well.

Speaking of donkeys and goats, clearly you will find them in the petting zoo yard. You will also find ducks and chickens. All of the animals are very friendly. You can’t go inside of the yard, as it’s fenced in, but the animals will get very close to you to enjoy the food that you have for them. We noticed the donkeys and goats are especially friendly, and one of our littles even developed a new love for donkeys! Fun fact, two of the donkeys are babies; one was born in July and the other in August.

We were excited to find out that they have a big corn maze set up for their guests to enjoy. We went on a muddy day, and with the littles we decided that the maze would be a little too difficult for us, so we opted out. However, we would love to do it on a day that the weather was a little better and the ground less wet. The corn maze is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. from October 1 until November 7, 2021. The corn maze will cost you to go through; ages 5-54 is $8, ages 55+ is $5, and ages 4 and under are free!

The next thing we did after the petting zoo was walk around the property and look for the buffalo. We found them decently close to the petting zoo area, and all in a large pack. They were grazing, but we did get to see a few running and playing. Be sure to stay away from the fences. There is no feeding or petting the buffalo, as they do not enjoy that.

After enjoying our walk around the pastures, we visited the petting zoo again. Our littles just love the animals, and we couldn’t help staying around these ones just a bit longer because they were just so sweet! After, we headed back into the gift shop to purchase some souvenirs from our visit. We also decided to try some food, so one of us got a buffalo burger, and the other some fries to share with the kids. We also got some apple cider to drink. Everything was very good, as neither of us had ever tried bison before. They even offer a great seating area for you to enjoy your food at.

Who Can Go:

Anyone can enjoy the fun at Wooden Nickel Buffalo Farm. We would caution you that you may have difficulty with a stroller or a wheelchair if it’s muddy, so if you need to bring anything on wheels check the weather before you go. We went on a rather wet day, and when walking through the fields to take a look at the buffalo we noticed that we were walking through a lot of mud and wet grass. If you’re only planning on taking a trip into the store or restaurant, you’re good to go no matter the weather.

Speaking of wet ground and mud, when walking through it our feet (and socks) stayed completely dry, nothing soaked through our shoes! Vessi makes 100% waterproof sneakers that we highly recommend. We have an exclusive code for $20 off your first purchase of $100 or more. Click here to be directed to Vessi’s website to browse and use our code!

Wooden Nickel Buffalo Farm is pet friendly! Just remember to keep your furry friend on a leash! You can walk your dog through the corn maze if you’d like; this might be a fun activity to test your pups navigation skills!

Final Thoughts:

We didn’t really know what to expect as we planned to go to the Wooden Nickel Buffalo Farm, but we are so glad that we went! We are even planning on going again, as we truly enjoyed our experience. From what we experienced, we believe the people that run the farm truly care for the animals and the business that they run, and that makes us feel even better about our visit to the farm. See for yourself by enjoying your own trip out to this farm in Edinboro, PA! Their normal hours are currently 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Friday and Saturday. If you’d like to come in and they are not open, just give them a call to set up an appointment, they’re very willing to work with their customers! And as their website states, if the open sign is blinking, come on in!

We truly recommend this as a fun experience if you’re looking for things to do in the Fall in Erie, PA, or any other time of the year for that matter!

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[Editor’s note: Please be aware that we are not affiliated with Wooden Nickel Buffalo Farm 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.]

This post contains affiliate links for a product. If you buy something, we may earn a commission at no cost to you.

Site Highlight: The Mainstreet Cakery (in Fairview)

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Site Highlight: The Mainstreet Cakery (in Fairview)

The Mainstreet Cakery Cafe. This may sound familiar to some of you who frequent our blog, as we’ve already given you a full layout of The Cakery in Millcreek at Copperleaf. However, we recently visited The Cakery in Fairview, and we figured why not give you all a little preview of what that location of The Cakery is like.

So a lot of things are the same. For instance, the menu. The atmosphere is also very similar.

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However, outside of The Cakery in Fairview, there is a covered tent that you can choose to dine under, along with a small gazebo that houses a few two top tables. Under the tent, you’ll find heaters to keep you warm while you enjoy your food on those crisp Autumn days.

We decided to order some Fall drinks, and thought we would detail those for you. One of us chose the Pumpkin Cappuccino. This Pumpkin Cappuccino seriously tastes like you are drinking pumpkin pie. It has a really good amount of spice, but it’s not overbearing. The other drink we chose was the Blueberry Cobbler Coffee. It was good; it definitely had a blueberry aftertaste to it. Oddly enough, we put pumpkin pie spice creamer in it and it was actually very good! But you can definitely put a simple vanilla creamer in. And honestly, chocolate or hazelnut creamer would probably be really yummy in it as well.

Blueberry Cobbler Coffee
Pumpkin Cappuccino

We also wanted to show you the food we got, to give you more ideas of what they serve at The Cakery. One of us got a Mushroom and Swiss Burger with Chips, and the other got a Tuna Melt with Pickles. Both were very good!

Tuna Melt
Mushroom and Swiss Burger

When you go inside of this location, you will enter and immediately see the counter and the bakery case. You can pay for your meal, as well as grab a bakery item to go if you enjoyed your food outside, in front of this restaurant in Fairview, PA. To your left, you will see an entryway into the dining room, and the kitchen behind the dining room. You can also, obviously, choose to sit inside. And if you’re just looking for a bakery item, then by all means, come on in and pick some out!

If you’re interested in a more informative article about The Mainstreet Cakery Cafe, click the photo below to go to our other blog post!

If you’re looking for more places to go, things to do, and seasonal events in Erie County, subscribe to our exclusive email list and never miss a wandering!

[Editor’s note: Please be aware that we are not affiliated with the Main Street Cakery Cafe 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.]

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.]

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.]

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.]

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.]