So you thought the summer would never come. Well summer is here, and it’s time to go out and enjoy it. What better way than to do some patio dining with friends and family.
Perennial Vineyards
There are so many restaurants and wineries with lovely patios each with a little different flavor. Starting south in Brewster is the Winery at Perennial Vineyards. Relax outside on their sunset patio or walk the grounds, and visit their scenic vineyard pavilion. They have a small menu of appetizers or you can bring your own picnic, and of course there’s a wide selection of wines to taste; check out their list of wines online.
Venture a little farther north to Massillon and visit Margaritas Mexican Grill and Cantina. You can enjoy authentic Mexican food and about any flavor of margarita you can imagine on their intimate patio. Is anyone up for a mango margarita? Check out their complete list of flavors and their menu.
Let’s head to Canton now and their awesome selection of downtown restaurants. The Canton Club is over 100 years old and one of Canton’s tallest buildings. Its patio has a beautiful view overlooking the city and serves lunch Wednesday – Friday from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM. Right around the corner you will find two more restaurants, Sheri’s at Shearers and Corporate Downtown Bar & Grill. Sheri’s has a great selection of American Cuisine. If you don’t know Sheri, you soon will. She makes a point of greeting and checking on her guests to make sure their dining experience is perfect. Like Sheri at Shears on Facebook and keep up with her daily lunch specials. Corporate Downtown Bar & Grill just recently completed their patio addition, and it’s amazing. They’ve also included a place for a band. If you’re looking for entertainment with your dinner, this is the place to go!
TD’s Tailgate
Are you an avid sports fan? Head to TD’s Tailgate Grill and enjoy their spacious patio. It’s not your typical sports bar menu. Many of the items are original recipes from co-owner Kim Shapiro. I thank her very much for her fish taco creation, one of my personal favorites.
The Granite Grill
For those of you heading to the East Canton or Alliance area there is patio dining available for you too! The Granite Grill at the Quarry Golf Club in East Canton combines world class dining with breathtaking views of the golf course from its patio. If you’d like to shoot a round of golf before or after your patio visit this is the place for you. Be sure to check out their menu online!
A little farther east in Alliance is a very cute little patio that is part of Jalisco Mexican Restaurant. Much like Margaritas in Massillon it combines authentic Mexican cuisine with an amazing selection of margarita flavors. The banana margarita is delicious; yes, I said banana!
Belden Village has always been a dining hot spot, and the patios are plentiful. The Winking Lizard Tavern on Fulton is a sports bar with casual dining great for the whole family. If you want to sit on a patio and still be able to watch your favorite sporting event on one of their many outdoor TV’s this is the place to be.
Panini’s Bar & Grill
If you would rather dance the night away on a Polynesian Patio then head to Paninis Bar & Grill, home of the overstuffed Panini sandwich, (I mean there’s French fries and coleslaw on it what could be better)! If you want to sit outside and do a little work, they also have free Wi-Fi. Checkout their website for an entertainment schedule and pick out your favorite Panini sandwich before you go! It seems that Mexican restaurants and patios go together. That certainly is the case for Tlaquepacque. A very cute patio with a fountain adds to the ambiance of outdoor dining. Stop in on a Tuesday or Thursday and take advantage of their margarita specials.
Head to North Canton and hit the Party Patios on Portage! Three restaurants on Portage St. in North Canton have patios which are within a few blocks of each other; Jimmy’s, Sylvester’s, and Palumbo’s. Jimmy’s Restaurant and Lounge has a great outdoor bar area that features some type of entertainment from Wednesday through Saturday, and they have a great selection of pasta dishes. What more could you ask for! Sylvester’s North End Grille has an amazing upscale menu in a casual patio dining experience. Sylvester’s is well known for their steak and
Sylvester’s
seafood, but my favorite is their homemade Italian sausage. Check out their menu online! Our third party patio on Portage is Palumbo’s Italian Restaurant. This restaurant is in a very cute house and the patio is actually the back porch. Don’t let the hominess fool you; they have upscale Italian cuisine in a casual atmosphere. If you happen to be there on the first or third Saturday of the month you can have their grilled ribs, yum!
Gervasi Vineyards
In addition to Perennial Vineyards, the wine lovers should check out Gervasi Vineyards, Maize Valley Market & Winery, and a wine bar called The Barrel Room. If you haven’t been to Gervasi Vineyards yet you really need to go. There are several buildings on this 55 acre winery; an Italian Bistro, a gift shop, villas, an event center, and of course their patio. The patio has a great view overlooking a lake with bocci ball and corn-hole games set up on the lawn. This patio has its own outdoor kitchen complete with a brick pizza oven. Coming soon to add even more to this experience is the Crush House. It will feature a lower level to produce even more wine and an upper level, featuring a wrap around porch, which will be open year round for lunch and dinner. It’s like having Tuscany in our backyard .
Enjoy the relaxed atmosphere of Maize Valley Market and Winery where there is always something going on. You can walk the grounds of this farm, do a little shopping in their market, or enjoy lunch or dinner featuring many tasty homemade dishes. Many of the items on the menu and in their market come directly from their farm including their wine; talk about fresh! There is also a full calendar of events for the whole family. Keep track of their events at online. Last but not least is The Barrel Room. It’s not a winery, it’s not a restaurant, but it has been a very successful addition to North Canton’s night life.
The Barrel Room is a wine bar that features a huge list of wine and a slightly smaller list of beers. Their patio is cozy and heated if the night gets a little chilly. You can also get a tasty appetizer to accompany your wine selection. My favorite is their hummus, but you can get assorted meats and cheeses, buffalo chicken dip, beer cheese dip with soft pretzels etc. This is a retail wine bar so you can even get some to go. If you would rather bring in your own food, or have it delivered by
The Barrel Room
a local restaurant, that’s ok too! Check out their website for an extensive list of wine and beer!
All of the wineries/wine bars feature evening entertainment on specific days of the week, so be sure to call ahead to see what’s going on.
The thing to remember about patios is they are of course seasonal, and many of them are open specific days, times, dates etc. Call or go online to double check before venturing out. This is just a small sampling of the many patios in the Stark County area. I’m sure you have your favorite. Leave a comment and tell us what your favorite patio is and why! We would love to hear from you.
