Going to be spending a couple of days there at the end of the month, anyplace besides Hoppin Frog worth visiting ? I checked "places", but no place else looked too interesting. I know about all of the Cleveland area places, just interested in Akron and Salem. Good food would be a plus. Thanks !
Got no clue where you're staying and how far in/out of Akron or Salem it is, but if you were in Salem proper, it'd be a little over a 30 minute drive to Vintage Estate in Boardman. They've got tons of beers, though I don't know how many will be epic/something you want and/or can't get. You can also check their tap list online at their site. Their sister "restaurant" is 30 seconds down the road and you can also check the Magic Tree's tap list online. (And right now, the Tree wins, but who knows by the end of the month.) Also, if you end up making the trek, you probably will want to shoot over to the Chalet Premier, maybe even beforehand so you know what they have. Although, TBH, it's probably going to be cheaper at the Chalet; it's just that VE wins in selection. As far as Akron, obviously you've already highlighted the Tasting Room at Hoppin' Frog. I've never been, but the other day I just drove by Thirsty Dog. Don't know if they have a place to drink, but it'd be worth it to grab some fresh Wulver. I've always enjoyed the West Point Market. I've picked up beers there before, food shopped, grabbed a pastry, and just generally wandered around in awe. Never sat and ate lunch, but I wouldn't be averse to trying it. I only usually try it every few trips, but I've always come out of Portage Lakes Brewing with a few beers. (They're not actually a brewery, just a little bottle shop at the end of a strip plaza.) I think they have a few taps too. If you've never had it, don't sleep on Donato's Pizza either. The thin crust Hawaiian, Chicken Mariachi, and Pepperoni/Ricotta are all to die for.
Swenson's Hamburger Drive-In Restaurant. It's a tradition for my wife and I to stop there when we visit the Akron area. (No beer there, but you can get a bag of them and take them to your hotel and enjoy with a beer or tow in your room.) http://swensonsdriveins.com/
I love Swensons!!! I have a Galley Boy T shirt. Lol. Thirsty dog has a tasting room. It's pretty dirty and they have weird hours, but it's worth it. Lizardville on Copley road would be good. Baxter's and Lockview are good bars in downtown Akron.
Frisch's Big Boy is way better than Swensons (http://www.bigboy.com/) got nothing, thirsty dog and hoppin frog already mentioned.
^Eye'da (pun intended) put a smiley in there also, but I didn't want to have a hinkey eye too. :lolsmiley: I'm in Akron fairly occasionally. But have never heard of Swenson's. (If I ever eat while I'm in Akron, I'm usually grabbing a thin crust pizza from Donato's.) I think I'll have to look this joint up next time I have the time to grab a bite.
