Reading that February 1970 article about Lorain’s new “quick service” dining scene that I posted last week made me curious about the other restaurants in the neighboring cities during that time period. So I went back and reviewed the Restaurants listings in the November 1969 Lorain Telephone Company directory and compiled a rough list.
All I can say is that the surrounding areas had an incredible amount of choices – of both Mom and Pop places as well as national chains – when it came to eating out back then.
Over in
Vermilion, the
A&W Root Beer stand on Liberty Avenue was still open, as well as Casey’s Drive In. Other culinary choices included the
Holiday Inn Steakhouse, Ann’s Lunch, Dockside Bar-B-Q,
Elberta Inn, the Hanna House, Lake Erie Drive In, L’Auberge Du Port Restaurant Francais,
Leidheiser’s German Restaurant, McGarvey’s Boat Drive-In, The Nest,
Old Prague Restaurant, Dairy Queen, DuPerow Restaurant and
The Pit.
Further west out in
Huron, there was the
Philbo House at the junction of Routes 61 and 6 & 2, and the Twine House on North Main.
Sheffield Lake had a nice selection of places where one could get something to eat. There was
Amber Oaks, Bill & Don’s Sheffield Inn,
Dutch Treat, Miller’s Dairy Isle Snack Shoppe,
Pizza Hut, and of course, Vian’s Barbecue & Restaurant.
Nearby in
Avon Lake, you could dine at Aqua Marine - Ramada Inn (another topic that will
finally debut on this blog this year), Dairy Queen, the Lovin Oven, Paul & Evelyn’s Dinette, the Saddle Inn Restaurant & Motel, Sandy Lee’s Restaurant, and the Tropicana Lounge & Restaurant. And in
Avon, there was Miller’s Country Place.
Over in
Amherst, some of the restaurants included the Chatterbox Restaurant,
Mischka’s Restaurant, Vicki’s Restaurant, Dewey Road Inn and
Yeager’s Acres. And in
Birmingham, there was K’s Restaurant on Route 113, which advertised home cooked meals and homemade pies.
Out in
North Ridgeville, there was Eddy’s Chalet West. In
Elyria, you could dine at Carey’s Villa on Lake Avenue, the Holiday Inn near Midway Mall on Lorain Boulevard, King’s Table, Mr. Larry’s Beef ’N Tails, the Porter House, and the Weathervane Club, which was located on Butternut Ridge.
During the next few days, I’ll feature some local restaurants of yesteryear in their own posts.
You have pretty much run the gamut of the popular local restaurants circa 1970, and I have eaten at most of them. Some I frequented for everyday fare, and others were saved for more special occasions. One chain restaurant that is not on your list, but was quite popular during that time was the L&K Restaurant chain. They had restaurants in Elyria and Amherst, and pretty much throughout Ohio. Not haute cuisine, but a good place for a quick filling meal. Probably because of where I was living at the time, I regularly frequented the Amherst Restaurant.
ReplyDeleteHi Rick!
ReplyDeleteAh, you busted me! L&K was indeed in the restaurant listings and I obviously overlooked it while trying to determine the city-by-city groupings. We ate there too and have a good memory of it. Maybe I will have to give it its own post!
Our sports car club met at the L&K on Oberlin Elyria Rd (old Rt 20) for awhile in the 1970s. Still there, that wedge shaped roof line is easy to spot. And just around the corner is another on-again, off-again restaurant in that huge barn, The Silos. Both casualties of the new highway, I presume.
ReplyDeleteFor a while L&K had two restaurants almost close together in Amherst. One was originally Lawsons's and it changed over to L#K. The one noticeable difference between the two is one had a salad bar.
ReplyDeleteDon't forget mountain jacks by the mall
ReplyDeleteFor real . A jumping bar in the late evening.
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