What started as a desire to do something different within the restaurant world in Lakewood has now become a go-to place to dine for Clevelanders and beyond. Owner Matt Fish wanted to create "...a bar and restaurant that I wanted to hang out at." and that's exactly what he did. Almost everyone is familiar with the grilled cheese sandwich. To some it's a comfort food, but to Matt, it's a concept that helped him launch the community that is Melt Bar & Grilled. After finishing culinary school the goal was to open up his own restaurant. While testing menus for a gastropub-type establishment, the idea for a little side menu with offerings of this staple sandwich kept resonating with a lot of people. From there Matt took it and ran. On September 22, 2006, the very first Melt opened its doors in Lakewood. Now almost 10 years later, their seventh location will be coming June of this year to Akron. The approach to take a plated entree and turn it into a sandwich has definitely built them a following. "We take that whole meal you're used to seeing and put it on the sandwich." - how awesome is that! A visit to Melt provides you with a unique experience combining fun gourmet food, cool atmosphere/music, and service levels that you won't find anywhere else.
This will be Melt's first year participating at Grapes & Ale and we couldn't be more excited to have them. They are no stranger to Progressive Field, as the Right Field District is home to its very own Melt Bar & Grilled stand that went in with last year's ballpark renovations. This will allow Matt and his team to actually create sandwiches for guests using their own equipment available on site, something that usually is difficult to do at events. "It's going to be awesome, I'm really looking forward to it!"
There's no doubt it will be a popular stop for those eager to taste samples of their gourmet grilled cheese at the event. Can't wait until next Friday? Stop at any one of their current locations to experience a fantastic meal and great staff! Tickets for Grapes & Ale are still available for purchase online at www.thewayside.org.