My husband and I took our extended families to Quaker Square in Akron to eat in the Depot restaurant when we were first married. We’ve dined at Lucille’s, and were fooled while on a murder mystery event on the CVSR train. Eating is made memorable on board a train car whether they moving, or simply parked.
1. The Spaghetti Warehouse in Akron, OH
There’s no easier menu on the planet! The Spaghetti Warehouse in Akron boasts a trolley car you can ask to eat inside of, and lots of eye candy in the form of old signs, industrial components and warehouse life. If you haven’t gone – you should!
UPDATE: Toledo’s Spaghetti Warehouse ALSO has a train car you can eat inside of!
2. Buckeye Express Diner South of Mansfield
Buckeye Express Diner
Decked out in true Ohio flare, the Buckeye Express Diner provides homemade comfort food in a clearly visible train car set on real tracks. Complete with a kids play area, this is a treat for your children and won’t break your wallet!
3. The Depot in Columbus, OH
The Depot Event Center in Columbus is a rentable train car, train bar and more made to accommodate parties, rehearsal dinners and meetings. If you can find the change book a special night in a train car all to your own in Car 100 – made for traveling executives of the Ringling Bros Circus! This night’s stay is straight out of the movies!
4. Cincinnati Dinner Train
With both public and private dining cars, the Cincinnati Dinner Train operates every Saturday throughout the year, boasts gourmet meals including Prime Rib and Salmon, has a full bar and opens side doors for full countryside viewing when the weather permits.
5. Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad
Pictured above is a still shot from an excursion I took with my family several years ago. Not only does the CVSR offer special brunches, wine tastings and holiday treats, they also host murder mystery events on board the train. Once a year, Thomas the Train delights children as he pulls the CVSR train cars through the CVNP.
6. The Old Road Dinner Train in Blissfield, MI (20 minutes from Toledo)
Shoot just 20 minutes into Michigan from Toledo and you will come across the Old Road Dinner Train in Blissfield. They have weekly Murder Mystery Train Excursions once or twice a week. Reservations certainly required!
7. The University of Akron’s Trackside Grill at Quaker Square
Quaker Square was Akron’s most interesting, and slowest to fail hotel/mall. Hidden just east of Downtown Akron, the combination Hilton/Mall was sold to the University of Akron to be used as dorm rooms a few years ago, and the last mall tenants have gone.
UPDATE: Thanks to a well informed reader, you can still dine in the train cars -although the operating hours are based on the university’s schedule. The decor is updated a little too.
And more…
I do recall eating at Lucille’s in Dennison in a train car years ago, however it seems they’ve moved out of the car to a restaurant next door? Do you know of others?
