Apps and a Brew in Akron

There is not a whole lot better than a girl's night out! I have had some of my girls' best full-out belly laughs—also some of the best cries. One of my besties and I have a reasonably flexible home schedule, so it is easier for us to find time to get out and catch up. We also both enjoy a good craft beer or a glass of wine. This evening we decided to check out Lock 15 in Akron, Ohio. I had been there one other time for a date night years ago. (not Dave, so not worth mentioning)

Lock 15 opened in the late summer of 2018 after two friends came up with the concept during a Christmas party. It is downtown Akron, over by Luigis and on the canal(if you are familiar with that area). The parking is somewhat flukey as there is a small narrow parking lot behind the building, but you can also park across the street in one of the park gravel lots in the front of the building. The entrance into the restaurant is in the back. It has a cool warehouse-type vibe, with high open ceilings and modern touches. Sometimes the high ceiling = noisy, but I have been here a couple of times now and could easily have a conversation with the table. So if you are looking for a casual date night or a first date, this would be an excellent place to have it.

Beet root-roasted beets, feta, pistachio, mint, lemon honey vinaigrette

The Eats

Tonight we decided to get a bunch of shareable's. I know you are all shocked! LOL. Everything was good, but there were a couple of favorites. And my favorite thing, a couple of the items were unique and are not typically on restaurant menus. SCORE!!

Stuffed dates, with herb whipped feta, hot honey drizzle. The sweetness & heat of the honey tasted fantastic with the fruitiness and sweetness of the dates. I have to say I am loving the date and fig craze right now!!

My favorite, and it must be seasonal because i do not see this on the menu at the moment. Blueberry Goat Cheese spread!! Oh My Deliciousness! It was served warm and we were given bread to dip and spread. We ended up asking for more bread. (side note, I also went home and looked up this recipe and my cousin, who is a desert goddess and has her own cookbook @InKatrinasKitchen. has a recipe for this spread and I made it when I got home and it was divine) But please Lock 15, bring this one back for a summer menu item!! (insert begging tone)

My preference on charcuterie boards are to have some bread and crackers to make sandwiches with your meat and cheese. May not be everyone's cup of tea, but that is how I prefer to enjoy my board. Their board did include bread and several other items to pair with your meat and cheese, such as a spicy mustard, a jam and the blueberry goat cheese.

IPA Oh my!

In my adult life I chose to drink wine vs enjoying a good brew. My only exposure to beer was back in college when it was cheap and watered down. However, when craft beer became a thing a co-worker of mine had prior experience selling for a brew company and would bring in IPAs for our late Friday afternoon staff meetings. SHHHH. He and I made a trade. I would help educate him on red wine so he could talk wine with his wife and he would educate me on brew. I fell in love with IPAs. They have a richness and complexity to them, similar to a cabernet wine. Ok, I found a new hobby. Let's try the local breweries and find out what I like.

Lock 15 has a great selection of beer. They brew their own on-site. They offer flights or you can purchase by the glass. I enjoyed their red beers as well as some of their IPAs. Not all breweries brew a good beer. So try a flight, it's the best way ti figure out which beer you enjoy at that specific brewery before investing in a full glass.

If you are looking for a fun, relaxed night out with friends or a date night, I would highly recommend Lock 15 brewery.

Cheers, Lisa