There’s a new place to plop down and relax your tired feet and feed your hungry soul at Cedar Point this summer and it’s a familiar and popular Northeast Ohio eatery.
Melt Bar & Grilled has set up shop in the old Joe Cool Cafe just off the midway by Planet Snoopy.
And walking inside is a treat in and of itself.
The restaurant is full of park memorabilia, from old height signs from long-gone attractions to cool photos that cover just about every nook and cranny of the place.
Anyone remember Disaster Transport?
How about the Schwabinchen ride?
The Swan Boats?
The walls are like a Cedar Point museum.
Heck, there’s even a framed full page from the Akron Beacon Journal thrown in for good measure. It features an article written by former ABJ writer Mark Faris in 1989 about the “Anatomy of a BIG Roller Coaster,” in this instance the construction of the Magnum XL-200.
Instead of a wall of illustrated cartoon people near the entrance like inside most Melt locations — including Fairlawn — Cedar Point’s is a mishmash of ride names, some old and some current.
The park’s location also has the signature large neon letters over the bar spelling out Melt with a few outdoor vintage Halloween and Christmas decorations mixed in.
This marks Melt’s ninth location.
All of the popular concoctions of grilled cheese are offered at the park, and many come in vegan and vegetarian friendly options too.
But if you want to try the Firecracker Chicken — hot and spicy diablo fried chicken, spicy buffalo sauce, creamy blue cheese slaw, crumbled blue cheese and ranch dip — you will have to head to Sandusky, as it is exclusive to Cedar Point. A whole sandwich will set you back $15.79 and a half $11.89 — not a bad price considering most amusement park menu prices.
Melt’s usual hangover fries have been replaced with the more family-friendly Cedar Point Fries that come with a cheddar cheese sauce and crisp bacon crumble for $8.99.
Cedar Point General Manager Jason McClure said workers were sent to train in the off season with Melt to ensure the cheesy experience lovers of the eatery have come to expect.
“[Melt] is just a great fit for us,” he said. “They have a great personality. It is a cool restaurant and the food is awesome.”
Matt Fish, owner and founder of the chain, agrees.
“We’re ecstatic about launching at Cedar Point because we see visiting Melt like riding a roller coaster,” he said in a statement. “There’s a lot of anticipation; then the thrill, and as soon as it’s over, you want to go again.”
Craig Webb, who usually orders the Hot Italian, can be reached at cwebb@thebeaconjournal.com or 330-996-3547.