Beau’s Bar & Bistro

Akron’s Beau Schmidt has done it again. He’s the celebrated chef behind Beau’s Grille inside the Doubletree by Hilton Akron Fairlawn, Beau’s on the River inside the Sheraton Suites Akron Cuyahoga Falls, and Beau’s Market & Deli, which now has a new name to reflect a shift to more hearty dinner fare.

The Copley hot spot is now Beau’s Bar & Bistro, which features a newly remodeled bar area and a new menu with more dinner entrees.

“We included the words ‘market and deli’ in our original name to help people understand that you could enjoy lunch or dinner here but also shop for gourmet meats, cheeses, and other specialty food items,” Beau explains. “It represented a smooth transition from the original Shisler’s Cheese House.”

While the location has become wildly popular for lunch, the new name points out that it’s also an ideal dinner destination.

The New Menu
The previous menu featured salads, sandwiches, wraps, flatbreads, small plates, and cheese and charcuterie boards. And while many of these lighter items are still on the menu, the new Beau’s Bar & Bistro now features some heartier fare, like slow-roasted Certified Angus short ribs with demi sauce, served with Yukon Gold mashed potatoes and sautéed asparagus.

You’ll also find a delicious grilled premium pork chop available with the same sides and a garlic and butter shrimp scampi served with wheat berry grains, cannellini beans and roasted vegetables.

Also new is an Akron-area favorite—a classic iceberg wedge salad with your choice of red or white French dressing.

Popular items not going anywhere include the Poke—mixed greens, sushi tuna, fresh veggies, seaweed salad and avocado, topped with ginger dressing; the Warm Mediterranean Salad— kalamata olives, roasted peppers, capers, basil and a Greek salad garnish (try it with the smoked salmon); and the Baked Brie—wrapped in phyllo dough, baked with fruit preserves and served with crostini.

The New Kitchen
One big change that allowed this expanded menu is behind the scenes—a newly remodeled and expanded kitchen with a brand-new, state-of-the-art, four-drawer oven. The management team behind the transformation is Chef Beau, along with Rennick Andreoli, president of RDA Management, which has owned, operated and renovated more than 30 hotels, including two of its mainstay Akron-area properties—the Doubletree by Hilton and the Sheraton Suites. Rounding out the team are RDA Regional General Manager Edson Pinheiro and Beau’s Bar & Bistro General Manager Kennedy Armour.

“The new kitchen means we can serve an expanded menu and offer faster service to our guests,” Kennedy explains. “That’s what Beau is known for—excellent food and friendly, professional service. That’s what we offer here.”

The New Bar Scene
Kennedy is especially proud of the new bar. “The previous bar was small and straight, so it wasn’t as good for conversations,” she says. “Now we have transformed the former deli area into a new bar that seats 13. It’s L-shaped, so people can look at each other when they talk. It’s already packed with regulars much of the time.”

The bar features a large selection of bourbon—including E.H. Taylor, Blanton’s, Buffalo Trace, Weller and 1792. You’ll find more than 300 bottles of wine, plus 15 different offerings by the glass, as well as 20 craft beers. Beau’s also hosts popular monthly wine dinners that sell out within days of being announced and Saturday wine tastings from 1-3 p.m.

“Lunch is really busy already,” Kennedy adds. “But mid- to late-afternoon is the sweet spot. That’s when we offer our popular Happy Hour.”

The Beau’s Bar & Bistro Happy Hour is Tuesday through Saturday, 2-7 p.m., and includes $1 off wine and beer, $5.50 house vodka, $6.50 Tito’s and $7 house bourbon. Weekly happenings that also feature big discounts are: Tuesday Martini Night, Wednesday Wine Night, Thursday Margarita Night, Friday Beers & Bourbon, and Saturday Mimosas & Bloodys.

Holiday Catering and Gift Cards
Remaining true to its market and deli roots, Beau’s Bar & Bistro is an ideal way to plan your holiday parties and gift-giving. “This time of year we do a lot of catering, gift baskets and charcuterie boards,” Kennedy says. “We also offer on-premises catering—you can reserve the entire restaurant—plus we do a lot of showers, rehearsal dinners and chamber of commerce meetings and events.”

Right now, for the holidays, Beau is offering a special holiday gift card promotion: Get a $10 card for every $50 you spend on gift cards.

Beau’s Bar & Bistro is located at 1275 S. Cleveland Massillon Rd., in Copley, the home of the former Beau’s Market & Deli and, previously, Shisler’s Cheese House. The phone is 234-466-7720. Beau’s is open Monday through Saturday. For more information, including hours, special events and the full menu, visit BeausMarket.com.