This little piggy went to "Market"...

Friday turned out to be a gorgeous day in Cleveland- much to our surprise! Looking through the windows at work at the sunny day happening right before my eyes was killing me. So when a co-worker (and friend) emailed a few of us to see if we wanted to grab a drink on a patio after work, I jumped at the chance.

Since Ohio City has so many great options nestled on/off West 25th Street, we decided to head down there, park, and then see which patio looked enticing. After 5:00PM, Bar Cento and Great Lakes Brewing Company were both in the shade- not what we wanted! We quickly decided on Market Avenue Wine Bar and settled into a small table on their patio.

A bottle of wine was ordered (a Pinot Grigio that started with a "T" that was crisp and refreshing), and we started to peruse the menu. Market Avenue Wine Bar actually has many great appetizer options, plenty of which are perfect for sharing. I'm a sucker for a cheese plate, and luckily my co-worker is as well. We had a brief discussion about how we could live off of wine, cheese, bread, and fruit. I would fit in very well in Europe, I've decided.

Imported and Domestic Cheeses

Choose three of your favorite cheeses or meats from the selections below. Served with a fresh warm baguette and seasonal fruit.

Choose three of the following:

Garlic Neufchatel Spread

Smoked Gouda

Danish Havarti

Double Cream Brie

Maytag Bleu

Cappicolla Ham

Emmenthaler Swiss

Asiago

Irish Cheddar

Dill Havarti

Amish Baby Swiss

Prosciutto

Hard Salami

$10.75 (each extra item $2.00)

We settled on the Smoked Gouda, Double Cream Brie, and Danish Havarti. All three were excellent choices, and I was surprised at the large quantity of each that came with the dish. Sometimes each cheese selection is very minimal, but this was more than enough for us to share and not be fighting over the last little bites. The assortment of fruit was plentiful and fresh. My only (tiny) complaint is that the french baguette (a crusty bread to begin with) was slightly over-toasted and very difficult to slice.

Two bottles of wine (boy I wish I remembered the name of it), more friends joining us, and a cheese plate later...it was a perfect end to the work week! Market Avenue Wine Bar is a great spot to hit during happy hour, or to pop in for a drink and appetizer before you head to one of Ohio City's great restaurants. Their staff is well educated, and if you describe the kind of wine that you like then they can expertly select a perfect bottle for you. The patio expands over two store fronts, so there is plenty of seating, and the inside is a nice balance of dark and cozy. I think this visit turned me into a bigger fan than I was, so I see other happy hour stops in my future!

Market Avenue Wine Bar
2526 Market Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44113
(216) 696-9463