On April 28, the 53-year-old Hudson mainstay Reserve Inn closed its doors. And on Monday, June 11, Lager and Vine Gastropub and Wine Bar (30 W. Streetsboro St., 330-650-1717) will open in its place.
Owner Cliff Cravens, along with his wife Katie, have spent the last month completely gutting and rebuilding the dated restaurant, which had failed to hold its own against newer restaurants in the area. Cravens was most recently the operating partner for Fleming's Prime Steakhouse, while his wife spent more than a decade at the Cleveland Chophouse.
"We did a total 180 on what was there," says Cravens. "We replaced the carpet with wood floors. We covered the walls with 120-year-old reclaimed barn wood from a barn in Ravenna. We added brick to the walls."
The restaurant will accommodate 140 guests in a bar and dining room. A patio will be added next spring.
Lager and Vine will be the first restaurant in Ohio to carry wines on draft, offering Napa Valley wines by the glass, flight and bottle. While new to Ohio, kegged wine is commonplace out west, where it is appreciated for its environmental friendliness. It's great for consumers, too, because it is dispensed by low-pressure nitrogen, an inert gas that prevents oxidation in wine. Craft beer will be sold on tap and in the bottle.
The chef will be Austin Stewart, who most recently opened multiple Brick House Tavern locations. He will preside over a menu of small plates, sharable appetizers, flatbread pizzas, steaks, and fresh-cut seafood.
"The gastropub label has less to do with the food than it does the beer and wine selection and the atmosphere," adds Cravens. "I feel like many of the restaurants in Hudson all do a great job but diners have to get a little gussied up to go into them. I want you to feel comfortable coming in to grab a bite with your girlfriend, or just coming off the golf course with your buddies."
Lager and Vine will be open every day but Sunday.
