Summary
One of fall’s special treats in Northeast Ohio is the proliferation of clambakes at restaurants, special events, and friends’ homes. An Ohio clambake differs slightly from a typical New England clambake. In Ohio, everything is steamed together in one large pot. Moreover, the clams are not local; they are shipped in from the east coast. The traditional Ohio mixture typically includes clams, perhaps a half-chicken, ears of corn, and white or sweet potatoes. Serve this hearty dish with fresh rolls slathered with butter and a side of creamy coleslaw for a quintessential local experience. If you’re in northern Ohio, discover some places to enjoy a warm clambake in the chilly fall weather.
Food Stores for Clambakes
You can order your clambake per person, choosing from a range of ingredients. You can pick it up cooked or steam it yourself at home.
- Brennan’s Catering: Their ready-to-serve clambake includes littleneck clams, baked chicken, choice of potatoes, corn on the cob, choice of salad, rolls and butter, clam broth, and place setting.
- Euclid Fish: This grocer offers a selection of clambake specials as well as recipes and engaging facts on their website. You can shop online for convenience.
- Farmhouse Foods: Choose from fresh topneck, littleneck, or cherrystone clams paired with snow crab, king crab, lobster, steak, or chicken. They offer catering or pick-up options.
- Hall’s Quality Meat Market: This market provides a complete clambake with clams, chicken, rolls, butter, and yams. Additionally, clam steamers are available for rent.
- Lobster Bros Seafood: Purchase your clambake a la carte or opt for a complete bake. They feature cold water middleneck clams shipped in daily from Rhode Island.
Restaurants Offering Clambakes
As clambakes are seasonal, various restaurants showcase their unique take on the Cleveland clambake each fall.
- Don’s Lighthouse: Menu offerings vary annually, but past selections have included a lobster bake for $43 and a clambake (featuring 1/2 roasted chicken) for $30 per person.
- Pickle Bill’s: You can find steamed clams on the menu year-round along with a host of other seafood specialties, with clambake options being seasonal.
- Tick-Tock Tavern: Offering a seasonal clambake that includes chicken, clams, mussels, corn, chowder, sweet potato, and either coleslaw or salad.
- Debonne Vineyards: Typically features a steak or clambake that includes clams or steak, 1/2 chicken, clam chowder, sweet potatoes, red skins, salads, and corn.
- Winking Lizard: They host a Clambake Weekend event, perfect for seafood lovers.
- Mavis Winkles Irish Pub: This pub chain offers a seasonal clambake usually containing 1/2 chicken, clams, corn, sweet potato, cinnamon butter, and broth.
Clambake Events
As fall approaches, numerous clambake events emerge as enjoyable activities and charity fundraisers. For instance, the Ohio Wine Producers Association recently organized a clambake in Madison, Ohio, at Grand River Cellars. The menu included a dozen clams, a half chicken, sweet potatoes, coleslaw, corn, chowder, and a dinner roll.
At Put-In-Bay, the volunteer fire department hosts an annual fundraiser clambake in September. Tickets, priced at $25, can be ordered in advance. The clambake features a dozen clams, a half BBQ chicken, potato, corn, vegetables, and fresh fruit. Proceeds are allocated to purchasing equipment for the Put-in-Bay Volunteer Fire Department.
