Butcher & Sprout fosters farm-to-table dining in Cuyahoga Falls | Local Flavor

Tawney Beans, Akron Beacon Journal
·4 min read

There’s something about dessert that just hits differently.

I often can’t remember individuals’ names or how to work a manual can opener, but when I see an interesting dessert on a menu, I’ll keep it in the back of my mind for years.

It’s this selective memory that led me and my friend Sarah to Butcher & Sprout, a local farm-to-table restaurant with a Belgian pearl sugar waffle on its dessert menu.

The discovery of said waffle happened while I was compiling a list of restaurants with outdoor heated igloos back in December 2021. Butcher & Sprout was one of them, and I took some time to peruse the menu before calling to get details for my igloo story.

Dining at Butcher & Sprout

A Cinderella mocktail consists of orange, pineapple and lemon juices plus grenadine.
A Cinderella mocktail consists of orange, pineapple and lemon juices plus grenadine.

There was something else exciting that I noticed on Butcher & Sprout’s menu: mocktails.

As someone who doesn’t drink, it’s always a treat when I can order something to drink besides water, pop or a Shirley Temple. I decided on the Cinderella mocktail made with orange juice, pineapple juice, lemon juice and grenadine ($7).

A plate of breaded pickle fries topped with a spicy aioli and microgreens.
A plate of breaded pickle fries topped with a spicy aioli and microgreens.

Alongside my drink, I ordered breaded pickle fries for Sarah and me to share. They came with a spicy aioli, which wasn’t very spicy but did complement the pickles well. The fries are normally $12, but I only paid $7 because it was Butcher & Sprout’s happy hour, which runs 3 to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday.

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For her main dish, Sarah ordered the butcher burger – a beef patty sporting thick-cut bacon, house-made barbecue sauce and cheddar cheese – with a side of fries. I opted for the restaurant’s roasted half-chicken smothered in thyme butter and served with rainbow carrots and sweet potato waffle fries ($25 + $2 upcharge for the waffle fries).

Butcher & Sprout's roasted half-chicken, smothered in thyme butter and served with rainbow carrots and sweet potato waffle fries.
Butcher & Sprout's roasted half-chicken, smothered in thyme butter and served with rainbow carrots and sweet potato waffle fries.

While the rainbow carrots were a bit undercooked, the sweet potato fries were fried and seasoned well and came with the same yummy aioli as the pickle fries. The chicken was unbelievably juicy thanks to the browned butter.

Then came the pièce de résistance: A Belgian pearl sugar waffle topped with smoked maple bourbon praline ice cream and caramel sauce ($10). We loved the dessert so much we ordered two. Sarah said it was the best part of the meal and one of the best desserts she’s had in a while.

So warm. So cold. So sweet. This Belgian pearl sugar waffle is topped with smoked maple bourbon praline ice cream and caramel sauce.
So warm. So cold. So sweet. This Belgian pearl sugar waffle is topped with smoked maple bourbon praline ice cream and caramel sauce.

Butcher & Sprout's philosophy

During dinner I noticed that Butcher & Sprout has farm décor and details on farm-to-table dining scattered here, there and everywhere.

The Cuyahoga Falls eatery focuses on food that is locally sourced, organic and non-GMO (genetically modified organisms). Some of the local vendors include The Farmer’s Rail, Green City Growers and Countryside Public Market.

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Owners Joel and Cassie Testa also created the restaurant with family fun in mind. Near the hostess stand are over a dozen tabletop games to entertain guests while they wait for their meal. There are also backyard-style games available for those sitting outside on the wraparound patio.

History of Butcher & Sprout

The butcher burger sports thick-cut bacon, house-made barbecue sauce and cheddar cheese at Butcher & Sprout in Cuyahoga Falls. The dish is served with fries.
The butcher burger sports thick-cut bacon, house-made barbecue sauce and cheddar cheese at Butcher & Sprout in Cuyahoga Falls. The dish is served with fries.

Butcher & Sprout opened as a casual burger, salad and drinks spot in Cuyahoga Falls in 2019.

The restaurant is in the space that previously housed The Office eatery in Testa Co.’s Watermark building (with housing above street-level storefronts) on the west side of Front Street. Joel Testa is president of Testa Co.

Until we meet again

The long-awaited dessert certainly delivered. In fact, I’ve already decided to come back and check out their chicken and waffles, a dish I endeavor to find the best version of. It looks promising, as the Butcher & Sprout version of the sweet and savory dish uses a Belgian pearl sugar waffle, fried chicken and thick-cut applewood-smoked bacon with sriracha maple syrup.

Contact Beacon Journal reporter Tawney Beans at tbeans@gannett.com and on Twitter @TawneyBeans.

Details

Place: Butcher & Sprout

Address: 1846 Front St., Cuyahoga Falls

Phone: 330-801-0009

Hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday

Website: www.butcherandsprout.com/

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Munch on farm-to-table meals at Butcher & Sprout in Cuyahoga Falls