Last semester, as a new first-year on campus, I did not know where anything was on campus or in Meadville. I could barely memorize the location of my classes, let alone where cool student hangout spots were in town. Then there was the conundrum of actually finding friends to spend time with at these places.

That was why when a close friend of mine suggested E-Street Eatery, I was more than thrilled to go. According to its Facebook page, E-Street Eatery opened for business in 2014. It is located on the corner of North Main Street and Rudolph Street, and has a spacious parking lot. Some may even choose to eat outside considering there is room and tables. When walking up to the building, its design is simple —  stone walls with a pastel blue and pink sign declaring its name: “E-Street Eatery, Handmade Eats & Gourmet Treats.”

The inside was even better. Its charming paintings and stickers matched well with their different colored blue and yellow walls. Then to tie it all together, the spindly, old-fashioned chairs added a touch of elegance to the look. It was very homely and full of character. In addition to an antique feeling, it was modern at the same time. A lot of care was put into creating the balance between the two.

The building was split into two main spaces: where the food is bought and made and then the dining area. The first part is where customers order food and the kitchen. Then by going through a doorway, it leads into the dining area where they make sure to sanitize the tables and let the customer choose where to sit.

To make it even better, all of the employees are extremely friendly and wear masks. They allow customers to have a sit-down meal, as well as take it to-go. When I sat down to eat, it felt nice to have an escape from school work. Laughing with two of my friends while drinking shakes are the small moments in life that make everything better. Some may point out that we could have also had those memories while eating on campus, but a break is needed at times. Exploration and food go great together, especially when you find a place worth sharing.

Due to these memories, we now call it the Milkshake Place. After all, they do have over eighty shakes to choose from.  Whether it is traditional flavors such as chocolate, or unique ones like Fruity Pebbles and Butterfingers, they have something for everyone.  I ordered the chocolate shake which was a switch from my normal root beer one. I thought I would go with something I had not tried before since my friends ordered the strawberry and mint shakes. The around four-to-five dollar price for each shake was well worth the good-sized portion I received in return. It was the refreshing treat that I needed on one of Meadville’s hot days.

A couple days later, armed with my winter coat, I ordered steaming-hot fries which were very good. Looking on the bright-side of Pennsylvania’s bizarre spring weather, it was fortunate that the temperature did change, or I would not have ordered both a milkshake and fries days apart. I was also happy with the fact that the fries were a big portion which caused me to have leftovers the next day.

With their fries being the only food I have tasted, in my heart, E-Street Eatery will always be known for its incredible milkshakes. Even TripAdvisor agrees with me. A comment on the site in 2020 stated that “it’s all about the milkshakes” and that “the variety and creativity of their flavors are insane and they always taste amazing.” They took the words right from my mouth.

 Their other food looks mouth-watering as well. They have everything from burgers to grilled cheese. Even those categories seem too broad due to some of the unique items such as their “Fried Green Tomato Sammy.” It is made up of “cheddar cheese, fried green tomato, bacon petal sauce on grilled cheese wheat bread.”

Both new and older students alike would enjoy what E-Street Eatery has to offer and should check it out sometime. A six-minute walk starting from the edge of campus is worth the price of the delicious fries and milkshake that I thoroughly loved. Even though they are available on DoorDash, supporting local businesses yourself instead of through a third party is very helpful during these times. Furthermore, finding good places to hangout with friends is what this review is all about.