2023 Best of Lake Erie: Treats & Sweets

Teatime: Lakeside Table & Tearoom
Built in 1875 with a wrap-around porch and views of the Lake Erie islands, the Hotel Lakeside in Lakeside, Ohio, is perfect for afternoon tea, which is offered (reservations only) through Labor Day. Your table will be filled with a three-tier tray of delights, both savory and sweet, including scones, chocolate mousse, mini strawberry shortcakes and more. tableandtearoom.com

Lemonade: Bea’s Squeeze
In addition to classic lemonade, Bea’s Squeeze bottles up pink rose, lavender, basil and hibiscus. It began in 2019 when Beatrice Wolnerman and her husband bought a weed-filled postage stamp-sized lot in Detroit and started a lemonade stand. Soon stores were reaching out. “We pride ourselves on the fresh-squeezed taste,” Wolnerman says. beassqueeze.com

Smoothies: SmoothieSide
Opened last fall in Lakeside, Ohio, SmoothieSide offers smoothies, smoothie bowls, dog smoothies and bubble tea. Our favorite? The Banana Mocha Bike Ride, a blend of bananas, cold brew, chocolate almond milk, cacao powder, honey and peanut butter. smoothieside.com

Sponge Candy: Give sponge candy a second. The rich chocolate and sticky filling need to melt together to work their magic. You get it if you live on the eastern half of Lake Erie, where sponge candy has been a thing for more than 100 years.

Visitors can watch as candy is made at Romolo Chocolates in Erie, Pennsylvania — and nearly a half million confections are sold each year. romolochocolates.com

Fowler’s Chocolates in Buffalo bills itself as the “original and authentic” sponge candy and has been serving it up since 1910. fowlerschocolates.com

Stefanelli’s Candies has been around since 1929 and prides itself on bringing the art of Italian candy making to Erie, Pennsylvania. stefanelliscandies.com

Launched in 1946, Watson’s makes three types of sponge candy in Buffalo — milk, dark and even orange chocolate. watsonschocolates.com