Take Your Beer for a Walk: June 2026
A southwest trek brings delight in Oakwood Cafe, Teresa's Deli, and Maria's
Holy smokes, we're into June. It sure feels like some big old red button was pushed labeled, "SUMMER" and suddenly here we are in perfect outdoor beer drinking weather. Welcome, friend; we're taking your favorite beer for a walk in southwest Erie. Grab your sneaks, pour up your favorite beer of choice, and let's zip through town.
A perfectly situated starting point is McGarrey's Oakwood Cafe (featured elsewhere in this issue!). They've made their home at 1624 W. 38th St. since 1978 and they show absolutely no signs of slowing down. Take a drive past any day of the week and you'll see their parking lot jammed with cars. The reason? Most likely the Reuben, considered Erie's best by so many. Check out all the opinions on Reddit (there are many), Yelp, and even from food reviewers like Denny Glasser. McGarrey's has a full menu aside from Reuben and Reuben accessories, all of which is solid, and the bar side of the restaurant is great for midday Sunday hangs. Cheers to you, McGarrey's!
Alright we're going to move on down the dusty trail with beer in-hand, heading north along Greengarden Boulevard. Have you ever been down this street in the winter after a fresh snowfall? Man, it sure is something to see. If Thomas Kinkade painted winter streetscapes, I think this thoroughfare would be an excellent candidate. Hey wait! It's summer and here I am dreaming of winter things…
Anywho, let's walk along Greengarden all the way north to the corner of West 31st. Be sure to snag a few alco-sips along the way, the three-block walk can exact a hydration toll on oneself! On the northeast corner stands Teresa's Italian Deli. You've been here right? The only correct answer is absolutely. The Teresa's name dates back to 1949, and they've stuck to their time-honored values of making everything from scratch, large portions, and lower-than-expected prices. Get the homemade meatball sub, size large (17-18") for ONLY $11.79. In these really weird and absurd economic times, that's a screaming deal. Cheers to you, Teresa's!
Next, let's take this beer of ours (and maybe a meatball sub) more northward along Greengarden. You'll note the nice homes, the manicured lawns, and wait – a bike lane! An honest-to-goodness travel method specifically for bicycles? Good golly. If you're detecting some small sarcasm here, it's because there definitely is. Neighbors along this street "fought" to block the construction of said bike lane, backed by some silly reasons. Look guys, sometimes people just want to ride a bike to work and save some CO2 emissions, coupled with exercise. You can't tell but I'm over here raising my hand, volunteering as tribute. Cheers to you, modern progressive transportation method!
Alrighty, we're nearly to the end of this trip and I imagine your beer is nearing its demise soon enough. As we near the intersection of West 26th and Greengarden, let's hang a left and walk two blocks to the corner of West 26th and Charlotte streets, home to Maria's Tasty Delights. You've earned a sweet treat after all these steps, am I right?! Get the Peanut Butter Pretzel Paradise in a waffle cone. Trust me. Cheers to you, Maria's Tasty Delights!
And cheers to you, walking reader! Thanks for coming along Erie's southwest side with me this month. Keep up the good work.
Jeff McCullor is the co-owner of Erie Ale Works. He can be reached at jeff@eriealeworks.com
