Olympia Gets Grilling, Adds Lunch and Dinner to its Dessert Menu

Dishing out countless scoops of ice cream and making their own chocolates for the last 40 years,  has long been one of Strongsville’s go-to spots to satisfy a craving for sweets.

Now it's providing more than the dessert.

While the ice cream and candy aren’t going anywhere, Olympia has added hot-off-the-grill burgers — as well as other lunch and dinner items —to its menu.

What’s more, Olympia has applied for a liquor license and will soon offer beer and wine.

From his spacious grill station located behind the ice cream area, Bob McGrath, owner of Olympia since 1991, said, “We wanted to expand the business because candy and ice cream are seasonal; food is every day.”

McGrath says they serve 50 to 75 meals per day and that Olympia’s grill is filling a niche.

“In this economy, we wanted to offer value” he said, so customers receive table service for just a bit more than they might pay for fast food.

Burgers start at $3, while the priciest sandwich on the menu is a tuna steak at $5. Guests seat themselves at one the new booths along the window bank, fill out a menu card, and wait for a server to collect it and deliver their order.

In a nod to the old Ground Round restaurants, servers bring popcorn for the customers to munch on while they wait for their orders to arrive.

“You can’t compare this to fast food,” said customer Jim McNamara as he bit into a cheeseburger with mushrooms and onions.

McGrath agreed. “We try to provide the best food while keeping the price down.” (To point: his wife, Celia, a Texas native and burger purist, insisted on nothing but fresh beef, rather than frozen burgers.)

Other menu items include a BLT ($3), chicken breast sandwiches and veggie burgers ($4) and grilled cheese and hot dogs ($2). For 75 cents you can add one of five cheeses and other toppings including bacon, jalapenos, mushrooms and sautéed onions.

Sides include regular and sweet potato fries ($2.-$2.25). Five salads, such as a taco salad ($5) and a Caesar salad with chicken ($6) round out the menu.

As for the upcoming beer and wine lists, McGrath says he’ll offer just a few items, focusing mostly on local microbreweries and wineries: “It’s just meant to complement the food; Olympia’s not going into the bar business.”