Tucked away in the woods and resting on the shores of Chippewa Lake is an important part of Medina County history. The Oaks Lakeside Restaurant & Event Center began as a farm and was eventually purchased by railroad developer Oscar Townsend in the late 1800’s. Townsend turned a farm house into an opulent mansion and developed a beautiful estate with a cottage, boat house and gardens. He called the estate Five Oaks because of the five beautiful oak trees in a semi-circle on the property. The estate then changed owners several times and was eventually turned into the Oaks Lakeside Restaurant, a bar and restaurant that was purchased by Don Casper and Al Hitchens in 1961. The property is now owned by Casper’s nieces and the restaurant is operated by Chef Johnny Pollizi and Bonnie Casper Drushal.

The Oaks features five different event rooms and a dining balcony, each with its own appeal. The Banquet Room looks out onto Chippewa Lake and the view of the original pagoda and delicately tended gardens is quite beautiful. A patio extends off the Banquet Room and is convenient for those wanting to step outside and enjoy looking out at the lake and gardens. The Banquet Room and balcony can seat up to 200 guests. The balcony can be rented out separately and is a great location for rehearsal dinners and wedding showers. The dance floor in the center of the room is an ideal place for DJ’s and bands to perform and still allows plenty of room for dancing. “Our grounds and Banquet Room are very unique,” says Pollizi. “They really set us apart from other banquet facilities.”

Just off the Banquet Room is a quiet nook in the lodge called the Greenhouse Room. With tile floors, wrought iron café tables, a private bar and beautiful plants, this room brings the outdoors indoors and is a wonderful area for private gatherings with fewer than twenty guests. Down the hall, the Old Bar Room is exactly what it sounds like. Once upon a time the room included a well-appointed bar. The bar has since been moved to just off the Main Dining Room, but the room is now a cozy dining area with an original fireplace made of stones from around the world that Townsend collected from friends and family. The Main Dining Room and Bar Room offer beautiful scenery of the lake and gardens. Once a porch of the original house, the recently remodeled bar and lounge offer a pub style menu in an intimate atmosphere featuring a second original stone fireplace. The patio just outside the Dining Room seats customers wanting to enjoy spectacular sunsets and live music on weekends.

Outdoor ceremonies can be held at two places; the pagoda, which is on the water’s edge, or under the trellis near the lodge. The trellis is covered with beautiful lavender wisteria and ivy during the warm months and is surrounded by the lodge’s lush gardens. The area is appropriate for smaller weddings of forty to forty-five guests. The pagoda is a beautiful covered structure at the lake. Weddings often take place here and the area can accommodate as many guests as the bride and groom wish to have. However, if the weather doesn’t cooperate only 200 guests can be moved indoors. Outdoor tents can be assembled for outdoor reception areas.

The Oaks is more than just a beautiful space, it’s also a gourmet eatery providing the highest quality of personalized service and customized menus for weddings. All serving styles are offered including the popular buffet, sit-down meals, family style meals and food stations. With coordinators on staff to help you plan your wedding from beginning to end, no detail will be forgotten. Pollizi will work directly with you to develop a menu that fits the theme or style of your wedding. “We give every person personalized service and we accommodate customized menus,” says Pollizi.

Not only are the menus customized, but the tables can also be customized. The Oaks can provide brides with linens available in a wide variety of colors. A coat check can also be available and an Oaks bartender will be on hand to serve your guests. A dressing room and private bathroom on the second floor are great places for a bride and her bridesmaids to get ready for an on-site ceremony. Couples should reserve the Oaks Lakeside Restaurant a year before the wedding date. However, some last minute openings do open up, so please call to find out more about availability. The Oaks Lakeside Restaurant is conveniently located in Medina, between Akron and Cleveland off of I-77. To find out more about The Oaks Lakeside Restaurant, please click on the link below.