First of its kind Don Shula restaurant to open in March at Hall of Fame Village

Ed Balint, The Repository
·3 min read
A Don Shula restaurant is scheduled to open in March at the Fan Engagement Zone at the Hall of Fame Village in Canton. The eatery will include memorabilia from Don Shula's legendary career as head coach of the Miami Dolphins.
A Don Shula restaurant is scheduled to open in March at the Fan Engagement Zone at the Hall of Fame Village in Canton. The eatery will include memorabilia from Don Shula's legendary career as head coach of the Miami Dolphins.
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CANTON − Don Shula's American Kitchen will be the first of its kind eatery in the late football icon's restaurant group when it opens in March at the Hall of Fame Village.

Featuring steak, ribs, fresh fish and cocktails, the restaurant is set to open at the Fan Engagement Zone on the campus of the Hall of Fame Village, which is next to the Pro Football Hall of Fame and Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. A specific opening date has not been announced.

The upscale casual eatery will feature oversized, flat-screen televisions, a sprawling bar and an open-style kitchen, as well as an abundance of sports artifacts and keepsakes from Shula's football career.

More:Former champ James 'Buster' Douglas and amateur boxing coming to Hall of Fame Village

"This restaurant will serve as a retail anchor within the Fan Engagement Zone and will provide an all-star lineup of American kitchen classics set in an approachable, family-friendly space that celebrates the life and legacy of Coach Shula," the Hall of Fame Village said Wednesday.

Menu staples will include rotating homemade soups and fresh fish filleted in-house, as well as steaks, including a Long Island strip and center cut filet mignon. Appetizers include chicken lollipops; entrees feature smoked baby back ribs and pan seared Atlantic salmon. Chef-created entrees also will be showcased. Other highlights are seasonable vegetables and desserts inspired by peak-of-season ingredients.

An extensive wine list, craft and local beer and Shula-inspired cocktails also will be served, including one named "17 & 0" for the 1972 undefeated Miami Dolphins team that won the Super Bowl.

Beverage specialists, Straight Up Collective, have been enlisted to create "a playful cocktail list that celebrates (Shula's) football legacy," the Village said in the announcement.

Lunch and dinner will be served.

A Don Shula restaurant is scheduled to open in March at the Fan Engagement Zone at the Hall of Fame Village in Canton. Steak, shrimp, ribs, sandwiches and salads will be on the casual upscale menu.
A Don Shula restaurant is scheduled to open in March at the Fan Engagement Zone at the Hall of Fame Village in Canton. Steak, shrimp, ribs, sandwiches and salads will be on the casual upscale menu.

The Village is an entertainment campus developed around the Pro Football Hall of Fame and stadium. Components include sports fields for youth teams, outdoor recreation like a zip line and Ferris wheel-style ride, sports dome and various other features, including a Starbucks and Build-A-Bear Workshop. The Brew Kettle craft brewery is also expected to open this year.

Cleveland Browns head coach Marty Schottenheimer (left) shakes hands with Miami Dolphins head coach Don Shula after the 1985 AFC Divisional Playoffs at the Orange Bowl, Jan. 4, 1986, in Miami. The Dolphins defeated the Browns 24-21. (RVR Photos-USA TODAY Sports)
Cleveland Browns head coach Marty Schottenheimer (left) shakes hands with Miami Dolphins head coach Don Shula after the 1985 AFC Divisional Playoffs at the Orange Bowl, Jan. 4, 1986, in Miami. The Dolphins defeated the Browns 24-21. (RVR Photos-USA TODAY Sports)

Other attractions will include a BetRivers retail sports betting site with food and beverages. A 147,000-square-foot football-themed indoor water park is also under construction, and will be next to a 180-room Hilton Tapestry hotel. Work on the hotel is scheduled to begin in late spring.

More:Repository staff writer talks USFL coming to Canton in YouTube podcast

Shula, who is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, has strong ties to Northeast Ohio. He was born in Grand River, Ohio, and played football at John Carroll University in Cleveland. He also played briefly for the Cleveland Browns.

Shula won two Super Bowls with Miami teams featuring Hall of Fame inductees Bob Griese and Larry Csonka. His 1972 Dolphins are the only team in NFL history to go undefeated both in the regular season and playoffs.

Reach Ed at 330-580-8315 and ebalint@gannett.com

On Twitter @ebalintREP

This article originally appeared on The Repository: Don Shula's American Kitchen opening near Pro Football Hall of Fame