River Merchant Preserves a Kent Dining Legacy

Deep Dive

When Cameron Thomas opened the River Merchant in early 2020, he had already spent years planning how to preserve the spot’s legacy. Formerly Riverside Wine & Imports, the Kent location has long been beloved by locals looking to shop for wine and get a scenic view of the Cuyahoga River. But now, you can shop, take in the sights and dine, all in one trip.

“The big thinking for me is the lineage of this being a great location for retail,” says Thomas. The River Merchant still maintains a small market with specialty wine and beer. “A lot of people come to not just eat, drink and have a good time, but also to buy beer and wine on their way out or even on separate occasions.”

The menu features formal dishes like shrimp scampi and petite filet while also serving elevated casual fare like chicken pesto flatbreads and fire-roasted feta dip. 

“The main inspiration was to bring something a little more mature, a little more refined to Kent,” he says. “We’re looking to use high-quality ingredients utilizing some higher-end elements but also be very approachable.”

The roasted vegetable orzo ($14) embodies that mission. With sauteed veggies like zucchini, yellow squash, broccoli, tomato, artichoke and bok choy that get mixed with lemon garlic oil and house-made pesto over orzo and topped with goat cheese, the dish appeals to vegetarians, while also having the option to add shrimp, chicken or steak.

“It has a nice crisp taste with the vegetables and a rich mouthfeel with the cheese,” Thomas says. “It’s perfect to add chicken to. It has a luscious, lingering finish.”

Like Riverside, the River Merchant focuses on drinks, with an extensive menu of whiskey, gin, scotch, cocktails and more. Enjoy a seasonal drink like the gin-based spiced hibiscus honeypot while dining by the restaurant’s large windows or on its wraparound porch and soaking up views of wildlife such as beavers, foxes, wild turkeys and a bald eagle.

“There’s definitely a diverse array, especially in a more urbanized area,” he says.

Also look for railroad tracks, where trains go by at least once per hour, and old canal markings, which inspired the restaurant’s name. 

“It just landed on River Merchant, trying to harken back to the mercantile canal railroad lineage,” Thomas says.   AS

911 N. Mantua St., Kent, therivermerchantkent.com