Luckys Snack Bar: A Favourite Spot for Travellers

When a business has been around since 1969, you know it must be doing something right. Luckys Snack Bar is in the village of Spanish, Ontario. Just within the eastern border of Algoma District and Algoma Country about 190 km east of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.

I met up with Sherri Odenback, the current owner for the past nine years, on a beautiful summer afternoon. She'd grown up in the area and loved Luckys. "When an opportunity came up to buy it, I jumped on it and have never looked back. I now have another restaurant by the same name and menu just down the road in Walford, Luckys Home Style Restaurant,” she told me. Both businesses employ about seven people, with the snack bar open seasonally from May to the end of September and the restaurant open year-round.

What is it about Luckys that keeps their customers coming back? Maybe it is the fact there are daily specials, or that the burgers are made fresh every day, or that the French fries are cut fresh daily. Or maybe it's because their gluten-free gravy was voted the best in Ontario by the “Trans-Canada Fryway” guys. 

The Menu 

Luckys' menu is extensive and varied. Everything from burgers, wraps, hotdogs, and hot sandwiches. Fries, poutine and deep-fried selections to fish and chips or shrimp and fries. They have a big selection of desserts like soft serve ice cream, banana splits, ice cream sandwiches or ice-cream pies. They also offer 15 flavours of Farquhar’s ice cream—Luckys is known as the "big scoopers.” Not to mention the butter tarts, brownies, and variations of those with more ice cream. How about an ice cream float or milkshake? Luckys offers it. 

If you are looking for vegetarian options, those are available to, at the chip stand. “Everything on our menu is made to order. We value freshness and our customers appreciate that," Sherri said. Produce comes from Massey Wholesale as well as Small Bites Grocers in Spanish. Potatoes are sourced from Chelmsford, Ontario and ice cream from Farquhar’s Dairy in Espanola.

While you're waiting for your order, enjoy the quirky and historic signs that adorn Luckys inside and out. Then enjoy your meal on one of the plentiful picnic tables spread around the grounds. For the kids, there is some playground equipment to run off some steam.  

Luckys is a welcome break and a friendly stop for the travelling public who come from far and wide. "Yesterday we had a couple from Switzerland,” Sherri said. “Our customers are tourists, but many are from the local area who have come to love our food as much as I did when I was growing up.”

Sherri wanted to add that she is proud to join many of the women-owned businesses in Spanish. “Our town council are all women too!” Sherri's positive energy and enthusiasm come through in how she treats her employees and her customers. I would say that is much more than lucky!

Luckys Snack Bar

Owner: Sherri Odenback
93 Front Street Highway 17 East Spanish
OPEN 7 Days per week 11 am to 8 pm
Mother’s Day weekend – End of September

Luckys Home Style Restaurant

403 TransCanada Hwy 17 Walford

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