8 restaurants we recommend when asked ‘Where should I eat in Akron?’
It seems like every phone call, text and Reddit post from out-of-town visitors always has that one question: “Where should we go to eat?”
It’s hard to blame them. Everyone has to eat and, given the option, most people prefer to eat well.
The inquiry is easier asked than answered.
Do you focus more on the area’s beloved local institutions like Fred’s Diner, Ken Stewart’s Grille and Diamond Deli? Rave about the most innovative dish served in Akron’s latest restaurant? Ignore the question entirely in hopes the person asking will Google it and find this story?
However you decide to respond (or not), do yourself a favor and read about eight restaurants that Beacon Journal reporters Tawney Beans, Kerry Clawson, Mark J. Price and Craig Webb recommend.
Sunrise Social, Green
Anyone can whip up a half-decent variation of chicken and waffles, but Sunrise Social chef Gage Hedges elevates this sweet and salty dish to another level. In fact, I’ve had dozens of chicken and waffles variations, but so far, Sunrise Social has my favorite.
That’s not the restaurant’s only positive attribute. It also offers delicious biscuits, breads and sweet treats whipped up by pastry chefs Allie Carr and Jocelyn Noble each morning.
And to top it all off, the place looks like the world’s sunniest secret garden.
Back to those chicken and waffles. To make it, Hedges dredges two chicken tenders in flour, soaks them in Cajun buttermilk and gives them a coating of cornflakes before frying both to a golden crisp. Those are then stacked with Belgian waffles and topped with housemade gravy and sriracha maple syrup.
It’s OK if your mouth started watering. I’m right there with you.
The quality and pricing of Sunrise Social’s food, drinks and baked goods make it a no-brainer when someone rolls into town and pops the big question. I know that whether they eat in or take it to go, they’ll be wowed.
3875 Massillon Road, Suite 20, Green; 234-492-0202; facebook.com/SunriseSocialCafe
— Tawney Beans
Showcase Meats, Akron
Having written an entire love letter about Barberton’s food, the irony does not escape me that what I consider to be the best Barberton chicken spot is in Akron’s Kenmore neighborhood.
This wonderful place also has a selection of homemade cheesecakes, brownies, cookies, cakes and more.
In case you are as obsessed with chicken and waffles and I am, they even serve dense, sugar-crusted waffles topped with out-of-this-world chicken.
When it opened in 1971, Showcase Meats was run out of an old home in Kenmore. It moved into its current location, a one-story brick building on Manchester Road, in 2019. The move did not change the food’s homemade taste, according to reporter Craig Webb.
Want a hot meal but not in the mood for chicken? I’m concerned for the taste buds of those turning their nose up at Showcase’s chicken, but some of the eatery’s other hot entrée options are Salisbury steak, pizza, pulled pork, meatball subs and fried fish.
2355 Manchester Road, Akron; 330-753-4219; showcasemeats.com
— Tawney Beans
Swensons, Akron
Where else can you dine in a reclining chair and, in some instances, a heated seat?
When visiting Swensons, the quality of the seat depends on the vehicle you drive.
A trip to Akron would not be complete without a visit to the popular drive-in burger joint that got its start in the Rubber City and has since branched out to the likes of Columbus, Cincinnati and even Indianapolis.
You should visit the West Akron restaurant, a stone’s throw from the original Wallhaven site that Wesley “Pop” Swenson established in 1934.
More: Akron-born Swensons' Galley Boy crowned best burger in Ohio by Reader's Digest
You can eat like a King (aka Akron’s LeBron James) and order his favorite: a double cheeseburger, onion rings and a banana milkshake.
Personally, I’m a fan of the legendary Galley Boy — a double cheeseburger with two special sauces on a toasted bun, garnished with a green olive on a toothpick.
40 S. Hawkins Ave., Akron; 330-864-8416; swensonsdriveins.com
— Craig Webb
Luigi’s, Akron
Not to be too cheesy, but it doesn't get more Akron than Luigi's.
This restaurant on North Main Street has been around since 1949, and its walls tell the history of the famous who have visited for a pizza and Italian dishes.
The dining room looks as if it is frozen in time, and that’s part of its charm.
But the thing that has earned its place in the culinary hearts of generations of Akronites is its simple salad with a housemade dressing heaped with yummy cheese.
And just to prove how old school this place is, be sure to bring cash, as it doesn’t accept any of those fancy credit or debit cards.
105 N. Main St., Akron; 330-253-2999; luigisrestaurant.com
— Craig Webb
The Boathouse Cafe, Springfield
Of course I’m going to say Swensons, Luigi’s, Guiseppe’s, Diamond Deli and New Era. Those are obvious.
But we’ve recently discovered some other options that impressed us.
The Boathouse Cafe, a nautical-themed breakfast-and-lunch spot near Springfield Lake, has a menu filled with made-from-scratch options.
Local Flavor: Boathouse Cafe in Springfield is sailor’s delight
I highly recommend the Crabcake Benedict, a decadent dish featuring two homemade crabcakes served on portabella mushrooms and topped with poached eggs and creamy hollandaise sauce over a bed of fresh spinach. It was unbelievably good.
Punctured with a fork, the yolks oozed like lava from miniature volcanoes, covering the crabcakes in gooey, comforting warmth. I cleaned my plate, savoring every wonderful bite.
I washed it down with a strawberry banana smoothie, a delicious blend of fresh fruit and Greek yogurt, topped with whipped cream. The pink concoction, cold and creamy, was served in a Mason jar with a handle.
Gala Commons, 2215 E. Waterloo Road, Springfield Township; 234-231-1556; boathousecafeakron.com
— Mark J. Price
Garretts Mill Diner, Stow
Brian Krasney’s restaurant is a hidden gem in a plaza. Although the diner has been around for more than 25 years, it took us nearly that long to find it.
I ordered one of the chef’s picks: The King of Corned Beef Hash, a quarter-pound of corned beef with caramelized onions served over golden home fries with three eggs to order and rye toast.
If you’re a carnivore, you’ll come back for more.
Local Flavor: Garretts Mill Diner is a hidden gem for breakfast or lunch in Stow
It was a beautiful looking dish with large portions. Hot and lean, the corned beef was delicious. I poked the yolks of my over-easy eggs, let them drip onto the crispy potatoes and swished everything around with a fork. Yum!
The crispy-edged pancakes, touted as the best in the world, took up an entire plate. With whipped butter and fresh syrup, they were sweet and light.
Bet you can’t eat just one.
Garretts Mill is open for breakfast and lunch from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily.
4226 Hudson Drive, Stow; 330-926-1344; garrettsmilldiner.com
— Mark J. Price
Blue Door Cafe and Bakery, Cuyahoga Falls
When my friends from Washington, D.C., asked where to go for brunch in the Akron area, I told them, hands down, the Blue Door Cafe and Bakery.
This cafe and bakery offers an incredibly delicious brunch experience every time, featuring European entrees, pastries and breads. The food quality is exceptional, which is reflected by the restaurant's prices. Where else is everything, from English muffins to sausage, lovingly made in-house from scratch?
At the Blue Door, you can brunch on everything from luscious crepes to a double smash burger topped with an egg and caramelized Irish cheddar. The place was hopping on a recent Sunday, where a table of young adults next to me shared gourmet pancakes family style, eating from a large plate at the center of the table.
Over the years, my kids and I have stopped in for pastries and brought them to a scenic spot in the nearby Cascade Valley Metro Park Overlook to eat. And it's always nice to go through the drive-through for a delectable pastry and coffee.
I like to joke that Blue Door's amazing pain au chocolat is as big as my head. That's not much of an exaggeration.
Blue Door has been recognized by both the New York Times and Tripadvisor as serving the best brunch in Ohio. It recently won best restaurant in northern Ohio from the Ohio Restaurant Association.
Blue Door no longer takes brunch reservations, but you can get on the waitlist the day you go. Brunch runs 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Thursday through Monday. Reservations are available for dinner by new Chef David Chin 5-9 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday.
1970 State Road, Cuyahoga Falls; 330-926-9774; bluedoorcafebakery.com
— Kerry Clawson
Square Scullery/Meow Bao, Akron
The food is so artful and delicious at Square Scullery, I'm in heaven every time I experience it.
The first time my husband and I ate at Square Scullery in Highland Square, owned by Matt and Heather Ulichney, it was unforgettable. I had the Ghost Box, a chef's surprise that featured Salisbury steak with butter and chive mash with a wonderful beef demiglace ― chef Matt Ulichney's awesome take on vintage TV dinners. It was comfort food with a cool twist.
Soon, we'll all get to experience double the Square Scullery magic. After flooding over the Christmas holiday last year shut down the restaurant's tiny but mighty 13-seat Highland Square location for several months, Square Scullery locked in a new, larger location in North Hill, where it will reopen with the help of new co-owner Juan Gonzalez, starting with some private parties near Christmas as well as a New Year's Eve dinner. The sneak peek, eight-course New Year's tasting menu will have seatings from 5-7 p.m. or 8-10 p.m., costing $165 each. Book at eatscullery.com.
Renovations at the new 60-seat Square Scullery restaurant in North Hill, formerly the NoHi Pop-up, began in January and feature Square Scullery's distinctive "tropical disco" aesthetic. Think rock star tigers, animal print walls, flower chandeliers and sequin-lined door frames.
A chef's room with a four-seat chef's table adjacent to the open kitchen can also be used as a private room. The menu at the new North Hill spot will be more on the fine dining side, with creative Italian, French and Spanish cuisine.
Meanwhile, the original Highland Square spot reopened in March as a ramen and noodle bar and has since been rebranded as the cat-themed Meow Bao. My family enjoyed ordering fun bao boxes from the Highland Square spot in the spring, which included pork belly and smoked brisket bao buns, kimchi fried rice, edamame and Akron Honey glazed ginger cake.
What to know: Square Scullery rebrands Highland Square restaurant as Meow Bao
Meow Bao's decor now includes witty, whimsical takes on album covers ― from Devo to Iggy Pop ― featuring kitties. The most comical is a cat replicating the Nirvana "Nevermind" album.
I'm happy that Meow Bao, right down the street from my house, has some carryovers from the Square Scullery menu. That includes the Ghost Box adventure that I love, where guests choose from a meat, vegetarian or vegan chef's surprise.
The recently updated Meow Bao menu includes buttered lamb bao buns and entrees such as a Meow noodle bowl, kimchi waffles and fried chicken, and a banh mi bowl. Everything's made from scratch, including the ramen noodles and bao buns.
I dined on the crispy chicken ramen recently, with a great garlic ginger broth, fried chicken, nori and kimchi served on the side. I added the sinus-clearing kimchi to the ramen, which toned down the kimchi's heat while adding a nice spice factor to the soup.
Meow Bao has switched from table service to counter service, but folks can still eat in or order out. Seating is first come, first served, open 4-10 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday.
Back at the new North Hill spot, Square Scullery will offer its famously delicious mocktails and expects to soon receive its liquor permit, a first for Square Scullery. That will dictate when the restaurant officially opens to the public.
I can't wait.
Meow Bao 783 W. Market St., Akron; 330-983-9387; meowbaoakron.com
Square Scullery 778 N. Main St, Akron; eatscullery.com
— Kerry Clawson
Got a restaurant recommendation? Reach out to Beacon Journal reporter Tawney Beans at tbeans@gannett.com and on Twitter @TawneyBeans. And follow her food adventures on TikTok @akronbeaconjournal. Contact Mark J. Price at mprice@thebeaconjournal.com, Craig Webb at cwebb@thebeaconjournal.com and Kerry Clawson at 330-996-3527 or kclawson@thebeaconjournal.com.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Where to eat in Akron: 8 recommendations from our foodie reporters
