Back in the 1960s and 70s when our tire factories were humming, the Akron-Canton food scene was about as exciting as a steel-belted radial. But today we are a tasty, multi-cultural mix that provides a rich array of choices to please anyone from picky toddlers to exacting gastronomes. Whether Bhutanese or classic bistro, you’ll fi nd cuisine to love here. Take it from some locals who share their favorite spots.

Nat Hans, blogger and mom, @akronfoodie
We have a lot of options for good food here, and there’s always room to grow. We have a lot of rising star chefs who do pop-ups around town but don’t have brick and mortar restaurants. And here are some places that are quintessentially Akron. They include the Diamond Deli, The Lockview and Crave downtown, Luigi’s in Northside, the Square Scullery on West Market Street, Gasoline Alley in Bath and Fred’s Diner on Home Avenue. For families, I recommend Chameleon Café and Akronym Brewing downtown, the Akron Family Restaurant on West Market Street, Lock 15 Brewing Co. on North Street, and the Mustard Seed Market & Cafe. For special occasions, I like downtown’s Diamond Grille (founded in 1935) , the Square Scullery, which is opening a second location in North Hill, The Blue Door Cafe & Bakery in Cuyahoga Falls, Ken Stewart’s Grille on West Market, Lanning’s and Pitchfork, both in Bath Township. For lunch on the fl y, try Evelyn’s Co. ee & Banh Mi (Vietnamese), Stray Dog Cafe in downtown Akron, the Valley Cafe in the Merriman Valley, Rice Paper Thai Cuisine in Fairlawn, Shawarma Brothers (Mediterranean) in Cuyahoga Falls and the Akron Oriental Store on South Arlington Street.

Floco Torres, Akron hip-hop musician,
The Noisy Oyster in the Merriman Valley has my favorite dry rub wings in the city, so I go there a decent amount. A “Sweet Melissa” (roast beef, Colby cheese, red onions, and roasted red peppers with creole honey mustard) at Diamond Deli in downtown is a must. Six Frank’s Hot Wings at Frank’s Place on West Market Street after a rehearsal or when I don’t feel like cooking on Sundays is another go-to. I just had Niko’s Sandwich Board in West Akron for the first time recently I’ll defi nitely be back there soon. I can’t forget Social 8, a neighborhood bar in the Valley. You can’t go wrong with anything on their menu. For special occasions, Edgar’s at Good Park Golf Course is a really nice atmosphere and great food. Akron Co. Roasters on North High Street has the best co. ee in the city. I like going in and seeing which artist is showing their work on the shop’s walls. The sta. is great, and Albert is an OG cyclist, so I try to show love to ACR when I can.

Eliot Mostow, MD, Akron, dermatologist
For a good place to bring guests, I’d opt for Dante Boccuzzi Akron (D.B.A.) for its eclectic menu and great outdoor space overlooking Cuyahoga Valley. Ken Stewart’s in all its locations always serves exceptional quality food with outdoor seating too. Trattoria Vaccaro has great food and wine with attention to service. I love Russo’s in Peninsula for Jambalaya that is genuinely spot-on, and it has a bar with an open kitchen. My latest find is Khaao Macha Indian Fusion Resto Bar. It’s a slightly odd location in the lobby of the Radisson in Fairlawn, but it has great food and enthusiastic owner. And I always love the patio at Edgar’s overlooking the Good Park Golf Course. My favorite Portage Lakes spots include Dano’s Lakeside Pub for bar food and the view of Turkeyfoot Lake, the Blue Iguana Tequila Bar for fi sh tacos and other Mexican fare, and Smoke on the Water for brisket.

Shammas Malik, Akron mayoral candidate
For meeting people for co. ee or a bite to eat, I like the Nervous Dog Co. Bar on West Market Street, Compass on East Market Street, Porchlight Co. near The University of Akron, Artisan Co. on Canton Road, Angel Falls Co. ee Company in Highland Square (too much co. ee!), the Mustard Seed Market & Cafe in Highland Square and Swensons drive-in. For special dinners, I recommend Luigi’s in Northside and the Macaroni Grill in Montrose because we grew up going there. For ethnic food, I like the Sa. ron Patch in Merriman Valley and Cilantro on South Main Street downtown.

Casey Juve, stay-at-home mom
The Winking Lizard (Copley, Peninsula, Canton) is a great restaurant to go with kids. They have a real lizard to visit inside and my kids love getting popcorn for the table and playing games. Also, they have a good assortment of food and drinks for the family to enjoy. For special occasions, we usually go to Ken Stewart’s Tre Belle. The food is incredible, and it has a warm ambiance. Kids are welcome there too! I don’t drink coff ee but love Café Arnone in Fairlawn for pastries and gelato. They also serve dinner some nights, which is a variety of pizzas and salads. Wine and beer are also available. It’s a great family-owned restaurant. They recently opened Sal’s Gelato in the Merriman Valley. For lunch, the West Side Bakery at the Akron-Fairlawn border has a great to-go selection of sandwiches, and the Mustard Seed Market & Cafe in Highland Square is a great healthy lunch and dinner spot with a nice patio when the weather cooperates. Beau’s Market & Deli in Copley is our absolute favorite. It has the best sandwiches in town!

Sarah O’Neill, former school interventionist and stay-at-home mom
I typically recommend D.B.A. in Northside because the food is great, and I like the upscale vibe of the restaurant. It’s also fun to pop over to the Speakeasy next door for an after-dinner drink. Another spot we love is Trattoria Vaccaro. The pizza is amazing. For a treat, I love Café Arnone’s gelato and I plan to make their new Sal’s Gelato in the Merriman Valley a frequent stop for our family. I also pop into the West Side Bakery for one of the brownie cookies. They are so delicious and, well, everything there is so good. A girl’s night out stop would be the Mustard Seed Market & Cafe in Highland Square in the summer. It’s lovely sitting on the outside patio enjoying some organic food and a delicious cocktail. They also have live music on weekends. My kids love going to either Rockne’s or the Winking Lizard in Fairlawn

Carla Chapman, chief diversity officer
When I think about a special dinner, I think about steak. There’s something about a good steak that is special for me. A good cut from Fleming’s is the best. My girls’ night out spots tend to be the Perfect Pour in downtown Akron, Marques on the East End or The Mustard Seed in Highland Square. When my out-of-town family visits the Akron-Canton area, we usually make it a point to go to Krispy Kreme for donuts. My go-to for the best Pho Soup in town is the Taste of Bangkok on East Exchange Street, near The University of Akron campus. When I feel sick, I call them for a quick pick-up order. I instantly feel better after the fi rst few bites of the homemade broth, rice noodles, herbs, and meat