Best of the City 2015

Best of the City 2015

We live in a world where everyone is constantly sharing lists. The 50 best places to explore before you settle down. The 10 desserts you absolutely can’t live without. The top 15 reasons why you should explore the local parks. Lists inspire us to go out into the world and check it out. This year’s “Best of the City” list is full of places, people and local services that our readers see as the gems of the area. Each has its own origin story and flavor that, when all combined, make the Akron area a colorful place to live. 

From amazingly crafted cakes, gorgeous floral designs and elegant salons, to retro stores and scrumptious Chinese take-out, Akron has so much to offer those who call it home. Each year akronlife readers send their picks for the absolute best of the best. This year’s list features many fan-favorites that have become city staples over the years, as well as new additions.

Whether a new player or a frequent flyer on our list, each winner has brought personality to The 330. Thank you for sharing your favorites with us!

The List:

Best Charity Event

First Place: Akron Children’s Holiday Tree Festival

Second Place: Akron Marathon

Third Place: PAWSabilities

Honorable Mention: Akron Autism 5K Run and Walk

Best local reason for waiting in line

First Place: Luigi's

Second Place: Blue Door Café

Third Place: Akron RubberDucks

Best neighborhood

First Place: Highland Square

Second Place: Hudson

Third Place: Cuyahoga Falls

Honorable Mention: Bath

Best local place to volunteer

First Place: Summit County Metro

Parks

Second Place: PAWSabilities

Third Place: Akron Canton Regional Foodbank

Best local place to take visitors

First Place: Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens

Second Place: Summit County Metro Parks

Third Place: Akron Zoo

Best way to improve Akron

First Place: Repair roads

Second Place: Improve downtown

Third Place: Improve school systems

Honorable Mention: More bike friendly

Best thing to happen to Akron (last 12 months)

First Place: LeBron James coming back

Second Place: BLU Jazz+ Club

Third Place: Akron RubberDucks

Honorable Mention: Gay Games

Best local landmark

First Place: Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens

Second Place: Goodyear Blimp Airdock

Third Place: Akron Civic Theatre

Honorable Mention: Cuyahoga Valley National Park

Best local live music venue

First Place: Musica

Second Place: Blossom Music Center

Third Place: Jilly’s Music Room

Honorable Mention: Lock 3

Best local live theatre

First Place: Weathervane Playhouse

Second Place: Akron Civic Theatre

Third Place: The University of Akron's E.J. Thomas Hall

Best local radio host

First Place: Keith Kennedy

Second Place: Bill Hall

Third Place: Ray Horner

Honorable Mention: TK O’Grady

Best local hike

First Place: Gorge Metro Park

Second Place: Towpath Trail

Third Place: Sand Run Metro Park

Honorable Mention: Cuyahoga Valley National Park

Best local natural wonder

First Place: Brandywine Falls

Second Place: Cuyahoga Valley National Park

Third Place: Gorge Metro Park

Best local museum

First Place: Akron Art Museum

Second Place: Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens

Third Place: Kent State Fashion Museum

Best local free event

First Place: Lock 3 concerts and events

Second Place: Porch Rokr Festival

Third Place: Italian American Festival

Best local summer camp for kids

First Place: Camp Christopher

Second Place: Camp Y-Noah

Third Place: Rotary Camp

Honorable Mention: Weathervane Summer Camps

Best local high school or college mascot

First Place: Akron Zips

Second Place: Stow Bulldogs

Third Place: (Tie) Firestone Falcons and Kent State Golden Flashes

Best local rising star athlete

First Place: LeBron James Jr.

Second Place: Pete Nance (Revere)

Third Place: (4-way tie) Callum Parnell, Doran Grant, Kobe Bryant (St. Vincent-St. Mary soccer), Parris Campbell

Best local one-tank trip (outside of The 330)

First Place: Amish Country

Second Place: Cleveland

Third Place: Hocking Hills

Honorable Mention: Pittsburgh

Best local band/musician

First Place: The Black Keys

Second Place: Zach Friedhof

Third Place: (tie) Freezer Burn and Get on UP

Best local dance studio

First Place: Martell School of Dance

Second Place: Dianna Durkin

Third Place: (tie) Studio West and 8 Count Dance

Best local florist

First Place: Green House Florist Hudson

Second Place: Every Blooming Thing

Third Place: Pam’s Posies

Honorable Mention: Molly Taylor Design Hudson

Best local dog groomer

First Place: Wizard of Paws

Second Place: Celebrity Pets

Third Place: K-9 Pet Salon

Honorable Mention: Dogs with Style

Best local spa

First Place: Gavin Scott Salon & Spa – Stow

Second Place: The Spa at Yellow Creek

Third Place: (tie) Solaire – Hudson and White Pond Paradise and Spa

Best local salon/barber shop

First Place: Gavin Scott Salon & Spa

Second Place: Lucia’s Salon on Main – Hudson

Third Place: Charles Lee Salon and Spa

Best local hospital

First Place: Akron General Medical Center

Second Place: Summa Akron City Hospital

Third Place: Akron Children’s Hospital

Best local hospital maternity ward

First Place: Akron General Medical Center

Second Place: Summa Akron City Hospital

Third Place: Summa Barberton Hospital

Best local dentist

First Place: Barsan Family Dental Practice

Second Place: Dr. Solon Alexiou

Third Place: Dr. Tom Semans – Fairlawn

Best local cooking class

First Place: Western Reserve Cooking School

Second Place: Mustard Seed Market and Café

Third Place: Gervasi Wine and Cooking Classes

Best local wealth manager

First Place: Paula Chesser, R.W. Baird Co.

Second Place: Sequoia Financial Group

Third Place: (tie) John Marchand at Wells Fargo and Rob Winston – LPL Financial

Best local women’s clothing store

First Place: Sugar Loves Spice Boutique

Second Place: Noto Boutique

Third Place: Grey Colt – Hudson

Honorable Mention: Winds of Change – Hudson

Best local landscaping company

First Place: Edenscape

Second Place: Graf Growers

Third Place: KGK Gardening & Design Corp.

Best local jeweler

First Place: Kimberly Jewelers

Second Place: Jewelry Art Hudson

Third Place: Taylor Made Jewelry

Honorable Mention: Abshire & Haylan – Stow

Best local homebuilder

First Place: Testa Builders

Second Place: Wayne Homes

Third Place: (tie) Ryan Homes and Schumacher Homes

Best local art gallery

First Place: Don Drumm Studios & Gallery

Second Place: Zeber Martell Studio and Gallery

Third Place: Akron Art Museum

Honorable Mention: Akrona Galleries

Best local independent bookstore

First Place: The Learned Owl – Hudson

Second Place: The Bookseller – Akron

Third Place: Snowball Bookshop

Best local real estate agency

First Place: Howard Hanna – Hudson

Second Place: Keller Williams Chervenic Realty

Third Place: Stouffer Real Estate

Best local bike shop

First Place: Eddie’s Bike Shop – Stow

Second Place: Century Cycles – Peninsula

Third Place: Wheel and Wrench

Best new local store (last 12 months)

First Place: Sugar Loves Spice Boutique

Second Place: Lovely Somethings

Third Place: Cynthia’s Boutique

Best local vintage clothing store

First Place: Revival

Second Place: Village Discount Outlet

Third Place: The Hidden Pearl – Cuyahoga Falls

Honorable Mention: The Bomb Shelter

Best local retro décor/antique shop

First Place: The Bomb Shelter

Second Place: Stage Coach Antiques

Third Place: Abby Ann's

Best local fine artist

First Place: Don Drumm

Second Place: Zeber Martell

Third Place: Michael Gable

Best local car dealership

First Place: Dave Walter

Second Place: Ron Marhofer Auto Family

Third Place: (tie) Don Sitts and Van Devere

Best local gym

First Place: CrossFit Akron

Second Place: Akron General Wellness Center

Third Place: Cuyahoga Falls Natatorium

Honorable Mention: Shaw JCC

Best local wedding reception venue

First Place: Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens

Second Place: Todaro’s Party Center

Third Place: Guy’s Party Center

Honorable Mention: Happy Days Lodge

Best local retail store to blow your whole paycheck

First Place: Don Drumm Studios & Gallery

Second Place: Sugar Loves Spice Boutique

Third Place: Matter of Design

Best local farmers’ market

First Place: Cuyahoga Valley Countryside Conservancy

Second Place: Hudson’s Farmers Market

Third Place: Szalay’s in Peninsula

Honorable Mention: Highland Square

Best locally made pie

First Place: Gardner Pie Co.

Second Place: West Side Bakery

Third Place: Hartville Kitchen

Best local ethnic market

First Place: DeVitis Italian Deli & Market

Second Place: Hana Asian Market

Third Place: West Point Market

Honorable Mention: (tie) Al’s Meat Market and Sanabel Middle East Bakery

Best local vegetarian menu

First Place: Aladdin’s Eatery

Second Place: Mustard Seed Market & Café

Third Place: Ms. Julie’s Kitchen

Best local gluten-free menu

First Place: Jilly’s Music Room

Second Place: Mustard Seed Market & Café

Third Place: D’Agnese Trattoria and Café

Best local Italian restaurant

First Place: Luigi’s

Second Place: D’Agnese Trattoria and Café

Third Place: Dontino’s

Best local Mexican restaurant

First Place: Nuevo Modern Mexican &

Tequila Bar

Second Place: Tito’s

Third Place: Pancho and Lefty’s

Honorable Mention: Tres Potrillos

Best local Mediterranean restaurant

First Place: Aladdin’s Eatery

Second Place: Main Street Continental Grill

Third Place: Laziza – Kent

Best local Chinese take-out

First Place: Chen’s Garden

Second Place: House of Hunan

Third Place: Nobel House

Best local breakfast

First Place: The Blue Door Café

Second Place: The Eye Opener

Third Place: Hudson’s Restaurant

Honorable Mention: (tie) Michael’s A.M. and Akron Family Restaurant

Best local family-friendly dining

First Place: Hudson’s Restaurant

Second Place: Rockne’s- Merriman Road

Third Place: Yours Truly- Hudson

Best local pizza

First Place: Luigi’s

Second Place: Gionino’s

Third Place: Rizzi’s Pizza

Best local burger

First Place: Swenson’s

Second Place: The Rail

Third Place: Flip Side – Hudson

Best local sushi

First Place: Sakura – Akron

Second Place: House of Hunan

Third Place: Cilantro Thai & Sushi Restaurant

Best local bakery

First Place: West Side Bakery

Second Place: A Cupcake a Day

Third Place: (tie) Great Lakes Baking Co. – Hudson and Pallotta’s Pastries

Best local ice cream

First Place: Strickland’s

Second Place: (tie) Handel’s and Pav’s Creamery

Third Place: Mary Coyle

Best local food truck

First Place: Swenson’s Food Truck

Second Place: The Orange Truck

Third Place: (tie) Wholly Frijoles and Zydèco

Best local patio dining

First Place: Nuevo Modern Mexican &

Tequila Bar

Second Place: Beau’s Grille

Third Place: Merchant Tavern

Honorable Mention: Burntwood Tavern

Best local chef

First Place: Victor Todaro, The Merchant Tavern

Second Place: Zak Hirt, Nuevo Modern Mexican & Tequila Bar

Third Place: Beau Schmidt, Beau’s Grille

Best new local restaurant (in the last 12 months)

First Place: Nuevo Modern Mexican &

Tequila Bar

Second Place: The Twisted Olive

Third Place: Craft Beer Bar

Best local place to sit and enjoy a cup of joe

First Place: Angel Falls

Second Place: Nervous Dog

Best local winery

First Place: Sarah’s Vineyard

Second Place: Winery at Wolf Creek

Third Place: Gervasi Vineyard

Best local craft beer

First Place: Thirsty Dog

Second Place: Hoppin' Frog Brewery

Third Place: Great Lakes Brewing Co.

Best local bar

First Place: The Merchant Tavern

Second Place: Craft Beer Bar

Third Place: The Lockview

Best local bartender

First Place: Jessica Horringer – The

Merchant Tavern

Second Place: Dustin Sladky – Craft Beer Bar

Third Place: Kevin Welsh – Jilly’s Music Room