Fine Time
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Stefanie Manley
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Many bits and pieces of Akron's history went into creating Divine Food Spirits Wine. Its owner, Renee Kintz, spent 26 years working as a bartender and server at classic spots like Darby’s on Fifty-Nine, Tangier, Moe’s Restaurant, Northside Speakeasy and more. She used her experience to open her dream restaurant in the building that housed the original Rockne’s in Cuyahoga Falls.
“Had it not been this building in particular, I might not have had as much confidence,” she says. “But I believed in it so much that I was willing to risk it all.”
That risk paid off. Divine opened December 2020, adding sophisticated flair to the familiar spot, even drawing in Rockne’s founder Rockne Becker for a meal.
“I wanted to create a little oasis,” Kintz says. “I wanted it to be upscale and semi fine dining, but very casual. I want people to feel welcome.”
The food is made from scratch using mostly local ingredients, with choices like sauerkraut bombs, lobster rolls, grilled portobello sandwiches, elotes and more. Its signature dish, shrimp Divine ($27), features fresh butterfly shrimp that are dusted with breadcrumbs before being broiled in garlic butter and served with a lemon beurre blanc. It comes with a fresh vegetable of the day and house-made focaccia.
“People say they could drink the sauce,” Kintz says.
There’s plenty to imbibe at Divine, including wine, whiskey, cocktails and nightly drink specials. Try the toasted marshmallow smoked bourbon, made with Elijah Craig and house-made toasted marshmallow simple syrup while listening to live music four to five nights a week from local musicians like Mike Lenz, the Conway Brothers and Ben Gage.
The place completes a long-held dream, both for Renee and her late father, Tom Kintz. The pair always wanted to open a wine bar or restaurant together.
“My dad passed away six years ago,” she says. “I just wanted to honor his work ethic and try to do what we always had talked about.”
There are pieces of him all around the refined restaurant, including some framed paintings from his collection. Local hand-blown glass bottles — purple, his favorite color — are displayed on a shelf. And the logo itself is in Tom’s handwriting, comprised of letters taken from a message written in the last birthday card he gave Renee.
Just like its name suggests, Divine is an example of things falling perfectly into place.
“This building has such a crazy full-circle aspect to it,” she says. “Everything happened in divine timing.”
2752 Hudson Drive, Cuyahoga Falls, divinefoodspiritswine.com
