Saffron Patch in the Valley
1238 Weathervane Lane, Merriman Valley
330-836-7777
Lunch hours: Tuesday through Friday, 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, noon to 3 p.m.
Dinner hours: Monday, 5 to 9 p.m.; Tuesday through Thursday, 5 to 9:30 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 5 to 10 p.m.; Sunday: 5 to 9 p.m.
Website: https://saffronpatchakron.com/
Tucked into a residential shopping, restaurant and office center, Saffron Patch in the Valley offers up an elegant dining experience and traditional Indian cuisine.
The dining style at Saffron Patch can be described as family service with shareable platters.
The most popular dishes at Saffron Patch are traditional Indian appetizers, entrees, desserts and drinks. Before hopping into the entrees, vegetable samosas, fried dumplings stuffed with potatoes and vegetables, are a popular appetizer. Chicken tikka masala and chicken makhani (butter chicken) are neck and neck for top-ordered entrees. Diners enjoy a sweet, orange-colored mango yogurt lassi that is similar to a smoothie. Ras malai or coconut brownie sundae is a commonly ordered dessert to end dinner on a high note.
Customers travel from near and far to order their go-to menu items.
“I love Indian food and it’s good here,” said Ally Najem, a Kent State University student. “I just don’t live in the area, so it’s not a regular.”
Serving up food with a family feel
During its lunch hours, the restaurant is silent with the exception of laughter and clinking pots in the kitchen.
The entryway of the restaurant mimics a living room, which combines perfectly with the family feel of the space. It is decked out with blue carpet and arm chairs for waiting guests on one side of the entryway. On the other side hang family portraits. After passing through nods to Indian culture like Gaja and paintings, customers will step into the dining area.
Saffron Patch in the Valley has served Akron-area customers for 28 years. With a major move in 2013, Saffron Patch relocated to a building directly across the parking lot from its location in the Liberty Commons complex. The new location came with a larger main dining hall, event venue and bar.
The former building fit 40 people, while the maximum for the current restaurant is 300 people — 100 in the dining area and 200 in the event hall, said Moejeder Rahaman, co-owner of the restaurant along with Mohammed Solaiman.
“We have the party hall there on the backside. We’re using the bigger hall,” Rahaman said.
Rahaman and Solaiman have gained traction throughout the years, especially with catering, traveling outside of Ohio to cater milestone events like multicultural weddings, birthday and office parties.
2nd place:
New Era Restaurant
330-784-0087
10 Massillon Road
Website: https://thenewerarestaurant.com/
3rd place (tie):
Evelyn’s Coffee & Banh Mi
200 S. Main St. (new location in Lock 3 Park)
330-849-5080
Website: https://www.evelynscoffee.com/
Nepali Kitchen
399 E. Cuyahoga Falls Ave.
330-631-1112
Website: https://nepalikitchen.weebly.com/