Luigi’s Restaurant
105 N. Main St.
Phone: (330) 253 2999
Open: Monday-Thursday 11 a.m. to midnight, Friday 11 a.m. to 2 a.m., Saturday 3 p.m. to 2 a.m., Sunday 3 p.m. to midnight
Website: luigisrestaurant.com
Luigi’s Restaurant is a slice of history.
The Akron staple is a nod to the Italian country-side infused with an eclectic blend of pictures capturing notable guests of the past.
A mural of a vibrant, green landscape covers the tops of walls far as the eye can see. Wooden booths are placed around the perimeter and tables are clustered about. Every square inch of the Akron restaurant is used efficiently; small gaps between tables allow servers to navigate between the kitchen and three dining room spaces, all filled with eager patrons.
In 1949, the Ciriello family founded Luigi’s Restaurant, transforming a steak restaurant into an Italian eatery. Decades later, Tony Ciriello, the founder’s grandson, is in charge of operations, offering diners tasty pizza and pasta seven days a week.
“I’m a pizza guy,” he said, “but I also like the big dishes like rigatoni.”
Servers are friendly yet very direct, arriving to tables wearing quippy t-shirts.
“If lost, please return to Luigi’s Akron.”
There is a process; servers capture beverage orders the instant guests are seated. The vibe is busy yet organized.
Ciriello said consistency is important. He also said that the restaurant is successful because they hire great people.
Each meal begins with a small loaf of crusty-on-the-outside, soft-in-the-middle Italian bread. Featured items include the Akron-famous homemade pizza and pasta. Oftentimes, the pizza at Luigi’s Restaurant is the main attraction, but the pasta is also delicious, even on an intensely warm summer night. On a recent summer day, lasagna arrived covered with cheese as the carefully crafted red sauce bubbled beneath. Each bite was a reminder that craftsmanship goes into every entree. The zesty sauce and the comfort of the melted cheese were a tasty treat.
Luigi’s Restaurant does not accept reservations, so be prepared to wait. During off-peak times, the typical wait is 10 to 15 minutes. During high-traffic times such as weekday lunches and weekends, wait times can be extensive, with a line forming against the side of the building. The establishment is cash only, but there is an ATM on site.
Why do people love it?
“I think it’s just that it reminds me of late nights in Highland Square and showing up at two in the morning exhausted and a little drunk with friends to talk about everything that happened and make jokes and eat some pizza that would be delicious and feed our broke selves for at least a day or two,” said Tracie Springer, a local veterinarian and regular customer at Luigi’s.
“Plus that salad, though. It’s just comforting and nostalgic and quintessentially Akron.”
2nd Place:
DeChecos Pizzeria
2075 S. Main St., (330) 724-4835
3rd Place:
Totally Baked Pizza
8 N. High St., (234) 678-0421