By Melanie Mohler
Looking to get out of Akron for a day, but not venture too far away? Head about 15 minutes southwest to Barberton where you just may find some hidden gems that become your new favorite!
As a Barberton native, I’ve compiled some of my favorite places, as well as some places I’ve been meaning to check out next time I’m in the “Magic City.”
Coffee
Kavé is Barberton’s main coffee shop and is located downtown along the main strip of businesses.
Anna Bean Coffee Company offers coffee, tea, and light bites and is located inside a former train station.
Breakfast
Enchanted Cafe is just as the name implies, enchanting. Be sure to try the mystic potatoes and baklava!
Remarkable Diner is another spot in town where you’ll find breakfast or lunch.
Tusk serves “all day breakfast and comfortable cuisine” for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It’s located inside the former location of Al’s Corner Restaurant and features a Woolworth’s lunch counter.
Lunch and Dinner
Al’s Corner Restaurant is a cafeteria-style restaurant serving up Eastern European classics such as pierogies, stuffed cabbage rolls, and chicken paprikash. They’re open for lunch Monday through Friday 11am to 2pm, and for dinner the fourth Friday of the month from 5pm to 8pm.
If you’ve heard of Barberton, chances are you’ve heard of Barberton chicken. It’s a style of fried chicken first made by Serbian immigrants in the 1930s that’s only seasoned with salt and is fried in lard. Traditional sides include french fries, a vinegar-based coleslaw, and hot rice (rice with tomato sauce and seasoned with hot peppers). The four remaining Barberton chicken houses are Hopocan Gardens, White House Chicken, Village Inn Chicken, and Belgrade Gardens.
Angie’s Italian Restaurant offers pizza and other Italian dishes. The homemade pink Italian salad dressing can’t be missed!
Ice Cream
Durbin Magic Freeze offers the best soft serve in town. They have the traditional chocolate and vanilla, along with regularly-changing soft serve flavors, as well as hard ice cream.
Skoops is another fan favorite for ice cream. They offer creative ice cream sundaes and other treats.
At Papa Roni’s you’ll find both pizza inside their shop and hard ice cream at their ice cream stand.
Places to Explore
Find a used book or two at Snowball Books & More.
Catch a movie at Lake 8 Movies or the Magic City Drive-In Theater.
Walk some laps around Lake Anna.
Bike or hike the towpath.
Shop for pet supplies or find a new pet at Fish City Pets.
Check out local art at White Rabbit Galleries.
Shop vintage and antique pieces at Aunt Hannah’s Antiques and Collectibles and Atomic Rodeo Art and Vintage.
Drive around to see the remaining buildings of the Anna Dean Farm.
Grab a beer at Ignite Brewing Company.
Pick up some Slovenian or Hungarian sausage at Al’s Quality Meats (right next door to Al’s Corner Restaurant).
Sign up for a library card at the Barberton Public Library. (Note: Barberton’s library is independent of the Akron-Summit County Library System, and is part of the CLEVNET consortium, meaning that with a Barberton Public Library card, you’ll have access to different materials.)
Find comics, collectibles, and more at Magic City Comics and Collectibles.
More to Explore in Greater Akron
Looking for more to explore in Akron and beyond?
Check out our Explore More in 2024 page for even more blog posts, guides and ideas. (Be sure to use #ExploreMore2024AK in your captions across social media platforms and tag @everydayakron in your posts.)
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