Back in 1956, Frank Vaccaro—the son of Sicilian immigrants—and his Italian-born wife Angelina (Linda) had big culinary dreams, but almost no capital.
Borrowing $500 each from two trusting close friends, they set up a modest pizza counter inside a neighborhood beverage shop on Arlington Street.
Decades later, that tiny counter evolved into Vaccaro’s Trattoria, a premier Ghent Road dining institution where three generations of the family still hand-roll pasta and simmer heritage sauces every day.
Quick Bite – Vaccaro’s Trattoria, Akron, OH 🍝
What began as a simple pizza-and-sub shop transitioned into an Akron culinary landmark through sheer consistency and Linda’s ancestral Sicilian recipes.
Moving into its spacious Ghent Road dining room near Fairlawn, the kitchen expanded its focus to include stuffed banana peppers, wood-fired pizzas, and the rare, baked pasta masterpiece known as the 1957 Timpano.
That relentless commitment to scratch cooking earned the restaurant national attention, including a spot on Bon Appétit magazine’s roundup of Ohio’s top dining destinations alongside multiple local reader-choice awards.
Operating as an independent, single-location family business, this spot remains a prized mom and pops treasure.
The Local Atmosphere – Vaccaro’s Trattoria, Akron, OH 🍷
Soft ambient lighting, warm terracotta tones, and white tablecloths make the dining room feel effortlessly romantic yet completely unpretentious.
Regulars heading in from nearby Bath Township, Montrose, Cuyahoga Falls, and Copley pack the booths for anniversary dinners and casual mid-week wine nights alike.
The atmosphere is warm and welcoming: sip a pour of Chianti, tear off a piece of warm Italian bread, and let the aroma of roasted garlic and simmering tomatoes set the tone for the evening.
Signature Bites – Vaccaro’s Trattoria, Akron, OH 😋
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Vaccaro’s 1957 Timpano: A dramatic dome of baked pasta dough stuffed with rigatoni, meatballs, sausage, hard-boiled eggs, cheese, and rich meat sauce.
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Burrata Chicken Parmigiana: Crispy pan-fried chicken cutlet smothered in San Marzano marinara, topped with creamy melted burrata cheese.
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Nonna Linda’s Eggplant: Thinly sliced eggplant layered with herbs, imported cheeses, and homemade marinara, baked until bubbly and tender.
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Stuffed Hot Banana Peppers: Fresh local banana peppers packed with seasoned Italian sausage, baked under provolone and marinara.
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Lasagna Bolognese: Delicate sheets of hand-rolled pasta layered with slow-simmered beef-and-pork ragù, ricotta, and melted mozzarella.
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Lobster Arancini: Crispy fried risotto balls stuffed with sweet lobster meat and herbs, served over creamy saffron sauce.
Takeaway Bite – Vaccaro’s Trattoria, Akron, OH 😎
Reserving a table along Ghent Road connects you directly to a story of hard work, family tradition, and incredible Sicilian cooking.
The Vaccaro family’s refusal to cut corners is apparent in every bite of hand-rolled pasta and scratch-made sauce.
📍: 1000 Ghent Rd, Akron, OH 44333
🕒: Tue-Thu: 4:00 PM – 9:00 PM; Fri-Sat: 4:00 PM – 10:00 PM; Sun-Mon: Closed