Where to eat in Kent

17 independent restaurants, bakeries and food spots in Kent. Chains are left out.

Ranked with the travel guide's picks and well-known places first.

Eat
Bistro on Main
Bistro is dark and quiet, with an extensive wine list and innovative menu selections.
Mon-Thu 3-9PM, Fri Sat 3-9:30PM$6-26
Eat
Eastway Center
The second floor of Eastway houses the Eastway Fresh Food Company, a dining hall frequented by freshmen and vegans. Downstairs there is a deli and market. Eastway Deli is popular with upperclassemen and can prepare custom sandwiches. Eastway Market carries a small selection of international brands outside the usual fare.
Eat
Euro Gyro
Pizza, wings, gyros, and sandwiches. They also have bar and drink specials. A large 1-topping pizza is $5 on Wednesday. Open late.
Mon-Wed 10:30AM-3AM, Thu-Fri 10:30AM-3:30AM, Sat 11AM-3:30AM, Sun 11AM-2:30AM$5-20
Eat
Franklin Square Deli
In addition to its wide array of sandwich selections, they offer a full breakfast menu, soups and dessert items. The restaurant provides quick, courteous service and maintains a large local customer base.
Mon-Sat 10AM-9PM, Sun 11AM-7PM$2-10
Eat
Guy's Pizza
Fresh ingredients from local vendors. In addition to the regular and specialty pizza pies, nine different fresh salads are on the menu, as are subs, calzones, and traditional and boneless wings.
$8-20
Eat
Kent State Student Center
The first and second floors of the Kent State Student Center serve as the primary dining hall of the area. The Hub is on the first floor and serves branded fast food alongside branches of local restaurants. The Hub has bagel, sub, pretzel, Asian, and Mexican specialty resaurants. Because the Hub is a favorite with students, between 11AM and 2PM they don't accept meal plan to accommodate commuter students and visitors - conversely the times immediately before 11AM and immediately after 2PM are extremely busy. Also on the first floor is the Kent Market, which is a small convince store in a nook that also sells soup and bent tree coffee. On the Second floor is the Kent Market 2, which handles the influx of students between 11AM and 2PM. Besides American food, the Kent Market 2 also has Italian and Indian options, as well as a deli.
7AM-11PM$4-9
Eat
Laziza
Laziza is a Mediterranean-style restaurant in the downtown Kent area that offers lunch and dinner dining. The menu here offers steaks, seafood and Mediterranean specialties. The space here features two levels available for dining, a bar and an area for private parties. The restaurant also provides catering services for private events and functions.
Mon-Thu 11AM-10PM, Fri 11AM-11PM, Sat noon-11PM$7-17
Eat
Mike's Place
Mike's place has a huge menu, and all items have an unusual name (Ms. McNaster's Disaster, the Nunsiatta Devita, etc.). The atmosphere is similar to Dick's Last Resort's.
Mon-Thu 6AM-11PM, Fri Sat 6AM-midnight, Sun 7AM-10PMDinners $6-15, Sandwiches $5-10
Eat
Popped!
Popped offers a variety of hot popcorns, from butter or caramel to more unusual flavors such as Baja or Cayenne. Also offers gift tins of cold popcorn.
Tue-Sat 11AM-5PM$5-12
Eat
Ray's Place
Bar and restaurant, popular with college students and locals. Burgers, sandwiches, food and drink specials, great variety of beers. Serves a relaxed public.
Open daily; hours vary seasonally$7-17
Eat
Rosie's Rations
Rosie's Diner
Kent State's Late Night Diner and convenience store. Sells breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert 22 hours a day. The food is very greasy and often hastily cooked, but on the flip side it's relatively cheap and it's quick. In the morning and around lunch Rosie's is pretty quiet, but at night, especially on Thursdays and Fridays, it gets loud and rowdy with a bar like atmosphere. You have to operate the register yourself - paying with a card here is far easier than paying with cash. Hold onto your receipt until your number is called and don't be afraid to ask if it gets loud. Requires a Kent State student ID to enter after midnight. Offers late night delivery. The grocery part is open 24/7 during the school year and offers a good balance between junk food and healthy food, but it's a little pricey for a traveler.
24/7, diner closes from 4AM-6AM$1.50-10
Eat
Scribbles Coffee
Has books and coffee. Lets you scribble on paper topped tables with crayons.
6:30AM-10PM
Eat
Taco Tantos
Made from scratch delicious Mexican style foods. Huge tacos, burritos, tostados, taco salads, pizzaritos, chips and salsa. Can call ahead for pick up or place order in the tiny store. One can place an outdoor by phone and can pick up their order from the outside carryout window at the nextdoor Zephyr Bar. If you want a beer with your food then you have to go to Zephyrs. The website is a little outdated and food is a little more expensive but totally worth it.
Tue-Sat noon-8PM$4-10
Eat
Wild Goats Café
Really good place for breakfast or lunch. They have great coffee, and food that is fresh. Try the corned beef hash.
7AM-8:30PM
Eat
Bent Tree Coffee
A coffee shop that also offers classes and blends for sale.
Mon-Sat 7AM-5PM
Eat
Tree City Coffee
A modern coffee shop near Acorn Alley.
6:30AM-9PM$2-5
Eat Not mapped
Bario Tacos
295 S Water St
Mon-Thu 4-11PM, Fri Sat 11AM-midnight, Sun 11AM-11PM

Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to Kent (CC BY-SA 4.0).