These are the best brunch spots in Akron, from a North Hill diner that readers voted number one to a Highland Square patio cafe, a music room with a gluten-free Sunday menu and a hotel restaurant downtown. Our guide to the best brunch in Akron lists each place's neighborhood, address, current hours and what local sources say it does well.
How we chose
We started with Signal Akron's 2026 Best of the City reader picks for breakfast and brunch, then added places that local publications and Downtown Akron Partnership single out for brunch. We kept only places whose current hours we could confirm on their own sites or a recent, reliable listing on November 12, 2026, and we left out places that have closed or paused service. What each spot is known for comes from those sources, not from us. Weekend hours can shift around the holidays, so check before you go.
The best brunch in Akron
Fred's Diner
North Hill. 930 Home Ave. Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday, 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Fred's Diner won best breakfast and brunch in Signal Akron's 2026 Best of the City contest. Signal Akron reports that the diner, open for 37 years, serves breakfast all day, that two eggs and toast cost $4.49, that its piled bacon is baked and then deep fried to order, and that daily specials such as the Sunday pot roast often sell out. fredsdiner.net.
The Eye Opener
Wallhaven. 1688 W. Market St. Wednesday to Friday 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday 6:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sunday 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., closed Monday and Tuesday. The Eye Opener placed second for breakfast and brunch in Signal Akron's 2026 reader vote. The restaurant says it serves omelets all day and points diners to its Bloody Marys. akroneyeopener.com.
Wally Waffle
Highland Square. 845 W. Market St. Monday to Friday 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wally Waffle describes its mission as a fun, creative breakfast menu cooked to order with no shortcuts, and its menu highlights include chicken and waffles. It also has locations in Bath Township at 3997 Medina Road and in Tallmadge at 100 North Ave. wallywaffle.com.
Mustard Seed Market & Cafe
Highland Square. 867 W. Market St., second floor. Brunch is served Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., according to Mustard Seed. Readers voted its upstairs patio the best outdoor dining space in Signal Akron's 2026 contest. Signal Akron reports that the most popular menu item is the farmer's breakfast, with bacon, eggs, potatoes and toast, and that the vegan bananas foster French toast is on the weekend brunch menu. The cafe is fast casual and does not take reservations. mustardseedmarket.com.
Towpath Trail Grille
Merriman Valley. 1212 Weathervane Lane. Tuesday to Sunday 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., closed Monday. The restaurant describes itself as a local favorite for breakfast and lunch near the Towpath Trail, with mimosas, Bloody Marys and beer, and it posts rotating weekly specials such as waffles and breakfast skillets. towpathtrailgrille.com.
Jilly's Music Room
Downtown. 111 N. Main St. Sunday brunch 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Jilly's says it has suspended regular Saturday brunch until it can hire more kitchen help, though some Saturday special events include brunch service, so check its calendar. Downtown Akron Partnership highlights its gluten-free brunch menu, with dishes like a blueberry brie wafflewich and huevos enchiladas lasagna, plus classic eggs and gluten-free waffles. jillysmusicroom.com.
The 1 Food & Spirits at BLU-tique Hotel
Downtown. 1 S. Main St. Breakfast Monday to Friday 6 to 10 a.m. and Saturday and Sunday 7 to 11 a.m.; Sunday brunch and lunch noon to 5 p.m. The hotel restaurant posts breakfast and weekend brunch menus on its site. Downtown Akron Partnership notes that breakfast comes with coffee from Akron Coffee Roasters and covers omelets, biscuits and gravy and a Belgian waffle. blu-tique.com.
Sweet Mary's Bakery
Downtown. 76 E. Mill St. Wednesday to Sunday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. For a pastry-first late breakfast, Downtown Akron Partnership points to Sweet Mary's scratch-made bagels with house cream cheese, biscuits and sausage gravy, breakfast sandwiches and quiche, along with cinnamon rolls, crullers and scones. Seating is very limited, so plan on takeout if it is busy. sweetmarysbakery.com.
Good Company
West Hill. 60 S. Maple St. Sunday brunch 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., with the full menu Sunday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Monday and Tuesday 4 to 10 p.m., closed Wednesday, Thursday to Saturday 4 to 11 p.m. Good Company is walk-in only and sits in a former West Hill firehouse that Akron Life describes as having green velvet booths, a Murano glass chandelier and 16-foot ceilings. Akron Life singles out its 72-hour wings, and the Sunday brunch menu turns them into Wake Up Wings with spicy maple sauce, alongside chicken and waffles, corned beef hash and mimosa flights. goodcompanywings.com/akron.
Buckets
West Market Street. 532 W. Market St., inside House Three Thirty. Sunday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Wednesday and Thursday 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., closed Monday and Tuesday. The LeBron James Family Foundation restaurant added Sunday brunch in September 2026, and Akron Life reports a comfort-food menu with buttermilk biscuits and house-made sausage gravy, a Greek yogurt bowl with house-made granola and a cast-iron pancake fried in clarified butter. Free parking is in the House Three Thirty garage. buckets330.com.
Akron Family Restaurant
West Market Street, just outside downtown. 250 W. Market St. Monday to Friday 5:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday 5:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sunday 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.; closed Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. Family owned since 1986, it serves breakfast all day, from hotcakes and omelets to eggs Benedict and Belgian waffles. Visit Akron Summit calls it a longtime local favorite known for hearty breakfast plates, pancakes and omelets. It is the earliest opener on this list. akronfamilyrestaurant.com.
Tips
- Watch the days. Fred's Diner is open Friday through Monday only, and The Eye Opener and Towpath Trail Grille close early in the week.
- Go early on Sundays. Most spots here wrap up by 3 p.m., and Signal Akron notes that Fred's daily specials often sell out.
- Early or late. Akron Family Restaurant opens at 5:30 a.m. most days, while Good Company and Buckets keep their full menus going after brunch ends on Sundays.
- For mixed groups. Jilly's has a gluten-free menu and Mustard Seed has vegan options on its brunch menu.
FAQ
What is the best brunch in Akron?
Signal Akron readers voted Fred's Diner in North Hill the best breakfast and brunch spot in 2026, followed by The Eye Opener in Wallhaven.
Where can I get brunch in Akron on Saturday?
Mustard Seed serves brunch Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Fred's Diner, The Eye Opener, Wally Waffle, Towpath Trail Grille and Akron Family Restaurant are all open Saturday mornings.
Which Akron brunch spots serve drinks?
The Eye Opener promotes its Bloody Marys, Towpath Trail Grille serves mimosas and Bloody Marys, Jilly's offers brunch cocktails, according to Downtown Akron Partnership, and Good Company's Sunday menu lists mimosas, a mimosa flight and Bloody Marys.
Do I need a reservation?
Mustard Seed's cafe does not take reservations, per Signal Akron. Good Company is walk-in only, and Buckets takes reservations through its site. The BLU-tique Hotel's restaurant takes reservations through its site.
Sources
Checked November 12, 2026: Signal Akron Best of the City 2026: breakfast and brunch; Signal Akron Best of the City 2026: outdoor dining; Downtown Akron Partnership breakfast and brunch guide; Akron Life on Good Company (Feb. 6, 2026); Akron Life on Buckets Sunday brunch (Oct. 27, 2026); Buckets hours on its Toast ordering page; Visit Akron Summit, Three Ways to Spend a Day in Akron (June 10, 2026); plus each restaurant's own site linked above. Good Company, Buckets and Akron Family Restaurant checked November 13, 2026.
Photo: Wally Waffle in Highland Square by Mark Turnauckas, via Wikimedia Commons, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0.
