FIRST: Over Easy At The Depot

Located next in the historic Kent Train Depot, Over Easy At the Depot has offered breakfast options to the Kent area for years. 

Over Easy’s story began at a smaller location, right next to Tree City Coffee & Pastry in downtown Kent. Now, it can be found at 152 Franklin Ave.

The restaurant is open Monday to Sunday from 8 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., and its menu includes American breakfast classics like skillets, omelets and pancakes.

The interior of the restaurant is dark and wooden, and outside of the dining area is for guests to enjoy their meals. The restaurant also has a bar to serve cocktails.

According to their website, Over Easy is “​​a laid back breakfast and lunch spot that offers an imaginative take on the classics, with the feeling and comfort of home.”

The eatery has amassed 228 reviews on Yelp and earned a 4.5 star rating.

Over Easy has also established a considerable following and reputation in the community with its Instagram accumulated 2,500 followers. Additionally, the establishment commonly partakes in Kent area events like “Foodie February” which took place last month in efforts to support local businesses and sponsored by Main Street Kent.

Those interested in ordering takeout at Over Easy can call at 330-678-8800.

SECOND: Wild Goats Cafe

Located at 319 W. Main St., Wild Goats Cafe offers patrons a wide selection of popular breakfast foods.

Offerings include pancakes, eggs, hash browns and sausage gravy, and they also offer a variety of specials every weekday.

From Monday through Thursday until 10:30 a.m., customers can take advantage of the “two-for-six” or “three-for-eight” specials, which allow them to pick breakfast items from a selected list for a reduced price.

The cafe is open from 7:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m. from Monday to Saturday, and 7:30 a.m. – 3 p.m. on Sundays.

Tom Holman, a manager at Wild Goats Cafe, said he thinks the nomination by community members has a lot to do with the menu variety and also the quality of the service at the cafe.

“I think it’s just the whole experience, the ambiance, the menu selections, [it’s] pretty unique,” Holman said.

Holman said there’s one value the cafe tries to drive home that he thinks contributes greatly to their success.

“Good, friendly service,” he said, “I think that’s what attracts [people].”

Those interested in learning more can call the cafe at 330-677-2326.

THIRD: The Cleveland Bagel Cafe

The Cleveland Bagel Cafe provides customers with creative bagel and schmear combinations and hot and cold coffee selections.

After the closing of the Starbucks at the same location in 2021, the cafe took over and quickly found a community among Kent students.

The cafe is located at 436 E. Main St., a short walk from the architecture building as well as the fashion school and Franklin hall.

Charlotte Varney, the general manager and a partner of the Cleveland Bagel Cafe, said she’s honored to have the cafe nominated for best breakfast so early on in their time in Kent.

“We haven’t even been out for two years,” Varney said. “It’s so exciting for me.”

She said it means a lot to her to share a category with many other established breakfast places in the area.

“We’re in the category with Over Easy and Wild Goats Cafe, and the fact that people are going out to those places is awesome,” she said. “It’s an honor to be in that category with them.”

Varney said she is proud to be able to offer a high-quality experience to Kent customers.

“Everybody in here is really passionate and all about the customer,” she said.

The Cleveland Bagel Cafe can be reached at 330-548-9012.

Janson McNair is campus editor. Contact him at [email protected].