Second: Taco Tontos

Vegans and vegetarians have no shortage of Mexican cuisine options at Taco Tontos, located at 123 Franklin Ave.

Kevin and Emily Yohn own Kent’s Taco Tontos on Franklin Avenue, taking on the restaurant’s 52nd year in business. Kevin Yohn said they probably have the biggest variety of vegan menu items in Kent. 

“We try not to be generic with it,” he said. “We tried to come up with unique, fun, vegan and vegetarian specials that not everyone has, and that you can’t just get at every place.”

Kevin Yohn said while all of their vegan and vegetarian specials are popular, their vegan queso is also really popular amongst the community, along with their vegan sour cream and guacamole.  

“I will say, of any of our daily specials that we run, the most popular is probably our roasted winter veg burrito or roasted spring veggie burrito,” he said.

Customers at Taco Tontos can add tofu, tempeh, house-made seitan, potatoes and a wide variety of veggies to their order.

“We try really hard to cater to, or just to provide food for everybody,” Kevin Yohn said. “It means a lot to be nominated for that.”

Taco Tontos can be reached at 330-677-0223.

Third: Erie Street Kitchen

Erie Street Kitchen, located at 163 W. Erie St., brings a taste of the south to Kent, and doesn’t leave those who can’t have gluten behind. 

Jeff Crowe, the owner and a chef of Erie Street Kitchen is originally from the south, and wanted to do something different in Kent, said kitchen manager Audrea Cunningham.

“When he opened, he wanted to cater to gluten-free,” she said. “So we make our own breading from scratch for all of our seafood, chicken and fish items.”

They also make their own breading for appetizers like the gluten-free goat cheese balls and cheese curds, she said. They also have gluten-free desserts, and just recently started a gluten-free and dairy-free chocolate pie. 

Cunningham said the most popular Erie Street Kitchen menu items would be the gluten-free chicken, whether it’s the chicken baskets, tenders or sandwiches, as well as the po boy and bánh mì sandwiches. 

“It’s great to hear from customers who are celiac,” she said. “They haven’t been able to eat a certain item for years and they can come in here and eat safely, so that’s something that’s a pride for us and something we’re excited about.”

To order from Erie Street Kitchen, call 330-593-5928.

Audrey Trevarthan is a campus editor. Contact her at [email protected].