Waitress Jessica Lloyd, of Akron, picks up food for her tables at the busy kitchen window at Luigi’s Restaurant. Laura Torchia | Daily Kent Stater

Credit: Ron Soltys

“Famous since 1949.”

Located in Akron’s revitalized Northside District, Luigi’s has become a favorite among the locals. The restaurant is regionally famous for its award-winning pizza and Italian tossed salad, garnering customer loyalty and notability by word-of-mouth.

Inside, the restaurant houses memorabilia that hangs lovingly on the walls. It’s difficult to pinpoint a theme, as none of Luigi’s scattered keepsakes have much in common. But it gives the place character and radiates a certain underlying sentiment of nostalgia. The black-and-white photographs of late celebrities and championship bowlers near the front entrance add a neighborhood charm Pizza Hut or Papa John’s fail to deliver, even if the delivery’s free.

Luigi’s pizza lives up to its reputation. The dough is sweet and soft while the crust remains flavorfully charred.

Served piping hot, the mozzarella cheese oozes over the tangy tomato sauce and toppings, releasing a mouth-watering aroma to nearby booths and tables.

The side salad comes highly recommended, although it’s really more a bowl of shredded mozzarella cheese doused in Italian dressing that happens to contain bits of lettuce at the bottom. It’s an extremely generous portion of cheese, comparable only to a small Indian burial mound. Nevertheless, it’s delicious.

The restaurant offers an extensive menu, including sandwiches, different types of pasta, seafood and steak. But, more importantly, the prices are more than reasonable for budget-minded students. A small tomato-and-cheese pizza will cost $5.45, and a large is just $10.15. Make sure to bring cash though, because the restaurant doesn’t accept credit cards.

This Akron institution is a step up in pizza pie cuisine, far ahead of its commercial rivals.

More than its food, Luigi’s radiates a feeling of comfort, friends, family and of home. And that’s something you just can’t find in a cardboard box.

Contact all correspondent Jinae West at [email protected].