Akron Life July 2023

READERS’ PICKS

BEST DELI 1. Diamond Deli 2. Primo’s Deli 3. DeVitis Italian Market BEST DINER 1. Fred’s Diner 2. Flury’s Cafe 3. Magic City’s Remarkable Diner BEST SEAFOOD 1. Ken Stewart’s Grille 2. 35 Brix 3. Serenite 2. Pallotta’s Pastries 3. Tiffany’s Bakery BEST CHOCOLATIER 1. Hartville Chocolate Factory 2. Malley’s Chocolates 3. Honadle’s Fine Chocolates BEST ICE CREAM 1. Pav’s Creamery 2. Handel’s Restaurant & Culinary Institute BEST BAKERY 1. The West Side Bakery

BEST INDEPENDENT COFFEEHOUSE 1. Nervous Dog Coffee Bar 2. Artisan Coffee 3. Asterisk Coffee Bar

BEST ITALIAN RESTAURANT 1. Luigi’s

Restaurant

2. Vacarro’s Trattoria 3. Dontino’s Fine Italian Cuisine

BEST WINERY 1. Sarah’s Vineyard 2. Gervasi Vineyard 3. Filia Cellars

BEST SNOWY DELIGHT BUBBLES & PUFFLES

BEST VEGETARIAN MENU 1. The Soulful Vegan 2. Mustard Seed Market & Cafe 3. Aladdin’s Eatery

As kids, we caught fluffy snowflakes on our tongues. Experience that sensation with snow cream from Bubbles & Puffles, which also serves bubble tea and bubble “puffle” waffles in a shop that opened near The University of Akron in 2022. “It’s a snowflake — as soon as you put it in your mouth, it just melts,” says partner Sen Kumar. “It makes you eat more and more.” It’s easy to get hooked on the Hong Kong and Taiwanese street food, as it’s creamier than shaved ice yet lighter and fewer calories than ice cream. To make the taro flavor, Bubbles & Puffles mixes taro powder and custard powder into whole milk, freezes it and uses a specialty machine to shave it into feathery ribbons. “It has more of a nutty flavor,” says Kumar, describing the

purple-hued Asian root vegetable.

Taste it in the marvelous Tri State Taro treat ($5.95-$8.95). Taro snow cream gets topped with taro pudding, sweet condensed milk and cookie crumbles along with lychee jelly, made of coconut infused with the juicy tropical Asian fruit fla vor, adding a crunchy texture. It pairs divinely with brown sugar milk tea ($5.45-$5.95), which is made with brown sugar syrup, tea, condensed milk, evaporated milk and brown sugar-flavored boba. cream and boba with brown sugar will make you feel you’re in heaven.” 284 E. Exchange St., Akron, bubblesandpuffles.com “You continue that rich, creamy flavor,” Kumar says. “The snow

Homemade Ice Cream

3. Stricklands

Frozen Custard

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JULY 2023 | akronlife.com