15 Best Restaurants in Canton, OH

Canton, nicknamed the Hall of Fame City, is located in northeastern Ohio.

It is situated on Nimishillen Creek, and it's where the National Football League (NFL) was founded in 1920, hence the nickname.

Canton is the seat of Stark County and used to be an important manufacturing city, mainly because of its many railroad lines.

Like other regions in the U.S., Canton also experienced a decline in the manufacturing industry in the 20th century, which saw the outsourcing of jobs.

In the 21st century, Canton started experiencing an urban renaissance anchored by a lively arts scene.

New life was breathed into the city, which also manifests in events such as the New Berlin and Italian-American festivals.

The culinary scene has also experienced a renewal, and the restaurants listed here bear testimony.

Here are the best restaurants in Canton, Ohio:

The Bistro at Gervasi Vineyard

Set in lush vineyards and gardens, The Bistro is the home of upscale Italian dining in Canton.

OpenTable, a listed online restaurant-reservation service company, named it one of America's most romantic restaurants.

The Bistro has a good variety of pasta dishes and pizza, but their  Seafood Chitarra with shrimp and seared scallops deserves special mention.

For diners who like to experiment with unusual salads, the  Wheat Berry Salad with mixed greens, fresh berries, goat cheese, and candied almonds, is recommended.

If your bucket list includes finding the best tiramisu outside Italy, it's on the dessert menu at The Bistro; give it a taste—you know you want to!

The Bistro is located six miles northeast of the City Hall, on 55th St NorthEas.

Basil Asian Bistro

Basil Asian Bistro is a jewel in Cantonˈs culinary crown.

It is located on 6th Street NorthWest, only a mile from the City Hall and near ArtsinStark, a community center for the arts.

Basil Asian Bistro offers vegetarian and vegan options as well as gluten-free dishes.

Basil is a crucial ingredient in Asian fusion cuisine, hence the restaurant's name.

Other subtle Asian flavors that will delight your tastebuds include coriander leaves, lemon grass, coconut milk, chilies, peanuts, and sesame.

The menu offers an excellent range of house rolls, with crab, tempura shrimp, tuna, sweet scallops, and lobster tail, among other delicacies.

The sushi menu is a delight and will satisfy any sushi fan.

Appetizers include Thai dumplings, skewered beef, and Crab Rangoon.

It's tempting to feast on the appetizers only and skip lunch, but you'll miss out if you do.

The chefˈs specialties include jump shrimp stir-fried with pea pods and mushrooms and Triple Delicacy—shrimp, chicken, beef, and scallion stir-fried in a sesame sauce.

Bender's Tavern

If it's seafood you're craving, you have to try Bender's Tavern, a couple of minutes from the City Hall in the historic district of the downtown area.

This Canton institution was established in 1902 and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Benders' seafood is fresh from Foley Fish in Boston, Massachusetts.

Try the crab cakes or classic fried haddock.

The lunch menu includes sandwiches and burgers and their signature dish: turtle soup.

Steaks include filet and sirloin, and delicious slow-roasted prime ribs are available on Fridays and Saturdays.

Bender's Tavern also offers vegan and vegetarian options and gluten-free dishes.

It also has a cellar with more than 350 wines.

Bender's Tavern is situated on Court Avenue SouthWest.

91 Wood Fired Oven

Another upscale restaurant in North Canton, 91 Wood Fired Oven, offers fresh seasonal food prepared in a chef-led kitchen.

Its menu undoubtedly bears testimony to a devoted chef at work.

Starters include an unusual brie fondue, sesame-seared tuna, and a goat cheese cherry salad.

Classic 91 dishes like  Lemon Chicken and Drunken Shrimp can be enjoyed with  zoodles (zucchini noodles), penne, or fresh spinach.

End your meal with the delightfully sinful  Colossal Cheesecake, served with raspberry or chocolate sauce.

91 Wood Fired Oven also caters for private events, big or small.

There's also an outdoor patio perfect for dining on those balmy summer evenings.

Visit the 91 News section on their website to see special happenings, like Time-for-Wine-Tuesdays or Martini Nights.

The restaurant is on Fulton Drive NorthWest,  four miles from the North Canton City Hall.

Lucca

Lucca takes its name and inspiration from a region in Italy known for its charming beauty and intimate restaurants that serve food with the freshest ingredients.

A modern restaurant with a farm-to-table philosophy, Lucca prides itself on using the freshest ingredients while supporting the local community.

It also strives to deliver an authentic Italian taste by making dishes from scratch, including its pasta.

Favorites among customers are Limoncello shrimp, fillet steak, and pork chops.

The wine menu is not as extensive, but the wines are top-notch.

Lucca also serves cocktails, beers, and seltzers.

Live piano music and an inviting Tuscan-inspired dining space add to the ambiance.

Lucca's is at 4th Street NorthWest, a 10-minute walk from the Canton Palace Theatre.

The Desert Inn

Experience a unique Middle Eastern dining experience in the Canton Arts District with its many art galleries and studios at The Desert Inn.

The restaurant is minutes away from the Canton Museum of Art and the Cultural Center for the Arts.

Popular dishes include tasty prime rib, succulent lamb shank, beef kabob, and the usual aromatic Middle Eastern appetizers like baba ghanoush and stuffed grape leaves.

Mains are served with Syrian rice, a moist log-grain white rice cooked with oil, onions, and salt.

There is also a decent selection of wines and a drinks menu with various tempting cocktails.

For dessert, don't miss out on the baklava.

Moreover, keep an eye open for regular belly-dancing shows.

The Desert Inn Facebook page has all the latest news and is the best source of information on its menu and events.

The Desert Inn is at 12th Street NorthWest.

Shimmy your way over there and sample the best Middle Eastern cuisine dishes.

Kabab & Curry

Kabab & Curry offers fine Indian cuisine, a buffet, and an a la carte menu.

Biryani is a long-time favorite among Indian cuisine devotees, and here they will find a decent variety.

The biryani with large shrimp and saffron catches the eye, as does the biryani with saffron sauteed with shrimp, lamb, chicken, vegetables, and nuts.

Chicken and lamb dishes are prominent, and daily specials are also available.

It is nearly impossible to choose just one dish from their dessert menu.

Why donˈt you have one in the restaurant and order another for a midnight feast later at home?

Enticing options include mango ice cream and Kismis Kheer, a basmati rice pudding flavored with nuts, raisins, and pistachios.

The Gulab Jamun, sometimes called Indiaˈs national dessert, is also a must-try if you have a sweet tooth.

Regarding beverages, try the Masala tea—Darjeeling tea leaves brewed with cardamom, cloves, cinnamon sticks, milk, and sugar.

The Lassi Sweet, made with homemade yogurt and rose water, should satisfy you if you're adventurous when it comes to food; there is also a mango version of this drink.

Kabab & Curry offers vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options and is halal.

They are located at Whipple Avenue NorthWest.

The Crush House at Gervasi Vineyard

The Crush House is a modern winery, wine bar, and eatery set in a hip industrial-style building.

It offers a good selection of craft beers.

The invitingly named "Jabberwocky Pale Ale" may help you master the Mad Hatter's elusive dance moves.

Jokes aside, the folk here at The Crush House take their craft beer seriously, and their collection will make hipsters happy.

There is an impressive cocktail menu, with signature cocktails like the Strawberry Sage Lemonade made with GS small batch vodka, lemon, strawberry, organic cane sugar, and sage.

Gervasi produces award-winning wine and offers tastings, tours, and events: ticketed, private, pairing, and dinners.

The Crush House has a casual menu that offers soups, salads, sandwiches, the Crush House Burger, pasta, and entrées (with the seared salmon highly recommended).

The dried figs, cream cheese, roasted walnuts, clover honey, and vanilla gelato are especially appealing for dessert.

Outdoor dining is available, as well as a kids' menu and vegetarian and gluten-free options.

Visit the restaurant on 55th Street NorthEast, six miles northeast of the City Hall.

Lucia's Steakhouse

Lucia's is located at Belper Street NorthWest, four miles from the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The Hob Nob, as it was known then, opened its doors in 1941 when the original owner sold soups and sandwiches at lunchtime to factory workers in the area.

In the early 1970s, the owners changed the dining area and the restaurant's name to Lucia's Steakhouse.

The Boston strip steak is a signature dish and a must-try.

An exciting option is to add a lobster tail to any of the red meat dishes.

Meanwhile, specialty Italian dishes include Chicken Parmigiana and Veal Parmigiana, prepared in the authentic Italian way: lightly pan-fried, then baked in the oven and served on a bed of linguine.

Vegetarian and vegan options, as well as gluten-free dishes, are also available.

Jasmine Asian Bistro

Have you ever tasted a Pumpkin martini?

If not, then head to Jasmine Asian Bistroˈs to try one.

Sushi and martini are Jasmine's signature dishes.

Their sashimi is super fresh, the blackened tuna appetizer is a favorite, and the shrimp pad Thai is incredible.

Another favorite is the Chicken Coconut soup, a Thai-style soup with asparagus, coconut milk, and lime juice.

The food is beautifully plated, and the portions are generous.

Live music, including jazzy saxophone, is a bonus and adds to the restaurant's romantic atmosphere.

Jasmine is located at 30th Street NorthWest, near Malone University.

Haus of Giessen at the Canton Brewing Company

If you want to try German cuisine, head to Haus of Giessen at 3rd Street Northwest.

Specialties at this German institution include giant pretzels served with beer cheese and sweet mustard, flavorsome schnitzel, and ice cream flavored with coffee porter.

They also serve salads, pizzas, and sandwiches, but the impressive selection of craft beer provides the pull.

The Tuscora beer is the brewery's flagship and has won the 2021 Ohio Craft Brewer's Cup.

Another beer that catches the eye is the Holiday Ale, an ale with the traditional Christmas flavors of ginger, nutmeg, honey, and cinnamon, perfect for those cold Ohio nights.

The King Gambrinus is a bock beer, which is, to say, a strong, dark German beer.

The beer is lightly hopped and has 7% alcohol by volume (abv).

The beer has a fascinating history and is associated with the religious festivals of Lent and Easter.

Bavarian monks brewed it to sustain them during fasting.

The King Gambrinus is also a silver medal winner for the Canton Brewing Company at the US Beer Open Championship.

Final Thoughts

Cantonˈs Arts District is one of the renaissance leaders, as the arts usually are.

This includes culinary arts, one reason restaurants in Canton that have been in business for decades are continually reinventing themselves.

Check out these best restaurants in Canton, Ohio, and discover extraordinary dishes on your vacation!

=