Café Arnone to spread wings with Sal's Gelato in Akron's Merriman Valley

Café Arnone is branching out, opening Sal's Gelato May 7 in Akron's Merriman Valley.

Co-owners Michael Maghes and Rocco LaRose's second eatery in the Akron area will focus on Italian ice cream as well as handmade chocolates, baked goods and an espresso menu.

"Sal's Gelato was something that we conceived of within the Café Arnone a few years back and always thought that it could live as a separate brand one day," Maghes said Wednesday.

"Now this opportunity to move into this location was something that we felt like is the right time in the right place," Maghes said.

He said the Fairlawn cafe, where baked goods, gelato, pizza and cafe menu items have been made since opening in 2018, was running out of room.

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Maghes and LaRose, who are cousins, were looking for a commissary kitchen for their second location to serve as a gelateria and café. They found the right spot at 1821 Merriman Road, where Bruegger's Bagels used to be years ago.

The building, which also houses OutSpoken E-Bike Rentals, White Glove Cleaning Solutions and Pub Bricco, is now owned by Joe Scaccio of Carmen Construction. The property has gotten a new roof, parking lot and landscaping and Sal's Gelato now has new white siding.

"He's put a great deal of investment in the exterior of the space," Maghes said.

Well situated amid recreation, entertainment

Maghes said the new gelato spot is well situated near the scenic Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail as well as amid a number of restaurants and entertainment establishments. Approval also is being sought to run a connecting path from the Towpath to the building's parking lot.

"It complements other restaurants and the future development of what they're doing with the train station and Liberty Commons," Maghes said of plans to build a new Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad depot on Merriman Road as well as revitalize the Liberty Commons area in the valley. "We just felt like it was a good fit for the area."

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The new Akron gelateria will offer up to 24 flavors of gelato, more than the 12 to 18 flavors offered at Café Arnone. Sal's Gelato also will serve sundaes, which the Fairlawn spot doesn't yet offer, as well as non-dairy gelato options, Italian ice and a flight of four flavors that people can share.

Kids are taste testers

Sal's Gelato is named after Maghes' 7-year-old son, Salvatore. Maghes and his family, including Salvatore's 5-year-old sister, Siena, love ice cream.

"We use him and his sister as the official taste testers," Maghes said of Salvatore.

Customers can eat inside the 24-seat ice cream shop with its black and white checkered floor or order outside at a walk-up window. Outside will feature a patio and bocce court.

Inside, a large bay window will allow guests to see into the kitchen where gelato and baked goods are being made. Pops of orange will accent the black and white interior, including with chairs, a corner booth and a neon sign.

"We wanted to bring back a little bit of nostalgic ice cream parlor in a new, modern Italian way," Maghes said. "The space is clean; it's bright."

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A variety of chocolates will be made in-house, as will baked goods that will include new biscotti flavors and fruit tarts.

Coming at a date to be announced will be a Arnone marketplace, larger than the one in Fairlawn, which will offer imported Italian goods including leather bags, wood cutting boards, spatulas and pastas.

Sal's Gelato hours will be 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Sunday.

More Arnone developments

In other Café Arnone news, the business is now running the stand Café Arnone & Sal's Gelato at Progressive Field in Cleveland for the whole 2023 Guardians season. It's at section 144, at the first baseline facing the field.

At the ballpark, they're offering five gelato flavors as well as coffee and hot chocolate. Liquor also may be added to the coffees.

The opportunity came after a team of Café Arnone staff members worked last year during several playoff games at Progressive Field's coffee stand.

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At Café Arnone in Fairlawn, pizza is now offered from 11 a.m. to close daily, along with sandwiches and salads. The pizzeria menu had previously been offered only in the evenings four days a week.

Now, all food is ordered at the counter, café-style. New Café Arnone hours are 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.

Arts and restaurant writer Kerry Clawson may be reached at 330-996-3527 or kclawson@thebeaconjournal.com.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Café Arnone owners to open new Sal's Gelato in Merriman Valley May 7