Gus’ Chalet Restaurant

Gus’ Chalet
938 E. Tallmadge Ave.
Akron, OH, 44310
(330) 633-2322

Gus’ Chalet is one of those places that your grandparents would drag you to as a kid, but you would later gravitate to as an adult. It’s a true meat ‘n taters place that has more on the menu than just American fair. It’s the place where Akron’s heavyweights and politicos used to and still meet and has a Greek side of the menu that truly needs to be explored.

This atmosphere hasn’t changed since the 1970s, whether it’s the menu or the decor. It’s dark and mysterious with tiny gold-speckled mirrors on the walls and a mystique all to its own.

Greek native Gus Kanarios opened the restaurant in 1974 after several years of working at the Anthes restaurants. He later brought other members of his family on board, including son-in-law Kosta Galapoulas.

Their entrees are storied, but the appetizers are even more legendary. When you sit down you will be presented with a tasty kidney bean salad, peppers, classic Akron-style sauerkraut balls, and their legendary Gus Puffs! For a long time they were a local secret, but in 1988 Gus reveled his secret recipe in the Akron Beacon Journal:

NOTE: I had previously posted the recipe for Gus Puffs, but have been kindly asked to remove it, and rightly so. If you wish to look it up, the recipe was printed in the ABJ on June 8, 1988 as part of Jane Snow’s column.

Tags: 1970s restaurant, Greek food, old Akron restaurants, political hangouts