The beauty of breakfast. (Courtesy of Wally Waffle)
Breakfast: the most important meal of the day. When you decide to stop by a diner on a busy Saturday or need a pick-me-up before work, you want runny eggs, fluffy waffles, and crispy bacon. It can be hard to find a place that has all three, but look no further than Wally Waffle.
“Wally Waffle was started in 1975 by John Mazzola and his brother Russ. He was my brother and I’s step-grandfather,” says Josh Miletti, co-owner along with his brother, Justin Miletti.
The Akron staple has been feeding hungry mouths in Summit County for three generations and across three locations: Highland Square, Tallmadge Circle, and Montrose. Now, Josh Miletti tells us about what he prioritizes for each Wally Waffle.
Behind the Waffle
“There are a lot of shortcuts that you can take these days,” says Miletti. “For us, we think about what we can do to help us stay a step above. It comes down to cooking things fresh to order and making our own mixes, as well as getting the best ingredients that we can.”
Miletti is passionate about the standard of food preparation across all of the Wally Waffle locations. In a testimony on the Wally Waffle website, the brothers recall a time when a salesman tried to sell them precooked bacon to “either microwave or reheat on a grill.”
Still, the Miletti brothers stood firm in their decision against any precooked bacon, powdery dried eggs, or microwave pancakes. They pride themselves on serving a creative and delicious menu that rivals that of any big corporation, prioritizing quality over convenience.
“For us, it’s really a refusal to transition,” says Miletti. “We make things the way we made them just like when I was in the kitchen 20 years ago. We didn’t change anything over time.”
The refusal to settle for anything less than excellent is one of the key reasons why Wally Waffle, across all three locations, achieves such success, especially on the menu.
Predictably, waffles are some of the best sellers that you can order. Start it off simple with a golden-brown, fluffy, Belgian waffle topped with powdered sugar, or dress it up with one of their fantastical flavors. Stick with an Ohio classic like the Buckeye waffle, loaded with chocolate and peanut butter chips to bring that iconic taste to a delicious base waffle.
The famous Chicken N' Waffle. (Courtesy of Wally Waffle)
For the sweet and salty kind, we highly recommend the #1 seller at Wally Waffle: Chicken N’ Waffle. With your choice of chicken tenders or wings, this flavor bomb offers the best of both worlds, perfect for brunch.
Of course, we couldn’t forget about the traditional breakfast lovers. Wally Waffle’s signature “Big Daddy” offers two eggs, toast, Wally fries, or grits, silver dollar pancakes, and two sides of your choice of breakfast meat.
Unsurprisingly, everything on the menu is a hit, which has colloquially earned Wally Waffle the title of “Akron’s Best Breakfast.” The consistency and creativity keep happy crowds coming back for all of their breakfast needs.
“We could serve a few more plates if we cut corners, but that’s just not who we are,” says Miletti. “The reason why we’ve been able to make things fresh to order and the way we have is because of our great staff.”
Breakfast is an art form at Wally Waffle, with a carefully selected kitchen staff that takes pride in serving the very best food they can. From kitchen to table, the food is prepared and served with enthusiasm, care, and a smile.
Visit a Wally Waffle location near you!
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