Baking Since 1986

Our History

Ideal Bakery has been baking fresh breads and rolls for restaurants, grocery stores, fresh markets and schools in the Akron/Canton area since 1949.

I gained a love for cooking and food while working at Tangier’s, Anthe’s, Garner’s, Blondies, Bill Crocker’s and Guy’s Restaurant & Party Centre during my teens and 20s.

It was while I was the head chef at Guy’s Restaurant and Party Center that my passion for baking evolved. I had the privilege of working with Vic “Mr. Bigshot” Pallotta. Vic was one of the original founders of Crest Bakery in Cuyahoga Falls and master baker at Firestone Country Club. He was famous for Victor’s Crunchy Cream Pie. It was here that the then-owner of Ideal Bakery came in to deliver bread. He saw me in the kitchen and said, “Do you know who I am?” I replied, “No, but I know you live at 1203 Dietz.” I was actually his paperboy when I was eleven. It’s funny how you remember those things. This is where I found the opportunity I was looking for. He was ready to get out of the business and I couldn’t wait to get in. I took the plunge and bought Ideal Bakery in May of 1984. The head baker of Ideal Bakery at this time was Glenn May’s and he was very instrumental in expanding my knowledge and passion for baking.

Ideal Bakery has been baking fresh breads, buns and rolls for restaurants, grocery stores, fresh markets and schools in the Akron/Canton since 1949. Did you know that Ideal Bakery made Hamburger buns for the McDonald’s on Exchange Street when they first opened? Ideal also baked for the Brown Derbys, Jack Horner’s, Lil Joe’s Pub, Young’s Restaurant, Thacker’s, Wonder Bread, EJ Hamad’s, Brownies Restaurant, Diana Kimmerlee’s, Art’s Place and Yanko’s, just to name a few. Today, Ideal Bakery remains one of Akron’s oldest thriving bakeries, baking for over 100 restaurants, grocery stores, fresh markets, schools and caterers in Northeast Ohio. We still make the classic breads, buns and rolls that made us a mainstay, and we have added new specialty products that are exclusively served in many restaurants today.We are constantly researching new techniques, ingredients and ideas to improve and create specialty bread products for our customers.

Let us create that signature product for you.