Ed Balint – Canton Repository

Published October 13, 2021

JACKSON TWP. — PangeaKeto has opened a new bistro on Portage Street NW featuring low-carb versions of cheeseburgers, meatball subs, pepperoni rolls, pizza, wings, and Reuben and pulled pork sandwiches.

Relocating from Hartville MarketPlace, the restaurant and grocer is now in a plaza at 4891 Portage St. NW in the Belden Village area. The 3,000-square-foot site is near BJ’s Wholesale Club and The Home Depot.

A diet-focused store and fast-casual restaurant, PangeaKeto also has a Dayton location.

The first franchisee also has agreed to open a store in Houston; the space is currently under construction, said Harrison Zoldan of A. Altman, a real estate development company representing PangeaKeto.

PangeaKeto co-founder Jeff Zucal is shown at the new PangeaKeto restaurant and grocer, which moved from the Hartville MarketPlace to the Discount Drug Store plaza on Portage Street NW in the Belden Village area.

PangeaKeto was co-founded by Jeff Zucal in 2015 to promote healthy eating after he reached a weight of 345 pounds and was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes, according to a news release.

After undergoing gastric bypass surgery, a surgeon told Zucal that he would need to make major dietary changes in order for the medical procedure to have the intended lasting impact.

The North Canton native discovered keto, or ketogenic diet, a low-carb, high-fat diet that involves drastically reducing carbohydrate consumption and replacing it with fat.

A Reuben sandwich and fries are among the low-carb menu selections at PangeaKeto, which has moved from Hartville MarketPlace to 4891 Portage St. NW.

Menu items at the expanded location include build-your-own bowls with cauliflower rice and choice of meat and cheese; salads; wraps, including turkey bacon and seafood salad; cheesesteak sandwiches; and quesadillas.

A 1992 graduate of Mount Union College, Zucal majored in economics and business and previously worked in the financial industry for Merrill Lynch.

Zucal also previously owned a parking lot cleaning company.

Featuring house-made items, PangeaKeto offers pre-packaged, chef-prepared meals, snacks, gluten-free products and baked goods in addition to the bistro’s regular menu.

Hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.

Costa Rican coffee at Muggswigz

Muggswigz Coffee and Tea Co. is now roasting an experimental Costa Rican coffee at its shops.

The coffee was discovered by Muggswigz President and Founder Alex Haas while visiting coffee farms in Costa Rica.

The new offering is called “Costa Rica Finca San Callentano Natural.”

A Muggswigz news release said the coffee is sourced from coffee farmer Diego Arbarca, who naturally processes the coffee on a lot in Tarrazu on land given to him by his father.

Alex Haas, president and founder of Muggswigz Coffee and Tea Co., is shown at a Costa Rican coffee farm where he discovered a new variety to roast at his Canton and Akron area shops.

“Every year, his crops increase, giving him more opportunity to experiment with his coffee as well as continue quality control,” the news release said. “While he usually processes his coffee using the washed method, this coffee that Muggswigz has secured is 100% Red Cataui Arabica and natural-processed giving the coffee more fruity and edgy flavors, including notes of cacao nibs, strawberry and lime.”

Founded in 2003, Muggswigz has locations at 137 Walnut Ave. NE in downtown Canton; 5854 Fulton Drive NW in Jackson Township; 3452 Manchester Road at Portage Lakes; and 373 South Main St. in downtown Akron.

Reach Ed at 330-580-8315 and ebalint@gannett.com and on Twitter @ebalintREP.