More than a diner, these are the places Portage County comes together

Jake’s Eats in Mantua, Ohio. Wendy DiAlesandro/The Portager

More than a diner, these are the places Portage County comes together

- Wendy DiAlesandro

It’s early morning dark outside Deerfield’s Circle Restaurant, where Mark Bann and Ed Dean are enjoying their morning meal.

It’s a daily routine for the men and has been for years. No orders needed: the waitresses already seem to know what each person wants. A steaming cup of coffee is already on the counter when Bann walks in, and he’s been known to help prep the dining room tables if the waitresses seem stretched for time.

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