Best Of Cleveland 2025: The Foods and Drinks Keeping Cleveland's Bellies Full

Best Boba Party Pack: Mooncat Boba Cafe

Mix the drink of your dreams with your own personal boba bar. Mooncat Boba Cafe’s customizable Party Pack ($50) is the perfect one-up for your catering game with one gallon of milk tea, flavored tea or lemonade and your choice of two toppings, including options like classic tapioca, sour blue raspberry, mango star jellies and more. Cups, lids and straws are all provided — just add ice. “It’s a way for people to take boba home and make it their own experience,” says owner Chun Keung Wong. The former Case Western Reserve University student opened his cafe on the corner of West 25th Street just over two years ago, and it’s already become bigger than the boba. Additional menu offerings like savory musubi, veggie spring rolls, popcorn chicken and sweet sugar biscuits keep the party going. mooncatbobacafe.com

Best Coffee Flight: Little Birdie Wine Nest

Robin Keenan’s sanctuary for yoga, crafts and wine clubs gained another feathered friend when a viral 2021 video sent Little Birdie Wine Nest’s coffee flights soaring. Today, folks still migrate from as far as Florida for themed menus, seasonal classics and bestselling “Flock Forever Faves” like caramel creme brulee and white raspberry mocha. “It’s interesting to learn what people love,” Keenan says. “It’s such a collaborative vision.” Each four-cup flight ($15+) contains custom-roast cold brew topped with whipped cream and glamorous treats. “There’s so many things to choose from,” Keenan says. “There’s always a reason for you to come back.” littlebirdiewinenest.com

Best English Toffee Bar: Jeff’s Candy

Earlier this year, when Jeff Morsfield’s forthcoming candy shop sat in permit purgatory, Clevelanders rallied behind him, helping him get his new storefront over the finish line. But Jeff’s Candy isn’t just a viral social media moment. The 25-year-old’s signature, handcrafted English toffee bars ($5) put a modern twist on his mother’s beloved holiday recipe. Made in a commercial kitchen in Euclid and now sold on Waterloo Road, each bar features a layer of rich toffee, semi-sweet chocolate on the bottom and a sprinkle of roasted sea salt pecans. “It’s visually very different from most toffee bars and almost twice the size,” says Morsfield. Wrapped in gold foil inspired by Willy Wonka and finished with hand-cut, custom-designed labels, the bars blend nostalgia with elegance. Available also at The Corner at Van Aken, The Tea Lab (Lakewood), Token (Cleveland), local markets and more, Morsfield’s candy creations are rooted in tradition. “I’m really excited to serve Cleveland in a sweet way,” he says. jeffscandyshop.com

Best Excuse to Get Your Car Washed: Johnny’s Auto Spa and Little Mountain Creamery

When John Nekic sought to open Johnny’s Auto Spa in Concord Township, his wife, Keri, and neighbors Brandon and Heather Dynes proposed the perfect treat for the finish line: gelato. “We were all sitting around the fire one night,” Heather reminisces. “John shared his lifelong dream of owning a car wash. Then we piped up and said we want ice cream, too.” It turns a simple chore into a rewarding experience, adjoining one of the longest car wash tunnels in Ohio with Little Mountain Creamery’s year-round patio and drive-thru, providing easy access to house-made gelato, breakfast sandwiches, pastries and coffee. The neighboring establishments further connect through vouchers and promotions that encourage cashing in suds for scoops — but it’s not hard to be tempted. “Everything about this project is to make this a local, beautiful thing for our community,” John says. johnnysautospa.com, lmcreamery.com

Best Latin Food Hall: CentroVilla25

It typically takes years to become a community hub. CentroVilla25 has done it in the Clark-Fulton neighborhood in just a few months. The colorful storefront houses seven food vendors serving dishes of Cuban, El Salvadorian, Mexican and Venezuelan origins that bring a world of flavors to Cleveland. “At (Antojitos Salvadorenos) you can get just about anything, and it’s great for vegetarians and vegans,” says Jenice Contreras, president and CEO of NEOHCED and founder of CV25. “At Flying Pig Tacos, you can’t go wrong. My favorite is the carne asada tacos ($5+).” After you eat, stay a while and shop around Mercado Rosa for clothes, jewelry, vintage toys and more. “It creates a richness in our region to have this amazing cultural hub that everybody can enjoy,” says Contreras. cv25.org 

Best Place to Catch a WNBA Game: The W Sports Bar

Since opening this summer, The W Sports Bar has become Cleveland’s HQ for women’s sports. But truly, it’s not just a sports bar. From buzzy watch parties to low-key hangs at the bar, founders Cassy Kopp, Ally Eclarin and Shelley Pippin have created a spot for every type of fan. “You can nerd out about the thing that you’re obsessed with, from women’s sports, to a new album that came out, to something pop culture,” says Eclarin. “The W is the one spot where people come together to be obsessed with that thing as much as you are.” With nightly events, elevated bar food and zero-proof drink options, the W is more than ready for Cleveland’s own WNBA team on the horizon. thewsportsbarcleveland.com

Best Rotating Breakfast Sandwich: The Roaming Biscuit

​Shawnda Moye’s biscuit shop is no longer roaming since opening a permanent home in Hingetown in 2023. But you still never know where her rotating specials of breakfast flavor combos ($10-$14) will land. ​Past creations include one loaded with braised oxtail, collared greens and mac and cheese, plus other twists like blueberry chicken sausage and hot pepper jam. The specials also offer an opportunity for Moye to partner with other small businesses like Cleveland Bagel Co. and Adun Spice Co. “I love utilizing ingredients from local friends who are also making deliciousness,” Moye says. “And I like to keep people excited about what’s next.” theroamingbiscuit.com

THIS vs. THAT: Best Summer Hot Dog

Scooter's Dawg House

Location: Mentor

Opened: 2000

Number of Dogs: 26

The Main Ingredient: When Scooter’s opens for the season every March, it’s an unofficial first day of summer. Just ask any of the 500 customers who visit during a daily rush, hailing from nearby Headlands Beach State Park or trekking from the West Side just for fun.

A Must-Order: The L.A. Street Dawg ($8.49) is a Scooter’s-brand hot dog wrapped in bacon, topped with mayo, ketchup and grilled onions and peppers.

Beefing Up: “A lot of my staff are local and grew up eating Scooter’s,” says owner Emily Blauman. “It’s a nostalgic experience for a lot of people.” scootersworldfamousdawghouse.com

Something Good Social Kitchen

Location: Playhouse Square

Opened: 2025

Number of Dogs: Three, plus a build-your-own selection.

The Main Ingredient: Owner Ricky Smith is an established philanthropist, so it’s only right that his year-round franks pay it forward. Each order is matched by a donated meal for those in need.

A Must-Order: Coming Home ($10.50) is the menu’s best-kept secret. Created by former Browns player Josh Cribbs, the hot dog features ground beef, barbecue sauce, crispy onion straws and mustard.

Beefing Up: “Life is hard. We’re all going through something,” says Smith. “If I can make people smile with my words or my work, why not do it?” somethinggoodcle.com

READ MORE: Best of Cleveland 2025: Cleveland's Coolest Talents and Entertainment Destinations

Best Sushi Tots: Gather Food & Drink

When creativity calls, Gather Food & Drink answers. After opening last year, the Rocky River restaurant has already made its mark for an intimate dining experience and innovative menu staples like Sushi Tots ($14). “Sushi Tots came about from trying to come up with a menu item that was kind of different and not necessarily mainstream, putting two things together that don’t necessarily go together,” says chef and owner Matt Barnes. The tater tots are tossed in an Asian spice blend and topped with raw diced tuna, spicy Sriracha mayo, scallions, pickled cucumber and eel sauce, fusing crunchy, soft and tasty. It’s ingenious and surprising, just like this hip suburban spot. “People have been like ‘Oh wow, I didn’t expect that,’” Barnes says of the response. “And people have enjoyed the fun atmosphere that we provide and the great service.” gatherfoodanddrink.com

Best Take-Home Food Subscription: Abundance Culinary’s Dumpling Club

When Liu Fang was growing up in Northern China, making dumplings was a family affair. Her grandfather specialized in fillings, and her grandmother mobilized the rest of the family to roll and fill each tiny delicacy. These days, Fang’s team at Abundance Culinary in Cleveland Heights does the same for guests at its restaurant, but she didn’t want the enjoyment to stop at the dining room. Enter Dumpling Club ($60-$200), a monthly supply of Abundance Culinary’s handcrafted dumplings that you can freeze, cook and eat anywhere, at any time. Choose a single filling or a variety pack of flavors: Sichuan sausage; beef with cilantro, lamb and tomatoes; or rotating vegan options like sweet pea or kale with Thai chili. “What we do at Abundance is so special, and I don’t think there should be limitations,” Fang says. “I wanted even more people to be able to cook dumplings at home like I did with my grandparents.” a-bun.com/dumpling-club

Best Vinyl Bar: Bad Medicine

Good music at Bad Medicine goes deeper than a shuffled playlist. Owners and avid vinyl collectors Adam McDaniel and Bryan Tetorakis remix familiar cocktails in new ways, too, just as old records are amplified over modern, hi-fi speakers. “You could listen to five songs in a row that you’ve never heard. Then, one song comes on that you know, and you realize you’ve been listening to this band for the last 20 minutes,” McDaniel says. “That’s a neat experience.” Add dim lighting, dark furnishings and filling fare, and everything sings. “We want to curate an atmosphere that makes people feel comfortable,” McDaniel says, “whether or not they’re there to drink.” badmedicinebar.com

Best 19th Hole: Birdietown

Scores of mini-golfers have flocked to the Birdietown holes in the 10 months the Lakewood concept has been open. And while the custom-built putt-putt courses made by Cleveland’s Shred and Co. might be the things that first draw visitors in, the seasonally rotating menu headed by chef Emily Campion and the flavorful cocktail program are the things that invite golfers to stick around longer than a few swings. You can’t beat the vibes, with moody lounge seating, tropical color palettes and hip artwork — all creating a popular new hangout for visitors to sit back and relax, with a sip and a bite. “I know it’s a cool place, and it’s unique, but I never would have thought it would have got this much traction this early,” co-founder Tim Frazee says, “so that’s been pretty awesome.” birdietowncle.com

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