Home Bistro Invites Visitors To Enjoy A Cozy Meal

It’s hard to tell that Victor Morenz ever left Cleveland. The Mentor native, who returned to the Land from Chicago last year with his wife Emily Gilbert, has been cooking up a love letter of sorts inside Home Bistro, the New American restaurant they opened in August. Located in Little Italy, the spot reflects the couple’s personalities: warm, inviting and relaxed.

“I never wanted to have a stuffy restaurant,” says Morenz. “But I think you can still have that quality of food and still have a real down-to-earth experience.” The menu, which changes often, is full of comforting dishes with personal touches. Cozy up to the clambake choucroute ($26), a play on the traditional Cleveland clambake. Morenz has carefully thought through each element.

From the crumbled bratwurst, Dutch sauerkraut, house-made soft pretzel, corn and sweet potato, to a beer-infused mustard, he delivers on a dish that feels like home. “If I wasn’t working seven days a week, I’d be going to three or four clambakes this year,” he laughs. 12022 Mayfield Road, Cleveland, 216-795-5582, homebistrocle.com