New Restaurant
1. Home Bistro
2. Edwins Too
3. 17 River Grille
Downtown Restaurant
1. Marble Room
2. Blue Point Grille
3. Adega
East Side Restaurant
1. Zhug
2. Hook & Hoof
3. The Pompadour
South Side Restaurant
1. DBA
2. LockKeepers
3. Don’s Pomeroy House
West Side Restaurant
1. Salt
2. Thyme Table
3. Fahrenheit
Local Chef
1. Michael Symon
2. Douglas Katz
3. Jill Vedaa
Fine Dining
1. Marble Room
2. Luca Italian Cuisine
3. L’Albatros Brasserie & Bar
Food Truck
1. Barrio
2. Cocky’s Bagels
3. Manna Truck
Cheap Eats
1. Happy Dog
2. Swenson’s Drive-In
3. La Plaza Supermarket
Seafood
1. Pier W
2. Blu, the Restaurant
3. Alley Cat Oyster Bar
French
1. L’Albatros Brasserie & Bar
2. Chez Francois
3. Edwins Restaurant
Italian
1. Mama Roberto’s
2. Luca Italian Cuisine
3. Lago
Indian
1. Cafe Tandoor
2. India Garden
3. Saffron Patch
Chinese
1. King Wah
2. Li Wah
3. LJ Shanghai
Japanese
1. Ginko
2. Shuhei
3. Shinto Japanese Steakhouse
Vietnamese/Cambodian
1. Minh Anh
2. Phnom Penh
3. #1 Pho
Thai
1. Peppermint Thai Cuisine
2. Brown Sugar Thai Cuisine
3. Thai Thai
Mexican
1. Momocho
2. Hola Tacos
3. Nuevo Acapulco
Greek
1. Astoria Cafe & Market
2. Taki’s Greek Kitchen
3. Niko’s Bar & Gyros
Middle Eastern
1. Aladdin’s Eatery
2. Anatolia Cafe
3. Zaytoon Lebanese Kitchen
Central European
1. Der Braumeister
2. Balaton Restaurant
3. Das Schnitzel Haus
Spanish/Portuguese
1. Mallorca
2. Sangria y Tapas
3. Sol
Caribbean/Puerto Rican/Latin American
1. Barroco Arepa Bar
2. Irie Jamaican Kitchen
3. Paladar Latin Kitchen & Rum Bar
Ribs/Barbecue
1. Mabel’s BBQ
2. Oak & Embers Tavern
3. Landmark Smokehouse
Steakhouse
1. Red, the Steakhouse
2. Cabin Club
3. Strip Steakhouse
Pizza
1. Saucy Brew Works
2. Angelo’s Pizza
3. Il Rione Pizzeria
Burgers
1. Heck’s Cafe
2. Buckeye Beer Engine
3. Flip Side
Appetizers/Small Plates
1. Salt
2. The Pompadour
3. Felice Urban Cafe
Desserts
1. Thyme Table
2. Rood Food & Pie
3. Flour
Sandwiches
1. Slyman’s Restaurant
2. Herb’n Twine
3. Larder Delicatessen & Bakery
Soups
1. Souper Market
2. Susy’s Soup & Deli
3. Yours Truly
Vegan/Vegetarian
1. Tommy’s
2. Cleveland Vegan
3. Boaz Fresh Lebanese
Wine List
1. Humble Wine Bar
2. Flight Cleveland
3. 750mL Wines
Cocktails
1. The Spotted Owl
2. Porco Lounge & Tiki Room
3. Cloak & Dagger
Brewery
1. Great Lakes Brewing Co.
2. Saucy Brew Works
3. Fat Head’s Brewery
Beer Selection
1. Winking Lizard Tavern
2. Tremont Taphouse
3. Banter
Happy Hour
1. Luxe Kitchen & Lounge
2. Burntwood Tavern
3. The Fairmount
Brunch
1. Pier W
2. Lucky’s Cafe
3. Sol
Sports Bar
1. Winking Lizard Tavern
2. Panini’s Bar & Grill
3. Old Angle Tavern
Gastropub
1. Pub Frato
2. Tremont Taphouse
3. Sauced Taproom & Kitchen
Outdoor Dining
1. Felice Urban Cafe
2. Lindey’s Lake House
3. Chez Francois
View
1. Alley Cat Oyster Bar
2. Nuevo Modern Mexican & Tequila Bar
3. 17 River Grille
Deli
1. Larder Delicatessen & Bakery
2. Slyman’s Restaurant
3. Corky & Lenny’s
Pastry Shop
1. Luna Bakery & Cafe
2. Blackbird Baking Co.
3. Corbo’s Bakery
Bread
1. On the Rise Artisan Breads
2. Breadsmith
3. Brimfield Bread Oven
Cheese Selections
1. Old Brooklyn Cheese Co.
2. Heinen’s
3. Astoria Cafe & Market
Wine Store
1. Rozi’s Wine House
2. World Wines and Liquor
3. The Wine Spot
If you enjoyed this story, dig in to the rest of May's Best Restaurants issue below.
Cleveland 10 Best New Restaurants
From pizzas to tacos, New American comfort food and tightly packed sushi to decadent multicourse meals, these restaurants have made a lasting impression over the past year. Read More >>
An Ode To 5 Restaurants We'll Miss
From iconic downtown spots to a trailblazing New American joint to family favorites, these restaurants lost during our pandemic year have forever left a more. Read More >>
How 5 Dining Spots Expertly Pivoted During The Pandemic
By creating more diverse menus that travel well, doubling down on their communities and rebranding all together, these Northeast Ohio restaurants found new ways to do what they do best. Read More >>
How Cleveland Restaurants Have Adapted To The Demand For Casual Dining
Gusto's Seafood & Chicken, Cilantro Taqueria, Domo Yakitori & Sushi and Citizen Pie Roman Cafe are elevating quick, comfortable eats. Read More >>
Ghost Kitchens' Small Footprints And Huge Ambitions Take Cleveland By Storm
The COVID-19 pandemic jumpstarts the ghost kitchen trend in Cleveland with options such as Good Meal Jane and Amba. Read More >>
Local Restaurants Expand And Experiment With Vegan Offerings
From GoBuddhaMeals' walnut taco bowls to The Vegan Club's fettucine Alfredo, we highlight four unique vegan dishes created by local kitchens. Read More >>
Pop-Up Eateries Thrive In The COVID-19 Era
The Roaming Biscuit and FatBoy Sammies are among area pop-ups finding success. Read More >>
Cleveland's Fried Chicken Craze Is Here To Stay
White House Chicken, Angie's Soul Cafe and others offer up unique fried chicken options that comfort and inspire. Read More >>
Chefs To Watch
Laura Jerina-Potts Takes A Detailed Approach To Desserts
Thyme Table's pastry chef has been serving up intricate delicacies and sweets for the last three years. Read More >>
Jarrett Mines Eager To Leave His Mark With Cleveland's Filter
With the opening of the new Warehouse District restaurant, the former personal chef is ready to wow the city with his interactive dishes. Read More >>
Vinnie Cimino's New Immigrant Son Brewery Menu Pays Homage To His Ancestors
The 'quasi-nomadic' chef is settling down with a new Lakewood brewery menu inspired by light, communal, immigrant-inspired fare. Read More >>
Tiwanna Scott-Williams' Homemade-Style Comfort Food Shines At Pearl's Kitchen
A former nurse, chef Tiwanna Scott-Williams tells us why she's ready to take Cleveland by storm with her homecooked, comfort-food style. Read More >>
Jose Melendez's Twisted Taino Expertly Blends Caribbean And Latin Flavors
A Sauce the City Food Hall staple, Twisted Taino is expanding to a second location in Parma that will house catering, carryout and delivery services. Read More >>
