25 Best Restaurants: Alley Cat Oyster Bar

For a chef who has reinvented himself so many times, it’s no surprise that Zack Bruell has now changed how we think about a riverside restaurant. His menu at Alley Cat Oyster Bar in the Flats East Bank has been making waves for its coastal influences from Nantucket to San Diego, while its modern industrial-designed spot along the Cuyahoga River puts wind in our weathered Rust Belt sails. From a succulent, butter-poached Maine lobster roll ($22) served on a flat brioche bun from Pincus Bakery to the East Coast-meets-SoCal stuffed oysters ($12) packed with crunchy chicharrones, the menu is an exercise in tough choices. “I didn’t open a classic shore restaurant,” Bruell says. “It’s more of a hybrid. What you’re tasting is my sense of what the dish should be.” While the other oysters — reliable and delicious Blue Points ($2) from Long Island and wilder rotating varieties from places such as Martha’s Vineyard ($2.95) and the Puget Sound ($2.95) — come as the sea intended, the house-made shallot mignonette adds a burst of fresh acidity to the brininess. With its seaside menu, and cocktails such as a Michelada ($10) — a bloody mary that swaps out vodka for Tecate beer — we’ll be docked here year-round. Don’t Miss: Each of Bruell’s restaurants carry a signature patty, and Alley Cat’s surf-and-turf burger ($15) with shrimp spread is a tasty addition to the squad. Bite size: The happy hour menu’s lightly breaded popcorn shrimp ($7) served with pickled vegetables are a plump, addictive bar snack. 1056 Old River Road, Cleveland, 216-574-9999, alleycatoysterbar.com