25 Best Restaurants: Crumb & Spigot

A hip night out for dinner doesn’t have to mean Tremont or Ohio City when Bainbridge’s Crumb & Spigot is in the mix. Sitting in chef Karen Gorman’s mellow-lit, cozy 50-seat tavern, we feel like we’re part of some in-the-know foodie crowd. “We wanted a cool place where we would hang out,” she says. “There was nothing like that in that area. It’s hard to find in a lot of suburbs.” But Gorman’s menu of simple, flavorful tavern must-haves is the real payoff for the journey eastward. From 12 wood-fired pizzas such as the salty, sweet and savory Speck ($16) with smoked prosciutto, pineapple and pickled jalapeno to the tender bar steak ($21) with a tangy whiskey mustard and mushroom pan sauce, each bite is memorable. “I wanted to keep it simple,” Gorman says. “Good food doesn’t have to be complicated.” But even the menu’s foray into unfamiliar territory — such as the brat burger ($13) — are unforgettable. Using a house-made mix of beef and smoked pork bratwurst, the meaty burger gets a dose of funkiness from the manchego cheese and bitterness from arugula. “It’s full of flavors you’ve never had,” Gorman says. “I don’t think we could ever take it off the menu.” Don’t Miss: The beer board ($13) is the snack bag of our grown-up dreams with a soft pretzel, house-made jerky, Bavarian cheese dip, pickled egg and bar nuts. Mix Up: Get your blood boiling with the Buttermaker ($12), a smooth-drinking, boozy combination of Maker’s Mark and your choice of on-tap India pale ale. 16783 Chillicothe Road, Bainbridge, 440-384-3035, crumbandspigot.com