Cleveland restaurants are finding ways to expand and evolve. A new class of star chefs flips the script, as Filipino food, Ohio wine, all-day cafes and Gen Z drinking culture make their mark. This is how we eat now.
Photo by Kaitlin Walsh
The Year of the Steakhouse
Last year’s Best New Restaurant — Heritage Steak & Whiskey, the Eton Chagrin Boulevard restaurant from Doug Petkovic — offered an important reminder. Done right, the all-American steakhouse still reigns supreme. Another well-done batch of steakhouses launched this year — but not the type you’re used to. Downtown’s Oliva Steakhouse is contemporary with an Italian twist. Olmsted Falls’s Gunselman’s Steakhouse and Bar extends the beloved Fairview Park burger joint. Artis goes futuristic with a ’50s vibe in Lakewood, while Terry Francona and Jason Beudert’s STEAK in Tremont goes trendy with neon signs, camo booths, gold platters and a side of ice cream on a Ferris wheel. heritagesteakandwhiskey.com, olivasteakhouse.com, gunselmanssteakhouse.com, artislakewood.com, steakcle.com
Caviar Is Having a Moment — and Not Justin Fine Dining
When you think of caviar, you probably think of Marble Room’s spreads of Bulgarian osetra ($90), reserve white sturgeon ($135) and imperial osetra pirate label served with an entire bottle of Absolut Elyx Vodka ($199). While that might make you feel like a Russian oligarch, the posh stereotype falls away at trendy high-low spots. Cordelia’s Bellie Up tasting menu ($90) features the fish eggs, and Never Say Dive sprinkles them on its hot dog ($16). Larder Delicatessen and Bakery even offered Lake Erie caviar from wild-caught whitefish last year and hosted classes on how to make your own. In vogue are “bumps” — yes, a reference to a certain kind of … sugar — where restaurants serve a tin or dish that can be spread across crackers, sprinkled upon food or hoovered off the backside of your hand, if you really want to play along. marbleroomcle.com, cordeliacle.com, neversaydivecle.com, larderdb.com
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Chef’s Tables Offer an Engaging Dining Experience
The reality of a restaurant is typically hidden behind kitchen walls, but at local chefs’ tables, all five senses receive the right touch of attention. At Oliva Steakhouse, seats encircle the cooking area. You feel the warmth as pans are engulfed in flames. You hear the Chianti red wine gently simmer, as it reduces into the rabbit ragu soffritto ($20), served over ricotta vacatelli. You watch (and take notes) as the risotto ($20) is stirred to perfection — creamy with a confident crisscross of balsamic glaze on top. You smell the rich, marbled ribeye steak ($55) as it’s pulled out of the oven with a crisp edge thanks to a high-heat sear. You taste the dollop of whipped cream and swoop of pistachio cream crostata ($14) perfectly placed on a dessert plate. Dinner becomes engaging and interactive instead of passive and mysterious. It’s dinner with a show. And you play a small role. olivasteakhouse.com
Hot Pot and K-BBQ Are Hot Topics
Hear the sizzle? This year saw an uptick in Korean barbecue, which centers around grilling marinated meats and vegetables, and hot pot, where diners drop noodles, veggies and meat into a vat of boiling-hot broth. The cook-it-yourself experiences aren’t new, with Miega Korean BBQ burning bright for a decade and Sichuan Hot Pot catching fire in 2019. Last year brought at least five new additions. One Pot in Cleveland Heights raised singed eyebrows for its all-you-can-eat mantra and futuristic design. Solon added Gogi En K-BBQ, which offers built-in earthenware cooktops, and YI Hot Pot & Sushi & BBQ, with self-serve and solid sushi. While it’s not the bar-cade or putt-putt restaurant style of “eatertainment,” hot pot and Korean barbecue offer interactive fun and friendly menus that make for a perfect group date. miegakorean.com, onepotusa.com, gogienkbbq.com, yihotpotsushibbqsolon.com
Photo courtesy The Watson
We Can’t Keep These Cuyahoga Falls Speakeasies a Secret
Mattioli’s Pizza Shop on Front Street is more than meets the eye. Select the correct drink button on the vending machine inside the fully operational pizza shop for a portal to the secret room containing Oak & Olive. This hidden watering hole and restaurant offers dishes featuring ingredients shipped from Italy, such as the crowd-favorite linguine bolognese ($21.60) and fresh burrata and prosciutto ($19.20). The fire-breathing Green Dragon ($22), served in a dragon-shaped vessel, pumps things up, and the 50-drink cocktail menu’s absinthe selection maintains tradition. That historic downtown also features The Watson’s list of smoky cocktails that nod to the inventors of the late 1800s and The Speakeasy at the Workz, a Roaring ’20s, flapper-themed escape for mom and dad inside a family-friendly arcade on Riverfront. Just ask for “Mr. Clean.” mattiolispizza.com, oakandolive.xyz, watsonspeakeasy.com, playattheworkz.com
Photo courtesy Blackseed Cafe
Some TikTok Bait Is Actually Good
Clicks, likes and comments aren’t the determining factor in finding the best bits of a foodie landscape — but they can point you toward interesting culinary trends. For instance, North Olmsted’s Blackseed Cafe has put its spin on the TikTok-viral, green-stuffed Dubai chocolate by blending crunchy knafeh, pistachio and fudge in a cup of chocolate strawberries ($11). Tremont’s STEAK keeps visual trends top of mind. The Bath Bomb ($15), a cocktail served in a bathtub-shaped bowl complete with a rubber duckie garnish, shifts in flavor depending on the night. On a recent evening, it incorporated a delightfully sweet blackberry sangria with a light bubble-bath foam on top. Trends can be fleeting, and they can also redefine demands, like when Goldie’s Bakery introduced its sweet, buttery glazed croissant ($3.50), and it became the shop’s top-selling item. instagram.com/blackseedcafecle, steakcle.com, goldiesdonuts.com
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Ohio Wineries Show, With Effort, They Can Measure Up
Ohio wines are having a moment. For years, the wines along the shores of Lake Erie or the quaint places in Amish country have been wonderful, like White Lies ($17) from The Winery at Wolf Creek, a fruity white wine, but a little too sweet. Now, local growers are increasingly on par with California because they’ve taken the time to bring non-native grapes to that point. The result is landing the product on wine lists across Northeast Ohio. Todd Thompson has, since age 14, put in the effort to understand wine. At Kiln, the Van Aken District restaurant he’s partnered on with Douglas Katz, he’s using local vino to build a menu that pairs well with food but challenges your palette. M Cellars Rkatsiteli ($69 per bottle) has a “crazy name,” he says, but exemplifies the best of the Ohio Grand River Valley’s crisp whites. How to find more? “Taste it,” says Thompson. “You know, if it tastes good, it is good. That’s the bottom line.” wineryatwolfcreek.com, kilncle.com, mcellars.com
Photo by Wil Lindsey
Rethinking Fast Food Thanks to a Local Spin
In Cleveland, you don’t need to support the corporate-cut world to satisfy a fast food craving. Better versions of iconic creations exist in the local scene, if you seek them out (and if you’re willing to throw in a few more bucks). Looking for a platter of chicken tendies, coleslaw and Texas toast? Head to The Crispy Chick at East 55th Street and Woodland Avenue to indulge in a succulent, locally sourced plate ($11.50-$15.50), complete with crinkle-cut fries. Have a taste for a Big Mac? Get to STEAK in Tremont for its McDom Smash ($18), jazzed up with hunks of dill pickles, Thousand Island dressing and a brioche bun surrounding two smash patties. Imitation might be the best form of flattery, but other restaurants are putting their own stamps on greasy finger foods. Head to Rocky River’s Gather Food & Drink for a “hell yeah” of a dish: the sushi tots ($14), which bring the lowly tater tot to new heights, pairing the salty, seasoned poppers with tuna chunks, eel sauce and tangy pickled cucumber. thecrispychick.com, steakcle.com, gatherfoodanddrink.com
Photo courtesy Fidelity Hotel
Hotel Bars Are So Back
Drinking at a hotel bar feels illicit, like you’re meeting up for an affair or facing off with a Bond villain — even if your only sin is sneaking in a drink before a meeting. Often, you’re alone and unlikely to see family and friends, even in your hometown. Unfortunately, stale roadside lodging has ignored our escapist desires. Not Hotel Cleveland. The newly renovated former Renaissance keeps its 1918 charm but adds a tall, emerald chandelier and secret, curtained conclaves for your forbidden meetings. The tangy Kon Tiki ($20) has the strength it should — and honors its ’60s occupant, a famed tiki bar of the same name. Meanwhile, Fidelity Hotel, which opened in January after a gorgeous build on East Sixth Street, is sleek and modern. Go full Bond with one of a few martinis on the menu, and then head back to real life. hotelcleveland.com, fidelityhotelcle.com
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Bold Decor Is Redesigning the Restaurant Experience
Modern decor is transforming neighborhood eateries into one-of-a-kind dining destinations. “I see restaurant design evolving toward more intentional and personalized environments, a celebration of individuality and the thoughtful integration of sensory elements,” says designer Kelley Shaffer, who is leading a refresh of Abundance Culinary in Cleveland Heights. She also created Douglas Katz’s airy Zhug and moody Amba. Bold is back in a big way, too, in the cheetah-print booths and neon signs of Tremont’s STEAK or the patterned wallpaper and gold light fixtures at Pinecrest’s The Last Page. “Everyone wants to go to a new restaurant, not just because the food is good,” says HSB Architects’ Marisa Wood, the director of interior design behind The Last Page and Oliva Steakhouse. “That experience starts when you walk in the door.” a-bun.com, edgewaterhospitality.com, steakcle.com, thelastpagerestaurant.com, olivasteakhouse.com
We’re High on the High-Low Concept
“Is it fancy?” That’s no longer a simple question. Recently, many chefs we interviewed have balked at the term “fine dining.” Many prefer “fun dining” — or no label at all. We’ve begun calling these “high-low” restaurants. Take Cordelia, James Beard-finalist chef Vinnie Cimino’s East Fourth Street masterpiece. In a jersey before a game? That’s no excuse not to indulge in the Bellie Up ($90) tasting menu, where you’ll try local seafood and seasonal American fare as hip-hop blares and you sip Miller High Life. The trend also extends to dishes, such as Never Say Dive’s caviar and potato chip hot dog, which just might be the buzziest dish of the year. Thank God dress-up restaurants like Acqua di Dea and Heritage Steak & Whiskey buck that trend. We need that. But not everything is black and white, and often, fun is found in the shades of gray. cordeliacle.com, neverssaydive.com
Gen Z Is Changing Drinking Culture for the Better
The phone is drinking first these days for the curious, social media-dominated Gen Z. The newest generation of imbibers explores inventive, photo-worthy cocktails with ingredients they can’t pronounce — or the possibility of no alcohol at all. They’re noticeably sobering up, or at least in search of slow sippers. Bad Medicine on Lorain Avenue has the right prescription, deriving alluring concoctions from classic cocktails: a Midwest Margarita ($15) mixed with corn orgeat and garnished with a corn husk or a zero-proof Bitter Grapefruit Sour aperitif ($10) with grapefruit, cinnamon and lime. “As a culture, we’ve associated the value of a cocktail with its alcoholic content. You can do just as interesting and complex things in a drink that’s non-alcoholic,” says co-owner Adam McDaniel. “We’ll never turn our nose up to those that are backing away from that. In fact, we want to lean into it.” badmedicinebar.com
Photo courtesy Tita Flora
The Filipino Dining Scene Grows
Filipino food has found its footing 8,000 miles away from home. Beyond long-standing takeout institutions, Nipa Hut Oriental Market in Parma Heights and Mely’s Kainan in Parma, new sit-down experiences are worth visiting. At Independence’s Tita Flora’s, restaurant owner Flora Grk slings the sizzling pork sisig ($17), served on a skillet so hot it cooks an egg before your eyes. The not-too-sweet Halo Halo ($10) dessert mixes coconut, sweet beans, yams, ice cream and other treats into a confetti burst of fun. Nestled in an Olmsted Falls strip mall since 2023, Parilya’s tangy, pickled vegetable slaw levels up chicken tocino ($16), while crispy lumpia ($8) make an ideal savory snack. Beyond these spots’ unassuming exteriors, plates of flavor and adventure are served. And all of these flavors, which originate from so far away, already feel very at home in the local scene. nipahutoriental.com, kainanparma.com, titafloras.com, parilyacle.com
Photo courtesy Patron Saint
Catch Us at an All-Day Cafe
Hiding behind a computer screen feels wrong at The Judith. It’s too romantic, encompassing. Sunlight bathes the thoughtfully cluttered decor, creating a haze that melts into a worldly soundtrack. Working a bit. Sipping a Smoked Salt Maple Latte ($5.50). Nibbling a Whipped Labneh & Preserve Tartine ($6.50): Middle Eastern yogurt, blackberry preserves and flaky bee pollen on sourdough. Time fades. These all-day cafes are common in Europe, where co-owners Jennie Doran and Andrew Worm modeled their vision. Cleveland’s Patron Saint, Parma’s Cafe Blanc and Bay Village’s Trust Coffee Co. follow suit. Doran says these transitional third spaces fulfill a human need. “Cafes become a cornerstone of a small community, being able to transition through your day with that sort of place to gather,” she says. As 5 p.m. arrives with a glass of white wine, we couldn’t agree more. thejudith.cafe, patronsaintcle.com, blanc.cafe, trustcoffeeandcocktails.com
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Hot Dogs Are Getting Major Upgrades
While classic carts still line Downtown sidewalks, modern brands are venturing beyond a squiggle of mustard and into new — dare we say, gourmet? — territory. “People take their hot dogs like they take their coffee: It’s really different for everybody,” says Rachel Ventura, founder of FrankieLynn. The brand’s pop-up events feature creations piled high with local classics, including Pop Mustards, J & J Czuchraj Meats hot dogs and Cleveland Kitchen sauerkraut. Meanwhile, Glizzy’s, which frequently sets up at 4617 W. 130th St., churns out Hot Cheeto-dusted, sauced-up dogs ($7) from a weenie-shaped cart. And you can’t talk this fancified fare without mentioning the Dive Dog ($16) from OId Brooklyn’s Never Say Dive. A dollop of caviar and a sprinkle of potato chips make this dish the holy grail of hot dog connoisseurship. instagram.com/glizzysonmymind, frankielynncle.com, neversaydivecle.com
Photo by Daniel Lozada
The East Side Is the Undisputed Champ of Asian Cuisine
While we love both sides of the Cuyahoga, one has emerged as the champ of Eastern cuisine. Starting in Asiatown — East 30th to 40th Street, between Payne and Perkins Avenues — LJ Shanghai is famous for its soup dumplings ($8) and Szechuan Gourmet for its blistering-but-sweet dried pepper chicken with peanuts ($16.95). YYTime replaced a huge tire shop with a food hall. Cleveland Heights’ Abundance Culinary offers world-class Northern Chinese that mixes local ingredients and imported spices. Even further out, Lake County’s Issho Ni Ramen & Sushi, Ninja Japanese and Ichiraku Ramen are hidden gems, for now. Not to fear, West Siders. Not only has chef Kiwi Wongpeng’s new culinary degree taken Thai Thai’s Bangkok street food in Lakewood to the next level, Issho Ni will soon offer omakase in Tremont. Plus, Parilya food truck now offers Filipino rice bowls and snacks in a brick-and-mortar in Olmsted Falls. So, no matter where you are, it’s umami time. ljshanghai.top, yytimecle.com, a-bun.com, isshoniramen.com, ninjainmentor.com, ichiraku-ramen.com, thaithailakewood.com, parilyacle.com
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