25 Best Restaurants: The Greenhouse Tavern

A meal at the Greenhouse Tavern is a reminder, a calling really. Jonathon Sawyer doesn’t want you to forget that our food has an earthy source. “Food is a natural resource and you can present it artfully, well-prepared, in its original form,” says Sawyer. He challenges himself to find new ways to use tried-and-true ingredients, and the results invite you to share in the joy of discovery our ancestral foragers must have felt. Take the fried Brussels sprouts ($11), where fresh mint serves as a center-stage ingredient. The familiar mojito decoration becomes something else when it shares its bite with the sweetness of maple aioli and tart note of lemon. “As a chef,” he says, “you find yourself constantly in the search of what’s next, and what is so old that it can be next again.” Don’t miss: The roasted pig head ($52) was added to the menu as a way to use every part of the hog, but proved so popular that Sawyer now buys heads to keep up with demand. Spread love: The butter used at Greenhouse Tavern comes from a 4-year-old buttermilk culture, which has a tang that’s more akin to cheese. 2038 E. Fourth St., Cleveland, 216-443-0511, thegreenhousetavern.com