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A tablescape of burgers, sandwiches, fries, beverages, and other items on a floral tablecloth. Martha on the Fly

The 34 Essential Cleveland Restaurants

Fancy cocktails at a Viking drinking hall, steamy breakfast sandwiches at a pandemic-era micro-diner, lamb ssam for two at a Mediterranean stunner, and more great bites to try now in Cleveland

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Cleveland has always been somewhat of an overachiever when it comes to restaurants. Thanks to a handful of talented, pioneering chefs like Michael Symon, Karen Small, Zack Bruell, Dante Boccuzzi, and Doug Katz, who got the culinary ball rolling 20 years ago, the city had a jump on similarly sized Midwestern burgs. Those chefs begat other chefs, who did the same for the next generation, seeding the landscape with a serious talent pool. Residents and visitors have been reaping the benefits of that foodie farm system for years. Add to that waves of immigrants who shared tastes of their homelands, until the city overflowed with German, Polish, Chinese, Vietnamese, Mexican, Colombian, Turkish, and Lebanese restaurants.

Since Eater’s last go-around a year ago, Small and Katz have both opened new spots worth a trip. They’re joined by an elegant patisserie/cafe in Cleveland Heights, a banger of a wood-fired pizza shop in Ohio City, and a stunning seafood restaurant downtown. As always, this list attempts to cover a broad range of places to eat, drink, and snack. It blends old-school gems with trendy newcomers, cheap eats and spare-no-expense destinations. Like the residents of the city itself, these places offer tastes from all over the globe.

Douglas Trattner is a freelance writer, editor, and author based in Cleveland.

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In Cleveland, small-plates eateries often struggle for market share. But that isn’t the case at Salt, where chef Jill Vedaa has been winning over skeptics since 2016. The chef has a knack for composing visually compelling dishes, and devoted diners return frequently to sample seasonal menus flush with vedge, fish, and meat dishes. Recent plates include smoked marble potatoes with onion ash and marjoram emulsion, gefilte fish cakes with horseradish-carrot puree, and beef heart kushiyaki with curried pumpkin and pepita brittle. Classic and creative cocktails elevate the experience.

A table with a bunch of small plates including asparagus with shaved cheese, cucumbers in a sauce, and roasted carrots
Vegetable-forward dishes at Salt
Alyse Nelson

In March 2020, Rood was just hitting its stride. The unique slider-and-pie shop was generating big buzz for its food, setting, and communal dining style. COVID put an end to the party. What came out on the other side was an entirely new menu, now helmed by whiz Rachelle Murphy. Her seasonal menu shuns tedious standards in favor of big-flavored compositions like sweet corn crabcakes with pepper jam, roasted beet salad with smoked whipped mascarpone, and wagyu beef-stuffed tortellini. The shop’s famous pies made the jump to the new menu too, with fat slices of brown-buttery Salt and Honey served with a vial of crunchy bee pollen for topping.

La Plaza Taqueria

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For many years, local Mexican food fans ventured to the rear of La Plaza Supermarket to secure the town’s best tacos, tostadas, tamales, and tortas. The arrangement — a small stand wedged between the store’s bakery and butcher case — was less than ideal. The store’s owners eventually erected a standalone taqueria in the front of the building, allowing guests to enjoy the same great fare along with an expanded condiment and salsa bar and dine-in seating.

A grocery store exterior beneath a blue sky dotted with dreamy clouds
Outside La Plaza
La Plaza Taqueria [Official]

It doesn’t take visitors long to see that LBM is not your typical neighborhood bar. Sporting a “Viking drinking hall” vibe, the kitschy, high-spirited setting might seem at odds with a serious cocktail program. But stick around long enough to see past the artifice and you’ll discover that LBM is an unpretentious cocktail bar with spitfire beverages like the Ocean of Wounds, which blends lime-infused mezcal, Bonal, Cynar, and mole bitters. There’s also some shockingly good grub. Come during happy hour and you’ll eat and drink like a jarl for a pittance.

Three cocktails in various shades and shapes on a round tabletop.
Cocktails at LBM.
Natalie Renee Photography

Il Rione

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It’s hard to put into words how much people adore Il Rione, a buzzy pizzeria in the Detroit Shoreway neighborhood. Diners have been known to wait for hours at nearby bars until their phones light up to signal their tables are ready. They are rewarded with dazzling New York-style pizzas dished up in a slightly shabby, slightly chic dining room with an open kitchen and bar. The pizzeria focuses almost exclusively on stellar pies like margherita, sausage, and white clam, but the menu does offer a select few additions like meat and cheese boards and a handful of salads. To drink, there is an equally concise roster of beers, wines, and cocktails.

A hand lifts a slice of pizza away from a full pie on a platter, with cheese stretching in between, on a table beside a bottle of wine and pepper shaker
Cheese pull
Molly Geib

Astoria Cafe & Market

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Equal parts bar, restaurant, and gourmet marketplace, Astoria has become an invaluable neighborhood asset. Locals pop into the bright, spacious, and bustling storefront to stock up on imported olives, cheeses, meats, and wine by the bottle. For those who prefer to leave the cooking to the pros, Astoria boasts a massive menu loaded with Mediterranean snacks, appetizers, salads, sandwiches, pizzas, large plates, and desserts. Warm, attentive service and one of the best brunches in town keep this place jumping throughout the week. Seats are available at the bar, at tables, and outside on the patio.

Cent’s Pizza

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Duck into Cent’s, which is located in an unassuming brick building on the western edge of Ohio City, and you’re immersed in a dreamy tangerine-colored tableau. Owner Vincent Morelli, a former visual merchandiser who also had a stint at Roberta’s in Brooklyn, has installed modular shelving stocked with eclectic merch like tinned fish, art mags, and turntables. Baked in a wood-burning oven, the Neapolitan-ish pies are exceptional, with clever combos like tomato, garlic, white anchovies, and capers, or the Sunday Gravy with bite-size meatballs, sliced garlic, and a shower of pecorino.

A red-topped table covered with pizzas, salads, breads, and sides.
A full spread at Cent’s.
Kory Gasser

The Cleveland Bagel Company

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Dan Herbst and Geoff Hardman started Cleveland Bagel Co. modestly, baking in a home kitchen and peddling their products at weekly farmer’s markets. The beloved company has expanded significantly. Cold-fermented, hand-rolled, water-boiled, and baked with care, these savory rolls land somewhere between svelte Montreal and chubby New York styles in terms of size. Two shops, one west and the other east, provide customers with fresh bagels, schmears, and a few straightforward breakfast sammies.

A close-up on a variety of bagels
Bagels, bagels, and more bagels
The Cleveland Bagel Company [Facebook]

Duck-Rabbit Coffee

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After four years in the Duck Island neighborhood, Calvin Verga relocated his popular coffee shop to a new home in Ohio City. Verga is a small-batch roaster who prides himself on sourcing the most compelling, rare beans from around the globe. Those coffees appear in the form of pour overs, cortados, macchiatos, cappuccinos, lattes, and cold brews. To go with the coffee (and tea) there is a simple menu revolving around pastries, various toasts, and yogurt- and fruit-topped oats.

A hand stirs a foamy coffee beverage in a small glass.
Caffeination at Duck-Rabbit.
Duck-Rabbit Coffee

Juneberry Table

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For more than 20 years, Karen Small helmed the farm-to-table bistro Flying Fig in Ohio City. The chef recently retired that restaurant to open Juneberry Table, a stylish breakfast and lunch diner in the same neighborhood. Small’s time in Appalachia informs dishes like biscuits with sorghum butter and jam, chicken and cornmeal waffles, and bourbon-apple pancakes with Ohio maple syrup. If you’re angling for lunch, there’s a killer smash burger, a Cleveland Croque with butter-fried smoked ham and swiss, and glasses of natural wines to wash it all down.

A dappled restaurant interior with patterned banquette, large mirror on the wall, and white tables.
Inside Juneberry.
Karin McKenna

Alea is not the first Cleveland restaurant to employ a wood-burning cooking suite, but the small bistro is built entirely around it. The starkly modern restaurant is limited in seats, entrees, and days of operation, but diners find their way nonetheless to savor smart, seasonal Mediterranean dishes like lamb ssam for two, ras el hanout-spiced pork ribs, and picanha steak, all prepared out in the open over wood. Those mains are supplemented by elegant snacks, starters, and salads. The wine list is short but exceptional, with bottles plucked from some of the best biodynamic winemakers around the world.

Set inside an 1850s-era firehouse, Larder is a modern-day version of the classic Jewish delicatessen as seen through the eyes of chef Jeremy Umansky. The old-world setting provides the ideal backdrop to display heavenly breads and pastries like black-and-white cookies, fruit-filled rugelach, chocolate babka, buttery challah, and meaty knishes. Hungry Ohio City neighbors literally line up for the now-famous koji-cured pastrami sandwiches, but you should also try the epic fried chicken sandwiches, matzo ball soup, housemade charcuterie, and daily specials like local beet salad. The Hingetown eatery shares patio seating with Rising Star Coffee.

Savory pastries stuffed with boiled egg and meat, on a wooden counter
Savory pies
Larder [Facebook]

Chef Doug Katz is on a roll. His 2-year-old small plates restaurant Zhug (see below) is still the toast of the East Side. And now, his Indian-inspired Ohio City eatery Amba is a shoo-in for best new restaurant of the year. Like Zhug, this design-forward space is a feast for the senses, with low lighting, a lively soundtrack, and a menu that all but demands sharing. Start with mixed pickled veggies, chickpea fritters, and smashed-pea samosas before moving onto ghee-basted shrimp, venison keema, and paneer with curry leaf and mustard seed. The attached Bar Amba is the ideal spot to ride out the inevitable wait for a table.

A shallow bowl of cubes of paneer in sauce.
Paneer at Amba.
Douglas Trattner

Bright Side

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At 17 and 15 years, respectively, Bier Markt and Bar Cento were two of the oldest bars and restaurants in Ohio City. This spring, the owners of those conjoined establishments closed both to pave the way for one shiny new replacement. Unlike the dimly lit venues it nudged out, Bright Side shimmers with gold penny tile, flaming pastels, sparkling tabletop lights, and rose gold mirror balls. A 44-seat island bar abuts a new glass facade that opens up to the sidewalk. A fresh menu of creative comfort foods stars healthy, local ingredients, while a beer and Champagne-heavy wine list draws local barflies.

The view from a bar of a mirrored wall where glasses hang and bottles rest, with a bright dining room visible in the reflection.
Bright Side’s shiny interior.
Greg Wilson

Porco Lounge & Tiki Room

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After nearly nine years, this magical little hideaway has earned a place in the pantheon of world-class tiki bars. In place of kitschy decor is an enchanting interior filled with collector-quality mugs, art, and artifacts, many rescued from long-departed, legendary tropical bars. Some of the city’s best bartenders — clad in Hawaiian shirts, naturally — whip up boozy but balanced versions of mai tais, zombies, and painkillers, all made with top-shelf spirits, juices, and syrups, and garnished with umbrellas or striking dry ice. A great patio out back adds to the appeal.

A bar interior with high-top tables, nautical decorations hanging from the seating, and bright backlit bar
Inside Porco Lounge
Sam Twarek

Acqua di Luca

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2020 decimated the fine-dining landscape, leaving a legion of ghost kitchens and fast-casual joints in its wake. Fortunately, there’s Acqua di Luca, the latest restaurant from the husband-and-wife team behind Luca Italian Cuisine. Set in a 140-year-old warehouse space in the heart of downtown, this seafood-focused eatery is loud, lively, and dripping with drama. Jump right in with the seafood platter, an outsized portion of wine-steamed king crab, shrimp, clams, scallops, and a whole lobster. Go light with the mixed crudo or brawny via the tomahawk. The wraparound sidewalk patio is one of the best outdoor dining spaces downtown.

A plate piled with seafood, including clams and long crab legs sticking up in the air.
Seafood platter.
Acqua di Luca

Leavened

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After a decade spent baking for others, Ian Herrington opened his own European-style artisan bakery. The sleek, modern storefront anchors a new residential building on the edge of Tremont. In addition to essentials like rustic sourdoughs in myriad forms, Herrington crafts poofy rosemary focaccia, fragrant cardamom buns, and delectable cheddar and scallion scones, which join drippy cinnamon buns, plum-filled Danishes, and buttery chocolate chip cookies. Rotating soups and sandwiches round out the offerings.

From above, a tray of croissants.
Croissants.
Ian Herrington

Mabel's BBQ

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Michael Symon’s downtown barbecue joint just cruised past its sixth birthday thanks to a winning formula that pairs truly exceptional smoked meat with a lively industrial saloon setting. Cooked low and slow over Ohio fruitwoods, items like beef brisket, pork butt, pork ribs, turkey, and kielbasa exit the pits supple, smoky, and delicious. Those meats come by the pound or packed into two-fisted sandwiches. Sides and snacks include creamed corn, fried potatoes, broccoli salad, and pork cracklins with French onion dip. Brown booze fans will relish one of the best bourbon selections in town, while craft beer fans will have no complaints either. There is patio seating right on lively East Fourth Street.

A paper-lined metal tray holding slices of brisket, ribs, sausages, cracklings, coleslaw, cucumbers, and dip
Barbecue platter
Douglas Trattner

Cordelia

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After losing Michael Symon’s Lola Bistro, East Fourth Street was feeling a bit down in the mouth. But after a lengthy transformation of that former space, Cordelia has opened to near-unanimous approval. Now brighter, bouncier, and more approachable, the restaurant welcomes all comers with a hospitality philosophy dubbed “Midwest nice.” From the city’s most dramatic open kitchen, chef Vinnie Cimino reminds diners that eating out can still be daring, delicious, and playful, with overloaded relish and spread trays, fried watermelon, open-face tongue on toast sammies, whole fried spatchcocked chickens, and a four-slider pull-apart smash burger with an epic melted cheese skirt.

A thick slice of toast with pieces of tongue interspersed with globs of whole grain mustard and pickles.
Tongue on toast.
Douglas Trattner

Cloak & Dagger

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Cloak & Dagger offers the cozy appeal of a warmly lit study thanks to shelves of leather-bound books, curious antiquities, and plush furniture. The literary theme carries over to the beverage menu, a seasonal collection of original cocktails presented in a meticulously illustrated booklet. The hip spot pairs those cocktails with an all-vegan roster of bar snacks, sandwiches, and plates with a chef’s touch. Dishes include bread with fig butter, salads loaded with fresh veggies and magic “hard-boiled eggs,” and BLTs piled high with applewood-smoked tofu, heirloom tomatoes, and cucumber aioli.

An orange cocktail in a coupe glass rests in the middle of a scene including a globe, world history book, cocktail jigger, and bay leaves.
An artfully staged cocktail from Cloak & Dagger.
Josh Dobay Productions

Fat Cats

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Long before Tremont became known as Cleveland’s Restaurant Row, there was Fat Cats, a pioneering farm-to-table bistro that has managed to shine for 25 years. Set inside a turn-of-the-century Colonial, this easygoing bar and restaurant wows visitors not with posh surroundings, but rather with friendly service and a creative menu that blends Mediterranean, Asian, and Latin American flavors. Where else can a diner enjoy steamed buns, Filipino pancit, Greek-style grilled octopus, and good old American grilled steak in a single sitting? Toss in a broad, appealing wine list and servers who know one bottle from another, and you begin to see why Fat Cats is still thriving. Outdoor seating is available.

A building exterior, with shingled siding and residential second and third floors, and a bar on the ground level with bright red facade, neon sign, and metal benches
Outside Fat Cats
Brandon Vulpitta

Martha on the Fly

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What started out as a pandemic-era pop-up has evolved into one of Cleveland’s most unique and delicious breakfast concepts. Chef Ryan Beck converted what had long been a carryout-only storefront in Tremont into a micro-diner complete with chrome, mirror, neon, and a few counter seats. The core of Martha’s menu is devoted to breakfast sandwiches starring custardy patties of steamed egg, which get paired with items like zesty sausage or thick-cut baloney and tucked into airy house-baked buns. Sides like cornmeal fries, potato crispies, and seasonal fruit hand pies keep folks coming back again and again.

A tablescape of burgers, sandwiches, fries, beverages, and other items on a floral tablecloth.
A spread at Martha on the Fly.
Martha on the Fly

Cleveland, like most major cities nowhere near an ocean, has enough great sushi places to satisfy nigiri lovers. But this one, operated by former Nobu chef Dante Boccuzzi, is unique in terms of style, setting, and selection. Located beneath Boccuzzi’s namesake bistro Dante, Ginko is a grotto-like den dominated by a horseshoe-shaped sushi bar. No expense is spared to secure the finest, freshest fish, which is crafted into an unforgettable omakase or a la carte experience. A pair of dedicated shabu-shabu tables offer an alternative to the fish, while sake aficionados will savor the exceptional list here too.

Plates of intricate maki rolls and nigiri, along with sake and wine, in front of a sushi counter where a chef works
A full sushi experience
Douglas Trattner

Noble Beast Brewing Co.

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Cleveland is blessed with many wonderful breweries of all sizes, but Noble Beast deserves special attention thanks to both the brew and brewery. Set in a 5,000-square-foot warehouse on the edge of downtown, the industrial space is airy and comfortable. Guests are practically surrounded by the brewhouse, where brewers craft classics like Belgian strong ales, altbiers, and kölsches, as well as hazy IPAs and double IPAs. Great pairings like corndogs, nachos, salads, and sandwiches round out the offerings.

A brewpub exterior, taken from a low angle, with brick exterior, large garage door open to a garage-like space inside, and neon signage
Outside Noble Beast
Gary Yasaki

The Spotted Owl

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One of Cleveland’s top cocktail bars, this unique watering hole is located in the lower level of a 150-year-old brick complex. At once rough-hewn and stylishly tailored, the space boasts stained glass windows, exposed brick, and salvaged materials. It’s an easygoing environment to enjoy serious cocktails from an original menu devised with care by owner Will Hollingsworth.

A lowball cocktail garnished with a toasted marshmallow.
A cocktail at the Spotted Owl.
Heidi M. Rolf

Superior Pho

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Going on 16 years, this uber-casual Vietnamese restaurant, tucked away in a small mall, holds sway over rabid pho fans. In addition to a dozen different bowls, all paired with spring-crisp accoutrements, this efficiently operated shop also offers amazing chicken cabbage salads, banh mi, and rice vermicelli dishes topped with beef or pork. Wash it all down with Vietnamese coffee and bubble tea.

A close-up on a banh mi sandwich, stuffed with sliced green peppers, carrot, and meat
Banh mi at Superior Pho
Douglas Trattner

LJ Shanghai

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This spot in Cleveland’s AsiaTown neighborhood attracts diners for steamer baskets flush with xiao long bao. But those who explore the menu further find an array of outstanding Shanghai-style soups, noodle bowls, and meat dishes. Worth calling out is the wonton soup with shrimp dumplings, spicy beef noodle soup, scallion noodles, shredded pork with preserved vegetables, and soy sauce duck.

A steamer basket of soup dumplings, beside a plate of cucumbers on a wooden table
Dumplings at LJ Shanghai
Emanual Wallace

L'Albatros

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If you polled a large cross-section of Cleveland diners on their favorite restaurants, chances are good that L’Albatros would land near the top of the results. Chef and owner Zack Bruell runs a handful of wonderful restaurants, but it’s this French brasserie that rises above the rest. Set in a renovated carriage house on the leafy campus of Case Western Reserve University, the chic eatery offers deft, modern takes on classic bistro fare like onion soup, escargot, duck confit, cassoulet, and steak frites. Most meals here end with a cheese course, assembled tableside with aid from a knowledgeable fromager. The wine list is smart and broad, featuring Cleveland’s largest selection of natural wines, and the garden patio is one of the most delightful places in town to enjoy a meal.

A pot of escargots on a plate on a white tablecloth
Escargots
Douglas Trattner

Famed Cleveland chef Doug Katz closed his 20-year-old flagship eatery Fire during the pandemic, but fortunately for his myriad fans, he opened Zhug just prior. By combining a tempting menu of small plates with a buzzy lounge-like atmosphere, Katz managed to create the most talked-about and in-demand restaurant in recent years. The menu veers from cold-smoked octopus and schmaltz-fried potatoes to curried lamb-topped hummus and eggplant moussaka. All meals include warm pita and fiery zhug. Creative cocktails and a global wine list round out the experience.

A bowl of hummus with a mound of ground meat and hot oil in the center, topped with spices and herbs, on a table beside a plate of flatbread
Curried lamb and apricot hummus
Douglas Trattner

Vero Pizza Napoletana

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Since opening this pizzeria, owner Marc-Aurele Buholzer has never wavered from his commitment to make the best Neapolitan-style pizza possible. Pies exit the 900-degree wood-fired oven sporting the characteristic puffy, chewy, tender crust dotted with char. The margherita stars fresh ingredients like San Marzano tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil, and extra-virgin olive oil, while the diavola pizza kicks things up with Calabrian chiles. Like the food menu, the wine list is short but sweet.

A pepperoni pizza, on a large platter, with basil and charred crust, on a table with an empty plate and pepper flake shaker
Pizza from Vero
Douglas Trattner

Tommy’s

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Around since the 1970s, Tommy’s is a true Cleveland original. Opened by a dyed-in-the-wool hippie, the restaurant was an early proponent of vegan and vegetarian foods. These days, the long, eclectic breakfast, lunch, and dinner menu is a welcome sight to both vegetarians and meat-eaters. Salads, escarole pies, and toasted cheese sandwiches join falafel, sprout pitas, and mile-high corned beef sandwiches. The hand-dipped milkshakes and french fries here are legendary, as are homemade desserts like carrot cake and rum-soaked pound cake.

Checkered paper-lined basket with an open-faced veggie burger topped with a heap of sprouts, beside a tall milkshake on a formica diner counter
Veggie burger
Tommy’s [Facebook]

Sophie La Gourmande

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Veteran chef, caterer, and culinary instructor Bob Sferra has opened a pitch-perfect patisserie/cafe in Cleveland Heights that gives shoppers countless reasons to visit. In the morning, the display counter is stocked with goodies like croissants, pain au chocolat, financiers, and everything danishes. At lunch, the bright cafe fills with neighbors enjoying ham-and-Gruyere baguettes, savory quiche, and veggie-based salads and sides. Everything is made from scratch by hand in the open kitchen. Up front, a mini marketplace is stocked with prepackaged pastries like biscotti, hand-tempered chocolate bars, and seasonal shortbread cookies.

From above, various pastries and coffee drinks.
Pastries at Sophie La Gourmande.
Megann Galehouse

Lox, Stock, and Brisket

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Anthony Zappola made a huge splash when he opened Lox, Stock, and Brisket, a contemporary Jewish deli with buzzworthy brisket and fried chicken sandwiches. A move to the Market Hall at Van Aken District, where the chef operates out of a 400-square-foot glass-walled space, has only seemed to improve the operation. In addition to those two top-selling sandwiches, the shop offers others starring smoked turkey and tuna salad, along with the obligatory bagel with lox and cream cheese. Matzo ball soup and a few breakfast sandwiches round out the concise but stellar menu.

The cross-section of a sandwich stuffed with two layers of chicken schnitzel and vegetables.
Chicken schnitzel sandwich.
Douglas Trattner

JoJo's Bar

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With JoJo’s Bar, Chagrin Falls finally gets the restaurant it deserves. Rick Doody, the uncompromising founder of Bravo and Brio, has married the timeless appeal of an elevated Italian trattoria with the flair of a classic American chophouse. Diners lucky enough to secure a reservation — or to snag a walk-in-only table in the bar — are treated to an impeccably remodeled interior, attentive but unhurried service, and food that greatly exceeds expectations. Menu gems include beefy bucatini Bolognese, whole roasted branzino, and 22-ounce bone-in rib-eyes. If you’re in search of Cleveland’s most impressive patio, you can find it behind JoJo’s.

A meatball in a pool of sauce, in front of other dishes.
A hunky meatball at JoJo’s.
Nicole Steffen

Salt

In Cleveland, small-plates eateries often struggle for market share. But that isn’t the case at Salt, where chef Jill Vedaa has been winning over skeptics since 2016. The chef has a knack for composing visually compelling dishes, and devoted diners return frequently to sample seasonal menus flush with vedge, fish, and meat dishes. Recent plates include smoked marble potatoes with onion ash and marjoram emulsion, gefilte fish cakes with horseradish-carrot puree, and beef heart kushiyaki with curried pumpkin and pepita brittle. Classic and creative cocktails elevate the experience.

A table with a bunch of small plates including asparagus with shaved cheese, cucumbers in a sauce, and roasted carrots
Vegetable-forward dishes at Salt
Alyse Nelson

Rood

In March 2020, Rood was just hitting its stride. The unique slider-and-pie shop was generating big buzz for its food, setting, and communal dining style. COVID put an end to the party. What came out on the other side was an entirely new menu, now helmed by whiz Rachelle Murphy. Her seasonal menu shuns tedious standards in favor of big-flavored compositions like sweet corn crabcakes with pepper jam, roasted beet salad with smoked whipped mascarpone, and wagyu beef-stuffed tortellini. The shop’s famous pies made the jump to the new menu too, with fat slices of brown-buttery Salt and Honey served with a vial of crunchy bee pollen for topping.

La Plaza Taqueria

For many years, local Mexican food fans ventured to the rear of La Plaza Supermarket to secure the town’s best tacos, tostadas, tamales, and tortas. The arrangement — a small stand wedged between the store’s bakery and butcher case — was less than ideal. The store’s owners eventually erected a standalone taqueria in the front of the building, allowing guests to enjoy the same great fare along with an expanded condiment and salsa bar and dine-in seating.

A grocery store exterior beneath a blue sky dotted with dreamy clouds
Outside La Plaza
La Plaza Taqueria [Official]

LBM

It doesn’t take visitors long to see that LBM is not your typical neighborhood bar. Sporting a “Viking drinking hall” vibe, the kitschy, high-spirited setting might seem at odds with a serious cocktail program. But stick around long enough to see past the artifice and you’ll discover that LBM is an unpretentious cocktail bar with spitfire beverages like the Ocean of Wounds, which blends lime-infused mezcal, Bonal, Cynar, and mole bitters. There’s also some shockingly good grub. Come during happy hour and you’ll eat and drink like a jarl for a pittance.

Three cocktails in various shades and shapes on a round tabletop.
Cocktails at LBM.
Natalie Renee Photography

Il Rione

It’s hard to put into words how much people adore Il Rione, a buzzy pizzeria in the Detroit Shoreway neighborhood. Diners have been known to wait for hours at nearby bars until their phones light up to signal their tables are ready. They are rewarded with dazzling New York-style pizzas dished up in a slightly shabby, slightly chic dining room with an open kitchen and bar. The pizzeria focuses almost exclusively on stellar pies like margherita, sausage, and white clam, but the menu does offer a select few additions like meat and cheese boards and a handful of salads. To drink, there is an equally concise roster of beers, wines, and cocktails.

A hand lifts a slice of pizza away from a full pie on a platter, with cheese stretching in between, on a table beside a bottle of wine and pepper shaker
Cheese pull
Molly Geib

Astoria Cafe & Market

Equal parts bar, restaurant, and gourmet marketplace, Astoria has become an invaluable neighborhood asset. Locals pop into the bright, spacious, and bustling storefront to stock up on imported olives, cheeses, meats, and wine by the bottle. For those who prefer to leave the cooking to the pros, Astoria boasts a massive menu loaded with Mediterranean snacks, appetizers, salads, sandwiches, pizzas, large plates, and desserts. Warm, attentive service and one of the best brunches in town keep this place jumping throughout the week. Seats are available at the bar, at tables, and outside on the patio.

Cent’s Pizza

Duck into Cent’s, which is located in an unassuming brick building on the western edge of Ohio City, and you’re immersed in a dreamy tangerine-colored tableau. Owner Vincent Morelli, a former visual merchandiser who also had a stint at Roberta’s in Brooklyn, has installed modular shelving stocked with eclectic merch like tinned fish, art mags, and turntables. Baked in a wood-burning oven, the Neapolitan-ish pies are exceptional, with clever combos like tomato, garlic, white anchovies, and capers, or the Sunday Gravy with bite-size meatballs, sliced garlic, and a shower of pecorino.

A red-topped table covered with pizzas, salads, breads, and sides.
A full spread at Cent’s.
Kory Gasser

The Cleveland Bagel Company

Dan Herbst and Geoff Hardman started Cleveland Bagel Co. modestly, baking in a home kitchen and peddling their products at weekly farmer’s markets. The beloved company has expanded significantly. Cold-fermented, hand-rolled, water-boiled, and baked with care, these savory rolls land somewhere between svelte Montreal and chubby New York styles in terms of size. Two shops, one west and the other east, provide customers with fresh bagels, schmears, and a few straightforward breakfast sammies.