22 New Restaurants That Opened in the Cleveland Area This Year

Good Company 60 S. Maple St., Akron The southern outpost of Good Company opened its doors in March, taking over the spot that once housed Spotted Owl. Launched by chef Brett Sawyer in 2019, it was folded into Will Hollingsworth’s Buildings & Food Hospitality Group in 2022. The Akron-based Good Company will offer the same chef-driven American food as the original. Diners can expect world-class wings, amazing sandwiches, burgers and patty melts, and enough starters, sides, and salads to please everyone in the group. An excellent beverage program includes beer, wine, cocktails and boozy milkshakes. Credit: Doug Trattner

Antica Italian Restaurant 3355 Richmond Rd. Owner Fadi Daoud in March debuted the second location of Antica, which has been a hit in the original location in Avon. Housed in the former Red and Cut 151 space, the Antica in Beachwood offers a similar menu with the exception of a few more steak and seafood options. Everything from the pizza and pasta dough to the tiramisu is made in house. Appetizers include arancini, Kobe meatballs, shrimp scampi and fried calamari. A roster of soups and salads joins a half dozen thin, crisp pizzas, including the signature chicken parmesan “pizza.” Credit: Photo courtesy Antica

YYTime 3004 Payne Ave Two years after Sheng Long Yu announced his plans to convert the former National Tire & Battery property at E. 30th and Payne in Cleveland’s Asiatown neighborhood into an Asian food hall, the time to eat is now. The space is the new home to Dagu Rice Noodle, which opened next door to Koko Bakery in 2019. Joining Dagu is a bubble tea bar, yakitori station, and others, all operating out of a large open kitchen. Credit: Douglas Trattner

Banter 5428 Detroit Ave. After nearly four years, Banter (5428 Detroit Ave.) is back in business on the west side of town. Owner Matthew Stipe and Chef Nick Dlugoss have taken the menu back to its classic framework of poutine, sausages, corndogs and starters, with more options in each category. The fried cheese curds are back, joined by a Polish Boy, Mexican street corndog, chicken shawarma poutine and others. Every bottle of champagne comes with a free side of fries. Credit: Douglas Trattner

Schnitz Ale Productions 20102 Progress Dr. A round of brewery changes allowed Schnitz to take over the former Brew Kettle production facility in Strongsville, which not only allowed the group to expand output capacity from just 600 barrels per year in Parma to 500 barrels per month, but gave them the opportunity to open a tasting room. The 50-seat pub and gift shop carries regular and exclusive Schnitz Ale beers and serve light fare like salads, pretzels, and other snacks along with offerings from the Schnitz Ale food truck. Credit: Courtesy photo

Lil Ronnie’s 2365 Professor Ave. The owners of the six-year-old Il Rione in Gordon Square found just what they were looking for in an opportunity to expand in the former Edison’s Pizza space in Tremont. Doing a stripped-down version of what they’re doing in Detroit Shoreway, Lil Ronnie’s sells only whole pies and slices of “Slice Style” pie – no salads, no cheese plates, no beer or wine. In addition to the whole pies, which customers can build from a list of toppings, Lil Ronnie’s will always have three slices available: plain, pepperoni and white. The slices can be taken as is or popped back into the oven to reheat. Credit: Photo by Doug Trattner

Cuoco Bello 718 SOM Ctr. Rd. In late December, partners Carl Quagliata and Zachary Ladner announced that they would be putting their Texas-style barbecue restaurant, Smokin’ Q’s, to bed after a six-year run. In its place, the pair have opened this Italian restaurant. A menu of Italian classics like pizzas, pastas, meat and seafood items get the Ladner/Quagliata touch, a formula perfected over decades of service at Giovanni’s. At lunch, which will launch a little down the road, a streamlined menu will offer pizzas, pastas, sandwiches and a selection of entrees from the dinner menu. Credit: Courtesy Zack Ladner

Tost Sandwich Cafe 2341 Scranton Rd. Like the original in Lakewood, Tost in Tremont specializes in built-to-order sandwiches made from high-quality meats, cheeses and breads. All sandwiches are cooked in a panini press and served hot. The most popular – the Tommy Boy – features thin-sliced corned beef and roast beef topped with cheddar, peppered bacon, coleslaw, tomato and chipotle mayo layered into a choice of Mediterra Bakehouse bread. Those sandwiches are joined by two hot soups a day such as broccoli cheddar and chicken dumpling, deli salads, pastries and desserts, including housemade gelato. Credit: Douglas Trattner

Geraci’s Restaurant 4127 Erie Street, Willoughby Geraci’s new full-service Italian restaurant in the heart of Willoughby followed two seasons of a slice shop it operated out of The Yard on 3rd. Trading in slices for a standalone operation, the new restaurant is more in line with a traditional Geraci’s restaurant. Diners can expect a full roster of classic dishes like lasagna, veal parmesan, chicken marsala and, of course, pizza. Credit: Courtesy Geraci's

Never Say Dive 4497 Broadview Rd. Situated in a renovated classic 1920s-era tavern in Old Brooklyn, the buffed-up shot-and-beer bar features draft beers, housemade seltzers and cocktails and a fun selection of small plates from Chef John Hagerty, also of the Green Kitchen in Clark-Fulton. Those dishes, many of them vegan or vegan-ready, aim to match the high-low vibe of the bar. Guests can mix and match snacks like deviled eggs, pork rinds with whipped blue cheese, and spiced nuts. There’s a cheese board from across-the-street neighbor Old Brooklyn Cheese, Mexican charred corn and Killbuck Valley mushroom toast and a few larger plates including a double smash burger and udon noodle bowl. Credit: Douglas Trattner

Collision Bend Euclid 1261 Babbitt Road After a few years of planning, Collision Bend opened its new production facility in Euclid to take some pressure off the Flats brewpub, allowing smaller runs to be made there. That task has been completed and the new facility boasts a taproom and kitchen, with the menu handled by Collision Bend (and Alley Cat) chef Andy Dombrowski. Guests can expect starters like clam chowder, chili with cornbread, Swedish meatballs, and jerk-seasoned fish fingers. Larger plates include taco salads, pizzas, burgers, wraps and subs. All paired with on-site brewed Collision Bend beer. Credit: Collision Bend Brewing

Boss ChickNBeer 1791 Front St., Cuyahoga Falls Heather Doeberling and partner Emily Moes opened the first shop in Berea back in 2018. They have since added locations in Bay Village and Seven Hills and, this year, Cuyahoga Falls. The menu offers the same wealth of wings, including the increasingly popular vegan items. Credit: Douglas Trattner

Gogi En 6025 Kruse Dr., Solon Last summer, the team behind Sushi En restaurants in Cleveland, Columbus and Twinsburg took over the Solon property long home to Akira Sushi and Hibachi. The former hibachi restaurant was the ideal starting point for their next project — a Korean BBQ concept — because of the existing hood systems installed throughout the dining room. The menu offers a pretty typical lineup of meats bound for the grills. There’s galbi (marinated beef short rib), bulgogi (marinated ribeye), spicy pork bulgogi and marinated pork rib. An a la carte section of the menu lets diners select from more than a dozen beef, pork, poultry and seafood items ranging from thin-sliced pork belly to marinated shrimp. A handful of combos merge three different proteins. Gogi En also offers a lengthy and creative assortment of gimbap, the Korean rice rolls that resemble sushi rolls but without the raw fish. Credit: Douglas Trattner

Parilya 8155 Columbia Rd. Roger San Juan launched Parilya food truck in 2019. Dubbed “A Taste of the Philippines,” the truck has earned a large following by offering dishes like lumpia, pancit, chicken tocino, BBQ chicken and rice, grilled chicken skewers and other delicious items. And in the last stretch of 2023, they opened a brick and mortar spot in Olmsted Falls. The menu at the restaurant offers many of the same foods typically available from the food truck, along with some weekly or bi-weekly specials such as kare-kare and dinuguan. Credit: Provided

Salted Dough Bistro 12308 Mayfield Rd. Chef Jeff Fisher says that he’s been approached numerous times to expand, but no opportunity was as appealing as the one in Little Italy. The Salted Dough owner used the turn-key space located in the newly constructed La Collina mixed-use property, for Salted Dough Bistro, which offers more of a fine-dining experience than the original down south, with a broader focus on hand-made pastas, seafood and meat dishes. Fisher will still be making his quality pizzas, but he hopes they take a back seat to dishes like sweet pea gnocchi, pappardelle Bolognese, braised short rib, and pan-seared filet. Credit: Courtesy photo

CleaveLand Grill 17024 Pearl Rd. On October 19 of last year, Cleveland lost one of its best resources for Halal ingredients when a fire broke out at CleaveLand Grocers in Brook Park. But it wasn’t just those who follow that strict dietary law that suffered a blow, the mourners also included fans of great burgers, chicken sandwiches and cheesesteaks. While owners continue to focus on getting the grocery and grill in Brook Park back up and running, they decided to branch out with a second location in Strongsville offering many of the same tasty meals dished up at the original. Credit: Douglas Trattner

Danny’s on Professor 2258 Professor Ave. In advance of a move to the former Nick’s Diner property in Ohio City, Proof Bar-BQ in Tremont was put to bed last year. With newfound space on their hands, partners Michael Griffin and Dave Ferrante began considering options for lower-level space, which sits beneath Crust and Visible Voice Books. The team contemplated opening a speakeasy, wine bar, even yet another taco spot, but in the end, they settled upon a late-night watering hole helmed by longtime bartender Danny Grim. The new spot runs late night, from 8 p.m. when Crust winds down to 2 a.m. with a small but tasty menu of snacks and “giant slices” from Crust alongside chips and dips, loaded nachos and more. Credit: Douglas Trattner

Proof BBQ 4116 Lorain Ave. Proof opened in Tremont a month before Covid landed. It closed in December 2022, after owners Michael Griffin and Dave Ferrante announced that they had purchased the Nick’s Diner property in Ohio City. After a year and a half of work, the space bears little resemblance to its former occupant. The menu is largely the same, with burnt ends, smoked wings, fried green tomatoes and “Mile High Nachos” topped with pulled pork, cheese and salsa. Barbecue items like brisket, pulled pork, ribs and chicken thighs are smoked out back in a Southern Pride pit and served with a variety of sauces and sides. Those meats can also be enjoyed as tacos. Credit: Courtesy Photo

Choolah 2207 Crocker Rd. In the waning weeks of December 2023, Choolah added to its roster when it opened the doors to its newest location in Westlake. While some of the art on the walls has changed, Choolaah’s commitment to preparing fresh, contemporary Indian food onsite has not. Wholesome ingredients like chicken, lamb, salmon and paneer are seasoned with proprietary spice blends and cooked in tandoor ovens in open kitchens. Fresh-baked naan wraps are filled with tandoori chicken, roast lamb, paneer, or vegan chickpea masala. The menu also offers bowls and street food like samosa chaat and pav bhaji. Credit: Courtesy Choolaah

Brassica 30070 Detroit Rd. With its sixth location and second in Northeast Ohio, Brassica’s Westlake outpost debuted in the last weeks of 2023. The fast-casual Middle Eastern concept born in Columbus lets diners build bowls with a base of hummus, greens or a fresh-baked pita. Those are topped or filled with a choice of falafel, braised Niman Ranch brisket or roasted chicken and a large selection of vegetables and sauces. To drink, there’s a short but high-quality list of wines by the glass and bottle, regional craft beers, cold-pressed juices and cold-brewed coffee. Credit: Courtesy Photo

Agave & Rye 28601 Chagrin Blvd. In March, Agave & Rye opened its second Cleveland location at Eton Chagrin Blvd. in Woodmere. Billed as a modern tequila and bourbon hall that serves “epic tacos,” the restaurant is known for its double-shelled tacos, which feature crunchy corn and soft flour shells sandwiched together by beans, queso, pimento or guacamole. Fillings and combinations range from the Plain Jane, stuffed with ground beef, shredded lettuce, white cheddar and diced tomato on up to the Crown Jewel starring butter-and-garlic lobster, shiitake mushrooms and truffle mac and cheese. Others feature kangaroo meat, Nathan’s hot dogs, carne asada and tater tots. The bar stocks one of the largest bourbon and tequila selections around, which wind up in punches, slushies and margaritas that can be purchased by the glass, mug or pitcher. Credit: Courtesy photo

Best Steak & Gyro 13620 Euclid Ave. Since 1968, Best Steak and Gyro has been the place to go for hot breakfasts, speedy lunches and filling late-night eats. In 2022, Butch Love purchased the businesses from the Sarris family, who had operated it since the beginning. He has since remodeled the East Cleveland restaurant and now has plans to expand the brand. That includes a new downtown location at the 5th Street Arcades that opened in March. He will condense the menu to focus on breakfast dishes, gyros, steak and chicken cheesesteaks, breakfast and other dishes, which will be available 24 hours a day and via DoorDash and Uber Eats. Credit: Google Maps