Whether you’re looking for a night away from the little ones anytime during the year or want to reserve a spot for Valentine’s Day, there a ton of great options around town, east to west, low-key to fancy. Might we offer some humber recommendations?

Zhug 12413 Cedar Rd., Cleveland Heights With the unveiling of this new venture, Doug Katz has created a new gravitational center for this side of town, attracting diners with such force that many get turned away. If your idea of Middle Eastern food consists largely of tightly wrapped falafel sandwiches, shawarma carved from a twirling spit and grilled beef shish-kabob on a bed of rice, Zhug will expand your culinary horizons in a million little ways. With its dazzling small plates, meticulously crafted cocktails and ripped-from-Tel Aviv-vibe, this cosmopolitan eatery upends every Cleveland dining convention. Photo by Emanuel Wallace Credit: Scene archives
ML Tavern 34105 Chagrin Blvd., Moreland Hills With Hyde Park being around so long, it’s almost an afterthought in the Cleveland steakhouse scene, but that shouldn’t be the case with ML Tavern from the Hyde Park Restaurant Group. Thick-cut steaks, a healthy portion of chicken milanese, lobster mashed potatoes and the roasted corn are highlights at this beautifully decorated Moreland Hills joint that will make you feel like you’re sitting in a Ralph Lauren advertisement and are dining after you’ve finished riding your horse. Photo via Scene Archives
Flour 34205 Chagrin Blvd., Moreland Hills Is it just us or does Flour get better and buzzier over time? We’ve been fans of the Italian restaurant since the start, lured out to suburbia by the four skilled hands belonging to Paul Minnillo and Matt Mytro. This tag team of tagliatelle put the panache back in pasta, elevating the genre from dependable gut-buster to captivating, elegant cuisine. The perfect pairings of noodles and sauce, like rigatoni with lamb neck gravy, are memorable to the very last bite. Photo via Scene Archives
Bar Oni 2173 Professor Ave., Cleveland On August 25, chef-owner Matthew Spinner closed Ushabu, his fine-dining Japanese bistro in Tremont. On October 1, he and chef Dave Kocab opened Bar Oni an izakaya – aka Japanese sports pub – in the same space. Ushabu was one of the best restaurants in town and the food at Bar Oni is predictably as good, albeit at a lower price point. Photo courtesy Scene Archives
Cru Uncorked 34300 Chagrin Blvd., Moreland Hills Maybe the fanciest joint in town, this Moreland Hills French fine dining restaurant is truly one of a kind in the region. If it wasn’t for the table settings, it would be easy to forget that you were touring a public restaurant and not the private home of the wealthiest family on the street — a street that also happened to be located in the ritziest zip code in town. The actual building looks like it was plucked from the Normandy countryside. Photo via Scene Archives Credit: Scene Archives
Il Venetian 100 St. Clair Ave. NE., Cleveland From the team behind Marble Room, and the fabulous Lockkeepers in Valley View, Il Venetian opened to rave reviews in 2018. While the city in general is full of Italian restaurants, downtown doesn’t have a ton of them. Now, there’s a new option, and it’s up there for the best Italian in town, with a creative menu and beautiful decor. Photo via Il Venetian/Facebook
Paris Room 7 North Franklin St., Chagrin Falls If you’re a tiny French brasserie in Chagrin Falls, you almost have to be romantic, no? That’s certainly the case with this gem of a spot, located in the heart of downtown CF. Photo Provided
Aurelia 16 North Main St., Chagrin Falls Chef-owner James Balchak spent nearly six months converting the North Main Diner, formerly Dink’s, from a dowdy luncheonette to a smart little supper club. Energy from the buzzy bar scene boosts the mood and spirit of the entire space, ensuring that the atmosphere never dips to melancholy. This farm-to-table restaurant has recently found its footing after testing some things out and figuring out what worked and what didn’t. Photo via Scene Archives Credit: Scene Archives
Xinji Noodle Bar 4211 Lorain Ave., Cleveland While it may be hard to ever achieve owner Shuxin Liu’s recommended five-minute limit when it comes to consuming a bowl of ramen, a time derived from the lifecycle of a bouncy noodle, it’s damn worth trying. Bowls of chicken and pork-based broth contain fresh noodles, silky slabs of buttery pork belly, corn, scallions, mushrooms and, if you’re wise, a soft-cooked egg. If at first you don’t succeed in the five-minute drill, try and try again at this fantastic Ohio City noodle bar. Photo by Emanuel Wallace
Lockkeepers 8001 Rockside Rd., Valley View One of the best Italian spots in town is located in a beautiful setting on the historic Erie Canal and Cuyahoga River. But the picturesque setting is hardly the only star of the show here. The veal chop parmigiano, sausage-stuffed peppers and seafood fra diavolo pasta are all to die for. Photo via Lockkeepers/Facebook
Luca 2100 Superior Viaduct., Cleveland One of the best Italian restaurants in town also contains one of the best views of the city. The sacchetti, which contains white truffles over ricotta stuffed pasta shells, may sound heavy for the summer but you have to get it while sitting on the patio at this Superior Viaduct located spot. Photo via Luca Italian Cuisine/Facebook
Marotta’s 2289 Lee Rd., Cleveland Heights This upscale traditional Italian joint has some of our favorite pizza in town. Large slices resembling New York-style pizza and delicious pastas are just some of the wonderful options in this intimate setting. Enjoy your meal with their extensive Italian wine list. Photo via Marotta’s/Facebook
Luxe Kitchen & Lounge 6605 Detroit Ave., Cleveland Before there was Toast, Brewnuts, Spice, Astoria, XYZ Tavern and sweet, Sweet Moses there was Luxe Kitchen, an early speculator in the then up-and-coming neighborhood of Detroit Shoreway. When it opened 15 years ago, the oh-so-haute bistro joined area mainstays like Rincon Criollo, Happy Dog, Latitude 41 and Gypsy Beans, which perhaps was the first piece on the chessboard of this so-called urban renaissance. Today, guests can expect great chef-driven food, fun drinks and amazing service. Photo by Emanuel Wallace
Home Bistro 12022 Mayfield Rd., Cleveland Little Italy didn’t get to celebrate the Feast in 2020 but it did score a wonderful new restaurant. Home Bistro is a revival of a Chicago spot of the same name that husband-and-wife team Victor Morenz and Emily Gilbert owned before returning to Northeast Ohio. The transformation of the space, formerly Gusto, has restored much of the turn-of-the-century elegance to the property. From the kitchen, Morenz turns out an eclectic roster of globally influenced dishes that always hit their mark. Photo via Scene Archives
Batuqui 12706 Larchmere Blvd., Cleveland and 17 East Orange St., Chagrin Falls Following more than a year of construction, Carla Batista and Gustavo Nogueira recently opened the second location of their popular Brazilian eatery. Like the original, which opened on Larchmere in 2015, “Batuqui on the Falls” has repurposed an elegant residential building — in this case, a stately brick Victorian a short stroll from Main Street. Batuqui Chagrin features the same popular dinner menu starring authentic Brazilian dishes like Feijoada and Moqueca Baiana and an ongoing selection of specials and cocktails. Photo via Scene Archives
Etna 11919 Mayfield Rd., Cleveland This romantic, tightly packed Little Italy spot is one of the best Italian restaurants in town. A great wine list, authentic menu items and a dark ambience recalls the Old Country that created this remarkable cuisine. Photo via Etna Ristorante/Facebook Credit: Scene Archives
Salt+ 17625 Detroit Ave., Lakewood “Nobody orders small plates in Cleveland.” Since the birth of the turnip, that has been the conventional wisdom in these parts. Of course, at her whip-smart Lakewood bistro Salt, chef Jill Vedaa continues to upend that old saw by composing exceptional dishes that focus on a single theme. In place of a meat-and-three, diners zero in on carrots three ways, or earthy beets blasted with sparkle, or a savory lamb ragu over a few supple gnocchi. Mix and match your way to the perfect meal; variety, after all, is the spice of life. Photo via @LBoeNeedham/Instagram
Le Petit Triangle 1881 Fulton Ave., Cleveland A little cramped, occasionally noisy, and quite possibly the city’s smallest restaurant, this tiny French bistro still manages to provide a romantic atmosphere while turning out superlative crepes, earthy pâtés, and one of the best Croque Monsieur sandwiches this side of the Seine. You’ll be transported to Paris for a couple hours here. Photo via @Lindsey_Salchi/Instagram
Molto Bene Italian Eatery 18401 Detroit Ave., Lakewood “If you’re on the hunt for authentic Italian cuisine, but don’t want to head over to Little Italy on the East Side, Molto Bene is your place. The pasta is fresh and delicate as if it were just made by your Nonna, and the sauces are flavorful and delicious. The gnocchi is my favorite, and I am lucky that they allow me to slightly alter the dish and serve it with vodka cream sauce, delizioso! My taste buds are in heaven!,” Dana W. on Yelp. Photo via Molto Bene Italian Eatery/Facebook
Blu, the Restaurant 3355 Richmond Rd., Beachwood Svelte and sophisticated, Blu, formerly Moxie, is where you take your significant other to impress them with your good taste. The heavily seafood menu is artfully presented by professional servers. Finish your meal with the baked hot chocolate and you are guaranteed to leave happy. Photo via Blu, The Restaurant/Facebook
Edwin’s Leadership and Restaurant Institute 13101 Shaker Square., Cleveland In 2013, Brandon Chrostowski opened Edwins Leadership and Restaurant at Shaker Square. Not only is the French bistro one of the finest restaurants in town, they’re also a non-profit organization that hires and trains convicted felons to work in their restaurant. Chrostowski started Edwins with the belief that, “every human being regardless of their past has the right to a fair and equal future”. Everything on the menu is superb, but we’re big fans of the burger that’s prepared table-side, and the duck is also delectable. Photo via Scene Archives
L’Albatros 11401 Bellflower Rd., Cleveland Given that University Circle is the epicenter of Cleveland culture, you’d think it wouldn’t be so damned hard to find a great meal. Fortunately there’s this French-themed gem, the crown jewel of the Zack Bruell kingdom. While we could happily live on the wine and cheese alone, it’s nearly impossible to skip the garlicky snails, the mussels frites, and the textbook skate with browned butter. Do yourself a favor and order the pied de cochon, goosed with the silkiest béarnaise. Photo via Scene Archives
La Campagna 27337 Detroit Rd., Westlake La Campagna has been serving up delicious Italian dishes to westsiders for more than 25 years. This intimate eatery transports diners right to the Mediterranean. There are no printed menus — everything’s made to order and based on what’s fresh and available daily. Photo via La Campagna/Facebook

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