New restaurants, breweries and even bars, keep (wonderfully) popping up all around Cleveland. Here are 24 of the finest establishments opened in the last few months in Northeast Ohio that you should take the time to check out immediately. Note that some of these spots aren’t necessarily brand new, and have either relocated or added another location.
New restaurants, breweries and even bars, keep (wonderfully) popping up all around Cleveland. Here are 24 of the finest establishments opened in the last few months in Northeast Ohio that you should take the time to check out immediately. Note that some of these spots aren’t necessarily brand new, and have either relocated or added another location.
Chow Chow at Parkview Nite Club
1261 W. 58th St., Cleveland
Recent changes in the kitchen at Parkview Nite Club are just the latest chapter in the quest to offer guests quality fare at neighborly prices. In spring, Joseph Zegarac accepted an offer to shutter his popular Lakewood-based eatery Chow Chow Kitchen and bring his talents to Parkview. “Chow Chow at the Parkview,” as this new venture is being called, blends the best of both concepts into one seamless menu, and includes the Chow Chow’s delicious fried chicken and Nashville-style hot chicken.
Photo by Emanuel WallaceCorner 11
2391 W. 11th St., Cleveland
The first poke bowl spot made its way to town this past February with the opening of Corner 11. Customizing your own bowl has never been more fun than at this Tremont spot, where you choose what type of raw, sushi-grade fish you want in addition to seaweed salads, sauces, veggies and much more.
Photo via Corner 11/FacebookSeafood Shake
1852 Coventry Rd., Cleveland Heights
If you haven’t delved into the recent seafood-in-a-bag trend, this Cleveland Heights spot is the perfect spot to give it a try. It’s messy, but if you love seafood and creole/cajun style food, it’s absolutely worth the mess. Lobster tails, snow crab legs, crawfish, clams, mussels, Maine lobster, king crab, Dungeness crab and shrimp are all available as part of the shake.
Photo by Emanuel WallaceBell and Flower
86 North Main St., Chagrin Falls
Taking over the space that formerly housed Rick’s Cafe, Bell and Flower opened in the quaint downtown of Chagrin Falls in April. From the team behind One Red Door, Flip Side and Three Palms Pizzeria, they quickly modernized the space, updated the food offerings, kept the prices very reasonable to appeal to everyone in the area, and kept Rick’s famous ribs on the menu.
Photo via Scene ArchivesLJ Shanghai
3142 Superior Ave., Cleveland
Soup dumplings, or xiao long bao, have popped up around town during the occasional dim sum feast, but no place has mastered and marketed these delicacies as well as LJ Shanghai, a newcomer in Cleveland’s Asiatown neighborhood. Open since October, this Chinese noodle house has been absolutely besieged by savvy diners who recognize quality xiao long bao when they see and taste them. LJ’s are brilliant: tucked inside the delicate housemade wrapper is a dollop of meat swimming in intensely flavored broth. Pair them with the pan-fried noodles and an order of cucumber and you’ll leave with full belly and a smile on your face.
Photo by Emanuel WallaceLandmark
11633 Clifton Blvd., Cleveland
Taking over for the Clifton Diner, Landmark completely renovated the physical space and the menu. Chef Thomas Parker left Adega to run this scratch kitchen of “fine-casual” dining that serves some of the best breakfast and lunch in town.
Photo via Scene Archives Credit: Scene ArchivesBeefsteak
9500 Euclid Ave., Cleveland
World famous chef José Andrés opened a restaurant in Cleveland. Yes, you read that right. Andres’ vegetable-forward, fast casual concept opened this May on the Cleveland Clinic campus. Bright, colorful bowls are filled with various combinations of greens, grains, vegetables, sauces and toppings along with sandwiches that would usually have meat but are replaced by some of the tastiest veggies around.
Photo courtesy of BeefsteakBoss Dog Brewing
2179 Lee Rd., Cleveland Heights
For three years, the vacancy left by the popular Thai restaurant Lemon Grass loomed large over Cleveland Heights’ Lee Road. But the three years was well worth the wait, as this gastropub and brewery is now one of the most hopping spots in the Heights. The expanded patio should keep the party going through the summer.
Photo via Scene ArchivesZanzibar
627 Prospect Ave., Cleveland
Stonetown, the downtown soul food restaurant that opened in 2012, closed in March. But luckily, the folks behind Zanzibar at Shaker Square decided to open a second location and soon after the closing of Stonetown, opened back up for business. Diners can look forward to delicious Southern-styled starters like fried green tomatoes, shrimp and grits, and soul rolls, those egg roll-like snacks filled with collard greens, black beans and corn. For dinner, there’s gravy-smothered pork chops, fried catfish, and chicken and waffles.
Photo via Scene ArchivesTURN Bar + Kitchen
1515 West Third St., Cleveland
When changing the restaurant at the Ritz from Muse into TURN, executive chef Richard Arnoldi wanted the menu to better reflect the city it resided in. A bowl of Asiatown tom yum goong is an exotic brew of coconut-milk infused broth with shrimp and galangal. Tiny wheels of fiery bird chili are served on the side for the diner to dial up the heat. Moving from the Far East to the East Side, a comforting bowl of matzo bowl soup expands the cultural embrace.
Photo by Emanuel WallacePhusion Cafe
3030 Superior Rd., Cleveland
This Taiwanese street food joint is the newest addition to the ever-expanding Asia Town area around Superior and Payne in the East 30s. From the owners of Playhouse Square’s Phuel Cafe, this place has its menu on a board and features delicious items like noodle and rice bowls, crepes and smoothies and finger food that you’d find on the streets of Bangkok.
Photo via Scene ArchivesEl Rinconcito Chapin
3330 Broadview Rd., Cleveland
The Guatemalan eatery, owned by Engel Godinez, had briefly wowed diners at its original spot a couple of miles away on Pearl Road before rolling down the shutters in advance of the big move. Attracted by the promise of soul-satisfying pupusas, adventurous customers who expanded their comfort zones left as newly minted fans of a much broader, compelling cuisine. And if they happened to land on the garnachas, they likely became Rinconcito groupies for life.
Photo by Doug TrattnerQuisqueya
2317 Denison Ave, Cleveland
Taking over for the popular Moncho’s in Brooklyn, Quisqueya expanded from their Clark-Fulton spot. The restaurant specializes in Puerto Rican and Dominican dishes like sancocho, mondongo, empanadillas, alcapurrias, fried pork with plantains, camarones con mofongo, and beef stew with rice and beans.
Photo via Quisqueya Latin Cuisine/FacebookHimalayan Restaurant
13124 Lorain Ave., Cleveland
Just as we were becoming familiar with xiao long bao (soup dumplings) courtesy of the great new Chinese noodle shop LJ Shanghai, along comes another exotic dumpling with which to get acquainted. Momo are Nepali-Tibetan dumplings, and they have been making quite the splash down in Columbus, where a tiny food stall tucked into a sprawling international foods warehouse is one of the top-rated eateries in the entire city. Now, with the opening of Himalayan Restaurant, we think Clevelanders will follow in Columbus’ footsteps and adore the exotic cuisine.
Photo Courtesy of Himalayan Restaurant Credit: Scene ArchivesLox, Stock and Brisket
13892 Cedar Rd., University Heights
After 12 years of working for celebrity chef Tom Coliccho, including recently being the “top chef” at the $10 million dollar Vegas restaurant Heritage Steak, chef Anthony Zappola quietly returned home to open a Jewish deli in a strip mall. Zappola liked the space because of the smoker, and we’re very happy he found it. Lox, Stock and Brisket is modeled after the great Jewish delicatessens that once thrived in this University Heights neighborhood, but it’s geared to today’s fast-paced lifestyle, with ordering sandwiches at the counter, a few other items like Matzo ball soup, and not much else except delicious food.
Photo by Emanuel WallaceThe City Diner
5109 Memphis Ave., Cleveland
This retooled Old Brooklyn diner took the former Expressway Diner, kept that diner atmosphere we all know and love, and modernized it. There was a time in the not-so-distant past when chefs were snatching up vacant diners and trotting out fancified versions of classic diner fare, but luckily, that wasn’t the plan here. What the owner wanted to do is turn this into a reliable, reasonably-priced restaurant in the neighborhood for the neighborhood. And that’s precisely what he’s done.
Photo via @TheCityDinerCle/InstagramMr. Brisket
2154 South Taylor Road., Cleveland Heights
Mister Brisket may not be new, as it’s been in Cleveland Heights since 1974. What started off as a meat supplier, the business began selling their meats by the pound and in sandwich form in 2006. And now, an extra 1,000-square feet will allow for seating for 25 guests and an expanded menu featuring soups, sandwiches and specials.
Photo via Scene ArchivesMars Bar
15314 Madison Ave., Lakewood
Mars Bar has been a staple of the Lakewood bar scene since the 1940s. But until now, their food offerings were very limited. With the expansion of 3,000-square feet, they’ve added a full kitchen, so you can stay for dinner while you drink the night away.
Photo via Scene ArchivesBlack Box Fix
25359 Cedar Rd., Lyndhurst
There appears to be no stopping Eric Rogers. The passionate chef parlayed a fast-casual sandwich concept in Cleveland Heights called Black Box Fix into a mini-empire that shows little sign of slowing down. Black Box Fix, initially in Cleveland Heights, closed in favor of opening a bistro, The Fix, down the street on Lee Road. Then he opened Fawaky Fix, a lunch spot, and Sweet Fix, a neighborhood bakery. Now, Black Box Fix reopened in Legacy Village and the sandwiches are unbelievable.
Photo via @BlackBoxFixNation/Instagram
