Most Northeast Ohioans live in the burbs. And, contrary to popular belief, there’s actually some really good restaurants when you leave the city. Here are the 30 best. For this list, we considered everything that doesn’t have a Cleveland address to be the suburbs. We counted Shaker Square because, while technically Cleveland, those restaurants are considered by most to be in Shaker Heights.

White House Chicken 180 Wooster Rd. N., Barberton Famous for its unique style of fried chicken, one rooted in Serbian recipes, the town of Barberton once had as many as half a dozen places all preparing similar versions of the dish. Many are long gone, but White House is still here and doing it right. The bird is never frozen and always fried in lard, producing a glistening copper crust. Photo via Scene Archives
Zoma 2240 Lee Rd., Cleveland Heights Despite what that one guy on Yelp said about the “bread,” we’re slightly obsessed with Zoma. We love the communal atmosphere of the experience, where diners sit around a platter of colorful, savory stews, pinching off bites with stretchy injera. Rare is the place that hungry vegetarians and omnivores can so peaceably coexist thanks to items starring chopped greens, chickpeas, lentils, beef and chicken. The housemade Ethiopian hot sauce, fueled by an exotic berbere spice blend, is righteous. Photo via Zoma/Facebook
Thyme2 113 West Smith St., Medina The successor to chef-owner John Kolar’s Thyme, Thyme2 offers two distinct environments: fine dining upstairs and a pub below. On the first menu you’ll find contemporary, upscale preparations of fish, seafood, and meats. On the second, there’s wood-fired pizzas, burgers, and wings. No matter which you choose, count on Kolar to deliver the goods. Photo via Scene Archives Credit: Scene Archives
Taki’s Greek Kitchen 377 Lear Rd., Avon Lake You’ll have to drive out to Avon Lake to chase down the best contemporary Greek food in the region. That’s where chef Peter “Taki” Diamantis works his magic, at a sharp little bistro called Taki’s Greek Kitchen. From dips to dessert, Diamantis treats his ingredients with the care and attention they deserve, resulting in dishes that are bright, clean, fresh and bursting with life. Photo via
Sarita/Facebook
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
Red, the Steakhouse Multiple Locations Luscious slabs of beef and creative, indulgent salads, sides and desserts make this modern American steakhouse a prime location for well-heeled meat-eaters. A well-organized wine list, gracious service and contemporary rustic decor with a Napa-like sophistication complete one of the best steakhouses in the midwest. Photo via Scene Archives
Osso 9145 Old State Rd., Hambden Osso is a restaurant on a 40-acre farm outside of Chardon. It’s a one-of-a-kind dining experience. Nose-to-tail cooking means that once the prime steaks, chops and loins have been extracted, the real fun begins. Hams are hung to cure into prosciutto, jowls into guanciale and shoulder muscles become coppa. Photo via Osso/Facebook
Michael’s Genuine 3427 Tuttle Rd., Shaker Heights While Van Aken waits for a few new places to open, Michael’s Genuine stands alone as the only full service restaurant in the new shopping district. It’s definitely good enough to be the flagship restaurant of the area. From Miami Chef Michael Schwartz, winner of a James Beard Award, Michael’s is one of the best new restaurants in town. Get there if you haven’t. Photo via Michael’s Genuine/Facebook
Lox, 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 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
Giovanni’s Ristorante 25550 Chagrin Blvd., Beachwood One of the last remaining grande dames of the region’s formal dining scene, this elegant Italian restaurant offers impeccable appointments, attentive service and a luxurious menu of steaks, veal chops, seafood and pasta. Yes, it is expensive. But the chance to put on a suit and feel like a grown-up and have pasta prepared table-side? Priceless. The bolognese is a must have. Photo via Giovanni’s Ristorante/Facebook
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
Fire 13220 Shaker Square., Cleveland There seem to be fewer and fewer gimmick-free farm-to-table bistros, the types of places that simply do in place of try. For more than 20 years, chef-owner Doug Katz has weathered every conceivable trend, challenge and calamity in this unpredictable business, responding with an ever-steady hand on the wheel. Diners can always count on Fire to deliver reliably delicious food trimmed with seasonal foodstuffs and served by a professional staff in a crisp, cool setting. Fire’s sunny weekend brunch can make a morning person out of Rip Van Winkle. Photo via Fire Food and Drink/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
Chez Francois 555 Main St., Vermilion Nestled on the banks of the Vermilion River, this quaint French restaurant reminds us of why we might never need to visit France. Or, why we need to. `While it’s a bit of a hike out to Vermilion, this is dining and views at its finest and well worth the trip. Photo via Chez Francois/Facebook
Lee’s Seafood Boil-Cleveland 2201 Lee Rd., Cleveland Heights The seafood-in-a-bag trend rolled into town with a bang, with three spots devoted to the concept opening in a few short years. You don’t have to explain why to the diners who crowd this small, boisterous storefront by the Cedar Lee Theatre. Digging your hands deep into a bag of spicy, saucy steamed seafood might be the most fun one can legally have in a restaurant. Photo via @BoilingSeafood/Instagram
Le Bistro du Beaujolais/Facebook
Bangkok Thai 5359 Mayfield Rd., Lyndhurst A strip mall in Lyndhurst isn’t where you’d expect to find some of the best Thai food in town, but prepare to have your expectations blown by this place. They really do everything well, but we especially enjoy the crazy noodles. And if you like some spice, we highly recommend spicing up your food here. Photo via Bangkok Thai/Facebook
Barroco Grill Multiple Locations If you’ve never had an arepa before, you need to head to Barroco ASAP. Arepas, which hail from Colombia and Venezuela, are grilled white tortilla’s stuffed with a variety of ingredients. The ‘La Gringa’, stuffed with braised beef, feta cheese, avocado, chimichurri, greens and mozzarella, and the ‘Buffalo Chicken’ arepa are two of our absolute favorites. Barrocco also has fantastic live Latin music three nights a week. Photo via Barroco/Facebook

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