Some people go out to be part of the scene, and we get it, we’ve all been there. But a lot of us enjoy our peace and quiet when we go out. We want to be left alone, whether it’s by ourselves, with our significant other or our friends. We want to eat the food, talk to the servers when necessary and not hear the people around us. These are the places if you want a quieter night out.

The Marble Room 623 Euclid Ave., Cleveland Newly opened in the old National City Bank building, it’d be hard to find a more beautiful restaurant in town then the swanky Marble Room. The name says it all – the beautiful marble columns and intricately designed molding is absolutely stunning. And the steak and seafood are up there for the best in town. Get the ribeye and thank us later. Photo via Scene Archives
Urban Farmer 1325 East Sixth St., Cleveland At this downtown steakhouse, located in the Westin, step in to a bar with exposed brick, leather couches and reclaimed wood. Move over to the restaurant, and you’ll see a mixture of hip and fancy with more reclaimed wood, chalkboards, colorful rugs and booths with a yellow leather backing. Also, the steak is delicious and the whiskey list is long. Photo via Urban Farmer Cleveland/Facebook
The Standard 779 E. 185th St., Cleveland The beloved Colinwood neighborhood gem recently changed ownership, but don’t worry, they’ve kept some longitme favorite dishes of the diehard customer base. In addition to the standards (!) Aromatic, elaborate constructions like Valencian paella, Provençal bouillabaisse and North African tagine reflect the owner’s childhood in Casablanca, where the foods of France, Spain, Italy and North Africa regularly graced his kitchen table. Here, they largely succeed. Photo by Emanuel Wallace
Spice Kitchen 5800 Detroit Ave., Cleveland Ben Bebenroth is regarded as one of the region’s leading farm-to-table chefs for good reason. He puts his money where his mouth is when it comes to sourcing food by managing a working farm just south of town. While the dishes change with the calendar, diners can count on options built around local produce, pork, chicken, and beef and sustainable fish and seafood. The cheery, flower-trimmed Detroit Shoreway bistro makes weekend brunch all the better. Photo via Scene Archives
Sarita a Restaurant 14523 Madison Ave., Lakewood The goal of Sarita, according to their website, is to serve healthy, new American cuisine from all backgrounds and cultures to an atmosphere of good friends and family and one trip to the restaurant shows that they certainly accomplish this goal. The food is great – the cast-iron cornbread and Navajo fry bread are both must-orders – but we also really love the relaxed yet hip atmosphere of this spot. Photo via Sarita/Facebook
Saigon 2061 East Fourth St., Cleveland Nestled into a relatively small storefront on downtown’s bustling East Fourth Street, the room is cozy, comfy, and contemporary. The best bets here are the meal-sized phos — fragrant beef-broth soups featuring rice noodles and several different styles of beef. On the side, an array of condiments — Asian basil, fresh lime wedges and bean sprouts, sliced jalapeños, earthy hoisin sauce, and peppery sriracha — allows diners to customize the dish to their preference. Photo via Scene Archives
Pura Vida 170 Euclid Ave., Cleveland Veteran chef Brandt Evans’ Public Square restaurant is a breath of fresh air for downtowners, with a spare decor, an urbane vibe, and rustically refined menus built from local, sustainable ingredients and a plethora of vegetarian options. A stickler for details, Evans pays equal attention to every element of a dish. He does, however, leave room for whimsy, as evidenced by the occasional odd ingredient and deconstructed arrangement. Photo via @Pura_Vida_By_Brandt/Instagram
Parallax 2179 West 11th St., Cleveland Longtime Cleveland chef Zach Bruell’s salon is as chic as can be, with precise but unpretentious fare that finds its heart in classical technique and its soul in contemporary artistry. Options include excellent sushi, plenty of seafood and such bistro standards as duck confit and grilled hanger steak. There’s really something for everyone here, as it has one of the most eclectic and extensive menus in town. Photo via Parallax Restaurant/Facebook
Osteria Di Valerio & Al 408 West St. Clair Ave., Cleveland The anonymous phrasemaker who said “Good things come in small packages” surely didn’t have this tiny Italian restaurant in mind, but he could have: the Warehouse District’s smallest dining room more than compensates with big quotas of flavor and style. Photo via Osteria Di Valerio & Al/Facebook
Nora 2181 Murray Hill Rd., Cleveland Nora upends the Little Italy stereotype of the spag-and-ball joint by applying classic French technique to Italian ingredients to come up with dishes that are in synch with the season, if not the surrounding restaurants. While you won’t be dabbing red sauce off your shirt, you will be awash in the Old World charm that attracts us to the Hill in the first place. Beneath a pressed-tin ceiling and behind a wall of windows, diners dig into creamy burrata, crunchy polenta fries, wild mushroom stuffed agnolotti, and fettuccine carbonara topped with crispy matchstick potatoes and a buttery poached egg. Photo via Scene Archives
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 a little over a decade 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. Since opening day there have been ups and downs, chefs shifts and menu re-dos – even ownership tweaks – but throughout it all, the restaurant has managed to remain an anchor in this dynamic arts-fueled district. 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
Felice Urban Cafe 12502 Larchmere Blvd., Cleveland Set in a charming turn-of-the-century Craftsman-style home, the unique and eclectic eatery has grown to become one the most beloved spots in the neighborhood. During summer, diners flood the expansive patio and fill up the attractive carriage house, which was transformed into a farmhouse-chic bar. Come the colder months, the house swells like a wintertime beehive, with activity on the main floor with four-season patio, in the second-floor barroom, and in the chill attic lounge. While there, guests enjoy wonderful cocktails and a menu filled with small plates and entrees with a decidedly Mediterranean bent. Photo via Felice Urban Cafe/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
Adega 2017 East Ninth St., Cleveland The modern, sleek decor and stunning wine cellar located in the middle of the restaurant makes Adega one of the coolest designed places in town at this modern Mediterranean joint. Being located at the Metropolitan hotel/the Nine, downtown’s swankiest residence, makes it not just beautiful decor, but the scene is worth checking out as well and the food is always and creative. Photo via Scene Archives
Sara’s Place by Gavi’s Restaurant 1501 Chagrin River Rd., Gates Mills As cozy as a colonial tavern, this well-appointed dining room in the middle of secluded Gates Mills features an eclectic lineup of Italian standards, along with an assortment of sandwiches, burgers, chops, and a popular chicken pot pie. The Italian fare is highly recommended. Photo via @Saras_Place/Instagram

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