With the pandemic slowing down, more and more people want to spend a night out on the town. Luckily, between new restaurants, new locations of existing restaurants, new menus, new concepts and reopening of familiar restaurants, there are a ton of options that you just have to get to soon. Here’s the 23 hottest restaurants in town.
Pizzeria DiLauro
17800 Chillicothe Rd., Chagrin Falls
For three years, pizza lovers in Northeast Ohio got to know Adam DiLauro and his pies thanks to the Pizzeria DiLauro food truck, a mobile trailer with a built-in wood-fired oven. Last winter, DiLauro parked the rig to refocus his attentions on a brick-and-mortar pizzeria of the same name. When it opened in February in Chagrin Falls, Pizzeria DiLauro brought a little taste of the East Coast to the far East Side.
Photo via Scene Archives Credit: Scene archivesMomocho and El Carnicero
1835 Fulton Rd. and 16918 Detroit Ave., Cleveland
Apart from a brief couple of weeks last fall, both Momocho and El Carnicerohave been closed to dine-in customers, relying solely on carry-out business to see them through the pandemic. And that’s just what they’ve done, says chef and owner Eric Williams. But now, the chef is ready to welcome diners back into both establishments. In fact, Williams quietly opened the doors to both his Lakewood and Ohio City businesses last week. The under-the-radar approach afforded him and his staff the opportunity to prepare at their own speed. When they return, diners might notice new lighting, fresh paint and generously spaced tables in the dining rooms and patios.
Photo via Scene ArchivesBlu
3355 Richmond Rd., Beachwood
Save for a few weeks of take-out service, Blu in Beachwood was closed since the start of the pandemic. Instead of sulk, owner Brad Friedlander used the downtime to reinvent the restaurant. When it reopened on Wednesday, April 28, it did so in name only. Diners can look forward to a new chef, a new menu and a fresh look. “We’re opening a new restaurant with the same name,” says executive chef Brian Moses. “The entire menu is new, except for the Moxie burger, which we wanted to keep for nostalgia.”
Photo via Scene ArchivesBlessed Cafe
401 Euclid Ave., Cleveland
This past February, The Blessed Cafe joined the food offerings in Cleveland’s Old Arcade. Opened by chef Denise Santiago, who moved to Cleveland from Puerto Rico 10 years ago, the casual restaurant specializes in Latin foods. Guests can expect a rotating selection of hearty, homestyle foods like roasted chicken, beef stew, fried pork chops and stuffed pork loin. Typically two or three meat dishes are on offer each day, paired with sides like white rice and beans, yellow rice with pigeon peas, potato salad and fried plantains. For dessert, there’s tres leches and tembleque, a coconut pudding.
Photo via Scene ArchivesZhug
12413 Cedar Rd., Cleveland Heights
If industry watchers are looking for signs of recovery in the restaurant world, there are worse people to observe than Doug Katz. The Cleveland chef and owner famously shuttered his 20-year-old flagship eatery Fire at the outset of the pandemic because he saw the writing on the wall. But at the beginning of April, for the first time since March of 2020, Katz reopened his new flagship eatery, Zhug in Cleveland Heights, for dine-in service.
Photo via Scene ArchivesVero Pizza
12421 Cedar Rd., Cleveland Heights
Marc-Aurele Buholzer has been baking pizzas in the same oven for nearly a dozen years, nine as the owner of Vero Pizza and two and half as the chef of its predecessor La Gelateria. Soon, he will be receiving and installing his “dream oven,” an Acunto from Naples. He says that his current wood-burning oven, while clearly more than serviceable, was not created as a true pizza oven. It was only through very intense wood management systems that he was able to get such consistent results from it. The timeline is expected to take four to five weeks and require a two- or three-week closure of the restaurant. Until the closure, Vero will be a weekend-only take-out operation. When the dust settles, Vero will open for dine-in service for the first time in more than 15 months. In addition to a full-capacity dining room, there will be an expanded outdoor seating area out front.
Photo via Scene ArchivesAvo Modern Mexican
2058 West 25th St., Cleveland
In four short years, Gabriel Zeller and Julie Mesenburg have gone from operating a single taco bar in Sandusky to overseeing a multi-concept portfolio of popular eateries that spans counties. The husband-and-wife team’s hands-on approach has propelled a rapid expansion eastward with stops in Amherst, Rocky River and now Ohio City with Avo. While the opportunity to flip Bakersfield to Avo Modern Mexican, Zeller and Mesenburg’s latest concept, might have been fortuitous, the owners’ ability to take on the project was no accident. With each new concept, Zeller and Mesenburg appear to elevate their game. Whereas Barra is a casual taco- and tequila-fueled restaurant, Avo is more of a finer-dining style modern Mexican bistro. There are tacos, sure, but they’re just one item tucked into a broad, diverse and appealing menu.
Photo via Scene ArchivesTwisted Taino
1400 West 25th St., Cleveland
For nearly a decade, Jose Melendez has been steadily marching toward his goal of opening a Latin-inspired restaurant, overcoming setbacks with the full force of an NFL running back. Luckily for diners, he finally opened Twisted Taino in Ohio City and when you visit, you’ll see the cultures and flavors of Puerto Rico, Colombia, Mexico and various Caribbean ports of call “twisted” into delicious new ways. The eclectic menu items might not always look familiar, but the taste is undeniably authentic.
Photo via Scene ArchivesCent’s Pizza
5010 Lorain Ave., Cleveland
For nearly two and half years, we have been following the progress of Vincent Morelli as he has endeavored to open Cent’s Pizza on the western edge of Ohio City. The ambitious project required a total renovation of the former PM Security building on Lorain (5010 Lorain Ave.) by the landlord. Like many projects, this one was stalled by the events of last year. Now, however, Morelli has crossed a major milestone. While the shop won’t be open until July for dine-in service, it has begun selling pizzas for carry-out. They must be ordered in advance for Friday, Saturday and Sunday pick-ups, typically selling out far in advance of the weekend.
Photo via Scene ArchivesProper Pig Smokehouse
17100 Detroit Ave., Lakewood
The Proper Pig in Lakewood turne five years old this coming April, and when that date rolled around, owners Shane Vidovic and Ted Dupaski had plenty to celebrate. For most of COVID, they focused solely on carry-out but recently reopened in March with many new features, including a brand new full bar. Proper Pig now has a selection of draft beer for the first time, including two proprietary labels from Cleveland’s Jolly Scholar. The Pig also has a special arrangement with Ole Smoky Moonshine. The Proper Pig might even bring in some live music and debut theme nights down the road, adds Vidovic.
Photo via Scene ArchivesCapo Steaks
10509 St. Clair Ave. and 11332 Euclid Ave., Cleveland
For more than five years, Capo’s Steaks has been chopping up and dishing out some of the best Philly cheesesteaks in town from its perch in Glenville. In addition to drop-dead delicious all-beef cheesesteaks, the talented crew offers chicken cheesesteaks, Polish Boys, Italian hoagies and fresh-cut fries. Now, James “Boss of the Cheesesteaks” Muhammad is gearing up to open his second steak shop, this one in University Circle.
Photo via Scene ArchivesChicken Ranch
13892 Cedar Rd., University Heights
No, it’s not your imagination. Cleveland, like many American cities, is awash in fried chicken places. It’s nearly impossible to take a step without feeling the crunch of runaway breading beneath one’s feet. While many modern fried chicken projects seem to have been formulated in a boardroom to achieve peak profitability, Chicken Ranch clearly originates from the mind of an obsessive chef. Given his years as chef-partner at places like Forage Public House, Oak Barrel and Bold, all of which boasted lengthy and eclectic menus, there are few foods Demetrios Atheneos doesn’t excel at. But fried chicken has been omnipresent, a pet dating clear back to his days at Deagan’s, and something he clearly excels at, which you can tell within one bite of trying Chicken Ranch.
Photo via Scene ArchivesThe Last Page
100 Park Ave. Ste. 128, Orange Village
In a blurry sea of fast-casual monotony, The Last Page is a welcome detour. It’s a modern-day supper club, for lack of a better descriptor, where there’s more to the plot than simply the food on the plates. Timed almost perfectly to coincide with the return not only of indoor dining, but all out celebrating and socializing and an awesome patio hidden behind trees at Pinecrest, the lively environment offers a delicious escape for those ready to exit isolation.
Photo via Scene ArchivesOhio City Pizzeria
3223 Lorain Ave., Cleveland
Ohio City Pizzeria, the “social-good restaurant” operated in partnership with the West Side Catholic Center, reopened its dining room last month. The wonderful Italian restaurant survived almost exclusively on carry-out during the pandemic thanks to the support of the local community. A couple years back, West Side Catholic Center took over operations at this decades-old neighborhood spot and converted it to a non-profit that provides employment to WSCC clients while generating revenue for essentials like meals, shelter and clothing.
Photo via Scene ArchivesCity Pop Sushi
1816 East 12th St., Cleveland
When City Pop Sushi opened downtown in April, it became one of the most visually stimulating eateries around, a candy-colored homage to Japanese pop culture. “Our entire theme is based around `80s Japanese city pop music,” says owner Bryson Strowder. Sushi based in the tradition of California Rolls – think rice and seaweed wrapped around cooked ingredients – is the focus of the food. Rolls, both grab-and-go and made-to-order, star fully cooked items like bacon, steak and shrimp. They’re joined by dipping sauces such as wasabi mayo and yum-yum.
Photo via Scene ArchivesMarMar’s Pizza
Location TBD
Mar Mar’s Pizza Kitchen made a big impression from its temporary home in Beachwood, where it set up shop in the former Rosso and Red space next to Blu. That residency ended a few weeks back but the owners have been busy searching for a more permanent home, which they hope to secure this summer. Until then, they will be hosting a series of pop-ups to stay in the public eye. Their next pop-up will be at EDWINs Too on June 25th and 26th so get your orders in when you can, because their trademark thick, Sicilian-style, square-cut pies, sold by the quarter-sheet pan is out of this world.
Photo via Scene ArchivesBoss ChicknBeer
120 Front St., Berea and 27321 Wolf Rd., Bay Village
Heather Doeberling and Emily Moes made such a splash with their popular food truck Boca Loca that they opened a Berea-based brick-and-mortar operation of the same name a couple years later. They parlayed those early successes into Boss ChicknBeer, which they opened in 2018, also in Berea. Recently, they sold both Boca Loca ventures to focus on Boss, a brand bound for bigger things. First up: a second shop in Bay Village, which opened this Spring and is churning out the same delicious food that is destined for bigger things.
Photo via Scene ArchivesKindred Spirit Kitchen
3396 Tuttle Rd., Shaker Heights
On a recent Thursday evening it felt as though Shaker Heights was the epicenter of Northeast Ohio. Every square inch of Van Aken District was activated, from the fully occupied front patios of restaurants like Michael’s Genuine and Kindred Spirit to the grassy knoll, where children scampered over top like ants at a picnic. Despite what has proven to be an unassailable track record with respect to food-and-beverage tenant selection at Van Aken, with a failure or turnover rate approaching nil, there has been one high-profile closure. Sawyer’s, chef Jonathon Sawyer’s last remaining Cleveland eatery, closed at the outset of the pandemic and never reopened. The space was quickly assumed by Forward, the Cleveland-based hospitality group that already operated the rooftop bar above, Garden City. For Forward CEO Michael Schwartz and team, it was an opportunity to redesign the property from scratch, addressing issues with respect to both design and menu.
Photo via Scene ArchivesBoney Fingers BBQ
1800 Euclid Ave., Cleveland
”Delicious BBQ! We tried the pulled pork and brisket sandwiches for lunch and they were so tasty! My fiancé has been hyping up his favorite BBQ spot for over a year and I was finally able to try and it did not disappoint! The brisket was our favorite and it was juicy and tender. Their two types of sauce were great additions to the sandwich and the cornbread was awesome as well! Reasonably priced, good food! Definitely worth a visit!!” Courtney S. on Yelp
Photo via Scene ArchivesIrie Jamaican Kitchen
621 East 185th St., and 4162 Pearl Rd., Cleveland and 837 W. Market St., Akron
Since opening his first Irie Jamaican Kitchen, the chef from Trelawny Parish has been keen on expansion. Owner Omar McKay built upon the success of that first location by adding a second shop near the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. Next up for the popular brand is Akron’s Highland Square neighborhood. The 2,600-square-foot store has 40 dine-in seats and 30 outdoor seats.
Photo via Scene ArchivesOhio Pie Co.
1315 ½ Pearl Rd., Brunswick
In a very crowded market, Ohio Pie Co. has made its presence known since opening two years ago. Pizza lovers routinely make pilgrimages to a colorful storefront in Brunswick to claim one, two, or more thick, square-cut pies. In fact, it’s not uncommon for the shop to run out of dough long before it runs out of daylight. Still, many in Northeast Ohio have yet to try it because 30 minutes is a long way to travel for pizza, regardless how delicious it might be. For those people, Ohio Pie Co. just teased out a bit of good news. A social media post hinted at a new location – its second – in what looks to be the former Pizza Hut in Rocky River, located in the plaza with Whole Foods Market.
Photo via Scene Archives Credit: Scene ArchivesETailian
13 Bell St., Chagrin Falls
Eddie Tancredi’s Lakewood restaurant Distill Table did not survive the pandemic, closing last spring after two years. But the chef already opened another restaurant. In May, he opened ETalian (as in Eddie Tancredi Italian) in downtown Chagrin Falls. ETalian specializes in Naples-style wood-fired pizza. The oven, an Acunto, was custom made in Italy and has been installed in the open kitchen. The plan is to keep things simple, but fresh, focusing the operation on a handful of pies, salads and desserts. Diners have the choice of dining in, picking up or getting delivery.
Photo via Scene Archives
