Readers Poll Winners: Food & Drink
Best Restaurant
Melt Bar & Grilled
Seemingly nonstop national TV coverage sure hasn't hurt the rep of this two-headed grilled-cheese beast, but the real appeal is in the endless slabs of gooey goodness that is their stock-in-trade.
14718 Detroit Ave., Lakewood, 216-226-3699; 13463 Cedar Rd., Cleveland Hts., 216-965-0988; meltbarandgrilled.com
Best Restaurant for Romance
Pier W
Great wine and seafood, sure. But unparalleled lakefront views of Cleveland will always be the top draw here.
12700 Lake Ave. (Winton Place), Lakewood, 216-228-2250, selectrestaurants.com
Best Vegetarian-Friendly Restaurant
Tommy's
A longtime leader in Cleveland's meatless eats scene, Tommy's remains a venerable outpost when it comes to tasty vegetarian alternatives.
1824 Coventry Rd., Cleveland Hts., 216-321-7757, tommyscoventry.com
Best Deli
Slyman's
What else to say? Once the king, always the king. Raise a corned beef sandwich in praise of everyone's favorite purveyor of corned beef.
3106 St Clair Ave. NE, Cleveland, 216-621-3760, slymans.com
Best New Restaurant
Amp 150
Chef Ellis Cooley's stronghold isn't just outstanding hotel food; it's outstanding food, period.
4277 West 150th St. at the Airport Marriott, Cleveland, 216-252-5333, amp150.com
Best Ice Cream Parlor
Mitchell's
You have not eaten ice cream till you've savored the concoctions churned out by brothers Mike and Pete Mitchell. Make ours a key lime pie or, actually, anything at all.
19700 Detroit Rd., Rocky River, 440-333-4563; 2101 Richmond Rd. at LaPlace, Beachwood, 216-831-2722; 26161 Detroit Rd., Westlake, 440-250-0952 mitchellshomemade.com
Best Patio Dining
Reddstone
The party always spills out onto the patio at this Detroit Shoreway neighborhood haunt that overlooks the exclusive new Battery Park townhouses.
1261 West 76th St., Cleveland, 216-651-6969, reddstonecleveland.com
Best Chef
Michael Symon
With about as many TV shows as he has restaurants — and more of both every day — Symon has outgrown his peerless Cleveland reputation. He's now among the best in America. Taste his magic at Lola, Lolita, Bar Symon, or any of his growing number of B Spots.
Best Nightclub
Happy Dog
The Happy Dog has it all: a cool crowd spanning college kids to scene lifers, gloriously overgarnished hot dogs, hot local bands and a polka happy hour.
5801 Detroit Ave., Cleveland, 216-651-9474, happydogcleveland.com
Best Chinese
King Wah
Turns out Cleveland's Chinatown is in the West Side suburb of Rocky River, where King Wah has been a fixture since 1973.
20668 Center Ridge Rd., Rocky River, 440-331-0330, kingwahrestaurant.biz
Best Brunch
Lucky's Café
Lucky's and chef Heather Haviland are among the lucky few to be courted by the Food Network's Guy Fieri — but with or without the celeb-chef nod, this place deserves its accolades.
777 Starkweather Ave., Cleveland, 216-622-7773, luckyscafe.com
Best Taste of Cleveland
Great Lakes Beer
Whether you're toasting year-round with Burning River or celebrating with a seasonal variety, Great Lakes is the undisputed king of handcrafted beer.
Available at retail stores everywhere and at the brewery: 2516 Market Ave., Cleveland, 216-771-2085, greatlakesbrewing.com
Best Place to Eat on a Budget
The Happy Dog
Five bucks for a dog topped with as many of their 50 offerings as you'd like? Now that's dining of the highest order.
5801 Detroit Ave., Cleveland, 216-651-9474, happydogcleveland.com
Best Sandwich Shop
Melt Bar & Grilled
Even if their menu consisted solely of the infamous pierogi sandwich called the "Parmageddon," this place would win on style points alone.
14718 Detroit Ave., Lakewood, 216-226-3699; 13463 Cedar Rd., Cleveland Hts., 216-965-0988 meltbarandgrilled.com
Best Beer
Great Lakes
Little wonder Great Lakes would earn Best Beer in town — it also swept the category Best Taste of Cleveland. Who are we to argue with beer this good?
Available at retail stores everywhere and at the brewery: 2516 Market Ave., Cleveland, 216-771-2085, greatlakesbrewing.com
Best Upscale Restaurant
Lola
The flagship of Michael Symon's restaurant empire is also the keystone of Cleveland's thriving East Fourth Street entertainment district.
2058 East Fourth St., Cleveland, 216-621-5652, lolabistro.com
Best Place to Cure
2 a.m. Munchies
Panini's
Panini's famous overstuffed sandwiches are just one way this venerable 18-location chain helps us soak up the booze after hours.
Best Bakery
Blackbird Baking Company
Even if you don't know Tom and Adria Clark's fantastic little bakery, you probably know their high-profile clients, including Bar Symon.
1391 Sloane Ave., Lakewood, 216-712-6599, blackbirdbaking.com
Best Barbecue
Famous Dave's
Part of a national chain that's 36 states strong, Famous Dave's here is known for its North Olmsted location. If your adventures take you toward Cedar Point or the Erie Islands, look up Dave's in Sandusky too.
26410 Great Northern Shopping Center, 440-777-0200
1 Cedar Point Dr., Sandusky, 419-609-2054
Best Mexican
Momocho
A far cry from tacos and chips, Momocho in the heart of Ohio City will reinvent your notion of what Mexican food can be.
1835 Fulton Rd., Cleveland, 216-694-2122, momocho.com
Best Japanese
Pacific East
This Cleveland Heights legend has a reputation for using only the highest-quality ingredients.
1763 Coventry Rd., Cleveland Heights, 216-320-2302, pacificeastcoventry.com
Best Coffee
Phoenix
A local chain now five cafés strong, Phoenix reminds us that delicious coffee in a relaxed and inviting setting wasn't invented in Seattle.
Best Thai
Ty Fun Bistro
Little Ty Fun offers an elegant setting and tasty, artful dishes — including a host of vegetarian options — for way less than most of its neighbors.
815 Jefferson Ave., Cleveland, 216-664-1000, tyfunthaibistro.com
Best Sushi
Sushi Rock
Fabulous sushi and sashimi are the main hooks for this hip little Warehouse District hideaway. It's a fun, more refined alternative to the other action that's all around on West Sixth.
1276 West Sixth St., Cleveland, 216-623-1212, sushirockohio.com
Best Middle Eastern
Aladdin's
The rest of the world is learning what Clevelanders have known for years: The local chain now boasts outposts as far-flung as North Carolina and Virginia.
11 area locations; aladdinseatery.com
Best Irish
The Harp
There's no bad night to visit the Harp, but our favorite time is when the warm crackling fire meets the falling snow out on the lake.
4408 Detroit Ave., Cleveland, 216-939-0200, the-harp.com
