The Restaurant Boom Shows No Signs of Abating

In terms of new restaurants opening up around town, 2013, 2014 and 2015 all were banner years. In that time we’ve welcomed countless new bars, breweries, bistros and food-forward markets. But there’s still more to come. We’ve rounded up a few projects that offer proof that the boom still is in full bloom.

Mabel's BBQ

We promise that this is the very last time Mabel's BBQ will find its way onto a "Coming Soon" list of any kind. We've been following this project – Michael Symon's "Cleveland-style" barbecue joint on East Fourth Street – for what seems like an epoch, but the end is in sight. According to the boss, we'll be digging into applewood-smoked brisket, meaty beef ribs, pulled pork and crispy pig ears and tails by the end of January. Or February.

Detroit Shoreway residents have been following this project since spring of 2013, when it was announced that chef Cory Hess and partner and architect Robert Maschke had claimed the old City Grill property at West 65th and Detroit. Opening this winter, the 100-seat, twin-level bistro will feature a casual lower-level pub and more refined second-level dining room. Diners can look forward to American bar snacks, modern pizzas, sandwiches and entrees.

Two of the hottest trends these days – trends that show no sign of abating, fortunately – are artisan butcher shops and locally sourced food markets. OCP is both in one. Due to open this holiday season, the concept combines the butchery talents of chef and charcuterie master Adam Lambert with the local sourcing skills of Fresh Fork founder Trevor Clatterbuck. The Lorain Ave. storefront will feature a full-service butcher shop and a retail market selling local produce, grains, meats and dairy.

Since it was built in the late-'90s, the Gateway District structure at 811 Prospect has hosted exactly zero commercial tenants. The first will be a new concept from Red Restaurant Group, the quality-focused team behind Red Steakhouse and Moxie. Unlike those high-ticket temples to gastronomy, 811 will be decidedly more egalitarian, with a large menu of affordable salads, sandwiches and entrees hailing from around the globe. Tribe time will be 811 time.

For two years, Shelley Fasulko and John Pippin have been peddling their delicious and addictive beer-flavored donuts at the Cleveland Flea, local coffee shops, and from a temporary storefront in Tremont. Sometime in late winter, Brewnuts will open up a donut-themed bar in the Detroit Shoreway neighborhood. Way more than just the corner bakery, Brewnuts will offer donuts, beer and cocktails, and a comfortable space for neighborhood folks to hang out.

There's just something romantic sounding about a European-style wood-fired bakery. Fueled exclusively by wood, the 20-ton masonry oven at this Brimfield, Ohio, bakery will turn out naturally leavened breads like epi, baguettes, rye sourdough pretzels and focaccia. In addition to breads, pastries and coffee, the shop eventually will offer sandwiches and host wood-fired pizza nights. December can't come soon enough.

More beer is one thing. More good beer is something else entirely. When Market Garden Brewery opens its new 35,000-square-foot production facility in Ohio City, beer lovers throughout the region will rejoice. That's because up until now if you wanted to enjoy a refreshing Pearl Street Wheat, Progress Pilsner or Citramax IPA, you had to visit the source. A dedicated brewhouse means more good beer for all, regardless your zip code. Tours will offer visitors an eagle-eye view of the entire process, while a taproom will offer post-tour refreshments.

The Plum isn't even open yet (though it very likely will be soon after you read this), but already it has amassed a sizeable following. That's because the guys behind this Ohio City café have been regular fixtures at their neighbor's establishment Platform Beer, where frequent pop-up dinner events have been very well received. Look for coffee and pastries in the morning, soups, salads and sandwiches at lunch, and full-service farm-to-table American food come suppertime.

One part neighborhood bottle shop, one part casual bistro, this Detroit Shoreway concept promises to be one of the most unique food and drink ventures to hit Cleveland in some time. Guided by some of the brightest minds in the local food and drink scene, this bright and breezy storefront will offer a large selection of beer and wine to go – or you can enjoy all of it in house along with some butcher-built sausages and Quebec-style poutines.

Two years of construction might soon give way to a Laško-sanctioned brewery, beer garden, restaurant and rooftop patio at this Ohio City fixture of 40 years. Long the destination for those seeking specialty European foods and beverages, not to mention a travel agency to get them back to the real thing, this quaint Old World operation will further help establish the OHC as Beer City, Ohio.