38 Hidden Gem Restaurants In Northeast Ohio We Love

Etna

11919 Mayfield Rd., Cleveland

This romantic, tightly packed Little Italy spot is one of the best Italian restaurants in town. A great wine list, authentic menu items and a dark ambience recalls the Old Country that created this remarkable cuisine.

Habesha Ethiopian and Eritrean Restaurant

16860 Lorain Rd., Cleveland

When Habesha opened in early December of 2020, the number of Ethiopian restaurants in Cleveland increased to three and will be the only such eatery on the West Side. Habesha joins the long-standing Empress Taytu on St. Clair and Zoma in Cleveland Heights. Sadly, Lucy Ethiopian restaurant on Broadview Road has closed. Fans of Ethiopian cuisine will discover a tempting assortment of combination plates that offer various pairings of vegetarian and/or meat-based items.

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.

Han Kabob

3710 Payne Ave. #10, Cleveland

If you haven’t had Han Kabob before, you’re certainly missing out. One of Asia Town’s gems, they’re known for their soups like their Szechuan beef noodle soup and their Korean style spicy noodle soup. Those knock it out of the park as well as some of their entrees like their whole crispy fish, their spicy shrimp and more.

Thyme 2

113 West Smith St., Medina

Chef-owner John Kolar's Thyme2 offers two distinct environments in Medina, one a relaxed gastropub with an upscale bar menu and a fine dining area with a more elevated menu but one consistent aspect applies to both restaurants - delicious food. On menus you'll find contemporary, upscale preparations of fish, seafood, and meats and there's also wood-fired pizzas, burgers, and wings. No matter which you choose, count on Kolar to deliver the goods.

Tapatias Taqueria

12501 Lorain Ave., Cleveland

The great thing about this relatively new West Side taqueria is the amount of different offerings available for your taco or burrito. Choose from chicken, steak, chorizo, carnitas, tripa, lengua, barbacoa or pastor. They also have a dozen delicious big plates built around items like grilled steak, whole fried fish and grilled shrimp all come with Spanish rice, refried beans and a short stack of warm tortillas.

Nubeigel

2254 Lee Rd., Cleveland Heights

Last fall, it got easier to score a bag of fresh-baked bagels on Cleveland's east side. Nubeigel, Cleveland Heights’ new bakery/café is owned by Josh Admon, a chef who relocated from Jerusalem to University Heights. Admon's plain, sesame, poppy, everything and everything spicy bagels are hand-rolled, boiled and baked, giving them that characteristic sheen and chew. Bagels can be purchased individually ($2), by the dozen ($21), or as sandwiches filled with cream cheese schmears of various flavors. In addition to plain cream cheese, Nubeigel sells versions with kalamata olives; capers and red onion; Sriracha; and horseradish dill (all $4). Add-ons like smoked salmon, kimchi, capers, tomato and cucumber can be tacked on for a fee. This place rocks.

Balaton

8564 Washington St., Chesterland

Talk about underappreciated. When Balaton opened a half-century ago on Buckeye Road, the primary language spoken in the dining room was Hungarian. But word of the modest restaurant's remarkable goulash, Wiener schnitzel, and paprikash wriggled out, at first to the immediate neighborhood, and later to the city and region as a whole. Balaton was in Shaker Square for over 20 years and moved to Chesterland in early 2023.

Map of Thailand

3710 Payne Ave. #6, Cleveland

In an unassuming block in Asia Town, you’ll find Map of Thailand in the same plaza as the great Dagu Rice Noodle and Han Kabob. While the menu may seem familiar, the precisely executed dishes exiting the kitchen are no run-of-the-mill fare. Don't miss the beef jerky starter, larb salad, country-style pad Thai, and duck in green curry.

Mars Bar

15314 Madison Ave., Lakewood

Oh man, the gyro at Mars Bar in Lakewood is worth getting this place on its own. It's one of the best versions in town: Warm, thick and plush pita is piled high with flavorful shaved lamb-and-beef meat, crisp red onion, thick-sliced tomato and creamy tzatziki sauce made by the owner's mother. And you can get it until 2:30 a.m.