The city proper may have some the best restaurants overall but the suburbs aren’t far behind. In fact, in the suburbs of Cleveland, there’s variety and quality if you know where to you look. There’s Ethiopian and vegetarian, pizza, Indian and Thai, white tablecloth Italian, Greek, Turkish, French, modern American and much more. These are the 41 essential suburban Cleveland restaurants right now. 

Vero Pizza 12421 Cedar Rd., Cleveland Heights It might just be pizza to us, but to owner Marc-Aurele Buholzer, it’s a way of life. First you make the dough, then you stoke the fire, and finally you feed the neighborhood. There’s only so much of that naturally leavened dough to go around, so admiring diners know to get here early to secure one or three of those fly pies. They exit the wood-burner with a textbook puffy, chewy, tender crust spotted like a leopard with slightly bitter bits of char. Credit: Scene Archives
Barroco Grill Multiple Locations What began as a diminutive Latin-themed cafe dispensing crisp, corny arepas has developed into an ambitious, wide-ranging and spirited restaurant on both sides of town. Given the eatery’s propensity to broaden our culinary horizons, it’s no surprise that weekend brunches come with a side of discovery. On weekends here you’ll get to know — and love — cachapas, Venezuelan-style sweet corn pancakes stuffed with cheese, braised beef or bacon and eggs. The brunch menu also offers build-your-own egg plates with Colombian sides like rice and beans, crunchy tostones, or soft, sweet plantains. Credit: Scene Archives
Ohio Pie Co. 1315 1/2 Pearl Rd., Brunswick and 19565 Detroit Rd., Rocky River Qualities like a thin-but-not-too-thin crust, subtly sweet sauce, edge-to-edge cheese, and square-cut round pie combine to form Ohio-style pie, christened and now being dished up by the Ohio Pie Co. in Brunswick. Leftover pizza for breakfast is a trusty weekend remedy, but why settle for day-old when you can nab fresh pie early Saturday and Sunday mornings designed specifically for the occasion. Weekend mornings usher in a roster of brunch pies starring toppings like bacon, egg and potato on an everything-bagel-seasoning-style crust with a cream cheese white sauce. Credit: Scene Archives
Irie 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 and followed it up with a location in Akron’s Highland Square neighborhood. Next up is an expansion to Shaker Heights on Chagrin Boulevard, specifically across the street from Heinen’s in the strip mall at Chagrin and Lee. The space will be next door to Upper Crust. Credit: Scene Archives
Chez Francois 555 Main St., Vermilion Picture yourself easing into the slips next to this rightly famous bistro in your freshly varnished runabout. The Vermilion River serves as an elegant backdrop for a stellar meal starring the same fine French food as indoors, but in a more casual and informal environment. Leave the jacket and tie at home and savor the good life. Credit: Scene Archives
La Campagna 27337 Detroit Rd., Westlake It’s hard to recommend just one dish on this ever-changing menu of Italian cuisine because the menu changes so often on the whim of chef/owner Carmella Fragassi and what she finds fresh at the market. Seasonal and local is the theme here at this authentic Westlake restaurant that is so authentic, you might think you’re in Italy if you didn’t know any better. Credit: Scene Archives
JoJo’s Bar 87 West St., Chagrin Falls With Jojo’s Bar, Chagrin Falls finally gets the restaurant it deserves and restaurateur Rick Doody can take that well-earned vacation.For his latest opus, Doody appears to have plucked all the best nuggets from his portfolio of restaurants, which includes 17 River Grille, Cedar Creek Grille and Bar Italia. Those pearls are polished for a more critical audience and presented with New York swagger in a drama-filled space. Rather than go one route or the other, the serial restaurateur opted to marry the timeless appeal of an elevated Italian trattoria with the flair of a classic American chophouse. Once again, Doody has partnered with designer (and wife) Wendy Berry to create a cohesive interior dripping with good taste. Credit: Scene Archives
Boss ChicknBeer 120 Front St., Berea, 7305 Broadview Rd., Seven Hills 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, a fried chicken and beer joint which they opened in 2018, also in Berea. Just four years later, they already have three locations, adding Seven Hills and Bay Village to their repertoire and don’t be surprised to see more open in the coming years. It’s that good. Credit: Scene Archives
D’Agnese’s 1100 West Royalton Rd., Broadview Heights Head out to Broadview Heights and you won’t be disappointed. Italian food lovers swear by this place and it’s easy to see why. The Shrimp D’Agnese’s and the eggplant parmesan are real standouts here. Credit: Scene Archives
Geraci’s Restaurant 2266 Warrensville Center Rd., University Heights, 29425 Chagrin Blvd., Pepper Pike and 6687 Wilson Mills Blvd., Mayfield Village The thick-cut pepperoni (we recommend ordering double-pepperoni) on their pizzas are the stars of the show at this mom and pop Italian restaurant that’s been a family business for over 60 years, opening in 1956.. Don’t let that stop you from exploring the rest of the traditional Italian menu, with other staples like spaghetti and homemade meat sauce and eggplant parmesan. Now, you can try their delicious offerings at three locations, one in Pepper Pike and one in Mayfield Heights in addition to their original home in University Heights. Credit: Scene Archives
Strip Steakhouse 36840 Detroit Rd., Avon Housed in a 160-year-old Pennsylvania Dutch barn, this steak house is anything but old-fashioned. Owner Ron Larson spiffed up the interior in ways that will pleasantly surprise diners expecting doilies and drapes. The two-story barn features a first-floor lounge with open kitchen and a spacious loft dining room. First-rate steaks and chops share the menu with less conventional steakhouse fare, like smoked chicken, pasta Bolognese and horseradish-crusted grouper. Credit: Scene Archives
Seoul Garden 5270 Pearl Rd., Parma Adventure is the name of the game at Seoul Garden, the region’s best Korean restaurant (despite less-than-glamorous digs) for nearly a decade. At this Parma institution, small groups huddle around bubbling pots of “jungol,” hearty stews that run the gamut from spicy seafood to “Army Base,” so named for the inclusion of American Spam. Other tables feature tabletop griddles for cooking up Korean barbecue items like thin-sliced pork belly and beef brisket, which are wrapped in lettuce leaves, topped with red chili pepper paste and kimchi, and eaten out of hand. For the uninitiated, bibimbop is a great place to start. Served in a hot stone bowl, this mix of steamed rice, shredded veggies, ground beef and egg is Korean comfort food. Credit: Scene Archives
Lockkeepers 8001 Rockside Rd., Valley View Owned by Milennia Hospitality Group, the same owners of the beloved Marble Room and Il Venetian, the recently redesigned Lockkeepers is one of the best Italian spots in town. Located in a beautiful setting on the historic Erie Canal and Cuyahoga River, 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. Credit: Scene Archives
Rood Food and Pie 17001 Madison Ave., Lakewood The only way this concept rises above the level of novelty is by offering not just delicious food, but by presenting it in a way that transforms it into a convivial, communal experience, much like Korean barbecue without all the splatter. A restaurant based on pies? Well, when you have the quality of pies that Rood Food has, it just works. Credit: Scene Archives
Moxie, Chagrin Falls Just as he recently did with Lopez, Brad Friedlander is dusting off an old brand and bringing it out of retirement. Moxie closed in 2019 after a laudable 22 years. Since opening in the late-1990s, the Beachwood bistro produced many of the region’s top chefs, including Doug Katz, Karen Small, Tim Bando, Eric Williams, Jonathan Bennett, John Kolar and others. Friedlander and partner Michael DuBois purchased Aurelia in Chagrin Falls, which closed after six years. Following a refresh of the property, Moxie will open in June, with Aurelia chef James Balchak staying on. The through lines connecting Moxie past and present, says management, will be the seasonal menus, from-scratch cooking, high-quality ingredients and elevated guest experience. Credit: Scene Archives
Red, the Steakhouse 200 Park Ave., Orange Luscious slabs of beef and creative, indulgent salads, sides and desserts make this modern American steakhouse a prime location for well-heeled meat-eaters. A well-organized wine list, gracious service and contemporary rustic decor with a Napa-like sophistication complete one of the best steakhouses in the midwest. Credit: Scene Archives
Edwin’s 13101 Shaker Square, Cleveland Edwin’s is an upscale restaurant with fancy French cuisine, so it’s definitely a great way to spend a few hours, but the best part of Edwin’s is its mission. The employees are almost exclusively formerly incarcerated, and the restaurant now has a companion butcher shop with the same mission. Grab a reservation before you go, and know you’re helping a great cause. Credit: Scene Archives
Giovanni’s Ristorante 25550 Chagrin Blvd., Beachwood One of the last remaining grande dames of the region’s formal dining scene, this elegant Italian restaurant offers impeccable appointments, attentive service and a luxurious menu of steaks, veal chops, seafood and pasta. Yes, it is expensive. But the chance to put on a suit and feel like a grown-up and have pasta prepared table-side? Priceless. The bolognese is a must have. Credit: Scene Archives
Bangkok Thai 5359 Mayfield Rd., Lyndhurst A strip mall in Lyndhurst isn’t where you’d expect to find some of the best Thai food in town, but prepare to have your expectations blown by this place. They really do everything well, but we especially enjoy the crazy noodles. And if you like some spice, we highly recommend spicing up your food here. Credit: Scene Archives
Taki’s Greek Kitchen 377 Lear Rd., Avon Lake You’ll have to drive out to Avon Lake to chase down the best contemporary Greek food in the region. That’s where chef Peter “Taki” Diamantis works his magic, at a sharp little bistro called Taki’s Greek Kitchen. From dips to dessert, Diamantis treats his ingredients with the care and attention they deserve, resulting in dishes that are bright, clean, fresh and bursting with life. Credit: Scene Archives
Zoma 2240 Lee Rd., Cleveland Heights Despite what that one guy on Yelp said about the “bread,” we’re slightly obsessed with Zoma. We love the communal atmosphere of the experience, where diners sit around a platter of colorful, savory stews, pinching off bites with stretchy injera. Rare is the place that hungry vegetarians and omnivores can so peaceably coexist thanks to items starring chopped greens, chickpeas, lentils, beef and chicken. The housemade Ethiopian hot sauce, fueled by an exotic berbere spice blend, is righteous. Credit: Zoma/Facebook
The Last Page 100 Park Ave. Ste. 128, Orange Village Within a tsunami of fast-casual monotony, The Last Page at Pinecrest is a welcome detour. This modern-day supper club offers an immersive, upscale experience, from the luxuriously appointed waiting area to the grand bar in the rear of the drama-filled dining room. Their brunch matches up with the rest of the restaurant, with tasty offerings like their brûlée French toast, chilaquiles, steak and eggs, shakshuka and much more. Credit: Scene Archives
Pier W 12700 Lake Ave., Lakewood This Lakewood seafood restaurant has won Scene’s best of ‘most romantic restaurant’ multiple times, and for good reason. Since 1965, these views of Lake Erie and the city are unmatched, the atmosphere is sophisticated and elegant and the seafood is delicious. Oh, and the brunch is perfection. Credit: Scene Archives
Lox, Stock and Brisket 3441 Tuttle Rd., Shaker Heights After 12 years of working for celebrity chef Tom Coliccho, including recently being the “top chef” at the $10 million dollar Vegas restaurant Heritage Steak, chef Anthony Zappola quietly returned home to open a Jewish deli in a strip mall. Lox, Stock and Brisket is modeled after the great Jewish delicatessens that once thrived in this area but it’s geared to today’s fast-paced lifestyle, with ordering sandwiches at the counter, a few other items like Matzo ball soup, and not much else except delicious food. Credit: Scene Archives
Tartine Bistro 19110 Detroit Rd., Rocky River Tartine Bistro boasts a masterful arrangement of setting, mood, food and drink to recreate the unfeigned quintessence of a charming french bistro. Plus, there’s really good pizza! A small kitchen puts out not only small plates, but also sandwiches (tartines), right-sized entrées, and classic desserts. Credit: Scene Archives
The Spot on Lakeshore 7272 Lakeshore Blvd., Mentor Veteran chef Zachary Bond opened this spot in Mentor in 2021 and quickly turned it into one of the better breakfast and lunch spots in town. You might call The Spot a “gastro-diner,” a place that melds the come-as-you-are comforts of the neighborhood hash house with a gently elevated menu grounded by local ingredients and solid technique. In addition to all the classics, The Spot serves up items like breakfast sandwiches, eggs Benedict, biscuits and gravy, three-egg omelets and platters containing eggs, meat, home fries and toast – Bond also whips up avocado toast, eggs in purgatory and a half dozen skillets starring redskin potatoes with various toppings. Those are joined by specialties like steak and eggs and country-fried chicken and waffles with black pepper gravy, creme brulee french toast and tiramisu pancakes. Credit: Scene Archives
Cru Uncorked 34300 Chagrin Blvd., Moreland Hills Maybe the fanciest joint in town, this Moreland Hills French fine dining restaurant is truly one of a kind in the region. If it wasn’t for the table settings, it would be easy to forget that you were touring a public restaurant and not the private home of the wealthiest family on the street — a street that also happened to be located in the ritziest zip code in town. The actual building looks like it was plucked from the Normandy countryside. Photo via Scene Archives Credit: Scene Archives
Flour 34205 Chagrin Blvd., Moreland Hills Is it just us or does Flour get better and buzzier over time? We’ve been fans of the Italian restaurant since the start, lured out to suburbia by the four skilled hands belonging to Paul Minnillo and Matt Mytro. This tag team of tagliatelle put the panache back in pasta, elevating the genre from dependable gut-buster to captivating, elegant cuisine. The perfect pairings of noodles and sauce, like rigatoni with lamb neck gravy, are memorable to the very last bite. Credit: 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. Credit: Scene Archives
Tommy’s Restaurant 1824 Coventry Rd., Cleveland Heights Known for their vegetarian and healthy options, this Coventry Road staple has been serving up Clevelanders since 1972. While they had vegetarian and vegan options before those became popular, they have more than just healthy options. The thick-cut french fries are some of the best in town and their milkshakes, especially black cherry, is a must try. Credit: Scene Archives
Deagan’s Kitchen and Bar 14810 Detroit Ave., Lakewood Deagan’s has some of the best burgers in town, their fries are on point and almost everything on the menu is shareable. So if you’re one of those people that can never decide what to order, head to Deagan’s with some friends, order all the appetizers and small plates, and you get to sample most of the menu. The corn fritters and buttermilk fried chicken skins are some of our favorites. Credit: Scene Archives
India Garden 18405 Detroit Ave., Lakewood India Garden is simply traditional Indian food with all the staples and it’s all delicious. We love the sauce heavy dishes like tikka masala and vindaloo with whatever meat you prefer but they’re all delicious. They also have a lunch buffet every afternoon – be careful though – we’re not sure you’ll be able to get back to work after! Credit: Scene Archives
The Sleepy Rooster 5120 Chillicothe Rd., Chagrin Falls This Chagrin Falls breakfast and lunch diner just opened in 2021 but it’s made quite an impression. Biscuit fans will appreciate the fresh-baked ones served here. They land in dishes like breakfast biscuits, biscuits and gravy, and eggs Benedict. The Sleepy Rooster is one of the only Northeast Ohio restaurants to make and serve goetta, the German breakfast meat made with pork, beef, steel-cut oats, onions and spices. Some breakfast items, like a section of toasts topped with arrangements like avocado and sea salt, chorizo and goat cheese, and smoked salmon, dill cream cheese and onion, are available all day. This place is certainly elevating the breakfast game in town. Credit: Scene Archives
Thyme X Table 583 Dover Center Rd., Bay Village In Bay Village, Thyme Table, which opened in 2019, has quickly established itself as one of the best restaurants in the near Western suburbs. Chef-owner Michael Smith captured the curiosity and support of the community with his spiffed-up tavern concept, where the menu is approachable at nearly every turn. Thyme Table is the opposite of a special-occasion restaurant, but that doesn’t mean there is nothing special about the place. Credit: Scene archives
Scorpacciata Pizza Co. 3441 Tuttle Rd., Shaker Heights Possibly the best New York slice in town can be found in the Van Aken Food Hall in Shaker Heights. What started off as a pop-up pizza place at Scorpacciata’s pasta turned into its own stand that has up to 3 hour waits on the weekend, and yes, it’s well worth it. They’re soon moving to a new location in Larchmere. Credit: Scene Archives
ML Tavern 34105 Chagrin Blvd., Moreland Hills With Hyde Park being around so long, it’s almost an afterthought in the Cleveland steakhouse scene, but that shouldn’t be the case with ML Tavern from the Hyde Park Restaurant Group. Thick-cut steaks, a healthy portion of chicken milanese, lobster mashed potatoes and the roasted corn are highlights at this beautifully decorated Moreland Hills joint that will make you feel like you’re sitting in a Ralph Lauren advertisement and are dining after you’ve finished riding your horse. Credit: Scene Archives
Salt 17625 Detroit Ave., Lakewood Chef-owner Jill Vedaa spent 20 years perfecting her craft at restaurants over town, with stints at Bohemia, KeKa, Lola, Flying Fig, Rockefeller’s and the Black Pig before opening her own place in 2016. At Salt in Lakewood, Vedaa, along with co-owenr Jessica Parkison, are showing that in the right hands, small plate dining is social, exciting and creatively refreshing compared to ho-hum steak and potatoes. Credit: Scene Archives
Sigara Böre?i at Anatolia Cafe 2270 Lee Rd., Cleveland Heights A little bit Greek, a little bit Middle Eastern and perhaps even slightly northern Indian, the names, ingredients and flavor notes of Anatolia’s authentic Turkish cuisine will strike familiar chords for veteran tabletop travelers. Sigara Boregi is a light pastry dough filled with a blend of feta cheese and fresh herbs and one of a number of awesome dishes on Anatolia’s menu. Photo via Anatolia Cafe/Facebook Credit: Scene Archives
Pacific East 1763 Coventry Rd., Cleveland Heights Casual, comfortable and completely unpretentious, this popular Japanese restaurant serves some of the best sushi and sashimi in town, featuring quality ingredients, plenty of variety and wallet-friendly prices. An assortment of tempura, yakitori and teriyaki dishes serves as counterpoint. Credit: Scene Archives
Zhug 12413 Cedar Rd., Cleveland Heights With the unveiling of this new venture in 2020, Doug Katz has created a new gravitational center for this side of town, attracting diners with such force that many get turned away. If your idea of Middle Eastern food consists largely of tightly wrapped falafel sandwiches, shawarma carved from a twirling spit and grilled beef shish-kabob on a bed of rice, Zhug will expand your culinary horizons in a million little ways. With its dazzling small plates, meticulously crafted cocktails and ripped-from-Tel Aviv-vibe, this cosmopolitan eatery upends every Cleveland dining convention. Credit: Scene archives
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. Credit: Scene Archives