40 Essential Suburban Cleveland Restaurants You Should Have Tried By Now

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.

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.

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.

Aldo’s

8459 Memphis Ave., Cleveland

This place is so old school, they don’t even have a website. But it doesn’t matter, because the food is so good. This hidden gem, that only contains about 12 tables total, is located in Old Brooklyn. Start with the hot peppers and calamari and finish up with the linguini.

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. "Don't-miss" dishes include sleek and smoky baba ghannouj and the lamb-and-beef doner kebab.

Edwin’s Leadership and Restaurant Institute

13101 Shaker Square., Cleveland

In 2013, Brandon Chrostowski opened Edwins Leadership and Restaurant at Shaker Square. Not only is the French bistro one of the finest restaurants in town, they’re also a non-profit organization that hires and trains convicted felons to work in their restaurant. Chrostowski started Edwins with the belief that, “every human being regardless of their past has the right to a fair and equal future”. Everything on the menu is superb, but we’re big fans of the burger that’s prepared table-side, and the duck is also delectable.

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.

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.

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!

Chez Francois

555 Main St., Vermilion

Nestled on the banks of the Vermilion River, this quaint French restaurant reminds us of why we might never need to visit France. Or, why we need to. `While it’s a bit of a hike out to Vermilion, this is dining and views at its finest and well worth the trip.

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.