Cleveland's Most Over-the-Top Restaurants Everyone Should Visit at Least Once
By Scene Staff
Whether you are looking for a lavish night out in the city, live music, or a unique setting experience, the joints on this list go above and beyond with decor and food offerings, making them stand out from the crowd.
Owner Aldous Lau says that egg waffles (also known as bubble waffles) are one of the most popular street foods in Hong Kong, his hometown. Around since the 1950s, the trend has slowly been spreading across the globe, where the picturesque, honeycomb-shaped snacks are consumed throughout the day. Up until now, Cleveland has been surprisingly lacking in the treats. After noticing that dearth, Lau and his wife Alice opened Ball Ball Waffle inside Asia Plaza. Both sweet and savory options are available, with some coming naked while others feature cheese, chocolate or matcha and mochi.
For a demonstration on the transformative powers of real-fire cooking, reserve a table at tiny Alea in Ohio City. In place of the typical back bar of booze bottles sits a wood-burning cooking suite that fills the room with the irresistible charm of a backwoods chalet. Alea is not the first Cleveland restaurant to employ a wood-burning cooking suite, but it is the only one to position that apparatus in the middle of the dining room.
If you’ve never had an arepa before, you need to head to Barroco ASAP. Arepas, which hail from Colombia and Venezuela, are grilled white tortilla’s stuffed with a variety of ingredients. The ‘La Gringa’, stuffed with braised beef, feta cheese, avocado, chimichurri, greens and mozzarella, and the ‘Buffalo Chicken’ arepa are two of our absolute favorites. And while the arepas are the main draw, it’s the milkshake creations that puts Barroco over the top. The latino banana split comes with a caramelized plantain boat, cinnamon sugar coat, vanilla ice cream, chocolate chip cookies and crumbles, caramelized pineapples, strawberries, chocolate, caramel syrup and a cherry.
Bearden's has been around since 1948 - in fact, it says it right in their slogan, “Always fresh, never frozen, original recipe since 1948” - so you know their burgers (with optional and recommended chili topping) have been completely perfected. And it looks like you’re in 1948 inside - in a good, nostalgic way! What makes them over the top? One of their most popular burgers has peanut butter on it. Yes, you read that right.
These old bridges now house an old pizza place, which offers Stromboli and salads in addition to their tasty pizza. The historic bridge pizza shop is for all ages to enjoy, a perfect place to take the family. Classic Car Cruise Ins are held Thursday nights throughout the summers.
The seafood-in-a-bag trend rolled into town with a bang, with multiple spots devoted to the concept opening in a few short years. You don't have to explain why to the diners who crowd this small, boisterous storefront by the Cedar Lee Theatre. Digging your hands deep into a bag of spicy, saucy steamed seafood might be the most fun one can legally have in a restaurant.
There can never be too many pho spots. It's always pho season, but colder weather screams for bun bo hue, a meatier, spicier and, we’d argue, more winter-appropriate brew. The version served here starts with deeply flavorful beef stock and is kicked up in all sorts of ways, evident by the burnt amber hue and pools of red chili oil that slick the surface. Oh, and they have a pho challenge. If you eat their large bowl of pho, containing one gallon of broth, two pounds of noodles and more than three pounds of meat (split about equally between rare steak, meatball, brisket, tripe and tendon) in under 45 minutes, you get a free bowl of pho and a $200 gift certificate to the restaurant.
This diner is located right inside of an Ohio-themed train car. The menu offers all of your favorite diner and comfort meals. With railroad crossing signs and a sign that says “Michigan fans park across the street”, the train theme is set both inside and outside the restaurant. The drive to Buckeye Express isn't close from Cleveland, but worth the effort.
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.
If you're looking for a romantic destination restaurant for a special occasion, bring your date to Chez Francois in Vermillion. Upscale cuisine, like Filet de Boeuf Wellington à la Périgourdine is served at this French Restaurant with a great waterfront view. They're also known for their excellent selection of fine wines. Just be aware of the restaurant's dress code beforehand, which they defend and stress on their website.
