RTA Pays $45,000 to Woman Who Sued for Unlawful Arrest, Assault
Update: RTA has reached a $45,000 settlement with Jessica Ferrato, a Lakewood woman who sued the organization and a transit officer after a March 2015 incident during which the now-former RTA officer Jonathan Pacholke assaulted and arrested her. An internal investigation after Ferrato posted her account to Facebook and was interviewed by local media concluded…
Jury Awards Plaintiffs $392,750 in Sexual Abuse Cover-Up Case Involving Chagrin Falls Nanny School
Update: A jury in the case against the English Nanny and Governess school found for the plaintiffs this week, awarding $392,750 plus attorneys’ fees for Christina Cruz and Heidi Kaiser ($150,000 compensatory and $168,750 punitive for Cruz, and $20,000 compensatory and $54,000 punitive for Kaiser). The ENGS is owned and operated by Sheilagh Roth and Bradford Gaylord. The…
Update: CIFF in Running for ‘Best Film Festival’ Award
Update: San Jose’s Cinequest Film Fest has risen to the number one spot in USA Today’s Best Film Fest Poll, bumping the Cleveland International Film Fest down to number two. Help CIFF reclaim the top slot by voting for them once daily until Tuesday, April 13. Vote now! Originally posted: Mach 27, 2015 at 11:06…
Guster Embraces ‘Spacier Grooves’ on Its New Album
For whatever reason, Guster is often considered to be a ‘90s band. Perhaps it’s because the alt-rock band delivered its biggest hit, the lounge-y ballad “Fa Fa,” in 1999. But singer-guitarist Ryan Miller takes issue with being stereotyped as a ’90s act. “I don’t look at the ‘90s wistfully,” he says via phone from his…
Another Disappointing Book About Ariel Castro and the Girls
New York Times bestselling author John Glatt has penned a book — another in a seemingly endless series — about Ariel Castro and the captivity and rescue of Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus, and Michelle Knight. The Lost Girls, (336 pgs., St. Martin’s Press), complete with an “incredible true story” subtitle, will arrive on Amazon and…
Google Maps Lets Us Play Pac-Man on Cleveland’s Streets
Today, Google Maps is letting users transform their traditional street searches into Pac-Man mazes, meaning you can literally play the game as if you were traveling down Carnegie Ave. or looping around University Circle. Here’s what it’d look like if Public Square were your board (apparently renovation construction is a non-issue): Here’s the view from…
Bacon and Beer Fest Comes to Cleveland
The first-ever Bacon and Beer Festival is slated to roll out in Cleveland this spring, promising locals an entire afternoon of shoveling life-shortening provisions down our gullets. The result of a partnership between northeast Ohio-based Winking Lizard and Baltimore-based Heavy Seas Brewery, the fest will provide folks with unlimited brews, bacon-inspired food, and a coveted “I love…
Hero Ball: It’s LeBron’s World, We’re Just Witnesses
Someone that’s better than everyone else must endure a near-crippling desire to simply do it themselves. Nobody becomes that great without tremendous talent, endless repetition, and a level of perfectionism that necessarily gets frustrated with failure. (Remember how LeBron would look at Dion Waiters?) Basketball, unlike just about any other team sport, really allows one…
Singer-Songwriter Ed Sheeran to Play Blossom in September
Singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran has just added a second leg to his North American tour. As a result, Sheeran, who played at the Wolstein Center last year, now plans to play Blossom Music Center on Friday, Sept. 18. The 24-year-old Brit is still touring in support of his second full-length album x (pronounced multiply) which was last…
Former Cleveland Clinic Senior Advisor Fred DeGrandis Tapped to Take Over the Global Center for Health and Innovation
The Global Center for Health and Innovation, part of the $465 million dollar convention center project built with public money, has gone through various iterations since it was originally announced. It was to be a true medical mart at first, which was an odd idea to most. Who wanted to come shop for medical equipment…
Singer-Songwriter Dan Miraldi Debuts New Music Video
Cleveland-born singer-songwriter Dan Miraldi has just released a music video for his new song, “Parallel Universe,” the single from his forthcoming album Chaos, Destruction & Dancing, scheduled for release in July. Steven Beller of Cold Robot Studios directed the video, which features Miraldi along with Jenna Fournier from the local band Nights. “I’ve always been…
Vintage Video: The Rolling Stones on the Mike Douglas Show in Cleveland in 1964
With the news becoming official this morning that the band will include Ohio on its 15-date tour this year, here’s some vintage video fun: the Rolling Stones’ complete appearance on the Mike Douglas Show in Cleveland in 1964 — 4 songs plus the interview.
‘Creatures of Flight’ at Gallery One Sixty This Weekend
While the theme of Friday’s overall event is “Walk” All Over Waterloo, the latest exhibition at Gallery One Sixty dreams of flying through the air. Kerry Lange’s Creatures of Flight opens with a reception this Friday, Apr. 10, from 5 p.m. to midnight. “I’ve known Kerry for a long time, and have been following her…
Listen: City Council Caucus Descends Into Madness
It looked as though Monday afternoon’s Cleveland City Council caucus would conclude without a Jeff Johnson outburst. And for that, one sensed, Johnson’s council colleagues (if not the cameramen) were relieved. In an earlier moment, Johnson had registered mild skepticism at a Greater Cleveland Partnership / Urban League plan to recruit young people into technical…
Ohio State’s Veterinary School Installs New Target For Rival-Hating Dogs
elevenwarriors.com Why waste a good opportunity to insult your school’s rival? According to OSU sports blog Eleven Warriors, The Ohio State College of Veterinary Medicine has made a new addition to its dog walking area — a Maize and Blue, Michigan-logo clad fire hydrant. It’s the perfect piss target for That School Up North-hating canines…
Umphrey’s McGee Joins Werk Out Lineup
Umphrey’s McGee will perform two nights at the Werk Out Music & Arts Festival, held August 6-8 in Thornville, Ohio. The annual festival, organized and hosted by The Werks, has become a staple in the Midwest jam circuit. Get more information and the lowdown on tickets here. UM dropped an awesome show in Cleveland last fall,…
Dave’s Cosmic Subs Opening Soon in Ohio City
Dave’s Cosmic Subs, a Cleveland-based chain of sandwich shops with a decidedly hippie vibe, will open an Ohio City location. The 1,000-square-foot shop will take the spot previously (and briefly) occupied by Piccadilly Artisan Yogurt (2547 Lorain Ave.), which sits between Crop Bistro and Bonbon Café. It’s part of a large expansion spearheaded by founder…
Tax Lien Titan Aeon Financial Penalized in Cuyahoga County
Tax lien titan Aeon Financial LLC was sanctioned last week to the tune of $16,850 for loading unexplained fees on top of a homeowner’s paid-in-full tax lien certificates. The mysterious company has notched a foothold in Cleveland and other large cities since the foreclosure crisis bottomed out, and the county judge’s recent order against its…
Electronic Act Big Data Keeps Getting Bigger
2.0, the new album from producer extraordinaire Big Data (Alan Wilkis), features guest appearances from Twin Shadow, Rivers Cuomo, White Sea, Kimbra, Jamie Lidell, and many more. The “paranoid electronic” artist saw major success in 2014 with his hit single “Dangerous (feat. Joywave).” Wilkis was named one of Rolling Stone’s “10 Artists You Need to…
Neon Trees to Play House of Blues in July
The indie rock/pop act Neon Trees has just announced dates for its next tour. Dubbed “An Intimate Night Out With Neon Trees,” the tour kicks off on June 6 at the Showbox in Seattle and then winds its way across the States. “At the end of last year we had made plans to take this…
Five Classical Music Events You Should See This Week
The Setzer-Wu Han-Finckel Trio (put those names in any order you like, because the group doesn’t want to adopt a name for itself), play the first installment of their current project, Beethoven piano trios, on the Tuesday Musical Series in E.J. Thomas Hall in Akron on Tuesday, March 31. This time around, violinist Philip Setzer…
Cleveland Lands on List of Best Drinking Cities in America
We love a good drink; we love a good local drink even more, which is why we’re pleased as punch to report that the Forest City recently landed on Thrillist’s list of 11 Best Drinking Cities in America. Of course, we’ve known it for years, but it’s still nice to get that national nod every…
Review: ‘Rosalynde & the Falcon’ from Talespinner Children’s Theatre
If you’re an adult, see if you can get a child you know to take you to this show designed for kids. Because it is one hilarious romp from start to finish, thanks to a charming and whip-smart script by local playwright David Hansen and a cast that is having so much fun, you begin…
Watch the Tribe Read and Respond to Mean Fan Tweets
How should you respond to Twitter trolls? Out them. At least that’s what the Cleveland Indians did in response to the latest rally of negative fan tweets aimed at current players, broadcasters, and guests. We won’t spoil any of the fun, just watch below. [Video via Cleveland Indians] Your browser does not support iframes.
Lorain County Judge James Burge’s Corruption Trial to Begin This Week
The public corruption trial of Lorain County Common Pleas Judge James Burge begins on Thursday. He was indicted last fall on three third-degree felony counts of tampering with records, three fourth-degree felony counts of having an unlawful interest in a public contract, three misdemeanor counts of falsification and three misdemeanor counts of soliciting improper compensation. The…
Fast-Growing Food-Focused Pop-Up Firm Dinner Lab Coming to Cleveland
Dinner Lab, an underground, members-only dinner club that unites diners with emerging culinary talent in unexpected places – aka a pop-up – is expanding into the Cleveland market. Cleveland will be the 33rd market for this fast-growing culinary organization, which launched in New Orleans in 2012. Dinner Lab works differently from other pop-up dining events…
Feufollet Capably Mixes Alt-country and Cajun Music
The Louisiana act Feufollet has shaped its sound into something it calls “Cajun swamp-pop” on its terrific new album Two Universes. On it, the group explores a melting pot sound that meshes Cajun, classic country, indie rock, swamp pop, and Americana. Some tunes even sound like ’60s pop. Given that original singer Anna Laura Edmiston,…
Ensemble Theatre’s Truncated ‘Twelfth Night’ Delights
If you’re fond of pranks and mistaken identities, then Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night is a veritable bonanza. What with one young woman disguised as a man so that her twin brother is mistaken for her by the countess who falls in love with her as a him, and a pompous prig scammed into dressing like a…
Bayside Caters to Loyal Fans with Anniversary Show at House of Blues
With an amazing studio-quality performance last night at House of Blues, the guys in Bayside showed why they’ve been able to last 15 years as a touring band. Their entire performance was a constant sing-a-long with the fans in attendance. Not a single song failed to feature crowd participation, and not a single song failed…
Mozgov’s Fourth Quarter Absence Leaves a Hole in the Middle as Cavs Lose to Nets
The Cavaliers lost to the Nets last night 106-98 in a game where the team came out flat. The Nets are fighting for their playoff life, so their intensity was a given. They’ve played a lot of road games of late and it’s not surprising their focus flagged. It was a game that they could…
Here’s What You Should See at CIFF Today (Sun. 3/29)
1) This Isn’t Funny (9:30 a.m, 86 min.) Director: Paul Ashton. Stars Katie Page and Paul Ashton co-wrote this movie about Eliot, a comedian (Page) who literally runs into a man (Ashton). Eliot proceeds to use their car accident for her comedic routines as the two fall for each other in this romantic comedy. 2)…
Here’s What to See at CIFF Tonight (3/28)
1) Forced Perspective (6:30 p.m., 96 min.) Director: Nick Cavalier Local graphic designer Derek Hess made a name for himself by drawing posters for the hardcore concerts that took place at the old Euclid Tavern in the 90s. He eventually became a well-known graphic designer in the punk/hardcore/metal world and has moved on to other…
Audiences Howl at Tasteless Jokes in Get Hard; Idiocracy Prophecies One Step Closer to Reality
Get Hard, starring Will Ferrell and Kevin Hart, has lots of dick jokes, black jokes and “unorthodox swearing,” but not much else. You might be inclined to argue that with this sort of skit-based comedy, one that relies heavily on the personalities and improvisation of its two leads, the expectations for storytelling are pretty daggone…
Five Concerts to Catch This Weekend
FRIDAY, MARCH 27 Beppe Gambetta Italian guitarist Beppe Gambetta is a wonder to behold for anyone whose interest in acoustic guitar stretches beyond G-C-D progressions. His music blends Italian flavors with near-bluegrass picking styles and an almost Celtic vibe, among plenty more. He’s known as the “Italian King of the flatpick guitar,” and it’d be…
Public-Private Partnership: Behind the Scenes of the State of the City Address
Just in case you were wondering: Mayor Frank Jackson never “rehearsed” the State of the City conversation with Beth Mooney, President and CEO of KeyCorp and Chair of the Greater Cleveland Partnership. Jackson communicated to Scene via a spokesperson that to prepare for his annual address earlier this month, he had a couple of informal…
Now Open: Black Box Fix in Cleveland Heights
Chef Eric Rogers got the keys to the Sweetie Fry Space on Lee Road in Cleveland Heights at the tail end of last year. Today, he opened the door for his first paying customer. Black Box Fix (2307 Lee Rd., 216-383-8130) builds on the reputation and following that Rogers began cultivating at his South Euclid…
What Will 2015-2016 Look Like for the Cavaliers?
It’s gone strikingly unremarked that the Cavs have the second highest cap number in the league at $88.2 million, just below tonight’s opponent, the Brooklyn Nets ($89.6 mil) according to Spotrac. As far as bang for your buck, the Cavs have a slight advantage. The Nets are tied with Charlotte, a half-game behind Boston and…
Marathon School Board Meeting Sees Cleveland Teachers Union Confronting Administration
Cleveland Metropolitan School District teachers packed the auditorium at Collinwood High School last night and confronted the administration for more than hour over budget cuts that aren’t matching individual schools’ needs. The district funding model — “student-based budgeting” (SBB) — has the money follow the student. On its face, teachers conceded, it sounds ideal. But…
Cleveland Institute of Art Hosts F1RST Symposium on Saturday
Do you remember your first experience doing what you love most in life? For artists, that first moment is a powerful and transformative experience. Put simply, there’s our life before art and our life after art, and a very definitive line between the two periods. Behind these revelations is an unsung hero – an educator,…
Here’s What You Should See at CIFF Today (Fri. 3/27)
1) I Am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney Story (11:20 a.m, 90min.) Director: Dave LaMattina, Chad N. Walker As the story goes, animator Caroll Spinney met Muppet creator Jim Henson way back in 1969. The two became friends and when Sesame Street launched, Spinney became Big Bird, a role he still cherishes at age 81.…
Review: Roomful of Teeth at the Cleveland Museum of Art
By Timothy Robson The a cappella vocal group Roomful of Teeth made a big roomful of noise at the Cleveland Museum of Art’s Gartner Auditorium on Friday, March 20 before a large, enthusiastic audience. This remarkable group, founded in 2009, has won a Grammy for their 2012 eponymous first album, and one of the major…
Five Things to Know About the NCAA Tournament in Cleveland (list) (photo) (links) (content) (words) (best of the beat) (poll)
This is apparently something people do. Let us help. 1. The NCAA tournament, while similar in nature to the infamous Rock ‘n’ Jock celebrity basketball game coordinated by MTV, is not the same thing. 2. Quicken Loans Arena is a building. There are seats inside. Also, multiple hallways. Probably even a toilet or two. It’s kind…
Moody Blues Bringing ‘Timeless Flight’ Tour to E.J. Thomas Hall
Given that most bands are lucky to celebrate a 10-year anniversary, it’s remarkable that the Moody Blues were still around to mark the 45th anniversary of Days of Future Passed, the concept album that put the British progressive rock band on the musical map. The group came through town in 2012 in support of that…
Local Ramones Tribute Act to Make Debut at Spitfire in May
Who better to put together a Ramones tribute band than someone who used to play with a Ramone? Local singer-bassist CJ Gunn, who played in Marky Ramone’s band from 2003 to 2006, has put together the Commandos in order to pay tribute to the late, great punk act. “This is my first time doing something…
A Conversation With ‘Alarm Will Sound’ Artistic Director Alan Pierson
By Mike Telin Since forming in 2001, the clever, innovative contemporary music ensemble Alarm Will Sound has gone on to become one of the most successful composer-musician collectives touring today. The group is the resident ensemble at the Mizzou International Composers Festival at the University of Missouri in Columbia. Each year the festival features eight…
Convictions Thrown Out for Three Men in 1995 East Cleveland Murder; New Trial Ordered
The Ohio Innocence Project — fresh off getting historic exonerations for Ricky Jackson, Kwame Ajamu and Wiley Bridgeman — scored another victory this week for another trio who maintain their innocence. Derrick Wheatt, Laurese Glover and Eugene Johnson were convicted 18 years ago in the 1995 murder of Clifton Hudson Jr. in East Cleveland. The background…
Michael Brelo Will Not Get Jury Trial; Judge O’Donnell to Decide Verdict
Michael Brelo, the lone patrol officer facing manslaughter charges in the Nov. 29, 2012, police chase and shootout, will not face a jury trial next week. The ruling from Judge John O’Donnell answers a request put forth by Brelo earlier this week. The bench trial will begin April 6. From O’Donnell’s ruling: “During my colloquy…
Here’s Timofey Mozgov Wearing His Jersey Backwards in a Commercial For Some Reason
Kriss Kross meets T-Mo. (H/t to @Nominataur)
Fine Art Dealer Rachel Davis Speaks at the Artists Archives of the Western Reserve This Saturday
With over three decades of experience as a fine art dealer, Rachel Davis has seen it all. At 1 p.m. this Saturday, Mar. 28, she will share her personal stories and professional experience during a free discussion at the Artists Archives of the Western Reserve (AAWR), as part of the Archives’ ongoing Collecting Art lecture…
Local Rockers Restless Habs Release New Music Video
A terrific local punk band that was formed in 2009, Restless Habs have just finished recording a new EP. Just yesterday, the band — singer-guitarist Peter Woodward, singer-bassist Ken Blaze and drummer Tim Babcock — released a video for the song “B-Ware.” The video was done in collaboration with LESS Productions and features members of…
Bleachers’ Jack Antonoff Distills His Different Influences on Band’s Debut
A few years back, Fun. guitarist Jack Antonoff was deep into promoting all things Fun. The band had just won a Grammy and was touring heavily. His schedule allowed little time for anything other than performing and traveling. So what did Antonoff do? He started writing songs for a solo project that he subsequently dubbed…
State Senate Slips Odd Student Voting Provision into Transportation Budget
Last-minute additions to budgets and bills often have very little to do with whatever it is to which they’re being added. For instance, this week the Ohio Senate passed a transportation budget that contains what some are calling a “poll tax” on college students. The transportation budget! In short, the amendment here would require out-of-state…
Catch Some Final Thrills at Brandywine this Weekend
While the last couple of weeks have ushered in balmier temperatures, the folks at Brandywine want you to know that skiing and snowboarding season isn’t over quite yet. There’s still a chance to catch some thrills this weekend at Brandywine’s Spring Sessions, which run Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Prices, too, are…
The Life and Work of Artist Derek Hess Examined Through New Film
Derek Hess may be Cleveland’s most well known visual artist. Although he has quite the pedigree, he took a very unique path to success. And although he’s become a relative household name in Cleveland and beyond, few know much about the man behind the iconic, gestural line drawings and legendary concert posters. Recently, Cleveland-native Nick…
Cavs Embarrass the Memphis Grizzlies in Almost Perfect Performance
What goes around comes around is about as basic as the golden rule, and it’s particularly true of the game of basketball. You can often hear LeBron James talk about playing the game the right way which he speaks of in the same tone as a mystic might divine living. Last night the Cavaliers passed…
Here’s What You Should See at CIFF Today (Thurs. 3/26)
1) Monument to Michael Jackson (9:20 a.m., 95 minutes). Director: Darko LungolovDespite the title, this is a Serbian film. And though we’re certainly partial to Eastern European cinema — all the films in this year’s Central and Eastern European Competition are as stark and biting as always — this satirical dramedy would be worth seeing…
NEOSonicFest: FiveOne Experimental Orchestra Performs at Zygote Press on March 28
By Mike Telin The 2015 edition of NEOSonicFest will end with a bang when FiveOne Experimental Orchestra (51XO) presents an innovative program on Saturday, March 28 at 8:00 pm at Zygote Press. Along with other surprises, the evening will include music by Marc Mellits, David Crowell, and Ted Hearne as well as a 51XO Zygote…
Murder Suspect Wrote ‘My Bad’ on Jail Cell Wall, Newspaper Reports
A man accused of murdering a pizza delivery driver at a Lorain motel apparently apologized for it on his jail cell’s wall, the Chronicle-Telegram reported. Benjamin Davis was charged with aggravated murder following the Dec. 1 shooting death of Happy’s Pizza delivery guy Robert Caudill, who delivered pizza to him at the Lake Motel in…
Newest W2S Series Exhibitions at Sculpture Center Debut Thursday
From 5:30 to 8 p.m. this Thursday, Mar. 26, the Sculpture Center hosts an opening reception for its latest exhibitions. At 6:15 p.m., John Douglas Powers will discuss his exhibition, Revenant, as part of the Sculpture Center’s ongoing 2015 W2S series in the Euclid Avenue Gallery. Derek Coté will speak about his Terra Nullius (No…
Grizzlies Offer Rare Cavs Foe That Likes to Stay Inside
Tonight’s Cavalier opponent, the Memphis Grizzlies, pose issues for anyone without bonafide heft. They boast Marc Gasol, maybe the best big man in the league, and one of the NBA’s finest low post scorers in Zach Randolph. While the addition of Mozgov has helped, the Cavaliers still have trouble with teams that are big. (Indeed…
Matthew E. White Takes an Old School Approach on His Soulful New Album
Singer-guitarist Matthew E. White started listening to music very early on. He initially started playing drums but his mom “didn’t want drums in the house,” so he began playing guitar instead. “I became a pretty serious guitar player,” he says via phone as he drives to a L.A. tour stop. “I was mainly interested in…
Mahall’s 20 Lanes to Host 24-Hour Art & Music Hackathon
The concept of computer “hacking” was defined by the MIT community in the 1950s and ’60s. Those early hackers were more about sharing and providing free access to computers. That’s the concept behind the Art & Music Hackathon that takes place on Friday and Saturday at Mahall’s. The club is collaborating with Maker’s Alliance, Thinkbox…
Gov. John Kasich Speaks at ‘Politics and Eggs,’ a Notable Stop for Presidential Hopefuls in New Hampshire
Gov. John Kasich was in New Hampshire yesterday, lending credence to suspicions that he’s eyeing a run at the 2016 presidential election. This isn’t his first trip to another state in these early months of campaign prospecting, but the appearance at a notable political event — Politics and Eggs! — in New Hampshire sends signals…
Cleveland Concert Promoter Jim Clevo Passes Away
Throughout the ’90s and ’00s, local promoter Jim Clevo tirelessly championed Cleveland rock bands. Clevo, who passed away yesterday at age 57, put out several compilations featuring Cleveland acts and at one point christened himself president of the Cleveland Music Group (CCG). He didn’t just promote bands in Cleveland, either. In 1999, he attended South…
Student Show and Merit Scholar Exhibition Open at Galleries at CSU Thursday
The 44th Student Show and Merit Scholar Exhibition at the Galleries at Cleveland State University open in tandem with a reception from 5 to 8 p.m. this Thursday, March 26. The Student Show is a juried exhibition organized entirely by CSU’s Student Organization of Fine Art (SOFA). Every year, the students invites outside jurors to…
Here’s What You Should See at CIFF Today (Wed. 3/25)
1) Long Way to the Top (12:30 p.m, 66 min.) Director: Rob Montague Life on the road ain’t easy for an up-and-coming band. Lakewood-based director Rob Montague spent some time touring with three relatively unknown groups and documented their trials and tribulations. He also included interviews with some bands you might have heard of —…
Sushi 86 Outlasts the Other Guys and Delivers the Goods
Sushi Rock and Sushi 86 opened their doors within weeks of each other some 15 years ago, but only one of them has been 86’d. You couldn’t fashion a more fitting tale of opposites if you tried. The year was 2000, and the Warehouse District was exploding with new clubs and restaurants. Sushi Rock made…
Best Tattoo Shop
Clevelanders seeking a safe, clean and professional location to get that new piece of body art need not look farther than Voodoo Monkey Tattoo in the heart of Ohio City. With seven on-site tattoo artists, whose specialties range from photo-realism to religious imagery and beyond, rest assured: You’re in capable hands. 2070 West 25th St.,…
Best Gym
Cleveland’s newest gym sits in bottom two floors of the former Fairmount Creamery building, a 1930s era building that had sat vacant and in disrepair before local developers took over. The 14,000-square foot gym has modern locker rooms, all the equipment you’d ever need, and a number of classes — yoga, cardio kick boxing, kettle…
Best Stage Theater
This venerable institution is enjoying a spruced-up new look in the renovated Allen Theatre at Playhouse Square. And under the artistic direction of Laura Kepley, the Cleveland Play House is doing some interesting things in terms of play selection. Last year’s elegantly vicious The Little Foxes was nasty fun. And soon to come: Vanya and…
Best Local Act That Doesn’t Have A Record Out Yet
Earlier this year, singer-guitarist Brandon Zano, a veteran of the local music scene, launched a crowd-funding campaign to fund recording for his solo debut, which he’s working on with veteran local producer Ben Schigel, a guy who’s produced a number of big-name rock acts and currently plays in the up-and-coming alt-rock act SomeKindaWonderful. He’s posted…
Best Outdoor Wedding Venue
Since 2003, Cleveland couples have exchanged “I dos” against the Cleveland Botanical Garden’s lush and romantic backdrops. Choose from more than 10 unique outdoor spaces, including the Rose Garden, the Japanese Garden and the Terrace, which boasts a private fountain and a lily pond, for either your ceremony, your reception or both. The botanical garden’s…
Best Zen Spot
Have you finished Buddhism for Dummies, and you’re not sure where to go next? And you certainly don’t want to give in to the mass-marketed Far East kitsch for millennials, right? Cloudwater Zendo, a little hole-in-the-wall temple on Puritas, is a really terrific and respectful place for both beginners and long-running Buddhists alike. Mondays at…
Best West Side Market Vendor
Since 1990, Ohio City Pasta founder Gary Thomas has been treating locals to the best, freshest pasta around from his West Side Market booth and Detroit Avenue headquarters. With varieties such as squid ink, wild mushroom, and garlic and chive and a shelf-life of seven days, you’ll never condemn yourself to a life of bland,…
Best Arcade
The “barcade” idea is getting tossed around more and more these days, but we’re happy to say that 16-Bit in Lakewood has all the right moves. Games are free (pinball will cost you a couple quarters), and the place stocks one hell of a liquor shelf. Weekend nights are busy as all get out, so…
Best Jamaican
Like most Jamaican joints, this carry-out shop has about as much ambiance as the waiting room at the auto repair shop. But, man, that oxtail stew. Operated by a self-taught Jamaican expat, Ocho Rios dishes up the usual spread of jerk chicken, curry goat, oxtail stew, beef patty and curry chicken. But none of it…
Best Cupcake
In 2009, SynDee Bergen and Wendy Thompson elevated cupcakes to artistry when they opened the doors to this adorable Tremont boutique. Known to embellish their confections with chocolate-covered strawberries, salty dipped pretzels, and whiskey maple bacon, it’s no wonder demand has risen so high that the duo baked up a second location, this one clear…
Best Reason to Drive to Akron for a Drink
Much like the Fat Head’s tasting room in Middleburg Heights, the Hoppin’ Frog Tasting Room in Akron is in a non-descript strip of storage facilities and warehouses. But step inside and you’ll find a cozy tasting room where you can find a huge array of the brewery’s wonderful libations. The place features “hoppy hour” every…
Best Sushi
Next time your friends assert that X Sushi Restaurant serves up the best sushi in town, kindly but sternly correct them by announcing that, no, that honor belongs to Ginko. Don’t believe us? Start slowly by hitting Ginko’s Sushi Happy Hour, one of the most affordable ways to sample the goods. This dreamy grotto is…
Best Burger
Grind Burger isn’t just a cool name, it’s a nod to the proprietary process that results in Cleveland’s Best Burger. The beef here is ground fresh on site — behind glass, no less — making for a juicy, messy beef-tastic experience. “Perfection is Messy” is the motto here, and Grind Burger goes the extra mile…
Best Dinner Bargain
Cheap food is good. Quality cheap food is better. Such is the case with the seriously good hot dogs, sandwiches and wraps served at the River Dog Cafe. The crispy duck BLT is a force to be reckoned with, packing the flavor of a $20 feast into a sandwich priced lat ess than half that…
Best Way to Get Lost on the Way to Lunch
“It’s kind of like a hidden treasure,” admits Asia Tea House manager Henry Duong. This makeshift cafe is buried deep inside an Asian grocery, which itself is located in an Asian-themed mall, which itself is tucked into an Asian neighborhood. The reward for adventurous diners who do make the journey is homestyle Vietnamese and Chinese…
Best Hair
When the Cavs made a major roster shakeup this winter, it not only created a more cohesive team, it brought perhaps the NBA’s best hair to the Q. LeBron may be the king, but his hairline can’t compare to Iman Shumpert’s, whose flat-top fade reigns supreme. In his acceptance speech for this award, Shumpert will…
Best Local Invention
It’s the wrist band that replaces all your security keys and passwords! It’s the stylish accessory that has military-grade gadgetry beneath the surface! It’s the bluetooth to end all bluetooths! It’s Everykey! And it was developed right here in Cleveland, Ohio, by Case students. Retailing for about $100, the Everykey lets you access all your…
Best Adult Store
Adultmart has such a solid hold on this category year after year that there wasn’t even a legitimate runner-up. Under the innovative control of adult-entertainment luminary Rondee Kamins, Adultmart has earned its keep and set the bar high for adult merchandise in Cleveland, the historic capital of the porn industry. For literature, entertainment, toys and…
Best Place To Go Hiking
Just south of Cleveland sits more than 100 miles of trails among the 33,000 acres of nature, diverse plants and wildlife, and some of the best views in the entire region. The CVNP is gem and a model of conservation situated between two industrial cities. Make sure you take advantage of what it has to…
Best Actor
Versatility, thy name is Greg White. He recently finished a remarkable, critically acclaimed one-man performance as Thurgood Marshall, the first African-American justice on the Supreme Court, in Thurgood at Ensemble Theatre. And he accomplished that on the heels of his appearance in Eugene O’Neill’s Anna Christie, also at Ensemble, in which he played the grizzled…
Best Place to Binge Watch Not On Netflix
Cleveland Cinemas has successfully commodified the “so bad it’s good” entertainment genre, with weekend cult screenings of films like The Room and Rocky Horror. But they’ve also recognized another key aspect of entertainment: People dig staying up really late and hanging out to watch movies together, marathon-style. We all secretly or not-so secretly binge on…
Best Indoor Wedding Venue
Nestled in the heart of Amish Country is the idyllic Grand Barn at the Mohicans, a two-story venue that caters to love birds seeking affordable, rustic elegance on their big day. Comfortably seating about 175 guests, the Grand Barn provides a variety of ceremony and reception arrangements, accented by sweeping views of the Mohican Valley,…
Best Weekly Seasonal Festival
Everyone knows it’s a chore to hunker down at work during the summer months, but thankfully there’s an extra bout of incentive to pull us through the workweek: Edgewater Live, a free happy hour on the beach every Thursday from June through August. Grab a beer and some grub from a rotating array of local…
Best Wedding Dress
Catan’s Fashions has devoted 54,000 square feet entirely to bridal and event apparel and accessories, earning itself reputation as the largest bridal store in the country. Here, brides-to-be will find thousands of designer items (look for names like David Tutera, Sophia Tolli, and Maggie Sottero), as well as 65 dressing rooms, 27 seamstresses, three salons,…
Best LGBT Club
With a pretty thorough renovation last year, Twist has returned with a fabulous vengeance. “We’re a completely different place, from top to bottom,” co-owner Constantine Katsaros says of the remodel. And with summer coming up, the patio at Twist Social Club anchors a splendid little westside district and offers a fun and welcoming trip for…
Best Gentleman’s Club
A repeat winner of this category, the strip club in the Flats is a fan favorite, and it’s not hard to see why. Christie’s is as classy as it gets for local strip clubs, and it’ll make you feel right at home. In addition to their regular line-up of gorgeous women, they’ll host some big…
Best Detroit Shoreway Bar
Yes, there are hot dogs, with 100 available toppings. But Happy Dog is so very clearly someplace more special than a spot to downed cased meats. The beer list is about as expansive as the topping list, and Happy Dog hosts some of the best local musicians on its small stage. Add in the pinball…
The Best Way to Get from Bar to Bar
It’s 1 a.m. on a Saturday, and your pals are angling for a West 25th Street nightcap; but really, no one’s in condition to drive. That’s why the West Side Shuffle, a 48-seat school bus-turned-shuttle service, is your first call. For $4 ($6 for credit card transactions), the West Side Shuffle will ferry bar hoppers…
Best BYOB
By now we all know that live music and tasty arepas are best enjoyed with friends and chilly cerveza. Barroco has always turned traditional dining on its head, opting to make every night a sensory overload of colorful revelry. The BYOB vibe only serves to fan the flames of those festivities. This father-and-son restaurant is…
Best Cleveland Heights Restaurant
Lopez offers sizzling Southwestern cuisine with a flair for the creative. If you choose to dine here before catching a movie at the Cedar Lee, good luck: You’ll be fighting the crowds for a table. Longtime chef Michael Herschman jams a bushel of flavor into dishes like smoked brisket tacos, duck confit burritos and lobster…
Best Bar Food
Soggy fries, lame nachos, greasy wings — we’ve all been there. Bad bar food can make or break any bar with potential, even those with the craftiest of craft beers. The eats at Tremont Tap House go above and beyond the call of duty. They even manage to sneak booze into the food, like in…
Best Glass of Wine with a View
Given the impressive setting, a neoclassical masterpiece designed by George Post, who later planned the New York Stock Exchange, Heinen’s had very special plans for its wine program. The second-level wine and beer section boasts a self-serve wine station outfitted with 48 labels, each available in 1-, 3- or 5-ounce pours. There, guests can insert…
Best Chance for a Hole-in-One
Face it, you so long ago abandoned all hope of nabbing a hole-in-one that you’ve nearly forgotten what the term means. If you’re anything like anyone else, you know that the best shot you’ve got for acing a hole is by sheer, audacious luck. Thankfully, Northeast Ohio boasts a number of neat par-3s that, with…
Best Coffee Shop for Working on Your Novel
With views of bustling downtown Lakewood (ignore the Burger King, please) and a bountiful variety of seating arrangements and beverages, the Root Cafe affords the introspective writer an excellent midday getaway. There’s enough coffee-shop white noise to keep the mind buzzing while still allowing someone to find a quiet nook for the afternoon. Not only…
Best Barber
Alex Quintana, of Quintana’s Barber and Dream Spa in Cleveland Heights, is a true master of his craft. Not only is he skilled with the clippers and the scissors and the products, he’s a hell of a conversationalist as well — probably the key ingredient for any successful barber. If you’re looking for a new…
Best Yoga
When the Zen mood strikes, head to Cleveland Yoga, conveniently located in both Uptown and Beachwood. Here, you’ll find everything from beginners’ classes like Power Yoga Basics —where the moves are easy but the workout is tough — to more advanced Hot Yoga sessions, as well as private lessons, workshops, and even massage appointments. Afterwards,…
Best Actress
Ms. Perrotta has logged numerous memorable performances in her professional acting career in Cleveland, at Great Lakes Theater and elsewhere. She triggered snarky laughs a couple years ago as Diane in The Little Dog Laughed at Beck Center. But her performance last year at Beck in ‘night Mother, alongside the magnificent Dorothy Silver, was extra…
Best New Reading Series
For awhile there, it looked like Dave Lucas, who founded and runs the Brews & Prose reading series in Ohio City, would be the only game in town. That’s why we’re so thrilled to see a new series emerge, this one devoted to poetry and housed each month at the Galleries at CSU on Euclid…
Best Mayor
Frank Jackson has been the mayor since 2006 and, hey, we’re still up and running, right? Being the mayor of Cleveland is a thankless job, having to balance so many conflicting interests that at least some people are going to be pissed off no matter what. Hopefully this award doesn’t face a recall effort too.
Best Way to See Lake View Cemetery without Actually Going in Lake View Cemetery
A sprawling 285-acre property on the edge of Little Italy on Cleveland’s eastside, Lake View Cemetery is one of the most scenic and historically significant landmarks in the city. That’s partially why local photographer Barney Taxel spent the past 14 years exploring and documenting the century-old grounds, ultimately publishing a robust tribute to the cemetery’s…
Best Consignment Shop
Settled on an unassuming stretch of Canton’s Cleveland Avenue, boasting an unassuming beige façade, is Encore Resale Fashions, a consignment junkie destination. Here, the shopping experience is kind of like a scavenger hunt where thrifty shoppers weave through impossibly tight hallways, lopsided dressing rooms, and alcove after alcove of quality apparel, accessories, and shoes all…
Best Bar for Drinks with a View
Stunning views of the Cuyahoga, top-notch people watching, DJs, dancing, and happy hour deals that will make you giddy with glee, all make Shooters on the Water one of the most hoppin’ party destinations around. Grab a few cold ones, kick back on the tremendous wrap-around deck, and kill an afternoon envying the boats of…
Best Chef
For far too long, Eric Williams has taken a back seat in the press to the Symons, Sawyers and Whalens of the Cleveland culinary world. But like the masked underdog in a grueling lucha libre match, this feisty luchador finally has come out on top. He’s passionate, relentless and modest as hell, which is probably…
Best Farmers Market Vendor
Arriving on the scene with a fizzy splash, this small-batch kombucha newcomer won over the locavore crowd with the healthy allure of probiotics. Bringing us fermented flavors like spicy and sweet Ginger Snap and crisp Concord Grape, these craft brews gave all of Cleveland a little more culture. While it’s true that Bearded Buch made…
Best Local Beer
Cleveland’s beer cred has exploded in recent years thanks to a growing cast of world-class brewers and breweries. But Great Lakes Brewing Co. is and remains our brightest star. Who else could make headlines simply by redesigning its labels? From Dortmunder to Commodore Perry, GLBC’s colorful beer names roll off any native Clevelander’s tongue. And…
Best Ohio City Restaurant
With its spacious, historic, monumental dining room, Crop Bistro stands proud among its contemporaries in Ohio City and, well, the rest of Cleveland. It also stands tall, with an ornate ceiling that rises more than 30 feet above street level. Housed in a 1920s-era bank building, this restaurant consistently wows customers with both form and…
Best Beer List/ Best Patio Drinking/ Best Place to Dine with Friends/ Best Vegan
It didn’t take long for the city to catch on to what makes this urban cafe so enticing. An extensive and constantly growing craft beer selection can be found filling the glasses of patio dwellers who’ve quickly made TownHall a go-to gathering spot in the West 25th Street district. As brews pour, upbeat staffers serve…
Best Thai
Pronounced like the tropical storm, Ty Fun delivers whimsy and flavor without being too blustery about it. The pad Thai is worth making a storm over, with a housemade sauce that is unlike any other Thai eateries in Cleveland. In fact, the kitchen excels at pretty much everything it attempts, from tom kha gai soup…
Best New Convenience Store
This new urban greengrocer is small but mighty, putting the emphasis on quality over quantity. After all, founder Rachel Kingsbury didn’t intend for it to be a substitute for the mega-mart, but rather a convenient shop for Ohio City residents to get what they need quickly and effortlessly. Kingsbury saves you the runaround by combining…
SXSW Offers Film and Music Fans a Communal Experience
A colleague of mine once said, “You can’t swing a dead cat without hitting a music festival.” He was speaking hypothetically, in case PETA is thinking about mobilizing their troops, but his underlying message rings true; music festivals have flooded the nation. In a digital age, festivals are the last stand for independent music and…
Best Place to Work
Geis Companies is perhaps most famous locally for their recent work on The 9 downtown. Here at Scene, we have no choice but to assume that a company that can create Cleveland’s hottest new spot must also be a kick-ass place to spend your 9-to-5 hours. Based in Streetsboro, Geis’ HQ is a bit of…
Best Book Shop
Loganberry Books is a straight-up palace for book-lovers. Room upon room and shelf upon shelf of literature (plus history, sociology, memoir, sci-fi, the whole shebang), but never have you felt more like Belle in Beauty and the Beast than taking a stroll through Loganberry and marveling at the selection. Plus, they do monthly readings, book…
Best Bowling Alley Not Named Mahall’s
Listen, we love Mahall’s. We love the alleys and the food and the beer and the friendly owners and the shows. But it’s possible to love more than one bowling alley, and though Cleveland’s bowling heydays are far behind us, there are still plenty of corner alleys out there that deserve your love and attention.…
Best Painter
Working out of a studio on the third floor of 78th Street Studios, Frank Oriti is best known for his dynamic, hyper-realistic portraits of very interesting friends and family.After graduating from Bowling Green in 2006, he returned home and spent the following year and a half working in the city’s steel mills. Oriti continued to…
Best Way To See The Orchestra
The Cleveland Orchestra is an international force, and the city is blessed to have these musicians and conductor Franz Welser-Möst working here. A few years ago, the orchestra began branching out and setting up shop in neighborhoods around town as part of a budding residency program. Gordon Square and Lakewood have each hosted the group…
Best News Reporter
The popular television reporter has been at WJW Fox 8 since 2011, and she’s had a hell of a year in front of the camera. She did a sit-down interview with Cleveland’s-own Cardale Jones after OSU’s national championship run, was there when Ricky Jackson was released from prison, and took a trip to Atlanta’s Centers…
Best Recurring Alan Cox Show Guest
There’s nothing quite like tuning into WMMS and hearing that the Cleveland Clinic’s own Dr. Ryan Berglund will be hanging out with Alan Cox and the gang. Now we can all figure out what that cyst really is! The afternoon show features all sorts of great recurring guests (Sal being a nice runner-up here), but…
Best Beer Shop
Much like Winkin’ Lizard, which prides itself on a global beer selection, the Lizardville beer shop and whiskey bar has an almost staggering amount of options for you to bring home and try. At a certain point, all you can do is pick the coolest labels! Porters, stouts, IPA, Belgian Dubbels — there’s something for…
Best Day Drinking
Where-oh-where to grab a pint after picking up the veggies at the Market? Why not Market Garden itself? Though its tiki-torch patio and marquee lighting make this a prime spot for nighttime drinking, there’s no better place to experience the hustle and bustle of Cleveland’s most happening neighborhood. Who needs coffee? Grab a beer at…
Best Sin Night
Brent Lewanski, who also owns Westpark Station, McCarthy’s in the Flats and Avenue Taphouse, packs ’em in with the hottest DJs and best dance music around at his West Sixth Street outpost, and once the friendly staff is done taking care of you, they take care of their own on Sundays. SIN night is that…
Best Ohio City Bar/ Best Bar for People Watching
For awhile, TownHall was the only venue in town where you could check out men wearing three-piece suits with pocket squares. You’ll certainly stumble upon some of Cleveland’s most attractive couples and singles at this West 25th Street haunt. Said one unsuspecting customer: “Where are these people from, California?” (If you’re in the mood for…
Best Wine Bar
Humble destroys the wine bar status quo thanks to its clean lines and modern aesthetics. But the beauty is more than skin deep, with a far-reaching wine list paired with a simple, appealing menu built around fresh-tossed stone oven pizza. For the perfect wind down, grab a seat at the bar and watch the pizza…
Best Fried Thing
Of all the things that Ohio City brings to mind, fine Southern cuisine might not be high on the list — that is, unless you’ve dined at SOHO Kitchen. The restaurant’s fried chicken comes crisp, mahogany and juicy as hell. Served in mornin’ and evenin’ and late-night styles, SOHO’s chicken is remarkably adaptable. Whether you…
Best Eastern Suburbs Restaurant
Flour might be named after a simple ingredient, but the Italian food cooked up by the culinary dream team of Paul Minnillo and Matt Mytro is anything but basic. In addition to one of the best brunches in town, Flour crafts some of the most memorable Italian-inspired dishes on either side of the Cuyahoga River.…
Best Irish
St. Patrick’s Day just isn’t the same unless it’s celebrated with a frothy Guinness and/or Jameson at the trusty old Harp. Of course, this Cleveland landmark offers the best in traditional and contemporary Irish food all year long, so we can savor the boxty, shepherd’s pie and fish and chips on the roomy patio on…
Best Use of a Hashtag
Short, to-the-point and impossibly factual, #ladybutchers tells the social media world that those delicious meats you’re about to jam down your pie hole were hand-crafted with love by female butchers Melissa Khoury and Penny Barend of Saucisson. Like true ladies, these gals bitch, moan, drink and cuss a blue streak with about as much enthusiasm…
SXSW Offers Film and Music Fans a Communal Experience
A colleague of mine once said, “You can’t swing a dead cat without hitting a music festival.” He was speaking hypothetically, in case PETA is thinking about mobilizing their troops, but his underlying message rings true; music festivals have flooded the nation. In a digital age, festivals are the last stand for independent music and…
Best Sports Reporter
Jim Donovan is the voice of the Browns, and whether or not you’d call him a “reporter” — he’s been the sports director at WKYC Channel 3 since 1986 — he’s most certainly on his way to Joe Tait/Tom Hamilton-level street cred. Catch him on Sports Time Ohio or Channel 3 for Browns coverage, and…
Best Salon for Men
We’ve just learned — and we’re thrilled to report — that Lakewood’s Reagle Beagle, in addition to their dynamite hairstyling and ultra masculine ambience, also has “Manzilians” available for the adventurous groomer. That’s just what it sounds like fellas, and it speaks to Reagle Beagle’s commitment to making you look fresh and clean all over.…
Best Way To Get On The Water Without A Boat
So you haven’t quite got the nest egg built for the boat yet, and you’re more of an active sort of person anyway, so sitting back with a lukewarm domestic lager really isn’t your idea of fun anyway. You’ve been kayaking and canoeing. What now? Standup paddling, that’s what. SUP Cleveland, based out of Edgewater,…
Best Sculptor
Look! Up in the sky! It’s … Dave Deming? That’s right. Apparently, you’re big fans of his Superman statue, which was recently announced as part of the remodeling taking place between the Rock Hall, Great Lakes Science Center and the convention center. Although the timeline for the entire project was recently extended to 2017, the prototype…
Best Dance Under The Stars
Though Tremont’s annual month-long arts festival, held on the serene grounds of Lincoln Park, is an all-inclusive affair — theater, music, dance and more — it’s the eclectic dance groups that year after year continue to be must-see entertainment. On consecutive weekends in 2014, you got to see Cleveland Public Theatre’s STEP group, the Inlet…
Best Radio Show
From 6 to 11 every weekday morning, loyal listeners tune into WMMS (100.7 FM) to hear from the ridiculous cast of characters led by longtime host Rover (real name: Shane French), and their discussions of interesting stories of the day, bits like the “Hook-Up Hottie,” and interviews with comedians and other celebrities. Anybody questioning the…
Best Vintage Store
Ever miss those psychedelic hippie-dippie days of the 60s and 70s, when the bottoms were belled and the pendants were long and multi-colored? No other place in Cleveland successfully sells more authentic products from the mid-20th century, from garments to gadgetry, even bedsheets! Taking a stroll through Flower Child is to take a stroll down…
Best Ethnic Grocery Store
Don’t let the seemingly abandoned lot surrounding the Cleveland Asia Market deter you from venturing inside and taking advantage of the aisles upon aisles of goods and foodstuffs at this Miles Road gem. Here, shoppers can load up their carts with imported snacks from China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Thailand, India, the Philippines, Indonesia, and many,…
Best Comedy Club
In terms of comedy clubs, no place can match the output and talent of Hilarities. The prime location on East Fourth Street in the heart of downtown makes for glitzy ambience and great date-night options — you really can’t beat these digs — but it’s the programming that makes this one of the best and…
Best Korean
Since 2008, this mom-and-pop shop has been catering to a select group of in-the-know diners who fully comprehend that there is no better place to go within 100 miles for authentic Korean food. Ignore the exterior hell, ignore the interior and focus solely on those bubbling cauldrons of jungol, spicy beef, seafood or lamb stews…
Best Bar for Watching the Buckeyes
Being something of an epicenter for Buckeyes fans on Saturdays during football season, Dive Bar is a great spot to meet up with friends, both known and unknown, for the Big Game. If you’re into such things, you know that the energy level of a particular room is clutch when OSU is playing. Dive Bar,…
Best Bar to Get Drunk with Your Parents
Little Italy’s Vino Veritas offers a classy and cozy backdrop to grab a drink when mom and pop swing through town. An expansive wine list, and a live musician seated at the baby grand piano practically every night of the week, will easily turn that pre-dinner aperitif into a table of empty glasses. Prices here…
Best Diner
Fans of this westside establishment know they can expect to be greeted by name by friendly staffers. Diner on Clifton is the quintessential corner eatery, where coffee mugs are continuously filled, comfort food sizzles on the griddle, and neighbors fill every booth. Bring the ‘rents along for lunch or grab a few friends for an…
Best Indian
The ancient Sanskrit greeting of “Namaste” acknowledges the universal kinship each human spirit shares with another. In no sphere of life is this kinship felt stronger than when sharing food, and India Garden helps each and every diner experience the universally divine. Near-perfect renditions of chicken tikka masala, lamb curry and stewed lentils with ginger…
Best Chinese
For what seems like forever, the good folks at the Pearl have been treating locals to damn fine Chinese food — from New Year’s Eve to Christmas Day. Nobody in Cleveland does shrimp in black bean sauce better, and the mu shu pork is the bomb. This Cantonese gem is the rare ethnic eatery that…
Best Graphic Designer
The former Scene art director is moving on to new and grander adventures, but her time with us showed just what she’s capable of. Whether it’s magazine-style covers or forward-thinking layout, whether it’s photoshopped creations or arranging playful fonts, Belcher is as talented as she is eager. alise-belcher.tk, twitter.com/alisebelcher
Best Thrift Store
So you wanna buy a new outfit, grab a couple of lamps for the apartment and a book to read, and maybe snag a new coffee table to put them on all for less than the cost of lunch at some hotshot downtown restaurant? Truly, Unique Thrift has some real bargains for cost-conscious consumers. The…
Best Florist
As an anchor institution in the burgeoning Ohio City district Hingetown, Urban Orchid is trendy and chic and convenient for the enormous swaths of urban professionals flocking to the near west side. You’ll get perfect bouquets for Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, your anniversary or special occasion at fair prices and with friendly service. While you…
Best Lebron Coverage
As much as you might say that you’re tired of hearing about LeBron, the numbers tell a different story. You, or someone very much like you, can’t stop reading about all things LeBron. Which is fine. He’s the King! We love the guy. And besides the on-the-court stuff, we want to know about his movies,…
Best Photography
When it comes time to capture a milestone on film forever, finding the right photographer can be downright overwhelming. Luckily for you, the people have spoken, and they named Tracy Lin Photography the best choice in the city. Tracy Lin Photography specializes in using imagery to tell stories. Founder Tracy Lin studied photojournalism at Kent…
Best Reason To Visit Slavic Village
We’ll cram the Nash — more formally known as the Slovenian National Home — over on East 80th into the Arts + Entertainment section even though it could fit in just about any category. There is, of course, the bowling alley in the basement, which is open for private parties or through the Both Siders…
Best Sports Talker
Cleveland is blessed with two sports talk stations (or cursed, depending on your viewpoint), so there were plenty of options for readers to choose from here. The winner? He comes from 92.3 the Fan and can be found spouting off about the never-ending stream of depressing Cleveland sports fodder in the evenings. Carman stands out…
Best Barbershop
Nick Hilf knows his way around a pair of scissors. He also knows his way around a conversation, which is one of the reasons men come flocking to Rockefeller for their haircuts. His staff are no slouches either — we love them all — and the chairs are filled from morning to night with business…
Best Use of a Cow
Phillip and Jackie Wachter launched Fount just under two years ago, but already this husband/wife duo has made a name for itself in Cleveland’s leather-crafting industry. Each piece of inventory is hand-designed, cut, sewn, and ultimately transformed into stunning hair-on-hide bags ($429), yoga slings ($219), and penny-pouch necklaces ($44), the likes of which we have…
Best Dive Bar
This Parma bar and grill (which is suitable for the kiddies as well as the olde folks) boasts so many food specials, you won’t know where to put it all. We’re hot on the 60-cent jumbo wings on Thursdays and the $1.50 burgers on Tuesdays from 7 to 11 p.m. It’s ideal for sports-watching or…
Best Bar for Conversation
You might not know this place, which is on a strip that also boasts Panini’s, the Clevelander and AJ Rocco’s, but it’s a hidden gem of the Gateway District. Homemade Italian food is ready cafeteria-style for your hunger pangs, but more importantly, the small bar is staffed by a super friendly staff, the music isn’t…
Best Bar to Watch a Browns Game/ Best Bar for Hooking Up
It’s the granddaddy of West Sixth Street and good for all sorts of occasions — bottle service, Browns games, lunch, parties — but you know Barley House better as that place where single folks, and there are a lot of them in Cleveland, come to scope out possible objects of their affections. Try to combine…
Best Hot Dog
Whether offering a stage for rock bands, polka players or classical musicians, one thing has remained constant for this Gordon Square mainstay: hot dogs piled high with accoutrements. Just $5 buys a diner a frank, available in both the meaty and vegan variety, and an unlimited selection from a toppings list more than 50 strong.…
Best Food Truck
It’s not uncommon for this lime green truck with the yellow letters to be literally stalked by adoring fans. After all, it peddles Korean bulgogi, Vietnamese banh mi sandwiches, and poutine made with tater tots. From block parties to festivals, this rolling wagon of tasty treats brings flavor to the mean Cleveland streets all spring…
Best Pizza
You might think pizza is pizza, but the next time you’re staring at a grease ball from So & So Pizza, thank your lucky stars that Angelo’s exists. Made fresh daily from quality ingredients, the pizza here just tastes better. The Super Deluxe — buried beneath an avalanche of pepperoni, sausage, mushroom, black olive, bacon,…
Best Local Liquor
In a land overrun by craft beer, it’s sometimes easy to forget that Cleveland has plenty of spirit when it comes hard liquors too. Whether enjoyed neat or with a whiskey stone in your favorite tumbler, Cleveland Whiskey is a local way to unleash your inner Don Draper. 1768 East 25th St., clevelandwhiskey.com.
Welcome to Best of Cleveland 2015
Made in Cleveland. It’s a stamp of pride, it’s a motto, it describes who we are and what we do. And it’s a simple phrase that was the North Star for this issue. Every year we roll out the Best of Cleveland, and every year the list of winners changes and evolves along with the…
Band of the Week: Between Home and Serenity
Meet the Band: Ian Ver (vocals), Anthony Dargaj (guitar), Adam Kraft (guitar), Brian Weir (drums), Mike Mealey (bass) Rockin’ the Suburbs: Band members all attended the same high school in North Olmsted. They played in various bands before forming Between Home and Serenity in 2003. “Once high school ended, most people went to college,” says…
Best Toy/Comic/Collectible Store
Big Fun, in Cleveland Heights’ Coventry neighborhood, is a veritable “toy time machine” where you can buy hard-to-find retro toys from the past, including Star Wars, Transformers, and G.I. Joe figurines. Looking to play a prank with a good, old-fashioned whoopee cushion? This place has got you covered. Playboy once even named it one of…
Best Deli
What more can we possibly say about Slyman’s? St. Patrick’s Day has come and gone and we’ve all made our annual pilgrimage to the region’s corned beef royalty. Stacked to skyscraper heights and squeezed between two slices of rye bread, this corned beef is one of a kind. Not to be forgotten though, are the…
Best Music Venue
Since opening the Beachland Ballroom & Tavern in Collinwood some 15 years ago, co-owners Mark Leddy and Cindy Barber have brought a number of terrific national acts to town. Bands like the White Stripes played the Tavern before graduating to bigger venues. The garage-blues duo the Black Keys played their first-ever show in the club’s tavern. Sleater-Kinney once…
Best Comedian
Mike Polk might qualify as the grandfather of the local comedy scene at this point, despite the fact that he’s only 50 years old (we’re just guessing at the age here, but we think we’re right). You can find him these days on stage, as usual, as well as on the Rizzo Show on Fox…
Best Public Art
Public art is a necessary element of an engaged city. Cleveland has lots of it — from commissioned murals to informal graffiti. Titled “It’s Up to Us,” the mural on Clark Avenue (on the northwest corner of the West 25th intersection) showcases the vibrant ethos of the Clark-Fulton district, as well as Cleveland writ large.…
Best Councilman
We’ll say this for Joe Cimperman: He sure as hell loves Cleveland. Day in and day out he can be found on Twitter, singing the praises of his fair city and its great leaders, rhapsodizing on the Tremont sunlight and the Ohio City shrubbery, etc. As councilman for Cleveland’s Ward 3 (parts of downtown, the…
Best Pies
Ah, pie. Where would we be without you? Nowhere good. That’s for sure. And Joe’s Deli, which has been slinging sammies and comfort foods for years in Rocky River to masses that wait patiently for tables to open. (Yes, it’s worth the wait.) Part of that love affair is based on Joe’s Deli’s pies, which…
Best Place to Buy a Gift for a Guy
Some say women are hard to shop for, but it’s really you men who are the tough ones (we know you didn’t really “lose” that Monsters beanie we got you last year). Anyway, Cleveland craftsman Jordan Lee has developed a small but potent line of handmade goods your guy will love, including baseball-stitch card cases,…
Best Hipster Bar
The fact that Porco’s is in the heart of neither Ohio City nor Tremont gives it the hipster cred this year’s votes imply. South of the main West 25th Street strip, Porco’s serves up huge, exotic cocktails in tiki-inspired glasses. As the former home of biker bar Cranky’s, the original hipster hotspot, Porco’s comes from…
Best Bread
As with beer and bourbon, bread is made from just a handful of basic, humble ingredients. But the way those ingredients are manipulated makes all the difference in the world. It’s all in the hands, likely. Why else would so many of the area’s top chefs get daily deliveries from this small and impossibly productive…
Best Bar for Watching the Cavs
When you’re watching the Cleveland Cavaliers, the ideal venue must have ample TV screens, big screens with insane high definition so you can watch LeBron’s tomahawk slams and Kyrie’s balletic drives and Delly’s herky-jerky ally-oops to Tristan in perfect detail. The Winking Lizard Tavern, a Cleveland Institution, has all the TVs a Cavs’ fan could…
Best Bar that Feels like a College Garage
So, we’ll count B&B as something around the 374th brewery to open in Cleveland in the past year — we’re not complaining! — and it’s among the most unique. It’s small, by design, and sequestered down on Columbus Road, which is accessible for the first time in forever now that the bridge is reopened. Brick…
Best Sandwich
What else can we say about Melt? The sandwiches are huge. The selection of sandwiches? Equally huge. The monthly specials? Out of this world. Matt Fish and company, in their ever-expanding empire of grilled cheese that shows no signs of stopping, are the maestros of anything and everything stuffed between two slices of bread, whether…
Best Farmers Market
Every great urban center needs an oasis, and North Union Farmers Market is just the sort of fresh foods oasis that the eastside of Cleveland deserves. While the temptation to impersonally pluck produce from a grocery store shelf is great, the reward of supporting our small-farm neighbors tastes and feels better. Weekly, chefs and home…
Best Minor League Team
A Class A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians, the Lake County Captains began playing at what was then known as Eastlake Stadium shortly after it opened in 2003. The ballpark, which seats about 7,200, has a real intimate feel (and is family friendly). It’s also played host to several rock concerts: Bob Dylan has performed…
Best Record Store
Conveniently located next to the Beachland Ballroom & Tavern, Music Saves is one of the few record stores in town that still regularly stocks lots of new stuff. Come Record Store Day, the annual limited edition vinyl release day, there will be a line wrapped around the block. This is the place where hipsters go…
Best Place to Buy a Suit
Understanding of course that many of us might not be able to afford designer suits, Tom James handcrafts deluxe, customized, primo products. You’ll drop a couple grand anyway on the top-of-the-line fare at the department stores or Men’s Wearhouse, so why not hit up a local in downtown who’ll tailor a suit just for you.…
Best Open Mic
The fact that local acts such as Hillbilly Idol and Oldboy are willing to schlep out to Mentor to play the Local Tavern speaks volumes about the place’s reputation. It features live music almost every night of the week. Monday nights are known as Monday Mashup Jam Night and spots for local musicians fill up…
Best Production Company
This 5-year-old Cleveland-based independent film production company consistently puts out high-level stuff, like their extremely creative and complex music videos, short films and documentaries. Their new 20-minute doc Draw Hard, on Cleveland comic book artist John G. of the Lake Erie Monster series, has been getting rave reviews since its February release, including from this…
Best Hotel
Ever since opening late last year, the Metropolitan at the 9 has brought a bit of class to the Nine-Twelve district downtown. The swanky new downtown hotel looks like it belongs on the Las Vegas Strip. What distinguishes the place? For starters, it features an indoor dog park and a rooftop deck for drinking and…
Best Kept Secret
We know Ohio Design Centre is an airtight secret because we had no idea what it was until we saw the votes gathering like a distant hurricane. Located in Beachwood, this huge interior-design emporium has showrooms galore for the public to peruse. Expect big-time savings on rugs, wall coverings, designer furnishings, accessories, lighting and more.…
Best Store
So it’s not a store in the proper sense, but Cleveland voted in droves to recognize the Cleveland Flea, which has become a must-do event attracting thousands in just a few short years. Stephanie Sheldon’s built a nexus for Cleveland sellers and makers, and a one-stop outlet for shoppers looking for anything from antiques to…
Best Liquor Store Where You Can Also Buy Shoes
Those of us in the inner-ring neighborhoods are blessed with any number of places to buy craft beer. The corner shop at the end of your street is probably boasting a selection that would make a beer snob circa 2005 drool with envy. That’s great. But when it comes to hard liquor, the options aren’t…
Best Happy Hour
Whatever your opinion is of the Velvet Dog during the winter months, no one can deny that during the summer, on the rooftop patio during happy hour, it’s one of the hottest destinations in the city. With roving bars, tons of food specials (more often than not, you’ll find some free grub), and extended hours…
Best Cocktails
Before bacon-infused this and artisanal bitter that and the revolution of the modern cocktail, the Velvet Tango Room was slinging incomparably good classic cocktails with little distinction and no ballyhoo. That changed, of course, as the VTR became the best-known secret in Cleveland — one with a set of rules for decorum issued by owner…
Best Bar in Lakewood
Lakewood is the land of bars —there’s one on every corner, it seems — and they come in all shapes and sizes, bound to satisfy your boozy yearnings no matter what you’re looking for. And for many, Around the Corner is the place to be. It sports one of the best patios in Cleveland’s favorite…
Best Happy Hour Food
As the clock winds down to 5 p.m., our thoughts naturally drift toward libations and snacks. For many, the very best happy hour around is here, at Tremont’s chic-est little destination. For beer fans, the $3 pours are hard to beat, but this trendy bistro’s happy hour also coaxes unwinding with cocktails infused with ginger…
Brilliant Polymaths Battle it Out in the Heady, Amusing Isaac’s Eye at Convergence-Continuum
As far as most of us knew growing up, old-time scientists were really smart, selfless people who explained how things worked. So we studied and revered them. But in recent years, contemporary scientists have become the object of scorn in many right-wing circles, harangued as heathen purveyors of theories creationists consider blasphemous, such as “evolution”…
Best Taco Tuesday
Taco Tuesday isn’t just a “thing” in Cleveland; it’s a way of life. And if you haven’t hit Deagan’s on that holiest of guacamole days, you’re simply not living proper. No two soft shell fillings are the same at Deagan’s: one week it’s duck confit, the next it could be a corned beef. About the…
Best Middle Eastern
With airfare on the rise, and the stability of the Middle East ever in question, Taza offers those with a chronic case of wanderlust a safer, cheaper alternative to tour the region. Taza means “fresh,” and that is more than just lip service, proven through notable versions of shawarma, chicken shish tawook, vegetable couscous, nutty…
Best Part of the Metroparks
After emerging from another interminable North Shore winter, the only thing we want to do is get outside and play. We’re blessed locally with some of the finest big-city parkland in the country, so what are you waiting for? Up near Westlake and Lakewood, the Rocky River Reservation features winding hiking trails, golf courses and…
Best Salon
It’s tricky to find that perfect hair stylist: the one who understands your texture, color, and desire to do something different — but not too different. The fine folks at North Royalton’s Enzo Salon & Spa understand those needs. With a team of award-winning stylists and a wide array of services that range from Bio-Ionic…
Best Road Race
Every February, people from all over Northeast Ohio flock to Tremont, strip down to their underwear, and run a mile loop in the neighborhood. And then they drink. Not only is this “race” a blast to compete in (and watch), but it also raises money for a great cause. This year alone, the run raised…
Best Musician and Singer
Miss Alexandra Huntingdon began performing in opera and musical theater before settling on the stage name Miss Alexandra Huntingdon and hitting the Cleveland clubs. A self-described “rust-belt glamour queen,” Huntingdon describes her music as original songs with a retro-pop/cabaret sensibility. She’s recorded her new live album at Survival Kit Gallery in the 78th Street Studios;…
Best New Attraction
Slavic Village is finally starting to get its due. The housing crisis may have brought a plague to the beloved, historic neighborhood, but the folks who stuck around (and plenty of others not living in the neighborhood) have been quietly (and not so quietly) making great strides to return Slavic Village to its lost grandeur.…
Best Family Outing
It’s hardly a surprise that the roller coaster capital of the Midwest — nay, the country — crops up on our Best of Cleveland list year after year because, simply put, it’s the best. Beginning this summer, thrill-seekers can catch a ride on the new Rougarou, a floorless coaster that whips you through a series…
Best Instagram
The Forest City is fond of its chow. We eat well, and we’re pretty damn pleased that the rest of the nation is clued in to our fabulous dining scene, whether it’s fancy chefs like Sawyer and Katz or downhome comfort foods like pierogies and pasta. The couple behind the @CleFoodies — Tricia and Matt…
Best Jewelry Shop
Sisters Kelly Hirsch and Katie Kekelik departed their regular Average Jane jobs back in 2012 and started Wicked Sugar in Strongsville. Shoppers have found their way to the store thanks to the sisters’ passion and know-how, and they’ve been coming back for two years now. From the newest trends to classic looks, Wicked Sugar stocks…
Best New Retail Concept
The Ripcho family, of the Lorain Avenue photo studio, opened Needs Cleveland last October with the goal of helping Cleveland’s neediest families. Their strategy: Make everything free. At Needs Cleveland, which is open just four hours per week, the only rule is that folks limit themselves to five items per family member. Otherwise there are…
Best Steak
Going out for a great steak is one of life’s greatest joys. Or at least it should be. When the price of a meal matches your car payment, you want the entire experience from the seat to the meat to be faultless. Anything short of perfection feels like a Times Square pocket picking. At Red,…
Best Seafood / Best Romantic Restaurant
A breathtaking view that sets the tone for a truly special night is a concept realized in full by any diner who is lucky enough to experience Pier W. That sweeping nautical panorama serves as an appropriate backdrop for the restaurant’s other more celebrated feature: its seafood. Pier W has spent decades perfecting fresh catches,…
Best Tacos
You can’t help but feel important at Barrio. You pick up the clipboard and a pencil and suddenly you’ve got critical decisions to make! Okay, so they are just design-your-own-taco-type decisions, but still. Corn or flour? Beef or pork? Cheddar or Chihuahua? And is this finally the time you slather on the ghost pepper? So.…
Best Cheap Lunch
It’s true that Crust is all about the bang for your buck thanks to generous helpings of hearty Italian served at rock bottom prices. But that doesn’t stop this casual Tremont mainstay from serving up delicious hand-tossed specialty pizzas, inventive gnocchi dishes, plenty of fresh baked subs and salads, and a host of decadent desserts…
Best Use of a Wooden Barrel (Save for Conquering Niagara Falls)
For about three years now, Tom Herbruck has been filling wooden barrels with new-make whiskey at a rate of nearly one per day. The sour mash bourbon is made the old-fashioned way, with copper pot stills and open wood fermenters. Herbruck has slowly, methodically filled an entire rickhouse with these barrels and allowed them to…
Best Greek
We have a pretty loose definition of “Greek” in Cleveland, typically using the term to describe just about any place that deals in gyros. Greek Village Grille does gyros — and does them better than just about anybody — but there’s a whole delectable assortment of Mediterranean comfort food served at the Lakewood and Broadview…
Best Japanese
Although you generally know what to expect when you go to Wasabi Japanese Steakhouse, you’ll still be happy when you get it. Hibachi-style meat and seafood only seems to get better when there’s a goofy spatula-wielding chef serving it up. And don’t forget about that creamy, aptly named “yum-yum” sauce, which, like Midas, turns everything…
Best Beach
Ever since the Cleveland Metroparks took over this slice of Lake Erie shoreline, the place has really developed into majesty. It’s clean, it’s green and there are plenty of spots to lay out or run around. Along with some of the best vistas for you budding Instagrammers, Edgewater boasts the finest midday escapes from life…
Best Health Food Store
Not as fancy schmancy as places like Earth Fare and Whole Foods, Nature’s Bin offers plenty of healthy food options, including organic produce and natural frozen foods. The bakery offers up some tasty treats too, and the vegan carrot cake is really delicious. You can seemingly find every vitamin in the world here as well.…
Best Bike Route
Though much of the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath trail still needs to be completed in Cuyahoga County, it’s still one of the longest and most popular bikeways in the whole state of Ohio. Enjoy scenic views, clear signage, smooth asphalt and multiple points of interest along the ride. Great for family or for some…
Best DJ
A veteran of the local club scene, EV teamed up with locals Lorine Chia and Machine Gun Kelly on the catchy dancefloor-ready single “GoodTime.” With the song, EV successfully blurs the lines between hip-hop and EDM. The song’s premiere last year was a big enough deal that Rolling Stone magazine even covered it. You can…
Best Comic Artist
We love John G. — he’s helmed our annual Comics Issue for three years now, dropped a bunch of fun Scene covers on Cleveland, and does all those ads for Melt that leave you salivating — but not just because we work with him. We also love him because you love him, and because he…
Best Place to Take a Visitor
When a photographer from the food magazine Saveur came to town a few years back to shoot photos for an article on the best places to eat in Cleveland, he was so smitten by the West Side Market that he shot hundreds of photos at the century-old Ohio City landmark known for its assortment of…
Best Bartender
Mattimore, the former bar manager at the sorely missed Katz Club Diner Bar Car (which was destroyed by arson last year), is now overseeing healthy pours of cab and pinot at Gigi’s After Dark on Fairmount. The New York-style lounge has become a favorite for eastsiders, and Mattimore’s friendly face and prompt, personable service is…
Best Place to Buy a Piece of Cleveland
This local clothing company has been making its customers look good ever since it opened in 2008, “spreading Cleveland pride one T-shirt at a time.” Everything they make has something to do with Cleveland or Ohio, especially Cleveland sports, so show off your love for the CLE and pick something up. 342 Euclid Ave., 216-736-8879,…
Best Jazz Club
The Music Settlement recently took over booking gigs at this fine listening room, and the group has upped the ante. Constructed to feature extraordinary acoustics, this is a great place to hear jazz, even if other jazz venues in town have their selling points. Local and national jazz and classical acts regularly play the club…
Best Place to Watch the Indians
Now that the Columbus Road liftbridge is finally completed — it’s a beautiful green mean machine — you can’t do much better than Hoopple’s to watch the Tribe. It is close enough to hear the fireworks, but far enough to avoid the downtown traffic. Waiting at the bottom of the Columbus Road hill, between Ohio…
Best Early Morning Bar
It’s not on the trendy strips of Tremont, but instead is on the traditional South Side, where people actually still call it the South Side. Across from the Christmas Story House, you’ll find the Rowley, which has been closed just three hours a day for the past 60 years. Yes, it opens at 5:30 a.m.…
Best Place to Score a Mystery Beer Next to the River
Nestled on a bend of the Cuyahoga River, this might be the Metropark’s best-kept secret. The place is built on the old Lock 44 (“Sloop Lock”) that once was located beneath the Merwin Street Bridge between West and James streets. As a result, it offers great views of both the river and the city skyline,…
Best Quick Dinner
Prepare for heaping, generous portions of Tex-Mex-inspired grub at this welcoming neighborhood build-your-own-burrito shop. Proprietary housemade salsas spice up the fare while creamy horchata offers an authentic and refreshing way to cool down. The colorfully decorated quick-serve burrito bistro has the energy to match its bustling Ohio City surroundings, where it’s a fresh and easy…
Best Spanish Restaurant
It’s amazing, but after all these years, a person still can find a unique Spanish dish on the menu at Mallorca. Seafood is the restaurant’s forte, and the menu is nearly 30 entrees deep, but that doesn’t stop the tuxedoed waiters from reciting a laundry list of specials equal in length to the regular menu.…
Best Up and Coming Chef
Just a few short years ago, Bill Fitts changed careers, relocated to Northeast Ohio, and began working in restaurants. It wasn’t long before he landed a job at Cleveland’s top spot, Lola Bistro, where he toiled as a pantry cook. The young cook’s hard work and attention to detail soon earned him a promotion to…
Best Tremont Restaurant
Eternally unhip to the metric system, chef Rocco Whalen’s perennially hot Tremont restaurant just keeps turning up the heat on new American edibles. Fahrenheit is one of the reasons that this neighborhood has achieved such an elevated status among foodies near and far. A recent restaurant-wide makeover has given this Cleveland classic a fresh look…
Best Dog Park
It might not look like much as you fly by on Valley Parkway, but it’s exactly what our furry friends want and need: an area to run around and mingle with their pals. More than anything, Lakewood Dog Park has come to harbor a really great community of pups and their owners. It’s a staple…
Best Bicycle Shop
In recent years, Detroit Avenue in Lakewood has become a very welcoming thoroughfare for cyclists. The fine folks of Beat Cycles find themselves right in the middle of the action, which is great because they deal in top-tier equipment and service. Whether you’re just starting out or you biked here from Tuscaloosa, you’ll find what…
Best Playground
As the largest fully accessible playground in Northeast Ohio, this one’s not only fun for the kids, but feel-good for the grownups as well. Created out of a desire to help the 26,000 children in Cuyahoga county with physical disabilities, this Beachwood Park is the result of dedicated community members and fundraisers. And the amenities…
Best Band
Originally a duo, Seafair expanded to a four-piece when singer-keyboardist Chayla Hope and guitarist Joshua Riehl recruited drummer Ryan Kelly and cellist Tara Hanish, both of whom had played in the terrific local act Unsparing Sea, to join them. The group then became even bigger when it added guitarist Mike Flaherty and violinist Andre Belding…
Best Illustrator
And now it’s time to talk about John G.’s partner in crime in the Lake Erie Monster comic. That’s Jake Kelly, who displays an uncanny talent for just about whatever he wants to do, whether it’s writing an elegy for Steve’s Lunch or putting pen to paper and taking us into fictional worlds. Take your…
Best Neighborhood Advocate
Steve Presser, who opened the novelty toy store Big Fun in 1990, is a big booster for all things Cleveland. At Big Fun, you can find a wide range of vintage and new toys. But you’ll also see a selection of Cleveland-related T-shirts and postcards. Presser also helps organize the family friendly Coventry Village events…
Best School
CSU has grown so much in the past several years that a full neighborhood has materialized around it: the Campus District. With oodles and oodles of investment dollars pouring in, thanks to the savvy schmoozing of President Ronald Berkman — not to mention the economic boost the university gives the region, plus a hell of…
Best Furniture Maker
Locals seeking to add some rustic-chic flair to their homes must consider the work of Cleveland Institute of Art student and entrepreneur Joe Kastelic, whose one-of-a-kind, industrial-inspired tables and wares will certainly put your old IKEA nightstand to shame. Made mostly from salvaged or reclaimed materials (e.g., old barns, homes and warehouses), these are housewares…
Best Rock Club
Even though this 1,200-capacity club is part of a national chain, that’s no reason to steer clear — the place is a strong anchor for the Cleveland music scene and often hosts shows that independent promoters such as the Beachland Ballroom and the Grog Shop have booked. The intimate space has great sightlines — even…
Best French
Used to be that if somebody offered to take you out to a nice French meal, you’d feign the Plague just to avoid the whole dreary affair. Midas-touched mega-operator Zack Bruell single-handedly cured the Faux Plague when he unveiled L’Albatros, the antithesis to staid, hackneyed French eateries. His lively bistro doesn’t skimp on authenticity; it…
Best Coffee Shop
Coffee connoisseurs sing the praises of Rising Star baristas, who are as knowledgeable as their keenly sourced coffee is potent. An anchor of the freshly minted Hingetown zone, the renovated Ohio City firehouse was one of the first places on the scene to satisfy a caffeine jones. Each cup is meticulously brewed to order using…
Best Cocktail and Where to Get It
Porco Lounge & Tiki Room is less than two years old, but its dedication to professionally blended cocktails — even silly sounding ones — has helped its reputation grow at a brisk rate. The Mai Tai is the best of the bunch, a cold fusion of fresh fruit juices with coconut rum and a soupçon…
Best Late Night/ Best Fries
Bar Cento knows the building blocks of a great night out: craft beer, fine wine and delicious french fries. This Ohio City wine bar never shorts you on an order of garlic-coated, curry-scented pomme frites. They’re crisp, long as a cigar and pretty much the only rational choice for Best Fries. Until 2 a.m. every…
Best Seasonal Menu / Best Detroit-Shoreway Restaurant
Since Spice Kitchen was built on the practice of making the absolute most of local resources, it’s only natural that the menu thrives on the timeliest of options. Kale thrives in cold weather, so it appeared in recent winter specials like the Tea Hills chicken leg and the ricotta gnocchi. The ever-evolving “Seasonal & Sustainable”…
Best Bloody Mary
How serious is the Bloody Mary to Market? The place has an entire bar dedicated to the brunch bevvie. When it comes to varieties, there’s the Farmer’s Market Bloody Mary, a farm-fresh concoction garnished with carrot, celery stalk, olives and a grape tomato. If you want a drink that resembles the corner deli, go with…
Maddest Mad Scientist of Fine Food
As the house forager and larder master for Trentina in University Circle, Jeremy Umansky is tasked with gathering and concocting a large portion of the restaurant’s ingredients. In the short time he’s been involved with Jonathon Sawyer’s flagship restaurant, Umansky has unearthed for consumption more than 150 species of wild plants and 70 species of…
Best Billiards
A little more than a year ago, the fine folks at Iggy’s totally redid the place — new lights, new stage, new everything. It still retains its dive-y charm, but now the three pool tables in the one room fill out nicely as one of the best spots in the region to shoot a game…
Best Sweets Shop
If you’ve never had the pleasure of sinking your teeth into one (or two, or three!) dark chocolate and smoked sea-salt caramels, we suggest you hightail it over to Fear’s Confections immediately. These puppies, and all of owner-baker Cassandra Fear’s creations, are handmade in small batches with the freshest ingredients around. Those citrus-infused brownies you’ve…
Best Basketball Court
Summer is just around the corner, gentle readers. It’s time to lace up the sneaks and hit the courts. And Lakewood Park has just what the doctor ordered. They’re all business next to the tennis courts — nothing flashy, nothing deluxe — but you’re guaranteed a competitive pick-up game and some friendly adversaries. And you’re…
Best Author
Movie and music buffs are likely familiar with local author Matthew Chojnacki’s works — Alternative Movie Posters, a comprehensive look at the art of underground film posters, and Put the Needle on the Record, a comparative read of 250-plus vinyl singles covers of popular ’80s musicians, both of which have made regional and national headlines since their release. We…
Best Outdoor Arts Experience
The Cleveland Shakespeare Festival is an exciting event series in Cleveland, but it’s still somewhat under-the-radar, particularly among those who aren’t totally plugged into the region’s theater scene. Often enough, passersby out for a gentle walk — through, say, Lakewood Park — have stumbled upon a performance of, say, ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream.’ This year,…
Best Bed and Breakfast
Locals looking to escape the daily grind need look no further than Lake Breeze Inn, located just 30 minutes from downtown Cleveland on a scenic stretch of Lake Erie shorefront. Rooms here sport water views, outdoor balconies, and are surrounded by 10-plus acres of lush, artistically manicured gardens. Venture out to a nearby winery or…
Best Startup
Whether it’s Browns-themed bow ties for your groomsmen or polka-dot bow ties for your pug, local startup Epic Bow Ties has an option for your fashion-forward sartorial desires. The gang consistently has strived to make bow ties affordable, unique and “funky fresh.” You can buy awesome designs from their online store, or a designer will…
Best Boutique
The lovely ladies of Haven Style House, Anne Rutter and Cori Imbrigiotta, have stocked their Chagrin Falls women’s boutique with chic tops, flirty dresses, and sleek trousers to help fashion-forward Clevelanders fill their own closets with unique, budget-friendly finds. Drop in or book a private appointment, and the ladies will help you find a style…
Best Lounge
Located on the second floor of the 9, the ritzy downtown hotel that opened last year, the Ledger Bar offers a nice view of the hotel’s lobby area. Normally, that wouldn’t be terribly remarkable, but the 9 is the place where local celebrities come to hang out. In addition to offering the usual assortment of…
Best Bar for a Date
This Coventry spot is a perfect place for a date: It’s cozy, candlelit, and quiet enough to actually have a conversation, and because it’s in a basement with very poor cell service, it forces you to actually, you know, put your phone away and interact with the person you’re with. Order a drink at the…
Best Downtown Bar
The weekend club set has a new destination ever since the 9 opened right in the heart of downtown. The Vault, which actually includes an old bank vault, now claims the honor of the hottest Friday and Saturday nights in the Forest City, thanks to its swank VIP rooms, dapper staff and a steady rotation…
Best Lunchtime Beer in East Cleveland
Do you ever find yourself in East Cleveland for the day and in need of a simple beer? Most people do, in fact. And Columbo Room on Noble Road is the place to go to gratify such a desire. It’s a long-running institution in the inner-ring suburb, complete with laid-back vibe and the friendly sort…
Best Wings/ Best Restaurant Downtown
There are only so many ways to cook something. Or so we’re led to believe. But then you grudgingly order the chicken wings at a restaurant ostensibly too good to be selling chicken wings, and it hits you like a tire iron to the back of the head: These chicken wings taste nothing like all…
Best Italian
Despite assumptions to the contrary, quality Italian food can be found outside the confines of Murray Hill and Little Italy, and Bruno’s Ristorante proves that thanks to its intimate dining room, full service bar and heart-warming fare inspired by the traditions of Coreno, Italy. You haven’t fully lived until you tasted Chef Bruno’s sausage-stuffed peppers…
Best Place to Dine with Family
Chances are if you’ve ever been to Coventry Road in Cleveland Heights, you’ve made the pilgrimage to Tommy’s and enjoyed more than your fair share of Moose Tracks milkshakes. The cornerstone restaurant of this close-knit community, Tommy’s is as much a mainstay as Big Fun, Mac’s Bacs or the Grog Shop, and just as guaranteed…
Best German
You’d forgive a frat boy-approved beer hall like Hofbräuhaus for putting the suds way (way) ahead of the grub when it comes to bottom-line priorities. But that’s surprisingly not the case here, where the potato pancakes and wienerschnitzel are pan-fried to order, the weisswurst is poached not grilled, and the schweinshaxe bears its signature crackling…
Best Quiet Spot
Looking for a little solace? Aren’t we all? Lakewood Park — among the best green spaces in all of Northeast Ohio — has something for everybody. That includes you mindful silence-seekers. Find a quiet spot down on the promenade or crash out under a tree. This can be a bustling place; it can also be…
Best T-Shirt Maker
Probably known best for those T-shirts that feature a mashup of our sports logos (Brownie the Elf with Cavaliers’ sword and a headdress homage to the Tribe), GV Art and Design has become a titan on the local thread scene. With a bricks-and-mortar joint in Lakewood, there’s no excuse not to get out and meet…
Best Darts
You may have seen the Pride of Erin sign on Lorain Ave., out past W. 117th but before the real heart of West Park. Inside this cash-only dive, you’ll find green walls and Irish paraphernalia galore. Not to mention bar games. Several dart boards and frequent leagues make Pride of Erin an optimal spot for…
Best Movie Theater
Cleveland Cinemas’ eastside palace of indie and foreign fare is the perennial favorite for this award, and with good reason. Not only is it the birthplace of the Cleveland International Film Festival, and home to monthly midnight movie screenings of Rocky Horror and The Room, it’s also the only game in town for limited-release films…
Best Museum
The gigantic atrium is just the latest reason to stop by the CMA, which is now fully done with its expansion/renovation project. It’s free — that’s the best reason to go, which isn’t what you can say about the other top-notch museums of the world. Whether it’s designing apps to help guide you through exhibitions…
Best Free Outing
The Cleveland Museum of Art recently underwent some significant renovations that resulted in expanding its gallery space by a full third. The museum also added state-of-the-art technology, a new app, and now looks and feels both timeless and brand new. The historic Breuer building was redesigned to accommodate a variety of performances, ranging from film…
Best Booster
When the folks at Destination Cleveland recently held their annual meeting, a gala affair that’s something like a pep rally for the city complete with humongotron action at the Q, they enlisted chef and restaurateur Michael Symon to be the keynote speaker. It was the perfect choice, obviously: Symon champions the city with all the…
Best Flea Vendor
Cleveland native Caley Coleff first began collecting home goods from flea markets years ago with her Grandpa Heck, and last year decided to turn that childhood passion into a business venture, opening her own vintage and custom home décor operation, Heck’s Revival. While Coleff works primarily out of a brick-and-mortar store on Detroit Avenue, she’s…
Best Blues Club
The art of hanging out at a blues club is a fine one indeed and one practiced most effectively at Brothers Lounge on Cleveland’s westside. Brothers features music all week long, though the club’s Wednesday night gigs (Brent Kirby’s 10×3 event) and Thursday night gigs (the Bad Boys of Blues’ jam night) are not to…
Best New Restaurant
With the splashy opening of this East Fourth Street newcomer, Cleveland finally landed a “Great American Beer Hall.” While loud as a freight train some nights, the energy is through the roof, with communal tables packed to the gills and diners loading up on meat-filled platters of rib-sticking, butcher-crafted bistro fare. At the far end…
Best Juice Bar
It’s no surprise that a small shop helmed by two unconventional Cleveland artists and musicians would put a creative spin on the raw, cold-pressed juice takeaway concept. The newly conceived, vegan-owned and operated joint bottles up playfully healthy refreshers like the mango and pepper concoction Cayenne West. Dessert gets a playful spin, too, like the…
Best Latin Restaurant
With cuisine from Cuba, Central and South America, and the Latin Caribbean, Paladar’s menu has a little bit of flavor for everybody. Depending on the dish, the tasteful preparation might be glazed, grilled, pulled, jerked, smoked or slow roasted. Sidestepping the guacamole menu is about the only misstep a diner can make at this lively,…
Best African
For true culinary adventurers, few restaurants can top this exotic Empress. Dining here is a utensil-free experience, where diners scoop up spicy stews and grains with injera, Ethiopian flatbread, while sipping Tej, native honey wine. Traditional huts and messobs, low-slung tables, set the ambiance for an authentic taste of a faraway land. 6125 St. Clair…
Best Buffet
In the immortal words of Parks and Rec’s Ron Swanson, choose buffets whenever available because quantity always trumps quality. Thankfully for Clevelanders, the buffet spread at Horseshoe Casino offers both attributes in spades, with seven rotations of daily stations calibrated for maximum consumptive satisfaction. So go ahead, order all the bacon and eggs they have.…
Best Ice Cream
Granted, there aren’t many good reasons to venture out during the full force of a Cleveland winter, and ice cream probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. Even still, Mitchell’s Homemade Ice Cream gives plenty of reasons to brave the cold with flavors like rich toasted hazelnut and berry-tastic wild berry crumble. The…
Best Asian/ Best Place to Dine Alone
Those in the know already can be found spending much of the winter hovering over a warm bowl of pho at this understated Vietnamese fixture. Inconspicuously stowed away in a small shopping plaza, Superior is low key enough to make an incognito escape for a piping hot serving of their perfectly flavored beef-and-noodle soup. Never…
Best High School Athlete
The 6-foot-8 senior power forward for Villa Angela-St. Joseph is not only one of the best high-school athletes in Cleveland, he’s one of the best in the country. He’s a McDonald’s All-American, and a top-20 ranked player by all the big recruiting services, who spurned scholarship offers from powerhouse programs Kentucky and Arizona to sign…
Best Sporting Goods Store
Not only is Geiger’s just a beautiful-looking store, it’s an institution in downtown Lakewood. It’s not that it’s massive or anything, but you certainly could get lost in here just browsing all the cool stuff. Trying to get into hiking or something this summer? Geiger’s should be the first spot on your list. 14710 Detroit…
Best Wine Store
“The character of a finely crafted wine seeps from the earth itself,” the Wine Spot owners tell their patrons. And we say that the character of the region’s best wine store seeps from the community itself. Or something like that. Either way, the Wine Spot has everything you need out of a nice bottle. You’ll…
Best Skate Park
Lakewood Skate Park has the honorary distinction of being the area’s first skate park, and according to you, it’s still the best. It might have taken years of wrangling, fundraising, and fighting with city council to get it approved, but since construction finished, it bore out none of the worries of unruly teenagers and problems…
Best Festival
It’s cold as hell, there’s good food, better beer, and some of the best bands braving the frigid weather to put on an amazing show. Brite Winter is what Cleveland is all about. It’s an odd concept — an outdoor music festival in the dead of Cleveland’s winter — but people keep flocking to the…
Best Jukebox
If it weren’t for the Jukebox’s awesome jukebox, we’d be forced to acknowledge that the Jukebox maybe won the award for “Best Jukebox” because it was called “The Jukebox.” But not so! This fledgling bar in Hingetown has found a small, devoted fan base among people who love good company, solid beer, friendly owners and…
Best Twitter to Follow
Lakewood commands hefty attention amongst Northeast Ohio and the inner-ring suburbs of Cleveland. Thankfully, we’ve got ace citizen-journalist @lkwdcitizen bringing us everything we need to know — plus all the local silliness we just want to know — on Twitter each and every day. He tends to branch out to Cleveland and elsewhere, so don’t…
Best Charity
It’s been 11 years since animal trainer Wendy Nelson and former special education teacher Ed Crann teamed up to form W.A.G.S. 4 Kids. The awesome organization (full name: Working Animals Giving Service for Kids) trains and places service dogs with disabled children, providing them with the support and loyal canine companionship that can have such…
Best New Store
Xhibition, Ohio City’s newest retail storefront, caters to no-nonsense gents shopping for designer shoes, apparel and accessories without the fuss of, well, shopping. Since opening its doors in late October, this men’s boutique has boasted brands such as Phillip Lim, Alexander Wang, Diamond Supply Co. and more, all laid out and presented to customers in…
Best New Dive Bar
Music comes first, and that’s one of the great life rules. Thing is, most bars don’t buy into that. Thankfully, newcomer Jukebox does. The Hingetown tavern is the perfect place to knock back a few while reveling in the city’s rock ‘n’ roll traditions. This place is a throwback to everything we love about bars…
Best Karaoke Bar
There’s something quintessentially Cleveland about a lo-fi bar on the hemline of the Shoreway, a place where anyone can stroll in and belt out Journey covers. We’ve got Tina’s to fill that niche and, boy, are we happy about that. Tina’s is an experience. Go forth. Order a Stroh’s or something like that. And sing,…
Best Place to Play Board Games
But everyone loves a good board game, and their resurgence (there’s more than a handful of board game bars popping up dedicated to booze and games) has been a welcome arrival. The Side Quest has a wall stocked with hundreds of games, and more importantly, you won’t find a more friendly bar in Cleveland. Whatever…
Best Reason to Drive to Middleburg Heights to Drink
We can’t think of too many reasons why we’d want to venture into Middleburg Heights on any given night, but we really only need one: the Fat Heads Brewery and Tap House. Tucked into what seems outwardly like a forsaken patch of industrial warehouses, the Tap House is a wondrous thing. Featuring all the best…
Best Vegan Dessert
When it comes to satisfying vegan sweets cravings, this eastside bake shop has long been a pioneer in the field. Adoring customers return to the drool-worthy display cases time and time again for pillowy cupcakes decorated with rich, even-better-than-the-real-thing frosting. The special occasion cakes, serving as the centerpiece to many a wedding, have been proving…
Best Place to Dine With a Date
Setting the mood is as important as setting the table, and at this posh hotspot, they’ve got it all down pat. Lago’s swanky riverside home in the Aloft hotel is enough to inject a little mystery and intrigue into a night on the town, but the Italian-inspired menu offers plenty more tasteful reasons to grab…
Best Western Suburb Restaurant
We are thrilled that the Rail continues its northward expansion because the closer those burgers get to Cleveland, the better. Don’t let the mall locations fool you: The Rail serves up some serious chow. Its namesake burger is a half-pound of grain-fed goodness, grilled over an open flame, something none of those other trendy chains…
Best Fast Food
The local founders of Choolaah had an audacious goal: to transform the Indian food experience. While every other ethnic food startup hopes to develop another successful Chipotle knock-off, these folks stuck to traditional recipes and cooking techniques, like the beefy tandoor ovens in plain view. The resulting Indian food isn’t dumbed down, but simply sped…
Best College Athlete
A product of the powerhouse Glenville High School football team, Cardale Jones began the season as Ohio State’s third-string quarterback only to be thrust in the spotlight when the games meant the most. The 6-foot-5 quarterback with a rocket of an arm started the Big 10 championship game against Wisconsin and dominated. He started the…
Best Bowling Alley
Mahall’s is so much more than a bowling alley, but it does have some damn good bowling. The pinnacle of westside hang spots, Mahall’s is where you go when you need to blow off some steam and when only a kale margarita betwixt frames will do. The crowd here is top-notch, and the bartenders will…
Best Cake Maker
At this Rocky River bakery, a cake is not just something to scarf down: It’s a work of art, and the bakers here have been producing masterpieces since 1994. With a staff of 10 — some with degrees like “bachelor’s in baking and pastry arts management” and others students of art — Wild Flour Bakery…
Best Golf Course
Big Met may not be the crown jewel of the Metroparks’ golf courses, but it’s certainly the course most people have played and enjoyed. With a few really long holes, a few killer curves, and a few babies, it’s terrific for an autumn afternoon with a foursome, or even a company retreat. Down in the…
Best Local Blog
As a stay-at-home mom of three boys, Elyria’s Rachel Krych knows how to find the best deals and stretch a dollar when buying things for the house. She’s essentially a frugality guru, posting the best deals she can find on her blog, and showing you how to become a couponer like those all-star couponers you…
Best Monthly Dance Party
For three years now, Secret SOUL Club — DJs Antoine Henderson, Tom Dechristofaro and David Petrovich — have thrown wild monthly parties that show off their good taste in music. The guys hunt down records that “really sizzle” and “make the dancefloor go bananas,” and they feature “original vinyl pressings” of both new and old…
Best TV News Anchor
We’d like to think that you get all your local news from Scene, but we know better than that. Russ Mitchell, WKYC’s lead anchor for its evening news slots, delivers the goods and lends his audience some much-needed know-how for life in Cleveland. His career has taken him all over the world — e.g. the…
Best Bird’s Eye View of Cleveland
We love posting photos of the Cleveland skyline: Just take a look at our Instagram account. But Northeast Ohio-based Aerial Agents takes that passion to a whole new level — literally. The region’s premier aerial photography company, Aerial Agents specializes in piloting state-of-the-art unmanned drones equipped with cameras to capture bird’s eye perspectives of local…
Best Spa
Pamper yourself pink at Rocky River’s Sacred Hour Spa & Luxury Retreats with any number of soothing services — from deep tissue massages and rebalancing facials to foot scrubs and more. Courteous technicians strive to make their clients feel comfortable and relaxed, while that complimentary glass of Champagne that comes with some of the spa…
Best Hip Hop Club
Cleveland boasts a dynamic hip-hop scene, one that thrives in many parts of the city. Readers have let us know that they think Rumor is the best spot in town to check out the best hip-hop. Open from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. on weekends, the club often enough caters to those who revel in…
Best Mexican
Mexican food is fun food. It’s the kind of festive meal where diners dip and dunk and share and pass. Too bad most of it isn’t very good, leaving diners to focus more on the margaritas than the masa and mole. Momocho breaks the mold, melding good times with great grub. Chef Eric Williams turns…
Best Tea
Active lifestyles deserve a drink power-packed with health benefits. Inspired by an ancient tea imbibed while hiking the Inca Trail, founder Ryan Florio tracked down the antioxidant rich secret ingredient: purple corn. The success of his first blend, Peruvian Berry, led Florio to open a small, wood-paneled Inca Tea cafe at Cleveland Hopkins Airport and…
Best Desserts
Amour is in the air at this quaint Parisian-themed sweets emporium. What possibly could be more romantic than capping off your evening with a plate of fine cheese, poofy French macarons, and glasses of sparkling Champagne in the snug, charming surroundings? A few nibbles of decadently layered Opera cake or silky smooth goat cheese cheesecake…
Best Polish Restaurant
One can’t be blamed for thinking they’ve been worm-holed back to their old high-school cafeteria after grabbing a tray and shuffling down the line at Sokolowski’s. But then you realize that these “lunch ladies” are serving up the best Polish comfort food around. No, this is nothing like high school — unless your school loaded…
Best BBQ
With a name like Proper Pig Smokehouse, you better have some proper barbecue. This food truck does indeed smoke up some proper ‘cue, with tender pulled pork, zesty sausage and ridiculously tender baby back ribs. The fact that this barbecue pit happens to be on wheels and is slow-smoking its way around C-Town is all…
Best Lakewood Restaurant
Chivvy along! If you haven’t made it over to Lakewood to sample Jammy Buggars wares, you’re missing out on some of Cleveland’s heartiest food and best burgers. Taking its name from British slang for a lucky chap, the place is sure to make you feel fortunate to be there. Serving an oft-neglected segment of the…
Most Civilized Happy Hour
In Italy, the Aperitivo Hour is that dreamy time between work and dinner when well-dressed swells sip and snack until it’s time to go out to eat for reals. It’s nothing like our happy hour, where stiff drinks are heavily discounted and decent food is nowhere to be found. Will Hollingsworth loved the idea, so…
Best Athlete
Two numbers for ya: 55, 57. Kyrie Irving is the only player in the NBA to have two games in which he scored 50 points or more. He is a field mouse. He is a dolphin. He is a wildebeest out there. Though he’s been overshadowed by the dominant play of LeBron James for much…
Best Place to Ski
Just because Cleveland’s winters are rough doesn’t mean you have lock yourself inside for four months. You can actually take advantage of it, by driving 20 miles south of the city and hitting the slopes at Boston Mills or its nearby sister site Brandywine. With seven trails and eight lifts, there are places to ski…
Best Cigar Shop
Whether you’re a novice puffer or a hard-core connoisseur, this Ohio City cigar shop has everything you need to make lighting up a pleasant experience. That includes an extensive selection of the best cigars around, with knowledgeable and friendly guys behind the counter who’ll help you find just the right one for your own personal…
Best Extreme Sports Business or Location
Take a short hour-trip south and you’ll find yourself in an outdoor mecca. The Mohican State Park and Loudonville offer canoeing, kayaking, zip-lining, camping and the serene scenic outdoors in full beauty. (It includes the longest zip-line course in the state, where one line takes riders up to 70 mph across a valley.) All of…
Best Director
It would seem impossible to take a lumbering theatrical war wagon like Les Miserables and turn it into a touching, intimate musical with loads of nuance. But that’s exactly what Victoria Bussert did as the director of Les Miz at Great Lakes Theater last fall. In that downsized version, many scenes played with an unforeseen…
Best Local Act That Doesn’t Have A Record Out Yet
Earlier this year, singer-guitarist Brandon Zano, a veteran of the local music scene, launched a crowd-funding campaign to fund recording for his solo debut, which he’s working on with veteran local producer Ben Schigel, a guy who’s produced a number of big-name rock acts and currently plays in the up-and-coming alt-rock act SomeKindaWonderful. He’s posted…
Best Neighborhood
The epicenter of Cleveland’s dining, drinking and shopping scenes is housed these days in Ohio City, just west of downtown Cleveland, where one can find outlets for practically every whim. Craving bacon-cheddar popcorn? Head to Campbell’s. Need to get your Zen on? Try a class at Vision Yoga. Angling for a drink? Well, you’ve certainly…
Best Renovation
League Park, the site of the 1920 Cleveland Indians’ World Series victory and, nine years later, Babe Ruth’s 500th home run, re-opened this summer, some 50-plus years after it first shuttered, as a rehabilitated testament to local baseball culture. Today fans from around the world can visit the original stadium, walk up to an original…
Best Pet Shop
You don’t just stuff your gullet with Burger King when you’re hungry, right? (Lord, we hope not.) So why would you feed your pets low-rent grub? The Natural Pet Enrichment Center, a south-suburb favorite for everyone in the Northeast Ohio region, offers high-quality nutritious eats (plus toys to get your animal moving and supplements to…
Best Neighborhood Bar
A neighborhood bar must satisfy the needs and desires of its neighborhood, no? Well, Lakewood Village Tavern, an unassuming outpost just a stone’s throw from Lakewood’s Madison Park, holds down the city’s southside court very well. “A shot and a beer, please,” you’ll say as you sidle up to the bar. And, simple as that,…
Best New Bar
The Spotted Owl is in a lower-level space inside the former Union Gospel Press building (now the Tremont Place Lofts), and anybody who hasn’t been there needs to stop by ASAP. Although it just opened last fall, the sophisticated interior dates back to the 1850s, and the dark ambiance, weathered bar and large wooden tables…
Best Tremont Bar
There’s really nothing fancy about the Treehouse, save, of course, the fake tree that sprouts from the middle of the bar and extends its branches outward. Otherwise, you’ll find a nicely stocked batch of taps, a healthy dose of (not always healthy) bar food, and one of the most glorious patios in Cleveland. Really, the…
Best Patio
There’s something about the Georgetown patio that makes one want to take a deep breath and savor the good life. The perfect rows of outdoor tables are shielded from the sun by umbrellas and surrounded by lush greenery and twinkling lights. It’s the ideal setting for a romantic dinner with a loved one or an…
Best Breakfast
Ever see something on your Instagram feed so drool-worthy that it stops your finger mid-flick? Assuming you follow a lot of food-obsessed Clevelanders, that thing probably is a tall stack of pancakes from Jack Flaps Yep, blame those fluffy, fruity flapjacks for your envious Sunday-morning stomach rumble. Do yourself a favor and right that wrong…
Best Brewery
If the beers at Platform seem extra savory, that’s because the powers that be at this Ohio City brewery don’t try to keep pace with the top kitchens around town. Instead, they partner up with local chefs who focus on the grub to ensure that beer is Platform’s No. 1 priority. Try a Platform Goon,…
Best Brunch
Weekend brunch is the ultimate relaxation, and no one knows how to take a load off quite like the coastal Europeans of Spain, Italy, Greece and France. Adega’s modern Mediterranean cuisine taps into that leisurely vibe with dishes like smothered s’mores waffles and signature omelets to keep you from thinking about Monday in any way,…
Best Finger Food
Just $2 buys a guy a taco so good that he’s reaching deep into his pocket for another $2. This makeshift taqueria in the back of a Mexican grocery is further proof that some of the best foods around can’t be found in a restaurant. We’re partial to the slow-simmered beef tongue (lengua), but we…
Best Athlete Instagram
Jason Kipnis loves his teammates and loves sports and general. He’s also a regular patron of Cleveland establishments — brand ambassador! — and one hell of a handsome fella. What more could we ask from a second baseman on the internet? In the word of at least 200,000 others before us (but especially apt for…
Review: ‘Swing’s the Thing!’ at the Ohio Theatre
Bill Rudman loves the American musical with a reckless passion that might be deemed felonious if it were applied to any other object of affection. And he shares that passion on a regular basis through the concerts produced by his organization, The Musical Theater Project. This is where a review might usually say the TMPT…
