Despite the pandemic, new restaurants are still opening around town. So get out of the house, be safe and enjoy some awesome new spots that have opened up recently. From Brazilian and pizza to biscuits and Nepalese dumplings, there are really some great new options.

Roaming Biscuit 3615 Superior Ave, Cleveland Since launching her popular breakfast biscuit business in 2019, owner Shawnda Moye says that she literally has been on the move. Not only has she operated solely as a pop-up venture, setting up shop at various farmers markets and cafes around town, but her bake shop has been itinerant as well. As opposed to working out of a dedicated kitchen, Moye had been utilizing restaurant kitchens during off hours. In June, Moye put down roots at the Tyler Village complex in the former home of Byte Café. The Bake Shop and Café will serve as a home base for the Roaming Biscuit, while offering weekday service during which it will sell prepared foods like biscuits, pastries, breakfast and lunch sandwiches and pimento cheese. The Roaming Biscuit will still pop up on weekends around town. Photo via Scene Archives
El Arepazo 14725 Detroit Ave., Lakewood El Arepazo Latino, the new Lakewood venture from the owner of El Arepazo y Pupuseria in Fairview Park, is now open in the former Burgers 2 Beer space at the corner of Warren and Detroit. The new restaurant has an extensive menu of Latin American cuisine including tostadas, torta, tacos, burritos, enchiladas, arepas and much more. Photo via Arepazo Latino and Bar/Facebook
Heart of Gold 4133 Lorain Ave., Cleveland In June, Heart of Gold came to life in the former Plum space in Ohio City. After being closed for the better part of 2020, the Plum in Ohio City was laid to rest earlier this year, making way for a more casual neighborhood bar and kitchen. Oryszak says that his primary objective was to open a completely new restaurant that looked and operated differently from the Plum, but that still produced “thoughtfully composed inventive food and drinks.” Photo via Jonah Oryszak
Batuqui 17 East Orange St., Chagrin Falls Following more than a year of construction, Carla Batista and Gustavo Nogueira are ready to unveil the second location of their popular Brazilian eatery. Like the original, which opened on Larchmere in 2015, “Batuqui on the Falls” has repurposed an elegant residential building — in this case, a stately brick Victorian a short stroll from Main Street. Batuqui Chagrin features the same popular dinner menu starring authentic Brazilian dishes like Feijoada and Moqueca Baiana and an ongoing selection of specials and cocktails created by the owners specifically for this location. Photo via Pure Illuminations
Cloak and Dagger 2399 West 11th St., Cleveland The greatest sleight of hand that Cloak & Dagger manages to pull off is making guests forget about all the restaurants that previously called this address home. If you want to call attention to your business, it helps to start by differentiating it from the masses. In a monochromatic landscape of sterile, white-tiled rooms, Cloak & Dagger offers the cozy appeal of a warmly lit study, where leatherbound books, antiquities and furniture combine to create a sense of ease but also expectation. The literary device carries over from the décor to the drinks. Like many contemporary cocktail bars, Cloak & Dagger employs a thematic drinks menu, a physical book that is a delight both to hold and behold. These meticulously illustrated pamphlets present a seasonal selection of original cocktails bound together by an overarching motif. Another sleight of hand that Cloak & Dagger manages to pull off – at least for a few acts – is making diners forget that they’re eating vegan. Guests can giddily sip and snack away for hours before realizing that zero animal products have made an appearance. Photo by Josh Dobay Productions
Lekko Coffee 2529 Detroit Ave., Cleveland Last year, the co-working space the Beauty Shoppe and its accompanying café Foyer, both located at the Seymour Building in Ohio City, closed. And while the co-working side of the space will not be returning, the café has a new operator. The new third-wave coffee shop will serve standard coffee drinks like drip and pour-over coffee, espresso, cortado, latte, cappuccino, cold-brew and iced coffee. Those will be joined by seasonal specialty drinks like pumpkin-spiced coffee flavored with house-made syrups. Food partners will supply the shop with quick breakfast items, protein muffins and pastries. The owners hope to add lunch items down the road. Photo by Lindsey Poyar
Floressa Cafe 3328 West 33rd St., Cleveland Floressa, which launched in 2015, is well known for its high-quality vegan, gluten-free and classic desserts, which are sold regionally at coffee shops like Rising Star, restaurants like Ken Stewart’s and grocery stores such as Whole Foods and Nature’s Oasis. When their cafe opens to the public, it will offer coffee and popular grab-and-go items like cookies, brownies, banana bread, pumpkin bread, chocolate chip cookies, cinnamon rolls and lemon bars. While many of those confections indeed are vegan and gluten-free, there are “classic” desserts featuring flour, eggs and dairy. Down the road, the plan is to add savory breakfast and lunch items like soups, salads and sandwiches. Floressa will be a counter-service operation with seating. Look for Floressa to open sometime in October. Photo by Douglas Trattner
ETalian 13 Bell St., Chagrin Falls The transformation from blacksmith’s shop to spa to farmhouse-chic pizzeria is complete. Months of construction have netted an open, airy and attractive space with exposed brick walls, cathedral ceiling, original beams and new windows that look out onto the upper Chagrin Falls. Filling the kitchen in a 6,000-pound imported Italian wood-burning oven that bakes pizzas in around a minute and a half. Pizzas can be ordered unsliced, sliced or folded “wallet-style” for mobile enjoyment from a paper pouch. Photo by Douglas Trattner
Ohio Pie Co. 1315 ½ Pearl Rd., Brunswick In a very crowded market, Ohio Pie Co. has made its presence known since opening two years ago. Pizza lovers routinely make pilgrimages to a colorful storefront in Brunswick to claim one, two, or more thick, square-cut pies. In fact, it’s not uncommon for the shop to run out of dough long before it runs out of daylight. Still, many in Northeast Ohio have yet to try it because 30 minutes is a long way to travel for pizza, regardless how delicious it might be. For those people, Ohio Pie Co. just teased out a bit of good news. A social media post hinted at a new location – its second – in what looks to be the former Pizza Hut in Rocky River, located in the plaza with Whole Foods Market. Photo via Scene Archives Credit: Scene Archives
The Haunted House Restaurant 13463 Cedar Rd., Cleveland Heights Melt closed its Cleveland Heights location last year after a decade in business. The Haunted House Restaurant took its place, where the only thing that’s scary is “how good the food is,” the one-of-a-kind space presently taking shape pays homage to the pantheon of great horror flicks. Original artwork celebrates iconic characters like Pennywise, Slimer and Frankenstein’s monster. And staffers will dress in theater usher uniforms. The food is described as “urban eclectic American dishes,” with a focus on comfort foods with a twist. Photo by Douglas Trattner
Cilantro Taqueria 24950 Lorain Rd., North Olmsted It has been only two and a half years since Cilantro Taqueria arrived on the scene, taking over a former Chipotle location on Coventry and making a splash with its fresh Cal-Mex offerings. Back then, owners Raul Carrillo and Alex Galindo told Scene that they had big plans, with hopes of expanding not just around Northeast Ohio, but even out of state. True to their word, the owners have gone on to open stores in Shaker Heights (20090 Van Aken Blvd., 216-465-2002) and Lakewood and now North Olmsted. As at other locations, this new spot will offer excellent tacos, tortas, burritos and bowls, but also appetizers like chips and salsa and queso fundido. Photo via Scene Archives
Acqua Di Luca 500 West St. Clair Ave., Cleveland For those looking for a restaurant to celebrate life’s big moments, thankfully, there’s Acqua di Luca, the latest restaurant from the husband-and-wife team behind Luca Italian Cuisine and Luca West. This shimmering downtown establishment, which for more than 15 years was home to XO Steaks, has more buzz than an angry beehive. In true “special-occasion restaurant” form, the menu is unabashedly extravagant. The walk-in coolers are filled to the brim with shellfish, fin fish, veal, filet mignon, Kobe beef and menacing tomahawk chops. Those luxe foodstuffs are gilded with saffron, brown butter, Nebbiolo wine reductions and freshly shaved truffles. Many consider this part of town hallowed ground with respect to Cleveland’s dining renaissance. Now, 30 years later, Lola and Luca Sema are picking up the mantle by bucking trends, taking risks and doing their best to keep diners excited and well fed despite very difficult circumstances. Photo by Douglas Trattner
Le Stand 3441 Tuttle Rd., Shaker Heights In May, Doug Katz recently announced that he will close Chutney B, the fast-casual Indian/Thai rice bowl concept inside the Market Hall at Van Aken District. Chef Anthony Zappola, who also runs the popular Lox, Stock and Brisket in the Market Hall, took over the stall. He got the keys on July 1 and shortly after, he opened his new concept called Le Stand, a French-inspired salad, wrap and parfait shop. Zappola says his intent was to fill a gap in the current food offerings. Zappola is also reviving Rice Shop at Van Aken in the foreseeable future. Photo via Scene Archives
The Blessed Cafe 401 Euclid Ave., Cleveland This past February, The Blessed Cafe joined the food offerings in Cleveland’s Old Arcade. Opened by chef Denise Santiago, who moved to Cleveland from Puerto Rico 10 years ago, the casual restaurant specializes in Latin foods. Diners can expect a rotating selection of hearty, homestyle foods like roasted chicken, beef stew, fried pork chops and stuffed pork loin. Typically two or three meat dishes are on offer each day, paired with sides like white rice and beans, yellow rice with pigeon peas, potato salad and fried plantains. Photo via Scene Archives
Cent’s Pizza and Goods 5010 Lorain Ave., Cleveland It’s been two and a half years since Vincent Morelli announced his plans for Cent’s Pizza + Goods, which originally was supposed to open on the Ohio City/Detroit Shoreway border in 2019. Formerly home to PM Security, the squat brick building has been transformed into a retro-cool slice of nostalgia that blurs the lines between antiquated and avant-garde. In line with the easygoing, communal atmosphere, the menu kicks off with a roster of shareable snacks selected to pair with the house wood-fired bread. For the main event, there are a dozen premade pies from which to choose, dressed with many of the same high-quality products that line the shelves. Diners also can build their own 12-inch, six-slice pies. Photo by Douglas Trattner
The Tavern of Mayfield 6088 Mayfield Rd., Mayfield Heights DiCillo Tavern wasn’t just the oldest restaurant in Mayfield Heights; it was the oldest business in Mayfield Heights. Now called Tavern of Mayfield, the old-school saloon also still has the handsome wood bar made by Brunswick and installed in 1938. Equally attractive is the art deco back bar. The rest of the two-room tavern has been refreshed, as has the exterior. Also refreshed is the food and beverage program. Chef-partner Zech Taylor, formerly with Red, Wine and Brew in Mentor and Beechmont Country Club has greatly expanded the offerings. It’s still tavern fare, but elevated with fresh ingredients and solid technique. Photo by Douglas Trattner
Antica Italian Kitchen 35568 Detroit Rd., Avon Cafe Piccolo, a popular Italian restaurant in Avon, closed its doors after three years at the start of the pandemic. In January, Heck’s owner Fadi Daoud signed the lease and spent the next six months updating the space. Now, sitting alongside the likes of Heck’s, Mitchell’s Ice Cream, Kelsey Elizabeth Cakes and Melt is Antica. Daoud recruited chef Josh Septoski from Chicago, where he worked as an Italian cooking instructor at Eataly. The menu is described as “classic Italian with a modern take.” Photo via Scene Archives
Cafe Everest 14304 Puritas Ave., Cleveland Cleveland just secured another place to enjoy momos, those heavenly filled and steamed dumplings that hail from Nepal. Café Everest, a Nepalese and Indian restaurant, opened in the Bellaire-Puritas neighborhood of Cleveland on August 11. Other specialties of the house include Nepalese-style chicken and noodle soup, pan-fried chow mein noodles and sekuwa, grilled skewers of marinated chicken or goat. A great way to sample a number of dishes is to order the thali, a wide platter containing a variety of small dishes. Photo via Cafe Everest Credit: Doug Trattner

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