Ranging from music venues with delicious brunch to French pastry shops with picturesque desserts, these 19 Cleveland area eateries run through the gamut of food styles. Yet they all have one thing in common — they’re owned solely by women. And any examination of Cleveland’s restaurant scene, an industry often dominated by male chefs and owners, isn’t complete without recognizing these female-owned spots. Feel free to check these places out now.
Update: We’ve added in even more female-run eateries. If there are any that we missed, please let us know.
Ranging from music venues with delicious brunch to French pastry shops with picturesque desserts, these 30 Cleveland area eateries run through the gamut of food styles. Yet they all have one thing in common — they’re owned by women. And any examination of Cleveland’s restaurant scene, an industry often dominated by male chefs and owners, isn’t complete without recognizing these female-owned spots.
Update: We’ve added in even more female-run eateries to this list. If there are any that we missed, please let us know.
Corner 11
2391 W. 11th St., Cleveland
The first poke bowl spot made its way to town this past February with the opening of Corner 11. Customizing your own bowl has never been more fun than at this Tremont spot, where you choose what type of raw, sushi-grade fish you want in addition to seaweed salads, sauces, veggies and much more.
Photo via Corner 11/FacebookToast
1365 W. 65th., Cleveland
Gordon Square’s Toast is one of the most fun and unique dining experiences in town.
Photo via @Toast_Cle/InstagramAnna In The Raw
1300 East Ninth St., Cleveland
Anna Harouvis’ cafe that she owns in the lobby of the IMG Building is actually called Good To Go Cafe, but everyone knows Anna better from her line of juices called Anna In The Raw.
Photo via @AnnaInTheRaw/InstagramBeachland Ballroom and Tavern
15711 Waterloo Rd., Cleveland
While the first thing that comes to mind when Cindy Barber’s Beachland Ballroom is mentioned is music, don’t leave out the tavern part.
Photo via Scene ArchivesA Cookie And A Cupcake
1836 West 25th St., Cleveland
With shops on the east (South Euclid) and west (Tremont) sides of town, there’s no excuse to not try the sweets, which won Scene’s Best Of award in 2009. They also have homemade ice cream.
Photo via @ACookieAndACupcake/InstagramInn on Coventry
2785 Euclid Heights Blvd., Cleveland Heights
Debra Duirk and Mary Haley opened this delicious diner all the way back in 1981, and since then, it’s been THE breakfast spot for Cleveland Heights residents. They sold it to Erica Lazar and her husband Eddie in 2019 but the Inn remains as awesome.
Photo via Inn On Coventry/FacebookKelsey Elizabeth Cakes
Multiple Locations
Kelsey Elizabeth’s cakes have been featured on the Katie Couric Show and in Reader’s Digest. We’re also big fans of their signature party cakes, featuring fun and scrumptious designs like their Cinnamon Roll and S’Mores cakes.
Photo via @KelseyElizabethCakes/InstagramSaucisson
5324 Fleet Ave., Cleveland
Melissa Khoury, aka the “Queen of Pork,” and Penny Barend, aka “Local Meat Maven,” opened the Slavic Village butcher shop in 2015, after doing many a flea and farmer’s markets around town. Slavic Village used to be home to butcher shops galore, and Saucisson brought some of that old world back to the neighborhood.
Photo via @IHeartsWine/InstagramGrumpy’s Cafe
2621 W. 14th St., Cleveland
Grumpy’s Cafe has been a Tremont staple since 1976. Current owner and longtime employee Kathy Owad took over ownership in 2004 and after a fire, turned the new space into a laid-back, comfortable eatery that embraced the local art scene.
Photo via @Grumpys.Cafe/InstagramSalt
17625 Detroit Ave., Lakewood
Chef-owner Jill Vedaa spent 20 years perfecting her craft at restaurants all over town, with stints at Bohemia, KeKa, Lola, Flying Fig, Rockefeller’s and the Black Pig before opening her own place in 2016.
Photo via @LBoeNeedham/InstagramMallorca
1390 West Ninth St., Cleveland
If you’re looking to share a giant pot of paella with some seafood mixed in, this is the spot in town. Their patio puts you in the heart of the Warehouse district, a good place to enjoy a night on the town. Laurie Torres has owned Mallorca for over 25 years now.
Photo via Mallorca/FacebookDer Braumeister
13046 Lorain Ave., Cleveland
What started as a speakeasy in 1925 still serves up some of the best German fare in Cleveland. In fact, they’ve been given that title multiple times now according to Scene’s Best Of Cleveland. What started as Herzog’s turned into Der Braumeister in 1983 and has been owned by Linda Hoertz and Jenn Wirtz since 2016 when they became 2nd and 3rd generation owners respectively.
Photo via Der Braumeister/FacebookSabor Miami Cafe and Gallery
4848 Broadview Rd., Cleveland
This adorable little cafe and art gallery is reminiscent of the Cuban joints you’ll find all over south Florida. You can’t go wrong with a Cuban sandwich here, but the empanadas are just as good. And the drinks like horchata and café con leche are a perfect complement to your meal. Mariela Paz opened the cafe in 2015 after years of living in Miami where she brought the Cuban flavor from and combined it with Peruvian, her native Honduran and Guatamalan foods too.
Photo via Sabor Miami Cafe and Gallery/FacebookStrip Steakhouse
36840 Detroit Rd., Avon
Housed in a 160-year-old Pennsylvania Dutch barn, this steak house is anything but old-fashioned. Ron Larson originally opened the restaurant that’s now owned by his daughter Genevieve. The two-story barn features a first-floor lounge with open kitchen and a spacious loft dining room. First-rate steaks and chops share the menu with less conventional steakhouse fare, like smoked chicken, pasta Bolognese and horseradish-crusted grouper. In addition to Strip, Larson owns two other Avon establishments, the Clifton Barn and Tree House (both located at 36840 Detroit Road).
Photo via Strip Steakhouse/FacebookNuevo Modern Mexican
1000 E 9th St., Cleveland
Right on Lake Erie, Nuevo is the spot to hit up before visiting the Rock Hall. Owner Lisa Hirt and her late husband Zack originally opened in Akron and expanded to the banks of Lake Erie in 2016 and have been serving up tacos and tequila since.
Photo by Doug TrattnerLuxe Kitchen & Lounge
6605 Detroit Ave., Cleveland
Before there was Toast, Brewnuts, Spice, Astoria, XYZ Tavern and sweet, Sweet Moses there was Luxe Kitchen, an early speculator in the then up-and-coming neighborhood of Detroit Shoreway. When it opened a little over a decade ago, the oh-so-haute bistro joined area mainstays like Rincon Criollo, Happy Dog, Latitude 41 and Gypsy Beans, which perhaps was the first piece on the chessboard of this so-called urban renaissance. Since opening day there have been ups and downs, chefs shifts and menu re-dos – even ownership tweaks – but throughout it all, the restaurant has managed to remain an anchor in this dynamic arts-fueled district.
Photo by Emanuel WallaceLucky’s Cafe
777 Starkweather Ave., Cleveland
Lucky’s Cafe has also been featured on Guy Fieri’s “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.”
Photo via @LuckysCafe/InstagramLuna Bakery and Cafe
2482 Fairmount Blvd., Cleveland Heights
This bakery and cafe from pastry chef and owner Bridget Thibeault in the Cedar-Fairmount District of the Heights, is as crisp and cosmopolitan as a bespoke suit.
Photo via @LunaBakeryCafe/InstagramBigmouth Donut Company
1418 West 29th St., Cleveland and 19265 Detroit Rd., Rocky River
A second shop will open in Ohio City’s Hingetown very soon. Their shop features traditional and seasonal donuts, hand-rolled and crafted from scratch and, as their name implies, are larger than your average donut.
Photo via @BigMouthDonut/InstagramKathy’s Kolacke and Pastry Shop
19032 Old Detroit Rd., Rocky River
Kathy Schriner’s Rocky River pastry shop opened in 1991 and is known for having the best kolackes in town. The spot’s Kolackes are Polish in origin, melt in your mouth, and come in a variety of flavors like apricot, apple, cherry and more.
Photo via Kathy’s Kolacke and Pastry Shop/FacebookDaily Press
6641 Detroit Rd., Cleveland
Jodi Rae Santosuosso’s Daily Press is “more than a juicery, it’s a lifestyle” according to their website. This Gordon Square spot brings a little bit of California to Cleveland.
Photo via @DailyPressJuiceCLE/InstagramBoss ChickNBeer
120 Front St., Berea
Boss ChickNBeer comes from the minds of Heather Doeberling and Emily Moes who are also behind the Mexican-themed Boca Loca. The chicken is crispy, hot and delicious, and you can pair it with a wide variety of mostly Cleveland beers that are in a can and on draught.
Photo via Boss ChickNBeer/FacebookLulo Kitchen
1273 West 9th St., Cleveland
Lulo Kitchen has the unmistakable feel of a boho-chic juice bar on Tulum’s famous beach road, a breezy sun-drenched space where art and culture and food collide. With a name like Lulo, which is borrowed from the tropical fruit, one would expect to find wholesome juices, smoothies and limonadas starring a cornucopia of fruits and vegetables. As morning gives way to midday, pan-Latin salads, sandwiches, bowls and plates take center stage. It is here that Chef/Owner Stefhanie Montoya’s creativity, technique and respect for ingredients begin to emerge. The flavors of Colombia, Peru, Argentina and Brazil make appearances in the form of empanadas, tostones, Cubanos, carne asada and other satisfying items.
Photo via Scene Archives Credit: Scene ArchivesMarchant Manor Cheese
2211 Lee Rd., Cleveland Heights
Kandice Marchant began making cheese as a hobbyist, working her way through a beginner’s cheesemaking book. While she enjoyed the results – straightforward creations like ricotta, mozzarella and cottage cheese – she had loftier tastes and ambitions and opened Marchant Manor Cheese in the historic Cedar-Lee district of the Heights. In addition to producing their own delicious cheeses, shoppers can find other products for charcuterie like pickles, olives, jams and cheese boards. Credit: Scene ArchivesCLE Urban Winery
2180 Lee Rd., Cleveland Heights
Nestled into the bustling Cedar-Lee District happens to be a winery where one can enjoy exclusive wines made in-house by a local winemaker. Opened in 2016 by Destiny Burns, the hip, urban environment makes the perfect backdrop for fun community events, small gatherings, or quiet nights on the town by wine-loving couples. Housemade merlots, pinots and chardonnays offer a welcome change of pace from the typical craft-beer lineup found up and down the block (and throughout the city, really). Sip comfortably at the tasting room bar while surrounded by contemporary artwork and (occasional) live music.
Photo via Scene ArchivesHako
13603 Madison Ave., Lakewood
A partnership between the owners of Sapporo Sushi (which closed in 2020) and Jackie Kim of Ohashi in North Olmsted netted Hako, a Japanese restaurant in Lakewood that opened in 2021. The space formerly was home to Kim’s Aji Noodle Bar and Yuzu. Diners enjoy a freshly remodeled interior alongside nigiri sushi, sashimi, traditional and eclectic rolls and noodle bowls.
Photo via Scene ArchivesThai Thai
13735 Madison Ave., Lakewood
Few restaurants have made as big of a splash as Thai Thai, the tiny Lakewood eatery beloved for its flavorful, fiery Bangkok-style street foods. From the day it opened in 2016, this pared-down eatery, which is run by Siriphan “Kiwi” Wongpeng, along with her mother, father and brother, excelled by focusing on a handful of Thai classics and knocking each and every one of them out of the park.
Photo by Emanuel WallaceBialy’s Bagels
2267 Warrensville Center Rd., University Heights
The most iconic bagel shop in town has been opened since 1966 and is still going strong. While it’s pretty straightforward, with just bagels, sides of lox and whitefish, and some cream cheeses, when your bagels are this good, there’s no need to reinvent the wheel. Twin sisters Rachel and Sarah Gross bought Bialy’s from the original owners in 2017.
Photo via Scene ArchivesGypsy Beans & Baking Co.
6425 Detroit Ave., Cleveland
Globetrotter, baker, and neighborhood booster, Niki Gillota offers a tempting array of edibles, including soups, sandwiches, and freshly made muffins, scones and pastries. Oven-baked chili is a mild-mannered crowd-pleaser, and rich lattes — like the cinnamon-scented “Mexico City” — have earned a following.
Photo via Gypsy Beans/Facebook
