Having trouble finding a restaurant to go to this weekend? Wondering what you’ve missed this spring? We have you covered. These 22 restaurants either have recently opened, undergone an expansion, revealed a new menu and/or concept, been reviewed by Scene or are just really having a moment. 

Lulo Kitchen and Lulo Cafe 1273 West 9th St., and 1300 East 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. At Lulo, the flavors of Colombia, Peru, Argentina and Brazil make appearances in the form of empanadas, tostones, Cubanos, carne asada and other satisfying items. Earlier in 2022, the husband-and-wife team behind Lulo Kitchen opened Lulo Café, a spin-off, of sorts, from their original Pan-Latin eatery. Customers can expect a similar line-up of coffees, teas, juices, smoothies, salads, soups, sandwiches, bowls and plates. There is also a heightened emphasis on breakfast items like overnight oatmeal, acai bowls with tropical fruit and grab-and-go Latin pastries like pan de queso, buñuelos and empanadas. Credit: Scene Archives
Terrestrial Brewing Company 7524 Father Frascati Dr., Cleveland In 2017, Terrestrial opened, bringing the first brewery to the Battery Park neighborhood. In addition to having fantastic beers, they’re very dog friendly, so be sure to bring your furry friend (just don’t give him/her any beer.) They open at 10 a.m. on the weekend. Credit: Scene Archives
Martha on The Fly 2173 Professor Ave, Cleveland This weekend-only breakfast concept took their pop-up concept and turned it into a brick and mortar spot that opened in Tremont in April. At this micro-diner, patrons can look forward to breakfast sandwiches perfected during the pop-up run, items like the Betty, Shirley and Doris egg sandwiches, Martha on the Fly will showcase new menu items like their potato crispies as well. Credit: Scene Archives
Le Petit Triangle 1881 Fulton Ave., Cleveland A little cramped, occasionally noisy, and quite possibly the city’s smallest restaurant, this quaint French bistro still manages to turn out superlative crepes, earthy pâtés, and one of the best Croque Monsieur sandwiches this side of the Seine. You’ll be transported to Paris for a couple hours here. Over the years, owners Tom and Joy Harlor have made incremental improvements to the space, food and vibe, but the Triangle has always stayed true to its original mission to serve the neighborhood. Credit: Scene Archives
Banter 3441 Tuttle Rd., Shaker Heights Banter is the antidote to serious food in somber settings. It’s county fair food with a bowtie, where fries, sausages, and hotdogs are spruced up for a clever crowd in the form of poutine, po’ boys and more deliciousness. When they closed their original Gordon Square location in 2020, leaving their Van Aken food hall stand as their only location, it was with the intention of re-opening at some future point. Luckily, for food lovers, that time has come, with the recent announcement that Banter will open its new west side location in the former home of the recently dearly departed Minh Anh (5428 Detroit Ave.). Credit: Scene Archives
Merwin’s Wharf 1785 Merwin Ave., Cleveland Unparalleled atmosphere paired with discounted wine, cocktails, and appetizers. Everyone raves about the sights, the sounds and the ambiance. Everything from couches in front of a roaring fireplace and cocktail tables beneath strings of fairy lights, to giant Jenga and corn hole, it’s enough to make you want to move into this Metroparks run establishment. One of the best ways to experience Merwin Wharf is by checking out the new Summer Happy Hour series. Beginning May 17, and running from 4 to 8 p.m. every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, the happy hours will feature food trucks, live music and lawn games. Credit: Scene Archives
The Spot on Lakeshore 7272 Lakeshore Blvd., Mentor Veteran chef Zachary Bond opened this spot in Mentor in 2021 and quickly turned it into one of the better brunch spots in town. In addition to all the classics, The Spot serves up items like breakfast sandwiches, eggs Benedict, biscuits and gravy, three-egg omelets and platters containing eggs, meat, home fries and toast – Bond also whips up avocado toast, eggs in purgatory and a half dozen skillets starring redskin potatoes with various toppings. Those are joined by specialties like steak and eggs and country-fried chicken and waffles with black pepper gravy, creme brulee french toast and tiramisu pancakes. Credit: Scene Archives
Tommy’s Restaurant 1824 Coventry Rd., Cleveland Heights Known for their vegetarian and healthy options, this Coventry Road staple has been serving Clevelanders since 1972. While they had vegetarian and vegan options before those became popular, they have more than just healthy options. The thick-cut french fries are some of the best in town and their milkshakes, especially black cherry, is a must try. Credit: Scene Archives
Boss ChicknBeer 120 Front St., Berea, 7305 Broadview Rd., Seven Hills and 27321 Wolf Rd., Bay Village Heather Doeberling and Emily Moes made such a splash with their popular food truck Boca Loca that they opened a Berea-based brick-and-mortar operation of the same name a couple years later. They parlayed those early successes into Boss ChicknBeer, a fried chicken and beer joint which they opened in 2018, also in Berea. Just four years later, they already have three locations, adding Seven Hills and Bay Village to their repertoire and don’t be surprised to see more open in the coming years. It’s that good. Credit: Scene Archives
Collision Bend Brewery 1250 Old River Rd., Cleveland Have brunch on the river courtesy of Collison Bend, the year-old brewery from Zack Bruell and company. In addition to the regular lengthy menu, diners have a choice of a half-dozen breakfast-themed items to enjoy alongside those watery views. Eggs in Purgatory — eggs poached in a spicy tomato sauce — is showered with feta and accompanied by grilled flatbread for soaking up all that angry gravy. The tantalizing French Toast Bake consists of brioche layers intermingled with sweet cream cheese, berries, Nutella, egg custard and vanilla maple bourbon syrup. A knife-and-fork-style Breakfast Pizza is weighed down with house-cured bacon, caramelized onions, tomato, mozzarella, cheddar and a sunny egg. A list of boilermakers pairs house brews with compatible shots of booze. Credit: Scene Archives
Cent’s Pizza 5010 Lorain Ave., Cleveland For nearly two and half years, we have been following the progress of Vincent Morelli as he has endeavored to open Cent’s Pizza on the western edge of Ohio City. The ambitious project required a total renovation of the former PM Security building on Lorain (5010 Lorain Ave.) by the landlord. Like many projects, this one was stalled by the events of last year. Now, one year into the opening of Cent’s, Morelli has quickly established Cent’s as one of the best pizza joints in town with a loyal following. Credit: Scene Archives
Pizzeria DiLauro 17800 Chillicothe Rd., Chagrin Falls For three years, pizza lovers in Northeast Ohio got to know Adam DiLauro and his pies thanks to the Pizzeria DiLauro food truck, a mobile trailer with a built-in wood-fired oven. Last winter, DiLauro parked the rig to refocus his attentions on a brick-and-mortar pizzeria of the same name. When it opened in 2021 in Chagrin Falls, Pizzeria DiLauro brought a little taste of the East Coast to the far East Side. Next up, management has been working to convert the next-door space into the Lounge at Pizzeria DiLauro. The cozy saloon features a 10-person bar and three 6-person tables. Guests will be able to order anything from the pizzeria menu and choose from 20 different beers, wines on tap and specialty cocktails. Likewise, diners next door at the pizzeria (and on the patio) can order beverages from the lounge as well. The Lounge will also come in handy as a waiting room for people picking up pizzas to go. Credit: Scene Archives
The Sleepy Rooster 5120 Chillicothe Rd., Chagrin Falls In early 2021, Craig and Sarah Fitzgerald opened The Sleepy Rooster in Chagrin Falls. After graduating from Le Cordon Bleu Institute in Pittsburgh, Craig worked in fine dining restaurants in Pittsburgh and Florida. At Sleepy Rooster he focuses on top-flight breakfast, brunch and lunch dishes like fresh-baked biscuits and gravy, goetta and eggs, avocado toast and fried bologna sandwiches. Credit: Scene Archives
Elle 33730 Bainbridge Rd., Solon Solon-based operators Jay Leitson and Izzy Schachner (of 56 Kitchen and Birdigo) are at it again with Elle. Set inside the former Harvest Kitchen property, the “Bohemian-chic” Mediterranean restaurant will focus on bright, fresh and seasonal dishes, many cooked over a live-fire grill. Credit: Scene Archives
Original Steak and Hoagies Multiple Locations Here’s what you need to make a truly authentic Philly cheesesteak: 100 percent shaved ribeye, Cheez Whiz, Amoroso rolls and at least one Philadelphia expat. Lucky for us, this shop has two. Hands down the best cheesesteak in the region. What originally started as a one off shop in Twinsburg has now expanded to Fairlawn, Canton, Lorain and Medina, not to mention an ever-expanding fleet of food trucks. The next pin on the map is Parma, specifically the Tri-City Shopping Center at the intersection of Broadview and W. Sprague. Credit: Scene Archives
Big Al’s Diner 12600 Larchmere Blvd., Cleveland If you miss Mom’s cooking, this is the place to get your fix and has been since 1994. Big Al’s has all the comforting favorites, like thick, steaming soups, homemade mashed potatoes with gravy, open-faced roast beef sandwiches and chocolate cake for dessert. Breakfast is served until the diner’s late-afternoon closing time. The corned beef hash is the star of the show – it was featured on the Food Network’s Best Thing I Ever Ate by Michael Symon. But don’t sleep on the soul-satisfying sausage gravy-covered biscuits with over-easy eggs and home fries. As with most items at Big Al’s, the portion is such that finishing the entire plate is an aspirational endeavor. The omelets here are overstuffed, the pancakes flop over the edge of the plate and the pecan waffles are the size of wagon wheels. Credit: @JamesBXXL/Instagram
Irie Jamaican Kitchen 621 East 185th St., and 4162 Pearl Rd., Cleveland and 837 W. Market St., Akron Since opening his first Irie Jamaican Kitchen, the chef from Trelawny Parish has been keen on expansion. Owner Omar McKay built upon the success of that first location by adding a second shop near the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo and followed it up with a location in Akron’s Highland Square neighborhood. Next up is an expansion to Shaker Heights on Chagrin Boulevard, specifically across the street from Heinen’s in the strip mall at Chagrin and Lee. The space will be next door to Upper Crust. Credit: Scene Archives
Immigrant Son Brewing 18210 Sloane Ave., Lakewood When Constantino’s Market closed its Lakewood grocery store, it was a sad day for the family-run business. But the closure also provided one family member, brewery founder Andrew Revy, with the opportunity he had been waiting for for years: the ideal property for Immigrant Son Brewery. Lakewood’s super popular first and only brewery is a full-on brewery and brewpub, with equal emphasis placed on both the food and beer. Credit: Scene Archives
Larder 1455 West 29th St., Cleveland In late April, the James Beard Foundation announced the nominees for its Media Awards, which includes Book, Broadcast Media and Journalism. Chef Jeremy Umansky of Larder was on the list. His book, “Koji Alchemy: Rediscovering the Magic of Mold-Based Fermentation,” co-authored with Rich Shih, is up for an award in the Reference, History, and Scholarship category. In 2019, Umansky, along with partners Allie La Valle-Umansky and Kenny Scott, earned a semi-finalist spot in the Best New Restaurant category for Larder. Credit: Scene archives
Sibling Revelry Brewery 29305 Clemens Rd., Cleveland Two sets of brothers, who are also cousins with each other, and their fathers, decided to open a brewery in Westlake in 2016, which just is so quintessential Cleveland. While this place is fun to eat and drink at all year round, the patio in the summer, being dog-friendly, with live music, corn hole, food trucks and more, is a huge draw here. They open at noon Fridays and Saturdays and 11 a.m. on Sundays. Credit: Scene Archives
Rood Food and Pie 17001 Madison Ave., Lakewood The only way this concept rises above the level of novelty is by offering not just delicious food, but by presenting it in a way that transforms it into a convivial, communal experience, much like Korean barbecue without all the splatter. A restaurant based on pies? Well, when you have the quality of pies that Rood Food has, it just works. Credit: Scene Archives
JoJo’s Bar 87 West St., Chagrin Falls With Jojo’s Bar, Chagrin Falls finally gets the restaurant it deserves and restaurateur Rick Doody can take that well-earned vacation.For his latest opus, Doody appears to have plucked all the best nuggets from his portfolio of restaurants, which includes 17 River Grille, Cedar Creek Grille and Bar Italia. Those pearls are polished for a more critical audience and presented with New York swagger in a drama-filled space. Rather than go one route or the other, the serial restaurateur opted to marry the timeless appeal of an elevated Italian trattoria with the flair of a classic American chophouse. Once again, Doody has partnered with designer (and wife) Wendy Berry to create a cohesive interior dripping with good taste. Credit: Scene Archives