After dozens and dozens of meals out on the town, Scene dining editor Doug Trattner reflects back on the best dishes he had the pleasure of enjoying this year – from new arrivals on the Cleveland scene to some rediscovered favorites.

Paradise Biryani Pointe is Expanding What Cleveland Has Come to Expect From Indian Cuisine Credit: Photo by Doug Trattner
Lamb Tacos at Paloma Paloma, 20041 Walker Rd., Shaker Hts., 216-465-1336, palomavanaken.com Like most American cities, Cleveland has been deluged by taquerias. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for one more, especially when it comes from the team of Zach Ladner and Carl Quagliata. For these, lamb is slow roasted until it’s luscious, supple and flecked with char. The savory meat is tucked into freshly pressed and griddled flour tortillas and topped with mint, shredded cabbage, garlic crème fraiche and sliced jalapenos. Credit: Photo by Doug Trattner
Pork Adobo at Tita Flora’s Tita Flora’s, 6531 Brecksville Rd., Independence, 216-232-4303, titafloras.com At Tita Flora’s, owner Flora Grk offers an authentic taste of homestyle Filipino cooking. Her food is accessible but exciting, with boldly flavored dishes redolent of soy, garlic and vinegar. Most offer up a compelling interplay of sweet, sour and salty. Adobo, arguably the national dish of the Philippines, is a mouthwatering stew of lean and fatty pork in a tangy sauce. Dishes come with white rice but consider upgrading to the garlic rice. Credit: Photo by Doug Trattner
Corky & Lenny’s Sure, it happened at the tailend of 2023, but the shuttering of the beloved eastside deli is still reverberating across Northeast Ohio. Late last year, owner Kenny Kurland made the excruciating decision to not open the doors of his Woodmere deli, which debuted in 1973 – and that’s the NEW Corky & Lenny’s; the original opened at Cedar Center in 1956 and operated until the early 1990s. The Jewish deli was founded by Lenny Kaden and Corky Kurland at a time when real-deal Jewish delis dotted the landscape. Those days, sadly, are behind us. Credit: Photo by Doug Trattner
Ricotta Dumplings at Poppy Poppy, 12502 Larchmere Blvd., Cleveland, 216-415-5069, poppycleveland.com This year, Felice on Larchmere became Poppy, the latest creation from partners Jill Vedaa and Jessica Parkison. The warm three-level Craftsman-style house and spacious patio are the ideal environment to savor Vedaa’s brilliantly composed dishes. The ricotta dumplings approach vegetarian perfection thanks to delicate gnocchi topped with savory mushroom marmalade and a vibrant broccoli pesto. Credit: Scene archives
Continental Breakfast at Patron Saint Patron Saint, 2915 Detroit Ave., Cleveland, patronsaintcle.com Open since June, Patron Saint already feels like an essential part of the Ohio City community. The all-day café, set in a former Vitrolite tile showroom, offers beautiful bites morning, noon and aperitivo hour. Chef David Kocab has a knack for packing flavor and texture into every bite. The pitch-perfect continental breakfast includes thin-sliced cured meats, cheese, fresh fruit, a jammy egg, focaccia toast, compote and preserves. Credit: Photo by Tiffany Joy Photography
Cleveland Mojito at Battr Battr, 910 Literary Rd., 216-202-6157, battrsweets.com This year, Tremont scored a hot new dessert shop that specializes in Belgian waffles, Hong Kong-style bubble waffles and French crepes, which are filled, glazed and topped in a variety of ways. Guests can build their own or go with a signature creation, like the Cleveland Mojito, a crisp-tender bubble waffle filled with creamy vanilla gelato and topped with rum-mint syrup, candied lime zest and fresh mint. Credit: Photo by Doug Trattner
Corned Beef Hash at City Diner City Diner, 5109 Memphis Ave., 216-400-7529, thecitydiner.net Back in 2017, Old Brooklyn residents were thrilled to see the long-dormant Expressway Diner under new management. But the revival was short-lived owing to the pandemic. But earlier this year, the classic diner was buffed back into existence. The place looks better than ever, the service is swift and courteous, and the breakfasts are delicious. The hearty corned beef hash comes with two eggs and biscuits. Spend another couple bucks for a side of sausage gravy. Credit: Photo by Doug Trattner
Italian Beef at Au Jus Au Jus, 5875 Broadview Rd., Parma, 216-795-5063, aujus-cle.com It’s not every day that legends are born. With the opening of Au Jus in Parma, Cleveland’s Italian beef game immediately climbed to championship level. Wedged between a Marco’s Pizza and a nail salon in a dinky strip, the spotless kitchen flies through 150 pounds of slow-roasted top round beef per day. That tender shaved beef is piled into a hoagie bun, doused with gravy and topped with crisp giardiniera. Credit: Photo by Doug Trattner
Turkey Pardon at Coppia Coppia, 8623 Mayfield Rd., Chesterland, 440-688-4480, coppiarestaurant.com It’s no small feat to make some noise when you’re a tiny bistro tucked away in sleepy Chesterland. But that’s precisely what Hedy Pastrán and Talia Trovato are doing at Coppia. The restaurant, formerly linked with the Paganini School of Cooking, is forging a new path, one that brings fine dining down to an approachable level without surrendering one ounce of its grandeur. This seasonal dish featured buttery and crisp-skinned duck breast paired with savory collard greens and Thanksgiving-flavored stuffing. Credit: Photo by Doug Trattner
Cleveland Classics: Little Bar is the Beloved Melting Pot of the City Credit: Photo by Mark Oprea
Watami in Parma, Ohio’s Only Conveyor-Belt Sushi Bar, is a Non-Stop Thrill Ride Credit: Douglas Trattner

For 25 years, Douglas Trattner has worked as a full-time freelance writer, editor and author. His work as co-author on Michael Symon's cookbooks have earned him four New York Times Best-Selling Author honors, while his longstanding role as Scene dining editor has garnered awards of its own.