This Week in Cleveland Food News: The Astro at Tower City, Edgewater Cafe Returns and More

A bite-sized recap of all the news fit to eat

By on Fri, Apr 5, 2024 at 8:58 am

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click to enlarge The Astro to open at Tower City on April 23rd. - Douglas Trattner
Douglas Trattner
The Astro to open at Tower City on April 23rd.
- The ownership group behind the Haunted House restaurant in Cleveland Heights last year took over the former Hard Rock Cafe space at Tower City, which had sat vacant for years. In the coming weeks, they'll open the doors to their new sci-fi concept, The Astro. Here's what to expect.


- Rejoice, near west side dive bar lovers: The Edgewater Cafe has reopened under new management and with an interior refresh.


- Mabel's BBQ at Eton "temporarily closed" around Thanksgiving of last year. That closure is now permanent, leaving Michael Symon with just one Northeast Ohio restaurant.


- Hola Tacos on Larchmere will become a Barrocco.


- All praise to Cordelia chef Vinnie Cimino, who is a James Beard Award finalist for Best Chef in the Great Lakes region.


- There have been more openings than closings in the first quarter of 2024, but already in a few months Cleveland has lost another handful of restaurants.

Slideshow

14 Cleveland Area Restaurants That Have Closed in 2024

Toast 1365 West 65th., Cleveland Toast in Gordon Square called it a day on April 3 after 11 years in the neighborhood. Owner Jillian Davis told Scene: "It's not bittersweet — it's bitter mostly. Operating a full-service restaurant is not as fun as it used to be." The neighborhood wine bar and restaurant was beloved for its down-to-earth vibe, personal service, unique wines and seasonal small plates and entrees. Davis mentioned staffing challenges and changing dining habits as some of the reasons behind her decision to close.
Pearl Street Wine Market and Cafe2523 Market Ave., ClevelandPearl Street Wine Market & Café in Ohio City closed at the end of March because of an unexpected rent increase that will make it impossible to continue operating. Chef/owner Karen Small opened the wine bar with partner Jill Davis in the former Flying Fig space about a year and a half ago. “Our landlords tried to raise our rent by $7,000 a month, which takes us up to about $25 a square foot, so we refused to renew our lease with them,” Small explains. Small has been in that space for 25 years, ever since opening Flying Fig in 1999. She says that her current monthly rent of $4,300 will climb to nearly $11,000. The pair hope to find a new home for Pearl Street somewhere down the line in Ohio City. Melt, Avon and Independence LocationsIt's been a brutal 13 months for Melt Bar & Grilled. In early 2023, owner Matt Fish and his team made the difficult decision to close the Canton and Dayton locations, stating that as the newest and farthest shops, the move made the most sense as the chain sought to cut costs amid troubling financial headwinds. And earlier this year, it was the Avon store that got the pink slip, closing after seven years. Then, the company announced the closure of the Independence location, which was store number three when it opened nearly 15 years ago. This most recent closure brings the total number of full-service restaurants down to four, which join quick-serve and seasonal satellites at Progressive Field and Cedar Point. Steve's Diner2024 will mark the ninth anniversary of the demise of Steve’s Lunch, the (in)famous hot dog diner on the western edge of Ohio City. That local landmark burst into flames on St. Patrick’s Day 2015, with the building being razed the following day. Now, unfortunately, the Steve's Diner offshoot opened by Ed Salzgerber after purchasing the business from founder Steve Spanakis in 2022 has also said goodbye after he couldn't secure a lease extension. With the closure, Cleveland also lost one of the precious few remaining 24-hour restaurants around town. Fans of the original chili recipe that dates back to 1953 can still enjoy it at Steve's Doghouse (3850 Pearl Rd., 216-398-1446). Cafe AvalaunCiting personal health issues and other obstacles, chef Brian Doyle earlier this year announced that he would be closing Cafe Avalaun in Warrensville Heights in March. Doyle opened the shop in 2015 to serve as a haven for diners dealing with celiac disease. The cafe offers great food that just so happens to be gluten free. BD’s Mongolian Grill 1854 Coventry Rd., Cleveland Heights When BD's Mongolian Grill opened its doors in 1997 on Coventry, the restaurant offered a unique and interactive dining experience akin to hibachi, but without all the splatter. Diners took pleasure in piling ingredients and sauces into a bowl and then handing them off to a grill cook, who would stir-fry them up in plain view. Although the thrill may have vanished many moons ago, the restaurant chugged along, seemingly immune from the economic ups and downs of the street as well as the wider hospitality industry around it. Along with Coventry stalwarts like Tommy's, Grum's and Inn on Coventry, BD's Mongolian was a constant presence on the street for nearly 30 years. That all ended this year as it shut its doors. The closure leaves four remaining locations in Ohio, two of which are in the Greater Columbus area. Gabriel's Southern TableIt's been a challenging two years for Gabriel Zeller's East 4th Street residency. Zeller and his former partner opened Indie in late 2021, taking over the former Greenhouse Tavern space and turning it into a music-themed eatery that never gained traction. A little over a year later, Zeller pulled the plug on that concept. “We felt that after the first year, people either loved Indie or they just didn’t get it,” Zeller told us at the time. “I think that a different atmosphere and a slightly more elevated menu is what people are looking for on Fourth.” The "different atmosphere" arrived in the form of Gabriel’s Southern Table, which opened last spring. That restaurant quietly closed its doors in January.
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Vince Grzegorek

Vince Grzegorek has been with Scene since 2007 and editor-in-chief since 2012. He previously worked at Discount Drug Mart and Texas Roadhouse.
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