Cleveland Cuisine

Cleveland’s culinary scene blends influences from the more than 100 diverse ethnicities found throughout the city with traditional cooking techniques as well as modern twists. Nationally recognized and award-winning chefs create deliciously memorable experiences that will bring visitors back for seconds.

New and Noteworthy

• Acclaimed chef Doug Katz’s latest concept, Zhug, opened in November 2019 and features Israeli cuisine bursting with Mediterranean and Middle Eastern flavors. Diners can choose from a variety of shareables with dishes served family-style, inventive cocktails and a complete wine and beer list.
• Visitors to Alea in Ohio City, which opened in December 2019, are drawn to the sights and smells of the hardwood burning grill and the modern, Mediterranean inspired cuisine. Located in a former drill bit factory, the industrial-style space features a living wall which provides warmth to the minimalist space.
• At Sawyer’s, which opened in November 2019, visitors’ taste buds are tantalized with flame-roasted cuisine cooked over oak coals, cherry wood, grape vines and house-made charcoal. The bright, contemporary space features arched passageways, a semi-open kitchen and a host station that doubles as a satellite bar.
• Building on the success of the EDWINS Leadership & Restaurant Institution, which offers formerly incarcerated adults a comprehensive hospitality training program, founder Brandon Chrostowski introduced EDWINS Bakeryin December 2019. The bakery joins the French restaurant and butcher shop within the EDWINS family.
• The Glenville Circle North retail incubator is set to open in early 2020. The 14,000 square-foot space will feature seven new businesses including Black Box Fix, a gourmet sandwich shop by local chef Eric Rogers, serving dishes from cheesesteaks to Creole shrimp and Po’boys; fresh seafood specialties at Pipe ‘N Hot Grill; and locally made small-batch cold brew at Cleveland Cold Brew.
• Award-winning chef Dante Boccuzzi will open Japanese fusion restaurant Goma on a prominent corner of East 4^th Street in summer 2020. Building on the chef’s career with multiple restaurants in the Cleveland area and experience as executive chef at Nobu/Milan, Goma will offer an extensive selection of sushi rolls and shareable plates, along with a full sake menu including sake-infused cocktails.

Award-Winning Chefs

• Cleveland native and James Beard Award-winner Chef Michael Symon brought Cleveland’s food scene to the national spotlight with restaurants like Lola, B Spot Burger and Mabel’s BBQ.
• Chef Zack Bruell is known for his fusion cuisine and his ability to cook a wide variety of styles. His restaurant portfolio includes Collision Bend Brewery and Alley Cat Oyster Bar in the Flats East Bank, French restaurants Cowell and Hubbard and L’Albatros, Japanese restaurant Parallax and American restaurants DYNOMITE Burgers and Table 45.
• Miami-based James Beard Award-winning Chef Michael Schwartz brings his electric and spicy flare to Cleveland with Michael’s Genuine Food and Drink. The 65-seat neighborhood bistro serves up a globally inspired, seasonal menu offering dishes like classic deviled eggs and house-smoked bacon cheddar burger to more adventurous plates, such as crispy pig ears and wood roasted octopus.
• Known for his innovative work in foraging and fermentation, Jeremy Umansky opened Larder Delicatessen and Bakery – a James Beard semi-finalist – in the historic Ohio City firehouse. This modern-day version of an old-world delicatessen offers house-made breads, pastries, koji-cured pastrami, root beer fermented in-house and locally sourced dairy, eggs and produce.
• Chef Brett Sawyer’s innovative take on American cuisine highlights the flavors of the season in creative small plates at The Plum. Sawyer also opened Good Company in Cleveland’s Battery Park neighborhood at the start of 2019, bringing a fresh-take to the typical neighborhood bar with everything made from scratch, including The Good Boi burger, potato skins and beer-battered celery root.

Quintessential Cleveland Food

• Located in the Ohio City neighborhood is the more than 100-year-old West Side Market, one of the first indoor public markets in the country. Visitors can put their taste buds to the test by trying food like pierogi and falafel from one of the nearly 100 vendors, some of whom can trace their roots back to the inception of the market.
• Cleveland’s Eastern European roots are on full display at Sokolowski’s University Inn. Recognized with a James Beard American Classic award in 2015, Sokolowski’s is one of the oldest family owned-and-operated restaurants in Cleveland and is known for its Polish cuisine – especially the pierogies.
• Since 1964, Slyman’s has caught the attention of presidents and celebrities with the best and biggest corned beef sandwiches in Downtown Cleveland.
• A Cleveland-creation, The Polish Boy consists of a link of kielbasa placed in a bun and covered with French fries, coleslaw and barbecue sauce or hot sauce. For a taste of this unusual, yet oh-so-good native sandwich, visitors can stop by numerous spots around town, including Hot Sauce Williams (the granddaddy of Cleveland barbeque for more than 50 years), Seti’s Polish Boy food truck in the Ohio City neighborhood, Al & B's Barbecue, Beckham’s B&M Bar-B-Que and Banter Beer and Wine.
• In Cleveland’s Detroit-Shoreway neighborhood, Happy Dog serves gourmet hot dogs with a menu of more than 50 toppings including Froot Loops, Spaghetti-Os and fried eggs. Visitors should stick around for the widely popular Polka Happy Hour.
• With multiple locations in Northeast Ohio, Melt Bar and Grilled features a menu with 20 different gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches like the pierogi-filled “Parmageddon.”

Neighborhood Noms

• For a casual dining atmosphere, visitors can head to the Ohio City neighborhood and choose from pizza and house made pasta at Bar Cento, Mod-Mex cuisine at Momocho, French-inspired dishes at The Black Pig, fried chicken at Soho Chicken + Whiskey, brunch at TownHall or a sweet treat at Mitchell’s Ice Cream.
• In the Tremont neighborhood, guests can enjoy a range of different meals from a delicious brunch at Lucky’s Cafe or Grumpy’s Café to fine dining at establishments like Dante, and Fahrenheit or dinner and drinks at Prosperity Social Club and the New Orleans-style Bourbon Street Barrel Room.
• If visitors are craving Italian cuisine, then Little Italy on Cleveland’s east side is the place to go. Visitors can dive into traditional pizza and spaghetti at Mama Santa’s or enjoy reinvented Italian favorites at Nora and Mia Bella. Plus, visitors need to save room for gelato or cannoli at Presti’s Bakery.
• In Shaker Square, James Beard nominated chef Douglas Katz delights diners with bistro fare at Fire Food and Drink. EDWINS Restaurant & Leadership Academy offers classic French cuisine with tableside preparations while EDWINS Butcher Shop is ideal for visitors looking for a quick bite. EDWINS offers comprehensive training to provide formerly incarcerated adults a foundation in the hospitality industry.
• For an eclectic mix of food, art and theater, visitors can venture to Cleveland’s Detroit Shoreway neighborhood and feel like they’ve traveled the world by sampling cuisines from Italy at Il Rione Pizzeria, Asia at Ninja City and the Mediterranean at Astoria Café & Market, where they can also buy products to take home. For a sweet treat, visitors can complete their journey at Brewnuts to enjoy doughnuts, beer and the delicious combination of doughnuts made with beer!

Locally Sourced

• The Urban Farmer, located at the Westin Cleveland Downtown, places an emphasis on local sourcing from Ohio ranchers and farmers, as well as simple, straightforward preparations.
• Spice Kitchen and Bar features a seasonal menu utilizing ingredients produced by small, family farms practicing sustainable agriculture and located within a 100-mile radius of Cleveland. In 2014, Spice Acres debuted when chef Ben Bebenroth and his wife Jackie took over the operations of a 13-acre sustainable family farm located in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park.
• Chef Karen Small at The Flying Fig was a local pioneer of creative, farm-to-table cuisine when the restaurant opened in 1999. The focus on supporting small family farms and local food artisans while creating critically acclaimed menus that evolve seasonally remains strong.