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Where to Eat and Drink in Cleveland Right Now

Cleveland has always been a good place to eat. Growing up, we’d make the hour drive from Canton to see a Guardians game or go to the theater, and there would always be a stop for something delicious. Like many cities, Cleveland has changed a lot in the last three decades, I think for the better. The lake is cleaner, the Browns had a winning season last year and the culinary scene is thriving, both with old favorites and new spots that are making the city a very exciting place to eat and drink right now. While there are so many amazing places to try, these are the best Cleveland restaurants and bars to check out right now.

Where to Start the Day

Every good morning starts with a solid cup of coffee, and local chain Phoenix Coffee is my personal favorite place to get a fix. There are six locations around the city, so wherever you stay or wander throughout the day, there will likely be a Phoenix nearby to fuel you with their house-roasted beans and pastries. An old friend who moved from NYC back to The Land lamented the lack of good bagels, until she tried The Cleveland Bagel Company. I agree that they are top-notch, but go early if you don’t want them to run out of your favorite kind. Juneberry Table is a light-filled cafe that serves dishes like Ohio spelt pancakes with sorghum butter and a buttermilk fried chicken sandwich for both breakfast and lunch.

cleveland's west side market

West Side Market

Bloomberg via Getty Images

Cleveland’s West Side Market is perhaps the city’s most famous establishment. While its iconic yellow brick building and clock tower has been renovated over the years, the original structure has remained since it opened to the public in 1912. It’s where my grandparents would go to buy eel and other fish for our annual Feast of the Seven Fishes Christmas Eve celebration, and it’s where you can (and should) go to sample some of Cleveland’s finest culinary businesses. To make the most of your time there, book a tour with Susan Chapo of Relish Cleveland. She’ll dive into the market’s rich history, and you’ll also get to taste delicious bites from her vendor friends along the way (the house-smoked salmon from Kate’s Fish is life-changing).

Astoria Cafe & Market has a great dine-in menu, but if you don’t have time to stay for a meal (or the excellent happy hour), stop in to shop at the on-site market. Astoria features a huge selection of cheeses and charcuterie, olives from around the world, specialty oils and vinegars and plenty of pantry items to inspire a meal.

Merwin's Wharf Cleveland entrance

Merwin’s Wharf

Lunch in Cleveland Reigns Supreme

There are so many amazing lunch spots in Cleveland, it was difficult to narrow it down to just a few — but you can’t go wrong with any of these spots. Not only is Larder the best deli in Cleveland, but I think it’s the best deli in the country. Multiple James Beard Award-nominee and author of Koji Alchemy, chef Jeremy Umansky features local producers and homemade everything in his Eastern European Jewish cuisine. The koji-cured pastrami here is outrageously good, and you have to add a pickle plate to anything you order, which shows off Umansky’s fermentation prowess.

For cozy, chic French cafe vibes, The Judith is impeccably styled and absolutely delicious. Try the jambon beurre sandwich — made with Ohio City Provisions prosciutto cotto and walnut nutmeg compound butter — or the preserved lemon and carrot salad with French lentils and pistachio dukkah.Merwin’s Wharf is ideal for two things: enjoying the urban greenspace and riverfront dining of Cleveland’s Metroparks and eating one of the best crab cakes you’ll ever have. The big pretzel is also a house favorite and must-try.

There are two very good reasons to travel east and visit Cleveland’s Coventry neighborhood — a show at Grog Shop and a meal at Tommy’s Restaurant, which has been around since 1972. While the restaurant does cater to omnivores, Tommy’s was making delectable vegan and vegetarian food before it was mainstream. You can’t go wrong with one of their falafel pitas, tempeh sandwiches or toasted cheeses.

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outside of great lakes brewing with people sitting on a sunny day

The patio at Great Lakes Brewing Co. comes alive in warm weather.

Great Lakes Brewing Co.

Breweries With Really Good Food (and Yes, Beer)

Noble Beast Brewing Co. serves some of the best wings in town (honestly, they were some of the best I’ve ever had) with unique homemade sauces like miso-honey with scallions and everything bagel dry rub. The Satanic Dentist Drill Imperial Stout — a blend of three bourbon barrel-aged imperial stouts that’s conditioned on Ugandan vanilla beans — tastes as fun as it sounds. You may have seen Great Lakes Brewing Company’s beers even if you don’t live in Cleveland, but going to the source is a superb experience. Stop by their Ohio City brewpub for a meal and enjoy tap beers only available there. Not only does Butcher and the Brewer make their own excellent beers and hard seltzers, they team up with other companies for special guest brews (think a yuzu ginger cider from Vermont darling Shacksbury). They also serve cocktails, wine and some good snacky bar food.

chinese dumplings and a beef and rice dish on a table with navy blue napkins

Chef Liu Fang is doing delicious things at Abundance Culinary.

Abundance

Top Off a Day of Eating With More Eating

“We’re in Cleveland, it’s Eastern European influence, so we do sauerkraut, we do mustard,” chef Michael Symon told me when I asked him about the regional focus at Mabel’s BBQ. “Those are the flavors we grew up with.” The food (don’t miss the crispy pig ears) and cocktails here are excellent, so it’s definitely worth a stop. Across the way, Cordelia is one of the best restaurants in Cleveland right now, with a cocktail program to match. On my most recent visit, I stopped in for a Martini and fried chicken rillettes, served with fried saltines that were the most perfect texture.

Bright Side is one of the prettiest dining rooms in Cleveland with its rectangular bar and vibrant color scheme. Ingredients are sourced from Northeast Ohio farms and given a global twist — think a banh mi with house-made French bread, marinated tofu, wild mushroom pate and kimchi mayo. Alley Cat Oyster Bar serves great seafood (don’t miss the poke bowls) and has a spacious patio overlooking the river.

If you’re looking to get a French fix, La Ville Lumière has both classic dishes and modern iterations — think steak frites and crab beignets with Dijonaise and caviar. Hop over to Cleveland Heights for a meal at Abundance Culinary, where chef Liu Fang is doing incredible things with modern Chinese cuisine. Housed in a historic diner car, the menu is teeming with delicious dishes (the lamb and tomato dumplings and twice cooked pork are two favorites).

LBM by day

LBM

Get Your Cocktail Fix

Cleveland’s own Porco Lounge & Tiki Room is one of the best tiki bars in America, and its dive-bar-meets-tropical-oasis is one of my personal happy places. Come for the Mai Tais, Singapore Slings, Zombies and Scorpions Bowls, stay for eats by Pinoy Fine Foods like chicken adobo tacos and tofu sisig. It’s all about drinking on the waterfront at The Lakehouse, where everyone gets a house-made cocktail shot whenever a barge goes by on the Cuyahoga. LBM is probably the coolest Cleveland bar I’ve been to. Loud metal music sets the tone while you enjoy expertly-made drinks. Over in Cleveland Heights, Quintana’s Speakeasy is tucked inside a barbershop and is just a delight. I enjoyed a Vieux Carre there, and it was perfect.

A room at the new Fidelity Hotel

Ali Harper

Where to Stay (and Eat Some More)

Cleveland’s Fidelity Hotel opened in January 2025, and it’s perfect if you’re looking for a boutique stay with excellent service. The design is gorgeous, with interiors done-up in rich jewel tones and unique artwork and objects displayed at every turn. The location is superb, as the hotel is situated steps from downtown’s bustling Euclid Avenue. Don’t miss the Club Room, an all-day restaurant and bar that champions regional ingredients and has some fun takes on Cleveland favorites.

With so many food and beverage options at Metropolitan at The 9, Autograph Collection, you could come to Cleveland and spend all your time at the hotel, and we wouldn’t blame you. The Centro serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, and you can’t go wrong with Nonna’s meatballs, the classic Caesar or anything from the grill. Ledger Bar overlooks the lobby and makes a mean Martini (which you should pair with the aforementioned meatballs for a cocktail hour snack). The Garden of Eden is a seasonal delight and one of the best places to be downtown during the warmer months. The gorgeous terrace bar serves signature cocktails and light bites and hosts events like movie nights throughout the season. Last but certainly not least is Vault, which is located in — you guessed it — a century-old bank vault beneath the Cleveland Trust Rotunda. Stop in for the bar’s signature Old Fashioned and a s’more board for dessert.