Who are the James Beard Awards semifinalists from Cleveland? Hollywood has the Oscars, football has the Super Bowl, and the culinary world has the James Beard Foundation Awards. The non-profit organization that champions our food culture annually honors those who create meals and run restaurants. This year, a quartet of Cleveland chefs were named semifinalists in their respective categories. The food-and-dining team at Cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer are profiling all four: Cordelia’s Vinnie Cimino, Amba, Zhug and Kiln maestro Doug Katz and Larder Delicatessen & Bakery’s Allie La Valle and Jeremy Umansky: Jack’s Deli joins Cleveland Restaurant Management Group Jack’s Deli and Restaurant in University Heights has joined the portfolio of Cleveland Restaurant Management Group. Owner Gary Lebowitz will remain a partner in the business and a familiar face at the 120-seat restaurant. READ MORE Best steak in Cleveland When our “Best of Cleveland” team puts out a call, you know the best of the region will be on offer. Their first order of business for 2025? Finding the “Best Steak” hotspot. They asked you, the readers, where to get the best steak and a flurry of nominations and rounds of voting followed. The three finalists couldn’t be more unique: Dean Martin’s Lanning’s in Akron epitomizes upscale contemporary in a classic steakhouse. Tutto Carne in Little Italy is a quaint, diminutive haunt that shares its butcher shop’s best cuts with carnivorous glee. As for The Schvitz Social Club? Who knew one of the five remaining old-world European bathhouses left in the country had such amazing steaks? The answer is you did. Our intrepid “Best of Cleveland” duo Yadi Rodriguez and Peter Chakerian visited all three and will bring you all the juicy details next week. READ MORE Wines, wines, more wines Our monthly review of wines has us on a global taste quest. We sipped five bottles from five countries – including a nice find from Slovenia. All the wines in our monthly reviews cost $25 and less. READ MORE |
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Greater Cleveland bars, restaurants celebrate Valentine’s Day It’s officially Valentine’s Day on Friday, so several Northeast Ohio restaurants are hosting special events in honor of the romantic holiday. Alternative celebrations, including Galentine’s Day nights out, are also planned throughout the weekend. READ MORE New Fidelity Hotel opens Club Room restaurant on East 6th Street Club Room at the new Fidelity Hotel on East 6th Street is open for breakfast and dinner. The restaurant, bar and lounge may eventually serve lunch as well. Unless someone tells you, you may not realize the hotel has a dining facility. The restaurant and bar which are accessed through the lobby, seat about 65 people. READ MORE Lake County Taco Trail 2025: How to participate and win After much success in 2024, The Lake County Taco Trail is back for a third year. Taco lovers are encouraged to visit some of or all 20 taquerias and Mexican restaurants on the trail. Each visit is worth 100 points. The goal is to earn 1,200 points and receive a “Touring for Tacos” T-shirt. One grand prize winner will get free tacos for a year. READ MORE |
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OPENINGS/CLOSINGS Good Pizza brings New York-style slices to Cleveland’s East 4th Street Good Pizza, led by YouTube sensation turned full-time pizza chef Charlie Anderson, is the latest addition to downtown’s East 4th Street. Good Pizza officially opened at 2057 E. 4th Street on Jan. 22, taking over the spot formerly occupied by Citizen Pie Roman Cafe. The New York-style operation started as a pop-up concept. READ MORE The Rib Cage closes Ohio City location The Rib Cage Smokehouse and Bar permanently closed its location in Cleveland’s Ohio City neighborhood, but folks can still enjoy the brand’s style of smoked barbecue in Northeast Ohio. Robert Hill III, who runs The Rib Cage with his father Robert Hill Jr. and brothers, confirmed to cleveland.com that the 1834 W. 25th Street restaurant closed in mid-January. READ MORE Papa Nick’s Italian restaurant in Cleveland closes after 43 years Papa Nick’s, located on Cleveland’s West Side, has permanently closed its doors after more than 40 years in business. The Italian-American restaurant at 11534 Clifton Blvd. has served comfort food like pasta trays, deep-dish pizza and fried appetizers since 1976. The family-owned establishment featured a full-service bar and patio and was popular for both its dine-in and takeout service. READ MORE |
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EVENTS/TASTINGS Taylor Swift-themed wine tasting under way 750ml Wines in Akron is hosting a tasting of Orin Swift wines with the backdrop of Taylor Swift music. Nine wines from the California winery will be offered by 2-ounce pour, glass or bottle. The tasting runs through Friday, Feb. 14 – Valentine's Day. READ MORE North Union Indoor Farmers Market Located across from World Market, the winter indoor market offers a chance to peruse fresh produce, meats, cheeses, baked goods and more while staying warm. 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 15. 292 Main St., Crocker Park, Westlake. crockerpark.com/farmersmarket Stout It Out Loud The annual fest celebrates the culinary marriage of Stouts and oysters. Prices vary for food and drink tickets. Here’s more info and the list of participating breweries: Stout It Out Loud coming up: Slurp an oyster, drink a Stout . Noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 15. Butcher and the Brewer, 2043 E. 4th St., Cleveland. butcherandthebrewer.com Bourbon tasting set at Ritz-Carlton The Ritz-Carlton is holding a Bourbon tasting with two flights to choose from and an accompanying menu. Each flight has four different tastings from various distilleries, including Western Reserve Distillers. The tasting is Saturday, Feb. 15. READ MORE Local distilleries to be featured at Vodka Gala Taste CLE is bringing a Vodka & Martini Gala to Landerhaven event center in Mayfield Heights next month. The event will have 20 stations where representatives pour local and national vodkas or serve vodka-based cocktails. One brand may bring more than one vodka variety – for example, flavored -- to their table. The event is 5 to 9 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 15. READ MORE Brewery tour coming up Angels on the Avenue’s annual bus tour to area breweries is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 22. It is a round trip from Middleburg Height to five breweries. This year’s trek winds through breweries in Summit County and surrounding areas. It’s a benefit for St. Augustine Health Ministries. READ MORE Mac ‘n’ Cheese Throwdown set The annual Mac ‘n’ Cheese Throwdown, a tasting event of the classic comfort food, is coming up Saturday, March 1, in Cleveland. Restaurants put their spin on mac and cheese, and attendees get a chance to vote for their favorites, too. It’s also a benefit for charity. READ MORE |
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PICKS OF THE WEEK Presti’s Bakery Presti’s Bakery in Little Italy is the ideal lunch stop during a day out Uptown, whether you’re walking around Coventry or enjoying the museums in University Circle. The Italian take-out has a little bit of everything from pastas to salads to strombolis. Its bakery case is undoubtedly it’s largest, with traditional Italian cookies, cannoli, gelato and more. Presti’s is at 12101 Mayfield Road in Cleveland. - Alex Darus DETAILS The Doughnut Pantry It really should be considered a blessing how many great doughnut places there are throughout Northeast Ohio. Debate all you want; we rarely hit a bad one. The Doughnut Pantry bakes up some scrumptious ones, from chocolate cream filled to jelly to powdered sugar and, of course, the simple and classic plain baked one. Get there early; shelves start looking a bit barren by noon. The Doughnut Pantry is at 14600 Madison Ave., Lakewood. Hours: 5:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. seven days a week. - Marc Bona READ MORE Gochujang, Cleveland Gochujang may look like a chain restaurant, but it’s not. It’s an independent restaurant. The Korean street food spot is in the corner of the Cohen & Co building, on the south side of Euclid Avenue in Playhouse Square. Diners can order to eat in or take out. First-timers unfamiliar with Korean food may want to quiz the counter staff about some of the dishes. Korean fried chicken is self-explanatory, but not so much Tteokbokki Rice Bowl. Don’t miss the Korean Corn Dogs, which are coated in a donut-pancake-like batter. The Potato Corn Dog, with a mozzarella filing, is the best. The dining room has a retro diner vibe. - Paris Wolfe DETAILS |
SPOTLIGHT 57 Black-owned restaurants, food businesses in Greater Cleveland February is Black History Month, so there’s no better time to highlight the BIPOC-owned restaurants in the Northeast Ohio food scene. From bakeries to bars and everything in between, Greater Cleveland has a growing number of Black-owned food businesses worth trying any time of the year. To inspire you to try some new-to-you places, here are 57 Black-owned restaurants and food businesses in Northeast Ohio. READ MORE |
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