After a holiday weekend plagued by heat, storms and power outages, local chefs put out a collective plea to diners asking for their support. I managed to hit Proof Public House in Ohio City twice in as many weeks in the wake of those outages and on both visits I was happy to see the restaurant operating at or near capacity.

While I can’t speak for every diner in the house, what I suspect motivated many of them was not a simple desire to help a struggling restaurant, but a recognition of what could be lost if it disappeared. After years – decades – of taking local restaurants for granted, it might finally be sinking in that when our favorite watering holes disappear, they won’t be replaced by another homegrown tavern.

The future of dining isn’t the special-occasion omakase. I certainly hope it isn’t the soulless fast-casual chain. I’d argue that it’s somewhere in the middle, the place down the block where you know the owner by name, the bartender remembers your drink order, and rare is the visit that you don’t bump into a friend or neighbor. 

Earlier this summer, Matt Fish opened such a place in one of Cleveland’s few remaining indie enclaves, the corporate-free zone that straddles Ohio City and Detroit Shoreway. Packed into this short stretch of Lorain Ave. are chef-owned places such as Soho, Heart of Gold, Juneberry, Tripi, Herb ‘n Twine and Real Smoq’ed BBQ. With Proof, Fish adds something distinctive, heartfelt and appealing to that collection.

When guests walk through the door at Proof, they are warmly greeted by staffers and immersed in a kaleidoscopic live music-themed exhibition. The space already was attractive thanks to a major renovation project undertaken by Fish’s predecessors, but now the restaurant feels finished, dialed in. Alongside myriad concert and club posters, each professionally framed and meticulously mounted, the space displays murals from former Melt locations and relics from Speak in Tongues, the seminal punk venue that existed on this very block.

Proof isn’t an over-the-top grilled cheese bar, but the chef’s penchant for taking familiar foods and pushing them to the edges of conformity remains. Fish likes to tinker, to gild, to pile on in messy, delicious ways. Sandwiches play a starring role here, with everything from the Melt-launching Parmageddon to a summery shrimp roll airlifted from Midcoast Maine. Amid the heat dome, that shrimp roll ($19) felt like a cool ocean breeze. A plush hoagie bun is loaded with a generous amount of sweet, juicy, garlicky red shrimp, crispy slaw and creamy garlic aioli. 

After years of sticking to a smash-burger diet, it felt nice to sink my teeth into meaty half-pound pub burger ($16), cooked to a perfect medium. Hand-cut fries are an extra $5 and worth every cent. Proof makes an excellent cheesesteak ($22) featuring shaved ribeye. It’s a savory, saucy two-fisted affair with a subtle kick from a splatter of chipotle aioli. Occasionally Fish turns the amp up a bit too far, like adding a superfluous layer of black bean spread to an otherwise delectable – and already multi-faceted – pulled pork hoagie. The aptly named Gonzo ($19) combines citrus-braised and smoked pork, smoked pineapple slaw, Oaxacan cheese, fresh herbs and that earthy bean paste.

Out back on Proof’s leafy brick-paved courtyard is a hefty smoker inherited from the previous barbecue restaurant. From that Southern Pride emerge items such as that woodsy pulled pork, lemongrass smoked chicken and some of the best wings ($15) in town. Jumbo drums and flats are lightly smoked, char-grilled and tossed in a choice of flavorful sauces. A liberal serving of creamy ranch rides shotgun. Fish offers vegans their own version of wings in the form of firm tofu triangles ($13) breaded in an assertive spice coating, fried up crisp and served with dairy-free ranch.

For Parmageddon fans looking for a trimmer version, the kitchen prepares a platter ($10) with two plump Rudy’s pierogi capped with grilled onions, warm caraway-scented cabbage, sour cream and bright microgreens. Another great starter is the whipped goat cheese ($14), which is topped with a spicy tomato tapenade and paired with plenty of grilled bread.

At Proof, meals might arrive on a paper-lined sheet pan, but cocktails are served in fine crystal. The bar mixes up a creative roster of compelling drinks such as the Sonic Reducer ($12), which somehow balances rye and banana. The neighborhood tavern doesn’t need 50 different bottles and cans, but rather a rotating selection of local gems on tap. Fish secures one-offs and limited releases from his brewing pals at Noble Beast, Market Garden, Fat Heads and Butcher and Brewer. 

If you too have grown weary of “experiential” restaurants chasing viral moments, reliable homegrown places like Proof are the antidote and, I hope, the future. 

Proof Public House 

4116 Lorain Ave., Cleveland; 216-644-4292; proofcleveland.com

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For a group of weather nerds like us, there was no better place to be than the sweeping riverside patio at Shooters in the Flats. We watched flashes of lightning skip across the watery horizon, making an already dramatic setting even more so. As tugs nudged massive freighters down the narrow tributary, the skies darkened, storm clouds approached and staffers moved diners into the dry embrace of the atrium-style dining room, where the views were nearly as good. 

For decades, those matchless views alone were enough to lure diners to the West Bank of the Cuyahoga River. After all, Shooters was one of only a handful of actual waterfront restaurants, giving them a near monopoly on all that summertime fun. Who cares if the food was pedestrian, the service indifferent and the cocktails weak and overpriced.

But times have changed and quality waterfront restaurants now line the banks of the crooked river. Inertia no longer was enough to keep Shooters afloat, and the aging complex finally ground to a halt in 2024. Two years and $1 million later, Shooters is back. But while the coordinates and four walls might be the same, everything else has been buffed to a high gloss.

Before the storms rolled in, we paired the maritime views with a round of drinks and snacks. Gone is the rickety wooden boardwalk, replaced by a smooth, level and expansive riverside patio. Guests have their pick of clubby soft-seating spots or traditional tables and chairs. Wide, colorful umbrellas block the heat of the afternoon sun. While everyone around us was knocking back frozen piña coladas, margaritas and espresso slushies, we sampled our way through a good portion of the white wine selection.

Ryan Boone, formerly of Cordelia and Greenhouse Tavern, packs a ton of fun, flavor and whimsy into his well-composed plates and platters. The chef sidesteps cliched “seafood shack” chestnuts in favor of approachable, shareable and multi-layered food with social-media-friendly plating and presentation. It’s an approach that is bound to anger longtime fans, but likely to attract a batch of newer, younger ones.

A large portion of thin and crispy chips ($12) is accompanied by a cool, creamy green onion dip with loads of fresh dill. If bagged chips and tubs of Lawson’s dip went to culinary school, this is the form they would depart in. Boone picked up some super-secret wing tech while working at Greenhouse and his confit wings ($16) have that distinctive dry and crisp but fall-off-the-bone-tender texture. The chef’s sauces and dips – here and throughout the menu – elevate everything they cling to. 

“He’s known for his dips,” our server informs. 

Just before the raindrops began to fall a trio of sliders ($22) hits the table. If there was a fear of them getting wet, it vanished as quickly as the burgers. Capped with melted cheese, sweet, caramelized onion and secret sauce, we devoured them long before shifting indoors. 

It was stunning how a move of just a few yards could so alter the vibe. Whereas the patio was a laidback waterfront hang, the interior felt like it was already well into its night. Groups clustered around cocktails on sofas and banquettes in the dimly lit room. Cheers erupted from the nearby barroom, where the Knicks just notched their third Finals win. 

Our server made quick work of moving us, our food and beverages to a new indoor spot. The next round of food found us in a flash, this time a pair of grilled meat kebabs ($17), the juicy chicken slipping easily from the wooden skewers. They are balanced by a bright cucumber and chickpea salad, crunchy pickled veggies and another knockout dip. In the fish and chips ($21), two large flanks of walleye arrive in a thick jacket of breading alongside slaw, charred lemons and the chef’s special sauce. If you’re a fan of crispy beer-battered fish, this version might not be for you.

While striking in its presentation, a broccoli Caesar ($15) – molded into a shaved cheese-covered mound – was a bear to eat owing to florets that are closer to raw than crisp-tender and a butter knife that struggled to provide any assistance. 

One of the most heartening consequences of all the recent Flats development is the return of boat traffic to the area. It might be hard to imagine, but “back in the day,” boats would be stacked three, four and even five deep along the docks by Shooters. Steadily, those pleasure craft are returning, encouraged by new docks and docking services, including an on-call dockmaster. If you spend $100 or more on your food and drinks, all docking fees are waived. 

Shooters

1148 Main Ave., Cleveland; 216-354-1148; shooterscleveland.com.

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Everybody knows that the three most important factors in a restaurant’s likelihood of success are location, location and location. Edacious opened its doors across the street from a decommissioned power plant, next door to a gas station, and in a sleepy bedroom community of just 26,000 residents. In place of scenic glimpses of nearby Lake Erie, diners enjoy unobstructed views of a car dealership. 

And yet, chef-owner Andrew Gorski is sailing through his third great year in Avon Lake. 

“We’ve done really well with support from the communities of Avon Lake and Avon and word has kind of spread from there,” he explains.

We rolled in at 7 p.m. on a Wednesday and were fortunate to grab seats at the bar. The restaurant is not much larger than a storage container, with a shotgun layout that can accommodate a trim 45 guests. But that compact design manages to concentrate and dial up the energy emanating from the bar and peekaboo kitchen. The vibe is chill, neighborhood-y and convivial, but beneath that veneer is a chef-driven bistro that could succeed in the heart of downtown.

We’ve all heard the tropes about diners in the burbs being guarded, wary and unadventurous when it comes to food, but the menu at Edacious would argue otherwise. Sprinkled throughout the broadsheet are items such as octopus, tinned fish, char sui pork and other “audacious” ingredients, preparations and presentations.

“From day one we put things on the menu that people said would never work out here – things like foie gras, caviar, wagyu – and we haven’t stopped,” Gorski says. “I think in 2026 people are more open to different food experiences.”

Gorski, a CIA-trained chef who has worked at a dozen great restaurants, knows how and how much to push the clientele. His are dishes that sound familiar on the menu but arrive with unexpected mods and twists that make them memorable. Octopus is currently trending, but the version served here ($24) is far from common. In place of the ubiquitous char-grilled tentacle are tender medallions in an earthy brew redolent of smoky paprika and spicy nduja. The meat is garnished with bright herbs, citrus and olives.  

When you see roast chicken ($24) on a menu, you pretty much know what to expect. The version served here, again, upended expectations. More like an elaborate paprikash, the hearty dish pairs juicy chunks of roasted chicken with plush ricotta gnocchi in a rich, savory, creamy sauce. The chef sometimes gilds the proverbial lily, as in the case of grilled broccolini ($11) with a savory tonnato sauce, grated parmesan and crunchy, zippy giardiniera.

The menu ignores convention in format as well, jumping from entrée to salad to vegetable to starter like the ball on a roulette wheel. When the ball lands on the farmhouse salad ($12) you’re treated to a textbook bistro salad with jammy eggs, sweet beets and baby greens in a bright vinaigrette. If the ball stops on patatas bravas ($9), the kitchen sends out a texturally compelling version of that classic Spanish tapa. Crispy new spuds are glazed with a spiced – if not spicy – sauce.

Gorski’s menu covers a lot of ground for a pint-sized bistro. A diner can start with a summery slice of flatbread ($28) topped with butter-slicked Maine lobster, stracciatella, mango and pickled red onion. From there a person could hop to lamb meatballs or pork belly steam buns. There’s steak, there’s scallops, there’s salmon, there’s veg-friendly pasta.  

At Edacious you can still score $10 glasses of French rose, $12 glasses of Napa Valley red and a zippy pisco sour ($13) with a lingering cloudlike froth. 

If you’re looking for your next rising-star chef, you might overlook Gorski, a chef’s chef who keeps his head down and labors modestly. But I’m willing to wager that you’ll be hearing his name a lot more in the coming months. Gorski has worked for some of the biggest names in hospitality – Keller, Ducasse, Burke – and he will be leveraging that experience in some exciting new projects. This week, he opened William Fine Sandwich Shop in Avon Lake, a gourmet deli that also happens to make its own hard-pack ice cream. And soon, the chef will be announcing something new and interesting. 

I for one am excited to see what he cooks up next.

Edacious

33451 Lake Rd., Avon Lake; 440-653-5995; edaciouskitchen.com.

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Like many of the guests at Rosy that evening, we started our meal with the solata platter ($25), a Sedar-plate style dish containing a personal buffet of savory bites. Arranged around a stack of fire-grilled focaccia were seven ramekins of dips, spreads and nibbles that include fermented beans, creamy bagna cauda, rustic baba ghanoush, luscious ricotta, smoky ajvar, pickles and more.

When we returned a few weeks later, that solata platter had been trimmed down to five elements. What’s more, a small paper menu that featured a pair of nightly specials was gone, leaving only the colorful wall-mounted roster of dishes.

It’s customary for a new restaurant to launch with a scaled-down menu until things settle down, at which time the kitchen can confidently ramp up the offerings. But Rosy has moved in the opposite direction, pruning options as necessary to maintain a level of quality and service commensurate with the chef’s lofty expectations.

“What you see is what you get,” explains chef-owner Vinnie Cimino. “There’s just not enough space to keep up with what we’re doing. I didn’t think we would be this busy.”

If Cimino and partner Andrew Watts had any honest concerns regarding the response to Rosy, those doubts were quickly extinguished. Since opening in late February, the new Ohio City restaurant has been mobbed by eager guests, many of whom line up out front before the doors even open. Diners who have come to know and love Cordelia will find, at Rosy, a hyper-focused, quicker-paced, aggressively seasonal spin-off that operates with the confidence that comes from being a multi-James Beard nominee.

The big takeaway at Rosy is not to get too attached to any particular dish because odds are good it won’t be there when you return. During peak Maine sea urchin season, the kitchen topped soft, squishy Polish thumbprint dumplings ($25) with dollops of buttery uni. Those kluski were some of the best things I’ve ever eaten, and I might never get the chance to enjoy them again. Same goes for the pickled walleye ($17), a bright, brilliant use of an oft-ignored part of the fish. Here, the cheeks are lightly cured and tossed with crisp-tender vegetables and fresh dill.

“Nothing is so precious that it can’t be taken off,” Cimino says.

Despite the chef’s tough-love stance, it would be hard to imagine the cotechino ($18) going anywhere soon. Diners seated at the kitchen counter might catch a glance of those bespoke links dangling high above the open fire, picking up a whisper of smoke. When ordered, the flavorful sausage is tossed on the grill to crisp up, sliced and served with pickled vedge and citrusy aioli.

Even within the span of a single evening, dishes will get 86d from the big board, replaced by a second-stringer. For that reason alone, it would be impossible to print out menus, says Cimino, despite the annoyance that comes from having to crane one’s neck to view the board, or, for some seats, stand up and walk somewhere where it’s visible at all.  

“Feel free to get up and take a picture,” the chef says with a wry smile.

Since opening, Rosy has been the belle of the restaurant ball. Chiefly, that buzz comes from the cred that Cimino and Watts have earned during nearly four years downtown. Secondly, everybody loves a roaring fire. At Rosy, the wood-fired hearth shapes the vibe, flavors the food and dominates the conversation. 

Perhaps surprisingly given that alluring hearth, meat items are outnumbered by vegetable-based dishes at a ratio of four-to-one. Sugar-sweet snap peas ($16) are served warm with feta, pistachio, pea shoots and mint. “Crunchy salad” ($13) is a many-layered symphony of shaved veggies, sultanas and nuts in a vivid vinaigrette. The ramp toasty ($18) is a knock-your-socks-off ode to spring starring grilled bread, whipped ricotta and a forager’s favorite wild prize.

Who needs a dozen steak choices when you can savor meaty pork neck ($23), which outshines a boring chop by a country mile. The steak is grilled, sliced, plated and gilded with leaves of lardo that are melted into the meat with a brûlée torch. Slow-braised lamb ($23), large enough for two, is presented on a pool of polenta with olives, veggies and herbs. 

There’s only one dessert option, a rotating selection of soft-serve ice cream ($8), pulled from a sleek wall-mounted dispenser. Ours was sweet tea and mint with black peppercorn, white chocolate ganache and foraged redbuds. Complimentary nips of rhubarb-cello, served in a crystal cordial glass, are handed out like breath mints.

Not since Lolita has there been a Cleveland restaurant with such a compelling presence. Diners are immediately thrust into a trim, tailored and richly appointed space that cackles with energy. Servers navigate the close-quartered room with patience and precision, guiding guests through the menu as they would with friends or family. Rosy blurs the line between casual and special in a way that makes every visit a culinary thrill ride.

Rosy

2912 Church Ave., Cleveland; 216-785-9345; rosy.restaurant

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After settling up with Jorge, the enduring face of Mallorca’s dining rooms, we asked him to pass along our thanks to the owner. Instead, he pulled out his phone, dialed a number, and conjured her on the spot so that we could thank her ourselves.

Many operators like to describe their employees as family, but Laurie Torres has been proving it for nearly 30 years. Torres, who founded the restaurant with her Spanish ex-husband in 1997, has cultivated a culture of hospitality that is impossible to fake.

“Mallorca is the kind of place that if you don’t get a hug on the way in, you’re going to ask for one on the way out,” the owner says.

For decades, the close-knit staff at Mallorca have been making memories for guests celebrating special occasions. This is the place to come for large portions of colorful, comforting Spanish and Portuguese food, but also a theatrical experience where the coffee is set ablaze and the servers exchange in playful banter. But knowing when to turn it off is just as important as knowing how to ham it up, admits Torres. 

“When people come to Mallorca, they are looking for a Spanish experience, they are looking for waiters that are overly enthusiastic,” says Torres. “But they also know how to read the room. That is not something that’s taught; it’s something that you learn from being in hospitality for so long.”

Last month, Torres received some long-overdue recognition for the talents of her staff when Mallorca was named as a semi-finalist in the Outstanding Hospitality category of the James Beard Awards. Unlike chef-driven medals, this nationwide distinction recognizes softer skills like reception, organization, timing, staff knowledge and customer engagement.

“I was getting all these calls and texts from people saying congratulations and I’m like, what are they talking about?” Torres recalls. But after the shock had faded, she wondered why it took so bloody long. “When it comes to hospitality, nobody has it over Cleveland.”

Mallorca is where to go for Spanish-style shrimp de ajo ($21.75), a traditional terra-cotta cazuela overflowing with plump, sweet seafood in a paprika-scented garlic sauce. Good servers know to keep the bread baskets full and ours was as bottomless as a magician’s top hat. Almejas rellenas ($16.75), Spanish stuffed clams, are fortified with chorizo and topped with bacon. Jorge suggested that we try a nightly special, the Portuguese chorizo ($19), which is flambéed at the table in the traditional manner. More than just show, the warm flames release the heady aromas of pork, garlic and paprika while melting the fat.

If you happened to have dined at Mallorca a decade or so ago, you might recall servers deftly working their way through a near-comical list of nightly specials. Those specials, along with many time-honored preparations, have disappeared, victims of shifting dining trends, Torres explains. 

“Our paella originally had rabbit in it, because that’s how it’s done in Spain,” she says. “We had to take the bones out of the chicken. We used to serve fish with the head on. But now, people don’t want to even eat fish with bones in it.”

Even without the rabbit, the paella Valencia ($58) is a beautiful sight to behold. A wide, shallow pan is filled with saffron-scented rice and packed with Spanish sausage, shrimp, mussels, clams, scallops, chicken and lobster tails. Tack on orders of patatas bravas ($8), crispy spuds with a peppery kick. Meals are rounded out by simple but fresh house salads and platters of steamed vegetables. 

Step into Mallorca and you’ll be immersed in the aroma of coffee, cinnamon and burnt sugar. The famous flaming Spanish coffee service here ($30 for two) is more contagious than the flu; when one table requests it, the orders spread across the dining room like a brush fire. 

“Flames sell,” jokes Torres, who says that items such as that dramatic coffee service and the flambéed sausage help the restaurant remain relevant in today’s social media-obsessed times.

Torres will have to wait until April to see if Mallorca advances to the finals round in the James Beard Awards, but she’s already reaping the rewards of the nomination.

“Anytime you’re in the press for anything, it sparks interest, but that was a particularly big thing,” she states. “Literally within two days of the James Beard announcement we went from 120 reservations to 250.”

While it’s a clichéd custom to bestow all credit to the hard-working staff, it’s difficult not to fully believe Torres when she does precisely that.

“I don’t anticipate or expect it to go any further; this is a blessing in and of itself,” she says. “And if we do have any kind of award, it is 100 percent because of the staff, because they are beautiful people who love that house.”

Mallorca

1390 West 9th St., Cleveland

216-687-9494

mallorcacle.com

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In an era dominated by restaurant closures, it’s heartening to welcome back not one but two treasured local establishments that left us in recent years. At least, that’s the way it feels to fans of two local icons.

After the owners of Edison’s Pizza Kitchen announced the return of a brick-and-mortar pizzeria, their legion of fans rightfully rejoiced. When that business moved out of its longtime home next door to Edison’s Pub three years ago, it felt like a rip in the fabric of the neighborhood. In terms of harmonious pairings, few could rival the one-two punch of drinks and slices at those two Tremont mainstays.

In similar fashion, the loss of Lava Lounge in the same neighborhood seemed to signal an even more momentous shift in the character of the South Side. After all, without pioneers like Ricardo Sandoval and Jack Anfang, the Tremont nightlife scene might never have blossomed the way it has. When it opened 25 years ago, Lava Lounge marked the birth of cool, giving night owls a place to meet, eat and groove well into the wee hours.

Sandoval could have passed that iconic spot off to anyone, but he held out for the right people. Those people turned out to be Donna Grigonis and Evan Bailey, who had been searching for a new home for Edison’s Pizza. Since the storefront pizzeria closed three years ago, the only place to grab a pie has been at a pair of satellite shops inside Dave’s Market in Ohio City and Lucky’s Market on West 117^th. In December, after months of repairs and renovations, the new full-service pizzeria opened for business.

Although it’s not an official moniker, folks already have been calling the new joint “Edison’s at Lava Lounge” – and it’s hard to quibble with that sobriquet. It’s as if Lava and Edison’s had a lovechild. Or, like those Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups commercials of old, if the two entities accidentally collided on the sidewalk and created a blended product. Now, instead of eating a slice standing up, guests can settle in for a cozy meal with chairs, tables, cocktails and appetizers.

Edison’s calls its pizza “Cleveland-style” and we wouldn’t disagree. It’s a class consisting of standards like Geraci’s, Mama Santa’s and Master Pizza, pies that feature a mid-thickness crust with a crisp, buttery bottom, a tangy-sweet sauce, and loads of cheese and toppings. Edison’s ups the genre thanks to a crimped crust, parmesan-dusted rim and signature honey for dipping or drizzling. These are not thin, artsy, effete slices, but rather floppy, drippy and overloaded: drunk pizza, if you will.

Edison’s has always dreamt up flavorful specialty pies. The Hot Bacon Spinach ($24) is a many-layered affair with sauteed spinach, bacon, feta, parm and a “hot bacon drizzle.” Others star Buffalo wing sauce, pineapple and ham, and chicken with ranch dressing. Or just get the pepperoni ($22), a classic with edge-to-edge zesty saucers. 

For now, the appetizer roster is concise, consisting of just three items. The oven-baked wings ($11) – “never fried” – are hot, crisp and meaty, arriving pre-tossed in Buffalo, BBQ or garlic-parm. Cheesy garlic bread ($8) is comfort food in the extreme. A split loaf of Italian bread is toasted with garlic butter, heaped with mozz, and broiled until golden and glossy. If you’re getting pizza, the calzone ($14) is likely overkill as it contains a pie’s worth of cheese and toppings tucked inside a large, golden-brown crescent-shaped crust.

Salads are an easy category for improvement when management opts to expand the menu. There’s a basic pizzeria-style chopped salad ($10) comprised of iceberg, garbanzo beans and salami bits. Guests can also design their own bowl from a short list of greens, toppings and dressings.

The dining room is dominated by a large horseshoe bar, a feature that has given the lounge its energy from inception. There, bartenders prepare straightforward but properly done cocktails like a tart and smoky Mezcalito ($13). Wine lovers can celebrate an impressive by-the-glass and bottle program dominated, logically, by Old World reds. Brews from local brands are available both in cans and on draft.  

Grigonis and Bailey, who purchased Edison’s Pizza from founders Karl and Beth Nickel after years of partnership, fully grasp the magnitude of the brand’s reputation. As such, they have launched in a steady, thoughtful manner that provides them with a runway for lasting success. After a period of weekend-only service, they will add additional days and hours down the road.

“This doesn’t feel like my pizza shop,” says Grigonis, “it feels like the community’s pizza shop.”

Edison’s Pizza Kitchen

1307 Auburn Ave., Cleveland

216-589-9112

edisonspizzakitchens.com

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People who like egg salad really like egg salad. Landing squarely in that category, I was intrigued by the egg salad sandwich ($13) on the menu at 56 Social. It’s not something I would typically order at a restaurant, but this one came on house-baked milk bread, a detail that sealed the deal. When the sandwich landed, I noticed that the bread wasn’t toasted and there were zero crunchy add-ins such as celery, relish or capers. To bind the ingredients, the kitchen reaches for Kewpie, an egg yolk-enriched Japanese mayonnaise. The end result is like eating a fluffy egg-flavored cloud, where not even the slight resistance of toasted bread stands in the way.

If this much thought and attention go into a plain-old egg salad sando, what else must be at play.

When it comes to shoes that need filling, few were larger than the former J. Pistone Market, a Shaker Heights staple that fed the neighborhood for 25 years. But partners Jay Leitson and Izzy Schachner not only were up to the task, they are uniquely suited for it. They’ve been feeding the Eastside since 1998, when they opened their first Cafe 56 in Mayfield. That shop was ground-breaking for its ability to make salad appealing thanks to a roster of 56 different iterations.

If you’re looking for a recipe for success, it’s hard to top a seamless blend of variety, quality and value. Toss in hospitality and local ownership and you too might make it to the 28-year mark. Along the way, Leitson and Schachner have opened 56 Kitchen locations in Solon and Mayfield, 56 Tavern in Aurora, and Elle in Solon.

There have been countless versions of the famed Pewter Mug salad floating around since that iconic tavern was established in the 1960s. Leitson’s claim of ownership is better than most: his father ran a Pewter Mug location in Beachwood. The version ($17) served at 56 Social is a bountiful chef’s salad with cold, crisp iceberg topped with tomato and julienned turkey, ham and swiss, garnished with the requisite pretzel bagel and served with garlic vinaigrette on the side. There are eight other leafy creations, from a classic Caesar to a romaine-based blend with grilled flank steak and crispy potatoes. 

56 Social is a true all-day café, one that can take diners from bacon and eggs in the a.m. to a burger and beer in the evening. On a particularly brutal weather day, I was stunned to walk into a fully occupied dining room at midday. The draw is a menu that blends deli items, tavern fare and Mediterranean bistro dishes that are open to customization. 

Slender polenta fries ($10) are stacked Lincoln-log style, arriving hot and crispy outside and corny, creamy within. They are served with a charred-scallion aioli. 56 makes a mean latke ($9), again served hot, crisp and golden brown – with the classic accompaniments of sour cream and apple sauce.

In addition to that fluffy milk bread, 56 bakes its own focaccia, which finds its way into pizza-style flatbreads such as the tomato, basil and mozz-topped Margherita ($13) and another with prosciutto, whipped feta and pistachio. For the pastrami Cuban ($19), the focaccia is split, loaded with pastrami, roasted turkey, swiss, pickles and mustard aioli, and toasted in a panini press until hot and melty. There are a dozen savory sandwiches – from creamy pesto chicken salad to a house-blended kofta burger with tzatziki – and they all come with dark and crunchy housemade chips. 

Selective diners will appreciate the “craft your comfort” section that allows diners to build their own entrée by pairing one of six proteins with one of five presentations. While short of 56, the 30 different possible combinations are impressive. We combined a well-seasoned chicken schnitzel ($19) with the warm potato and arugula salad. Other proteins include grilled flank steak, salmon and housemade falafel, and other presentations feature pesto gnocchi, warm couscous and herbs, and hummus with tabbouleh.

Skip the diner and head to 56 Social for your morning meeting, where items like milk bread french toast, cheese blintzes and breakfast burritos await. I’m eager to sample the eggs Bene-stein, a Jewish take on eggs Benedict that tops potato pancakes with pastrami, over-easy eggs and hollandaise sauce.

The owners did a great job of making a cavernous space feel warm and inviting – even on the coldest of days and nights. An open kitchen brings warmth and transparency into the equation while a new bar in one corner gives solo flyers a comfortable perch. Display coolers show off the pastries of the day, ideal for grab-and-go enjoyment. 

56 Social

3245 Warrensville Ctr. Rd., Shaker Heights

216-283-3663

56social.com

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It’s been about 20 years since I dined at Luchita’s, so my personal memories are about as crystalline as a well-blended margarita. When I moved back to Cleveland in the early aughts, Luchita’s was at the peak of its game, with a handful of locations scattered all over town. In addition to the flagship on W. 117th Street, the Galindo family operated restaurants in Mentor, Parma, Elyria and at Shaker Square, which was two miles from my home.

What I recall about those meals had less to do with the food on the plate than it did the company and surroundings. The Square was jumping back then and one of the best places to soak it all in was on the sidewalk patio in front of Luchita’s – at a time when outdoor dining was still relatively uncommon. Up to our eyeballs in margaritas, and three baskets into the chips and salsa, none of us at the table were scrutinizing the enchiladas, I can assure you.

Owing to soaring expectations, restaurant comebacks are always fraught with peril (I’m looking at you, Nighttown). Luchita’s, which is now called La Casa de Luchita’s, opened this past summer at Shaker Square, reviving a brand that had been dormant for three years but on life support since 2020. It is joined by Coyoacán, a fast-casual taqueria in the style of Chipotle. It’s a savvy pairing: diners can pop in for a speedy taco, burrito or torta lunch to go or settle in for a leisurely Mexican dinner.

On the Luchita’s side, a new menu format blends classic dishes like chiles rellenos, tamales, flautas, enchiladas and burritos with shifting seasonal features that broaden the kitchen’s range. Anyone who ever loved Luchita’s will bring to the table their own set of expectations, memories and taste preferences. Based on my recent experiences, those iconic Tex-Mex staples offer more bang for the buck than the regional specials.

Diners can still get lost in the giddy bliss of complimentary chips and salsa. The chips are thin, crisp and just salty enough to balance the sweetness of the red and green salsas. Few house blends possess any heat at all let alone the assertive tang of Luchita’s tomato-based salsa. Queso fundido ($15.99) arrives hot and melty, concealing a hearty portion of well-spiced chorizo. In addition to the chip garnish, the appetizer comes with a short stack of warm tortillas. 

A wide bowl of chicken-based sopa Azteca ($8.99) was loaded with shredded chicken, rice, pico de gallo, and sliced ripe avocado. The soup’s only flaw was its temperature, likely tempered by the addition of so many cold additions and garnishes. Molotes de Xoxocotlan ($18.99) are crispy masa turnovers filled with a mild but savory chorizo and potato blend. The appetizers arrive on a thin, faintly sweet pumpkin-based sauce and are garnished with a crispy chapulin, or grasshopper.

The Tex-Mex delight that is a “wet burrito” has long been a Luchita’s menu staple, and the version ($17.99) revived on the Square has lost little in the intervening years. Diners have a choice of fillings (beef, pork or chicken) and sauces (red or green). It’s big, it’s hearty, it’s as satisfying as a warm hug.

Luchita’s introduced many a Cleveland diner to the intoxicating appeal of honest-to-goodness Puebla-style mole. The earthy, nutty and complex sauce is the signature component of pollo en mole Poblano. But as part of the restaurant’s new seasonal specials, additional moles have entered the chat. The mole pasilla that coats beef cheeks in the cachetes de res en mole ($22.99) is nearly black in hue, with a dark and toasty flavor to match. The long-braised beef is so tender that it breaks apart with a spoon.

An order of pulpo ($23.99) went largely untouched. The octopus was grievously chewy, bordering on rubbery, and lacked any observable char from the grill. It was paired with a local rarity, green chorizo, which is completely different from the familiar ground sausage. This version is bright, herbaceous, nutty and mildly spiced.

After waiting ages for a dish of salsa and another round of beers, we stopped a staffer to locate our server. He informed us that she had left the restaurant 15 minutes prior. It was an awkward and abrupt finish to our meal; we settled up and followed suit. 

I experienced similar service gaffes next door at Coyoacán, a glitch that often takes the “fast” out of fast-casual. It took a staffer multiple attempts to steam the corn tortillas without tearing them, but I eventually departed with tasty orders of carnitas ($4.50), barbacoa ($4.50) and birria tacos ($14.99).

Coyoacán and La Casa de Luchita’s

13133 Shaker Square, Cleveland

216-528-0030

lacasadeluchitas.com

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I vowed not to make the same mistakes again. The last – and first – time I visited a conveyor-belt sushi restaurant, my companion and I were so giddy with anticipation that we immediately started grabbing plates off the passing belt. In fact, I described the experience as one of “instant gratification,” where diners literally can begin snacking on sushi within seconds of parking the car. 

While all of that is true, there is a more tactical way to proceed. After tossing back a few rounds of fresh but filling rolls, during that initial outing, we began observing more variety snaking its way from the kitchen. And as the dining room around us began filling up, so too did the passing belt. The key to a successful conveyor-belt sushi experience, it turns out, isn’t all that different from a traditional one: plan your meal out in advance.

For consistency’s sake, I invited the same dining companion to Funshi, the newest kaiten-zushi restaurant in Northeast Ohio. As the name suggests, this locally owned restaurant puts the “fun” in sushi. The quickly expanding brand made a splash in early 2025 when they opened Funshi Sushi, Ramen and Boba in Rocky River. The joint was an instant smash thanks to a formula that combines stellar fare, warm hospitality, and a colorful, space-age vibe.

This latest location rachets up the fun factor in several ways. Chief among them is the addition of the conveyor belt, which travels from the kitchen, through the well-designed restaurant, and back home again. The dining room is arranged in an E-shape, with the spine being the kitchen and the little arms extending into the seating area. As more diners settle in, additional routes of the belt are activated. 

Foods arrive on white or black plates, a system that lets diners distinguish between raw and cooked items. The dishes leave the kitchen covered and remain that way until removed from the belt by a diner. Everything is $3.50, a structure achieved by modulating portion size. Some plates hold two items, others four, and so on. Foods arrive in groups, preceded by a sign stating not only the name of the dish but also the components within, which is especially helpful for complex rolls.

Some of the items we enjoyed straight from the belt include cooked shrimp nigiri, futo maki rolls, spicy tuna rolls, shrimp tempura rolls, faux crab sticks, unagi, vegetable spring rolls and gyoza. Everything was glossy, fresh and well-prepared, from the sushi rice to the deftly twisted rolls. 

We quickly noticed a dearth of raw-fish nigiri on the conveyor belt, an approach that I assume is intentional. All tables have a tablet that lets diners place orders with ease. Many of those items – such as tuna, red snapper, salmon, yellowtail, red clam – cost the same $3.50 per plate. It’s a system that prevents raw fish from languishing on the belt like a forgotten suitcase on the baggage carousel. The second-best part of that system is the delivery method: a tram on a separate track that stops right at one’s table. 

That tablet is also one’s gateway to rest of the menu, an extensive selection of starters, elaborate rolls, ramen, rice bowls and boba drinks. We supplemented our conveyor-belt treasure hunting with a bowl of ramen ($10.99). Orders are customized on the tablet, giving diners the choice between ramen noodles, rice noodles or udon noodles. In addition to the included marinated, soft-cooked egg, sliced fish cake and veggies, proteins such as chashu pork, chicken and shrimp tempura can be added. Within minutes of placing our order, a robot server silently approached our table bearing a steaming bowl of ramen. The tonkatsu broth was rich, savory and creamy, the noodles still bouncy, and the portion robust enough to chase away the fiercest winter blues.

As you can imagine, kids get a kick out of the cutting-edge tech – a family-friendly approach that extends to the no-booze policy. A full-wall projection immerses diners in a shimmering underwater seascape. Up front, a “10-seconds” game gives guests an opportunity to snag a free gift card. 

When you’ve had all the food you can comfortably consume, tap the call button to summon a server, who tallies your tower of empty plates – in our case 13 – and prepares the check. From start to finish, the entire dining experience was efficient, delicious and reasonably priced. Funshi is the antithesis to extravagant omakases and sushi counters, an approach that is resonating with audiences and leading to growth. Next up for the team is a new location in Beachwood that is set to open in December. 

Funshi Revolving Sushi, Ramen and Boba

35918 Detroit Rd., Avon

440-695-0330

21605 Center Ridge Rd., Rocky River

216-712-4240

funshisushi.com

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The last time I had beef cheeks this memorable they were tucked inside a delicate pierogi wrapper, topped with wild mushrooms and presented atop a pool of horseradish crème fraiche. Unlike Michael Symon’s signature appetizer, however, the ones served at Kyuu-juu have nowhere to hide. Presented in an elegant porcelain bowl, the long-braised cheeks ($21) are sparsely garnished yet deliver an outsized level of flavor, tenderness and depth. 

I expected to find some of Cleveland’s best sashimi at this new Ohio City hotspot, but I was equally impressed by the non-fish items on this wide-ranging menu. Partners Ryan Endrian and Chef Kwan might be best known for their extraordinary omakase dinners, but guests at Kyuu-juu will also encounter stellar plates built around vegetables, chicken, beef, duck and more.

Open since summer, Kyuu-juu shares a sharp two-story Victorian with Sushi Kuwahata, the eight-seat omakase restaurant on the upper level. Billed as a “contemporary izakaya,” the 50-seat eatery offers a daring and deliberate take on these traditionally informal Japanese bars. Classics like yakitori, karaage and grilled veggies are present, but so too is impeccable sashimi, chef-driven small plates and luxurious A5 wagyu beef. What links the traditional and modern is the easygoing, shared-plate style that defines the izakaya experience.

Many operators claim to have the freshest possible seafood, but few go to the lengths that Endrian and Kwan do to ensure quality, consistency and selection. Items are hand-picked by colleagues at Tokyo’s Toyosu Market and shipped directly to the United Airlines Cargo facility at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. Some products are destined for Sushi Kuwahata and others for Kyuu-juu.

Even for well-seasoned diners, the menu can be intimidating. It’s a two-sided affair with eight different categories – and that doesn’t include the beverage menu. There is likely a customary progression of courses one should follow but when asked, our server offered little guidance. Instead, we obeyed our intuition, starting with sashimi and fish-based small plates before moving on to fried foods and meats. A tasting menu-style option might be appreciated, we thought. 

Mackerel ($18), firm, glossy and slightly warm from the blowtorch, is drizzled with pale-green shiso oil and garnished with local microgreens. Three buttery, peach-hued slices of hamachi ($18) bare little in common with the pale, bland sushi staple served elsewhere. The faintly sweet fish is slicked with a citrusy but not overpowering ponzu sauce. From the otsumami category we enjoyed a fine-textured bluefin tuna tartare ($15) and a bowl of briny but underwhelming salmon roe ($18) seasoned with Japanese peppercorn.

While knocking back glasses of ice-cold Sapporo draft ($8) and crisp Oregon white wines ($15) we chartered our next moves. We landed on some of the best drink-friendly snacks on Earth: the crackling-crisp chicken skin chips ($9) seasoned with togarashi and flaky salt. A dish of blistered shishito peppers ($9), served cold and topped with bonito flakes, also makes a fine bar snack. 

As savory as those braised, seared and sliced beef cheeks were, it was the chicken thigh yakitori ($11) that stole round three. Two skewers are threaded with the juiciest, tare-glazed meat, expertly grilled, garnished with scallion, and served with a side of salt and Japanese pepper. Likewise, marinated duck breast ($24) arrives sliced to reveal a rosy-red interior and melt-in-your-mouth texture. Executive chef Dereck White, formerly of Red Steakhouse, also offers a variety of imported Wagyu beef cuts that are grilled, sliced and served on hot clay plates. An ideal accompaniment for any beef dish would be the “five kind mushrooms” ($13), a ridiculously savory, umami-rich medley of – you guessed it – five varieties of sauteed shrooms.  

In true izakaya fashion, every dish is finger- and/or chopstick-friendly. Despite the luxe ingredients, obsessive attention to detail, and precision plating and presentation, Kyuu-juu remains a casual neighborhood bistro. Tables are set aside for walk-ins, there’s no “90-minute time limit,” and we never once felt rushed to place our next round of orders. 

That said, the space is limited to a bar, nearby window counter, and small dining room. As the place fills up, which it does quickly after opening, that dining room grows louder and louder. It’s also very bright, a situation made worse on our visit due to the fact that we were sandwiched between two separate influencers who lit the joint up like Times Square.

The beverage list has a concise but compelling selection of sakes, served by the glass or bottle, as well as cocktails, beer and hard seltzers.  

A word of note: a 20-percent service charge is applied to every table, a detail that is listed in fine print on the menu but was not brought to our attention by the server. 

Kyuu-juu

2054 Fulton Rd., Cleveland

216-785-9296

kyuujuu0181.s4shops.com

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The post At Kyuu-juu, an Obsessively Crafted Neighborhood Izakaya Blends the Modern and Traditional appeared first on Cleveland Scene.