13 CLE restaurants perfect for a Travis Kelce/Taylor Swift date night, new eats at Progressive Field , Astro sets opening date & more

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Entertainment | Food and Drink

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13 restaurants perfect for a Travis Kelce/Taylor Swift date in Cleveland

Recently, Cleveland native NFL star Travis Kelce visited Geraci's Slice Shop and it got us thinking about where he might one day dine with his superstar girlfriend, Taylor Swift, in Cleveland. We came up with 13 restaurants, bars, bakeries and beyond for the A-list duo to visit during their inevitable trip to Kelce’s hometown. DETAILS

New eats at Progressive Field

Fans heading to Progressive Field have more than half a dozen new food offerings to check out. It wasn’t that long ago we had the likes of only hot dogs and pretzels. Now, you can get Choolaah bowls and several other options. Award-winning chef Vinnie Cimino of Cordelia in Cleveland also collaborated with Delaware North, the ballpark’s food provider, on one of the dishes. READ MORE

New extreme foods offered at Canal Park

The Akron RubberDucks have been offering extreme food for more than a decade at Canal Park. They’re popular, they’re huge, and they are definitely shareable. They include a chicken and waffle sandwich, Hawaiian burger and a couple of others. READ MORE

Beer, beer, more beer!

National Beer Day was last Sunday, but you can still celebrate. Our monthly review features seven different beers of various styles and breweries. Plus, we offer some local and national brewery news and notes. READ MORE

Pop (Tart) Culture

Did you know that Cleveland was the very first test market for Kellogg’s (now Kellanova) Pop-Tarts breakfast confections? Your resident pop culture pal Peter Chakerian takes us on a fun ride through a guilty food pleasure with dozens of flavors and 60 years of history. He also hints at an upcoming “Best of” ranking. READ MORE

Getting to know your Dine Drink CLE Team: Alex Darus

Our “5 for Friday” columns will be introducing you to the Dine Drink CLE Team, one member at a time. This week, we talk to Alex Darus, who shares her five favorite local dining and drinking establishments along with a shoutout to the resplendent Ohio City Provisions store. She gives us a lot of food for thought. READ MORE.

Cent’s Pizza unveils two special pies, raising money for Best Buddies

Cent’s Pizza, 5010 Lorain Ave., has teamed up with Best Buddies in Ohio to unveil two limited-edition pies for a good cause. Best Buddies offers one-to-one friendship and leadership development programs for individuals with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities. The two pies are called the “Besto” and “Buddy,” a nod at the cause. READ MORE

OPENINGS

Noodles & Company to expand in NE Ohio

Noodles & Company is set to open in Green. The fast-casual eatery serving a multitude of noodles and flavors will be at 3952 Massillon Road. Opening date is scheduled for Wednesday, April 17. Its menu is billed as offering “globally inspired noodle dishes made fresh to order.” Options range from Italian dishes, stuffed pasta, Asian noodles and “LEANguini” - dishes with lower carbohydrates. Also available are shareables, soups, salads and “everyday value” lower-cost meals. READ MORE

The Astro sets opening date

The Astro - a science-fiction-themed restaurant – is scheduled to open Tuesday, Sept. 23. The restaurant is going into the space formerly occupied by the Hard Rock Cafe in downtown Cleveland at Tower City. READ MORE

EVENTS/TASTINGS

Chardon Restaurant Week is April 15-21, just before Maple Festival

Sixteen local restaurants are participating in Chardon Restaurant Week, April 15-21. They are scattered around the town square and as far away as Brown Barn Tavern on Mayfield Road. The week kicks off at 5 p.m., on Wednesday, April 10, with a launch party at Eleventhree Brewing Company. The party, which includes food samples from participating restaurants, is open to the public on a first-come, first-served basis. READ MORE

Wild West Whiskey Fest coming up

The Wild West Whiskey Fest is scheduled in Cleveland. Scores of whiskies will be available for tasting as well as for a raffle. The third annual tasting is a benefit for A Special Wish Foundation Northeast Ohio chapter. It’s Saturday, April 13, in downtown Cleveland. READ MORE

Tequilas & Tapas

Akron Civic Theatre is holding the first Tequilas & Tapas tasting fest. If you like margaritas and trying tequila, the fest will offer multiple stations and food from local restaurants. The tasting is in a cool setting – the venerable old theater in the heart of downtown Akron. The fest is Saturday, April 13. READ MORE

Paso Robles, California, winery to be featured in multi-course dinner

Vaccaro's Trattoria in Akron will feature wines from Le Vigne of Paso Robles, California. The region has been producing some good wines especially in the last decade. The Italian restaurant’s dinner is Wednesday, April 17. READ MORE

The Aviator schedules Rodney Strong wines dinner

The Aviator Event Center and Pub is holding a dinner featuring Rodney Strong wines of California. The multi-course dinner is Thursday, April 25, at the restaurant, which is adjacent to Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. Rodney Strong is a common name on many restaurant menus, and the dinner is a good way to familiarize yourself with the wines. READ MORE

Books & Bites to bring in celebrity chef to Cleveland

Books & Bites, a fundraiser for the Cuyahoga County Library Foundation, is coming up Thursday, May 2. Headlining the event this year will be Rocco DiSpirito, who has written more than a dozen books. His most recent book is “Everyday Delicious,” which focuses on 100 no-fuss weekday meals to help you cook like a chef in about 30 minutes. READ MORE

111 Bistro schedules dinner with Italian wines from Carpineto

111 Bistro is scheduled to hold a five-course dinner featuring Carpineto, an Italian winery. The dinner is Thursday, April 18. Cocktails are at 6 p.m. with dinner at 6:30 p.m. READ MORE

Cleveland International Wine Festival is scheduled

The Cleveland International Wine Festival is set for Saturday, April 20. Organizers say more than 100 wines will be available for tasting, plus there are multiple classes appropriate for wine beginners as well as established oenophiles. It’s at Landerhaven event center in Mayfield Heights. READ MORE

Fahrenheit’s Rocco Whalen to host ‘One Night of Wellington’

Fahrenheit in Cleveland is hosting an upscale interactive cooking class where participants can learn firsthand from executive chef Rocco Whalen. Fahrenheit’s “One Night of Wellington” event is set for April 12 at the restaurant’s location at 55 Public Square in downtown Cleveland. READ MORE

PICKS OF THE WEEK

Edwins

Edwins Leadership and Restaurant Institute has a great mission – the Shaker Square restaurant hires and trains recently released incarcerated individuals to work in the French restaurant. So it makes you feel good to go there. But the food and service has been consistent over the years. And it offers what might be the best artichokes you will ever taste. It’s at 13101 Shaker Square, Cleveland. DETAILS

The Riverwood Cafe

Lakewood has no shortage of dives with solid bar food, but Riverwood Cafe is one with food worth coming back to. The menu is simple — burgers, wings and fried things make up the majority. The weekly specials, like $3 taco night or half-off appetizer Mondays, make it even more worth stopping for a no-brainer meal. Riverwood Cafe is located at 18500 Detroit Ave., Lakewood. DETAILS

Nature’s Oasis Café & Market

There’s this crazy idea that “fast” food is unhealthy. The three locations of Nature’s Oasis (Lakewood, Shaker Heights, Ohio City) deliver on fast healthy breakfast and lunch options that dodge added hormones, artificial preservatives and sweeteners and many of the other additions that people could stand to do without. The coffee café vibe meets micro-market aesthetic is perfect for dine-in and grab n’ go all at once. They source from over 150 unique local food and beverage purveyors. The region has long needed a Nature’s Oasis and having three is a bit like winning the Triple Crown. DETAILS

Lucky’s Café

Arrive early or wait in line for breakfast at Lucky’s Café in Tremont. The cool thing is, you can leave your number and get a call when your table is ready. The food is hardy and wholesome, sourced from local purveyors and served up in generous portions. It’s rhubarb season, the perfect time for vanilla bean waffles topped with warm strawberry-rhubarb compote, honey-infused whipped cream, drizzled with house-made caramel sauce, and a sprinkle of turbinado. Looking for something less sweet, the Shipwreck is enough for breakfast and lunch -- baked hash browns, eggs, veggies, bacon, and cheddar cheese. Served with house made como toast and fresh fruit. A vegetarian option is also available. Lunch sandwiches are equally yummy. Lucky’s closes at 2 p.m. The restaurant is at lucky 777 Starkweather Avenue, Cleveland. DETAILS

SPOTLIGHT

24 best taco restaurants in Greater Cleveland: Vote for your favorite

Here at “Best of Cleveland HQ,” we’ve thrilled watching your nominations pour in for the best tacos in Greater Cleveland. We have now narrowed the field down to the top 24 nominated taco joints. There are that many great places to get tacos in Northeast Ohio and you’ve identified them. Now it’s time to vote. How will the search for the best tacos in Greater Cleveland land? It’s all on you. This first round will determine the Top 10. Head on over to our poll at cleveland.com/best to vote for your favorite. READ MORE

Entertainment | Food and Drink

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