The Dugout planned with DORA on East 4th Hangry Brands is bringing The Dugout, an open-air seasonal concept, to East 4th Street in downtown Cleveland. The space will be able to take advantage of a new Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area for watering holes along East 4th. Pre- and post-gamers, rejoice. READ MORE Original Pancake House plans fourth location in Northeast Ohio A new Original Pancake House is opening in Avon in summer 2025. The fourth OPH in Northeast Ohio, it will take over the space currently occupied by Heck’s of Avon at 35514 Detroit Road. (Heck’s will open in spring at the new address, 35546 Detroit Road, which is the former Melt Bar and Grilled space behind its current location.) Cleveland Restaurant Management Group, owner of the new OPH, is planning modest renovations to the Heck’s space. When it opens, the breakfast-centric restaurant will seat up to 140 guests and offer patio seating. READ MORE Swensons reopens after accident The West Akron Swensons Drive-In on Hawkins Avenue has reopened after a car rammed the building in November. The eatery, which has a handful of new seasonal items on its menu, had brought in a food truck in the interim but is now open for business again. READ MORE Pinecrest adding café, 3 more businesses in 2025 Toastique, a woman-founded café, is set to open in Pinecrest in 2025 along with three other businesses. Toastique serves gourmet toasts, smoothie bowls and other nutritious options. It targets those who want a quick, healthy bite. Pinecrest will be Toastique’s first Ohio location. Other businesses planned for the lifestyle-shopping center in 2025: Travis Mathew, Tecovas and LaserAway. READ MORE Ohio Pie Co. offers free pizza on Christmas Day for folks in need Ohio Pie Co. is offering free medium pizzas on Christmas Day to folks in need of a delicious meal. The local pizza shop with storefronts in Rocky River and Brunswick will be officially closed on Dec. 25, the owners offered a kind gesture for anyone without plans for the holiday. From noon to 4 p.m., the owner will be making pizzas with friends and family at the Brunswick store, 1315 Pearl Road. READ MORE 14 Greater Cleveland bakeries for last-minute holiday cookies before Christmas It’s officially crunch time for holiday celebrations. Folks are busy wrapping gifts, preparing dinner party meals and gearing up for the festivities. Sometimes, regardless of how well you plan, it’s easy to forget the basics – like Christmas cookies. Check out 14 local bakeries in Greater Cleveland perfect for snagging last-minute treats from before Christmas. READ MORE |
|
|
Taking a look at The Brew Kettle’s Brunswick brewpub The Brew Kettle has been in a bullish mode, which includes the opening of a brewpub in Brunswick. It has a tasteful lodge-like feel and a Topgolf Swing Suites simulator. Here’s what it’s about – story and photos: READ MORE DineDrinkCLE is all about the holidays: Foodie gifts, cookies & more Tick, tock ... Holiday gifting season is coming quickly. If you haven’t found something for everyone on your list, listen to or watch the 51st episode of “DineDrinkCLE: The Podcast.” Host Josh Duke is joined by Paris Wolfe to explore locally made gift ideas for foodies and the local markets where you can find them. Peter Chakerian also steps in to highlight the ‘Best of Cleveland’ team’s quest to find Greater Cleveland’s best bakeries for holiday cookies. Finally, Marc Bona shares his thoughts on holiday brews as well as regional and general cookbooks that may make good gifts for foodies. LISTEN HERE Chops Grille & Tap House gets new operator Farmer Butcher Chef Steakhouse is moving to the spot formerly occupied by Chops Grille & Tap House. Owner Matt Horton says his restaurant is about “boots to suits” - everyone is welcome, regardless of whether you wear construction boots or suits. He’s opening to open in February. READ MORE Marble Room offering decadent New Year’s Eve dinner New Year’s Eve calls for a decadent meal, and Marble Room Steaks & Raw Bar aims to deliver with a 13 - yes, 13 - course tasting menu. Dinner is 8 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 31, in the restaurant’s vault. Each course is billed as a tribute to months of the year and culminates in dessert and Champagne. Dinner comes with a welcome cocktail and midnight toast. Cash bar is available. Cost is $250. Marble room is at 623 Euclid Ave. in downtown Cleveland. READ MORE |
|
|
OPENINGS/CLOSINGS One Star Bar opens as Lakewood’s latest corner hangout, restaurant One Star Bar is the latest bar/restaurant to join Lakewood’s lineup of approachable neighborhood hangouts. The corner bar at 13601 Detroit Avenue took over the space that previously housed O’Toole’s Pub, Mad Max and Lakewood Social House. One Star officially opened to the public on Sunday ahead of its grand opening this weekend. READ MORE Fiamma by Mendel is open Mendel Segal has opened this kosher Italian restaurant in Eton Chagrin Boulevard in Woodmere. It’s in the former Mabel’s BBQ in a cool, renovated space. Segal also owns Mendel’s KC BBQ in Shaker Heights. Unlike that barbecue joint, Fiamma will have no meat – focusing on fish, vegetables and cheese. It also has a state-of-the-art pizza oven. READ MORE Shinto expanding to the East Side Shinto Japanese Steakhouse & Sushi Bar, which opened in Strongsville in 2004 and Westlake in 2020, is expanding to the East Side. It is planning to open in Legacy Village in Lyndhurst. Target opening date is summer. READ MORE Italian Village in Strongsville to close, reopen as Capriccio’s Village Italian Village in Strongsville is being replaced by a new Capriccio’s Village restaurant concept in late spring. It will close for renovation on January 1. While the brand is changing, the owners will not. READ MORE |
|
|
EVENTS/TASTINGS Hot chocolate trail The inaugural Tour Lake County Hot Chocolate Trail is under way. The digital-passport tour allows participants to explore cafes and businesses across the county, comparing decadent hot chocolates. Participants can download a free passport, and those who check in and try hot chocolates at eight of 11 featured locations will earn a limited-edition #TourLakeCOcoa mug. The trail runs through Tuesday, Dec. 31. READ MORE Akron Zoo beer, wine tasting coming up Akron Zoo has merged two events – Brew at the Zoo and Wild Lights – for a special holiday tasting, Brew at the Zoo: Holiday Special. It's Saturday, Dec. 28. Multiple breweries and wineries will be pouring sips, and patrons can check out the more than 1 million lights adorning the zoo. READ MORE Larder, Abundance Culinary team up for Jewish-ish Christmas Dinner, ‘Die Hard’ screening Larder and Abundance Culinary are teaming up for an exclusive one-night holiday dinner blending regional Chinese cooking and Jewish deli classics. The Jewish-ish Christmas Dinner is set for Sunday, Dec. 22 at Larder Delicatessen and Bakery, 1455 W. 29th St. For $85, guests can enjoy a specialty mash-up menu and a “Die Hard” screening to celebrate the season. READ MORE |
|
|
PICKS OF THE WEEK Clandestina Bar food is usually satisfying but doesn’t spark cravings. Not so at Clandestina. Known for its serious Mezcal (and tequila) list and creative, smokey cocktails, the little bar in Ohio City makes a Smokey Street Corn Dip that fancies up a corn chip like nothing else. The kitchen also puts out a top-notch, fresh guacamole. If the appetizer dips don’t fill you up, the empanadas, tamales and burritos will. The bar setting and vibe makes this NOT a place for children. Clandestina is at 1865 West 25th Street, Cleveland. DETAILS – Paris Wolfe Alexander Pierce Alexander Pierce offers fine dining and friendly service not far from the heart of downtown Akron. The steaks-and-seafood-centric menu is not overwhelming (scallops are especially tasty) and the pasta dishes are great (we enjoyed a Bolognese recently). The wine list also is very manageable with some nice finds – including a Cabernet Franc from California. And the shareable desserts are definitely shareable. Bon appetit! It’s at 797 E. Market St. READ MORE – Marc Bona Poppy The holiday season is all about gathering with loved ones over delicious meals, and Poppy in Cleveland is the ideal spot to take out-of-towners for an elevated experience. Poppy has captured the winter wonderland experience with its pop-up bar, Chill at Etta. Menu items like braised lamb shank, roasted delicata squash and spicy calamari also add to the comforting experience. Poppy is at 12502 Larchmere Blvd. DETAILS - Alex Darus |
SPOTLIGHT 26 food gifts from Northeast Ohio that everyone will love Food is a perfect holiday gift. A consumable, it makes memories without creating clutter in someone’s home. And, thoughtfully sourced, your purchase can support small, local businesses while you share your Northeast Ohio spirit with friends and family. READ MORE 12 Northeast Ohio markets to shop for local food gifts ‘Tis the season for holiday shopping and spending your time and money at local foodie retailers is a good way to support the Greater Cleveland culinary community. If you’re looking to score foodie-centric gifts, check out these local markets, small-scale grocery stores and beyond. READ MORE |
|
|
To ensure receipt of our emails, please add [email protected] to your address book or safe sender list. You received this email because you opted-in to the newsletter. Was it forwarded to you? Sign up now! 4800 Tiedeman Road, Brooklyn OH 44144 |
|
|
|
