TOP NEWS

Holiday pop-up bars are the hot thing: Here are 33 of the best in Greater Cleveland and beyond

Christmas pop-up bars are the hot nightlife trend this holiday season, having exploded in popularity over the past 10 years. Bars and restaurants across Northeast Ohio -- from Madison to Sandusky to Cuyahoga Falls -- are decking the halls and going all-out on Christmas decor and festive cocktails for this holiday season. Cleveland.com’s Alex Darus has the scoop on the trend, plus a guide to more than 30 holiday pop-ups around Greater Cleveland. READ MORE

17 Greater Cleveland restaurants open on Thanksgiving Day in 2024

Not everyone is into or is capable of cooking a huge meal at home for Thanksgiving. For those still in need of a Thanksgiving day meal plan, check out 17 Greater Cleveland restaurants that will be open for dine-in service on Nov. 28. READ MORE

Hot-meal sites listed for Thanksgiving week

Greater Cleveland Food Bank is out with a list of hot-meal sites for those who are in need of food assistance. The list covers multiple places across Northeast Ohio over Thanksgiving week. Times, dates and places vary. READ MORE

Check out our WTAM 5-minute food and drink chat

Each week we talk about Northeast Ohio food and drink stories. We recently covered Rita’s Italian Ice, an upcoming Black Friday event at Fat Head’s Brewery and a special beer from Saucy Brew Works. READ MORE

DineDrinkCLE talks The W Sports Bar, West Side Market holiday happenings & more

In the latest episode of "DineDrinkCLE: The Podcast," Alex Darus and Josh Duke chat with Marc Bona and Paris Wolfe about W Sports Bar, a women-owned spot coming soon with ties to Brewnuts. They also cover West Side Market updates and holiday happenings and chef Liu Fang’s plans to expand his modern Chinese restaurant Abundance Culinary in Cleveland Heights. LISTEN

Heinen’s closing second-floor level in downtown Cleveland store

Heinen’s second floor of the downtown Cleveland rotunda is closing, the store has announced. As part of the remodeling, which is supposed to be completed in 2025, the wine and beer departments will be moved to the first-floor rotunda and new restrooms will be constructed downstairs, Heinen’s marketing director Jackie Shultz said in a statement. Alcohol selections will be “streamlined” but still offer an “expansive selection” of wine, cold beer and ready-to-drink cocktails. The remodeled area will include a wine-tasting area allowing customers to choose from 32 wines, dispensed from self-serve stations. Eight craft beers will be on draft. READ MORE

Want to win an ugly sweater contest?

Hot Pockets has a promotion out with a special ugly Christmas sweater. It’s tied to a promotion about the packaging of the quick-heated Hot Pockets snack. Availability is limited. READ MORE

Cleveland Glogg returns

Four years ago, StoneWater’s Rustic Grill introduced Cleveland Glogg, a mulled wine with a tawny port base meant to be served warm at the holidays. It’s back and available in bottles or glasses. READ MORE

Winter Warmer Fest tickets go on sale soon

Tickets for the 2025 Winter Warmer Fest go on sale this week. The large-scale beer tasting, a fundraiser for the Ohio Craft Brewers Association, is held in Cleveland each March. It’s an inside and outside event and regarded as one of the best beer fests of the year. READ MORE

OPENINGS/CLOSINGS

Royal Docks Brewing Co. open in Cleveland

Royal Docks Brewing Co. Tied House is open in Cleveland’s Hingetown neighborhood. It’s the first foray into Cuyahoga County for the Canton-based brewery. Here’s our story and photos. READ MORE

Local brothers build and open new winery in Madison

Brothers Kevin and Don Jacobson just opened Fossil Creek Wine in Madison, across from Grand River Cellars winery. Just three weeks old the winery specializes in Riesling and plans to expand its varietals in upcoming years. READ MORE

EVENTS/TASTINGS

Hot chocolate trail launched at 11 NE Ohio locations

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

Black Friday at Fat Head’s Brewery

Fat Head’s Brewery is holding a Black Friday event where the brewery will debut its Barrel-Aged Pimp My Sleigh plus offer customers a chance to donate to several area charities and be entered into a raffle. The Middleburg Heights brewery made a very limited amount of the barrel-aged ale. READ MORE

Via Roma to hold holiday wine tasting

Royal Park Fine Wine and Via Roma Event Center and Ristorante are teaming up for a holiday wine tasting Sunday, Dec. 1, in Via Roma’s grand ballroom. More than 40 wines – sparkling and still – will be included in the tasting in the North Royalton restaurant. READ MORE

Oregon winery to be a featured at 111 Bistro dinner

111 Bistro is holding a wine dinner featuring Bluebird Hill Cellars of Oregon. Arrive is 6 p.m. for the dinner, which is at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 5. Winery owner and winemaker Sue Shay will guide the tasting of wines from Willamette Valley, Oregon. The winery planted its first block of vines in 2013. Four vintages will be served of assorted varietals, and the wines will be for sale after dinner. DETAILS

Corleone’s to screen movie at special dinner

Corleone's Ristorante is screening “Godfather II” at a special wine-themed dinner featuring wines of filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola. The movie is one of the greatest sequels of all time. The multicourse dinner is Monday, Dec. 2. READ MORE

PICKS OF THE WEEK

Broadway Grill & Games

Broadway Grill & Games in Lorain’s Ariel Broadway Hotel seems an unlikely spot to discover a great kitchen. So, it’s a delightful surprise. And isn’t too far from Cleveland, if you live on the West Side. As the name indicates it’s a family-friendly spot with a game room vibe. But the food! Chef Mark Wilson brings his culinary chops to the kitchen and turns ordinary items into extraordinary preparations. While the menu offers burgers, quesadillas and wings, the chef goes all out on pizza, entrees, dessert and more. Handmade is important to Wilson. He even grinds his own flour for the rosemary-honey pizza crust. The menu includes kebabs, whiskey and brown sugar steak and Bourbon BBQ grilled chicken breast. Even the ice cream is homemade. – Paris Wolfe - DETAILS

Mustard Seed Cafe

It's always cool to enjoy a meal and drink at Mustard Seed Cafe in Akron’s funky Highland Square neighborhood. The market is below, and the restaurant above offers an array of items – many vegetarian. From stir-fry bowls to tacos and much more, the menu has something for everyone. The wine list is approachable, the beer list is funky, and if you hang around long enough on a Friday night you can hear some live music. It’s at 867 W. Market St. -- Marc Bona READ MORE

SPOTLIGHT

Local beers to bring to your holiday party: Classic CLE Eats & Drinks

Headed to a holiday party? If it's BYOB, don't show up DOA with a nasty macro. With so many wonderful breweries in Northeast Ohio, there's no excuse not to bring one of these "Classic CLE" quaffables. Beer guy nd Classic CLE Eats and Drinks columnist Peter Chakerian has your ultimate list. READ MORE

Entertainment | Food and Drink

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