Cleveland institutions – Cleveland Rocks, Cleveland Eats

Winking Lizard clambake

The Winking Lizard chain offers seafood-filled clambake menus at 14 of its Cleveland locations starting in September through the last weekend of October. The locations alternate (check the website for the clambakes near you). Available after 3pm on Fridays and all day Saturday and Sunday, there are 5 different clambakes to choose from: a dozen steamed clams (“clams & clams”, $32), 12 oz of BBQ chicken breast(s) ($26), a 12 oz strip steak ($36), a half slab of St Louis ribs ($32), or two 4.5 oz lobster tails ($40). Each clambake comes with a cup of New England clam chowder, 1 dozen steamed clams, a baked potato or sweet potato, Latin street corn on the cob and garlic bread.

I met some friends in Peninsula to enjoy the clambake on a Sunday. Peninsula was very busy, because it was Peddler’s Day (an annual event held on Main Street in Peninsula, Ohio, featuring garage sales, local shops, galleries, and food). Also, the weather was gorgeous and lots of people were enjoying the Towpath. I was lucky to get a spot in the Winking Lizard parking lot. Two guys were leaving as I was turning around, so I waited until the truck left its parking spot and I slipped in after it. I then met my friends who had been on the wait list (they were quoted a 45-minute wait, but they were seated when I got there – and I was not late from our 12:30 meet time). We were seated in the bar, but there were also lots of families there. Our service could have been better. They already had their drinks (and it took a while to get my drink – which was served with my entree), but most egregiously I had to flag a server down after we got our food to ask for silverware (and it took a while to get someone’s attention). It almost got to the point where I was going to get up and grab the silverware myself – and I NEVER do that.

Since this was the end of my 3 clambake weekend I chose the ribs. I’ve been known to go there just for ribs. The Winking Lizard’s ribs are great, and these were fantastic and a fun pairing with the clams. They also reheated really well the next day along with the baked potato. The clams were pretty good. Not chewy like Salty Mary’s. They weren’t amazingly tender, but they were just right. The clam chowder was fine. Some cups of chowder had more clams than others. The street corn was tasty (although I would have preferred just straight corn on the cob with butter) and the sauce covered the hint of overcooked dryness in the corn. I really enjoyed my cocktail, the Hocus Pocus, which featured 3 Olives grape vodka and grape and lemon juice. My one friend enjoyed her beer flight of three seasonal beers. Beer just goes nicely with a clambake.

Everyone else at the table ordered the twin lobster tails and enjoyed them. I have gotten the lobster tails in the past and enjoyed them. They are cut in half and broiled/grilled.

Contact info:

Winking Lizard clambakes
See website for dates and locations

Bruno’s Clambake Italiano

In the past I have simply written one post summarizing my various clambakes and added a link to my Clambake page. That said, that means that they kind of get brushed aside. I don’t have a hard and fast rule on how many clambakes I attend every year – some years I have visited six and some only three. This past weekend alone I attended three, but I don’t know how many I will enjoy in the subsequent weekends to come. So I’ve decided to post about them in separate posts at random times and then summarize them in a 2026 clambakes post.

I started the clambake season out with one of my favorites – Bruno’s Ristorante on W. 41st. Bruno’s opened in 1996 when Bruno DiSiena, who had been working as the executive chef at the Cleveland Browns’ training facility in Berea, decided he was going to open a restaurant. Bruno’s is truly a hidden gem. I’ve been to Bruno’s a couple of times and have loved it every time. The clambake is just as special as the regular Italian dishes. I remember being absolutely blown away by the clam chowder last time – so much so that I ordered a quart to go. I may or may not go back to Bruno’s towards the end of the month because it’s that good. Bruno’s is just a great restaurant in general, and if you love great Italian food you need to check it out outside of the clambake.

I usually like to get in and out before the dinner rush there because it is such a small space. I called and made a reservation at 4 (the dinner service start time) when I decided to start my clambake season. It’s available every Friday and Saturday from 4 PM to close.

It took a little while for my server to come over, so I gave him my entire order, including drinks. It’s been a busy, stressful week, so I started with a cocktail. The Blu Oceana was basically a blue dreamsicle, with citrus vodka and some other juice. It was a nice start. I also enjoyed the homemade bread and butter.

The dozen clams were picture-perfect. They were middleneck clams and were extremely tender and delicious. They were sprinkled with fresh basil. I ended up putting a shake of salt in the melted butter, because I prefer a butter that tastes like butter. I enjoyed every single clam.

Next up was the clam chowder, which is one of my favorite clam chowders in Cleveland. I liked it so much that the last time I was there I ordered a quart to go. The clam chowder is buttery, creamy and packed with chunks of clam and potato. The bone-shaped hunk in the middle of the photo is a clam.

The third course was the main course. I chose the steak, but I heard one waitress recommending the chicken because she loves how it is seasoned. Well, the steak didn’t disappoint either. It was really nicely seasoned and perfectly medium rare. I also chose a sweet potato, which came with brown sugar that I mixed with the butter pats. The white clam pasta is also always a treat. I got my pasta craving fulfilled while enjoying the steak and corn. I took half the steak, pasta and sweet potato home. The server did a great job packing it up, wrapping it up with plastic wrap to ensure no spillage. That is a really appreciated detail.

The final course was the dessert course. I imagine it is a large sheet cake that they cut into triangles. They served me a slice of strawberry white cake on a plate with a puree painted on it. I ate a few bites and got the rest wrapped to go as well.

I headed home happy as a clam. I may head to Bruno’s one more time this month, but if I do I won’t write about it. This post should suffice. If you are looking for a great clambake, this is it. I think it’s one of the best clambakes Cleveland has to offer.

Contact info:

Bruno’s Ristorante
2644 W 41st Street
Cleveland, OH 44113
(216) 961-7087

Raddell’s Slovenian Sausage Shop

Raddell’s Sausage has been a Cleveland staple for over four generations. It is located in the historic Waterloo Rd. & Collinwood neighborhood just off I-90 at the E. 152nd exit. Raddell’s is known for its homemade Slovenian smoked sausage and other European-style meats. When I was there someone asked for their rice sausage (which was only available frozen that day), and they also make Boudin, which can be hard to find here. While people come from all over to grab some smokies and sausages from 8-5 Mon, Tues & Wed, 8-4 Thur & Fri, and 8-3 on Sat, this modest deli is also a great place to grab a hearty lunch from 11-2 (every day but Sunday, when they are closed). The sandwiches are tasty and affordably priced. I got there shortly before noon, and there were only a couple of cars in the lot. However, when I left, the parking lot was packed and several guys were eating sandwiches in their cars and trucks.

The newest generation is doing a great job with their social media. Their reel featuring the Chicken Caprese Sub, which was the sandwich of the month in July, piqued my interest and I knew I had to check it out. The goofy humor of the dropped knife and making the bruschetta topping was charming.

The sub certainly did not disappoint. The chicken sausage was super flavorful, and I loved the freshness of the tomato bruschetta and fresh basil. Their sub rolls are most likely Orlando rolls, because they sell Orlando bread there. My counter guy missed putting on a drizzle of Balsamic, but I was able to quickly remedy that at home. It was a delight from start to finish.

However, the other subs are just as tasty. I’ve been on a quest to try meatball subs (more on that in another post in the future), and their meatball sub wowed me. The meatballs are deliciously flavorful and soft in a tasty sauce and pillowy soft roll (ignore the weird flatness on top of the meatballs – that came from the paper and carryout container). This was a pleasure to bite into from start to finish. At only $10.99 it is a total deal. And I am addicted. I was craving one the next day.

The regular sausage sandwich is a total deal at $6.49. You can choose either a smoked Slovenian, bratwurst, or andouille sausage and can add other toppings if you’d like. I got the Slovenian sausage and topped it with the obligatory Bertman’s mustard and kraut. Divine!

Also, their #1 seller is the Big Billy, which is huge and quite filling. It features a jumbo sized house made smoked Slovenian sausage, and I of course got it with sauerkraut and stadium mustard. Despite how large the sausage is (a foot long) it was a really juicy delight and not overcooked and dry at all. I understand why it is the top seller.

No lunch is complete without a side or two. They sell my favorite Sweet Maui Onion potato chips, so that is always a win. And the macaroni salad is really creamy and has visible chunks of pepper in it. I really enjoyed it.

While I was there I picked up a small Apple Strudel from their freezer and a container of Walnut and Apricot Kiflis. The Kiflis are not as soft as kolachky, but are tasty with a cup of coffee. I haven’t dug into the Apple Strudel yet, but I am confident it will be great. They are also known for their Potica, which is a traditional Slovenian walnut nut roll.

They sell Milka chocolate bars and quite a few other well-curated European items, so I know that whoever is doing the buying has good taste. The Croatian dark chocolate bar is an absolute must-try!

Contact info:

Raddell’s Sausage Shop
478 E. 152nd Street
Cleveland, OH 44110
(440) 672-1149

Lehman’s Deli

Lehman’s Deli and Bakery is a deli on Detroit Road in Westlake. Lehman’s Country Store started in the 1940’s and has evolved into Lehman’s Deli. It has been operating as a deli since 1983. Lehman’s serves coffee and tea, baked goods, soups, salads, and hot and cold sandwiches. In fact, Lehman’s makes over 140 different soups (several soups a day and they change every day – you can also buy quarts from the cooler) and nearly 100 different sandwiches. They also say you can invent your own sandwiches as long as they have the ingredients on hand. You can also just get half a sandwich if you want. Lehman’s cooks its own roast beef, corned beef, pastrami, chicken breast and turkey breast and bakes almost all of the desserts. It serves Cleveland Bagels and Rising Star Coffee.

The place is split into two different entities – the deli counter and the bakery/coffee bar and dining area. If you want a coffee or baked good take the entrance on the right. The deli counter and coolers are to the left. My doctor is just down the road, so I order on my phone from the parking lot and drive there to pick it up. I may have to chill in my car for a few minutes, but I have also been known to go into the bakery and grab a coffee.

Lehman’s got on my radar when I started my tuna melt quest. People recommended it, saying the Lehman’s tuna melt is up there among the best tuna melts in Cleveland. It was indeed fantastic. The tuna was warm, and the cheese was nicely melted. I paired it with a cup of Italian wedding soup and a Lehman’s vanilla cream soda, which was a total treat. You don’t see cream soda much anymore. The Italian wedding soup was pretty much perfect – with just the right amount of meatballs, pasta and spinach (escarole is ideal, but spinach is a perfectly fine substitute and more commonly found in most non-Italian restaurants).

I ordered a turkey reuben on my next visit and paired it with a bag of chips and an order of deviled eggs. The eggs were a little tougher than I like, but the filling was great. The turkey reuben had a decent amount of smoked turkey along with sauerkaut and Thousand Island dressing on grilled rye. And the bread was perfectly grilled. I also really enjoyed the Calypso Island Wave Lemonade, which blends pineapple, banana, mango, passion fruit and orange with the tartness of lemonade.

They also offer a nice selection of sub sandwiches. The one pictured here is the Italian sub, but I’m intrigued by the idea of a clam strip sub (“super sized clam strips on a grilled hoagie roll with tartar sauce, lettuce & tomato”). The Poor Boy also sounds tasty with bologna, hard salami, American cheese, shaved ham, onion, pickle, tomato, lettuce, cole slaw & mayo. I grew up calling them hoagies, but I like the addition of cole slaw. The Italian sub could easily be held up against any Italian sub. It features hard salami, Provolone cheese, shaved ham, pepperoni, onion, tomato, pickle & lettuce that is topped with zesty Italian dressing. It had a nice zesty punch to it between the Italian dressing and the salami and pepperoni.

I’m looking forward to my next doctor’s visit in March so I can explore more of the menu. The deli is open 6 days a week (Monday through Friday from 7 am to 8 pm, Saturday from 7 am to 5 pm and closed on Sunday), while the bakery is open 7 days a week (from 6-4 Monday through Friday, 7 am to 5 pm on Saturday and 7 am to 1 pm on Sunday).

Contact info:

Lehman’s Deli
24961 Detroit Road
Westlake, OH 44145
(440) 871-3445

Fish Fryday #7 2026: Johnny’s on Fulton and the Donauschwaben German-American Club

We’ve made it to Good Friday and the end of the Lenten season. I had every intention of writing a slightly unhinged post for today’s lunch, because I had decided to drive to Woodmere for the tuna sub at Jersey Mike’s. The one in Woodmere is the only one in the area worth going to, because their subs are delicious compared to the boring output at, say, South Euclid. I don’t know if it is because their oil and vinegar is tastier or they use a decent amount, but I can tell the difference (after having the same sub two days in a row from both locations). In any event, last night Johnny’s on Fulton posted on Facebook that today was the last day for their Friday fish lunch. I haven’t been to Johnny’s on Fulton in years (and usually am there to enjoy the backyard seating) and their photo intrigued me, so my plans changed.

Johnny’s on Fulton is about as old-school Cleveland Italian as you can get. It’s been in business for 100 years, having been renamed Johnny’s in 1952. Before it was Johnny’s Bar on Fulton, it was Louise’s Gardens, a grocery store started by the current owner, Bo Santosuosso’s grandmother, in 1924. Since then, four generations of the family have worked at the fine-dining location, making it what it is today.

I arrived at 12:30 and after climbing a couple small stairs rimmed in yellow and entering the establishment, I was greeted by a couple guys sitting at the bar telling me “she’ll be right back” to seat me and was then after a minute or so escorted to a table in the back of the dining room up a cute little Art Deco-ish stair. I sat with my back to the wall and immediately sank into the banquette booth so deep that I was almost lying down. Since I was there to eat and not wear my food I moved to the chair opposite the wall. With my back to the wall, I enjoyed hearing a table of Cleveland police officers enjoying their lunch.

I ordered the fish fry, which came out so fast my head spun. The server explained that they have them queued and ready to go. The lunch special is served until 3, when the close to prep for dinner. The fish was good, hot, well-breaded and fried, but the star of the show was the French fries. They were really tasty. I didn’t enjoy the cole slaw as much, because I found it to be pretty bitter. I was going to order a glass of white Bordeaux with my lunch because that is my absolute favorite, but the shipment hadn’t arrived yet and they were out of it. She talked me into a small split of prosecco paired with Chambord for a tasty Kir Royale. Since it was the last fish fry of the season I decided to splurge and celebrate it. The meal cost me $41 plus an $8 tip. Pretty pricy, but I was splurging at a historic restaurant in Cleveland so it was okay.

I was very excited to go to the Donauschwaben tonight. I grew up a mile from the Club in Olmsted Falls. My parents were members, and we swam and played tennis there a lot. I celebrated many a swim birthday party at the Club, swimming in the pond with the fish and the snapping turtle. I remember the old farmhouse with the rickety floors where they used to host the fish fries, special dinners and Oktoberfest. My sister and I worked the parking lot during the Oktoberfest, being paid in pitchers of beer as underage teens and directing folks to park on the soccer fields. My how times have changed, with the paved parking lot, the new chalet, and the pond being fenced in with no swimming due to liability issues. I taught German to fourth graders there back in 2020 before and during the pandemic. The Donauschwaben is in my veins. I’ve been to the fish fries there so many times, but never documented my visits or can’t find the photos of the ones I did. It was high time to change that.

Since I had a larger lunch than I had originally planned I decided not to hit the evening fish fry at the Donauschwaben German-American Club when it opened at 4:30. Instead I showed up at 6:30 expecting to see the usual line out the door (this is a popular fish fry), but there was no line. I walked straight ahead to the dining room (the line to the left in the lobby was for take-out). I was shown to a table, wrote my name on a placemat to save my spot, and queued up for food served from chafing dishes in the center of the room. In the past they have brought the meals to the table, but this is an efficient way. You line up, fill your plate with your choices and then head to the cashier and the condiments table for condiments, napkins and utensils. Even with the mac and cheese, streusel cake and Coke the dinner was cheaper than my lunch at $32.

I wanted the fried fish and shrimp combo and couldn’t decide between the basic fried shrimp or coconut shrimp. The line server encouraged me to mix and match, so I ended up with 4 coconut shrimp and 2 fried shrimp and a piece of fried fish. The baked lemon pepper fish looked delicious too. I enjoyed the fried portion on the meal immensely. The coconut shrimp were plump and had a nice hint of tropical flavor. The fried fish and shrimp were not dry at all. I almost regretted only getting 2 fried shrimp. I also added a mac and cheese because the pierogi looked awful (photo from a friend).

Since it was later in the evening I think they were running out. The mac and cheese was really cheesy and tasty. I brought it home to heat up later, along with the streusel cake, which I will have for breakfast tomorrow. I enjoyed chatting with my table mates, talking about the old times at the Donauschwaben and the upcoming Easter dinner festivities. I was tempted to pop into the Prost! bar for a Stiegl, but I had gotten a translation in just as I was leaving that I had to finish tonight. Another day…

So, thanks for keeping me company on this year’s Fish Frydays. I hope some of you stick around and subscribe. I try to post every two weeks and usually talk about a place after several visits, not the single visits for the fish fries. If not, I’ll see you next year! For some reason the blog is getting quite a few visitors during Lent. Thanks!

Contact info:

Johnny’s on Fulton
3164 Fulton Road
Cleveland, OH 44109
(216) 281-0055

Donauschwaben German-American Club
7370 Columbia Road
Olmsted Falls, OH 44138
(440) 235-2646

Yours Truly Restaurants

Yours Truly is a long-standing local chain that has been in operation since 1981. In fact, they are celebrating their 45th anniversary this year. Yours Truly is an ideal choice for a great breakfast, lunch or dinner. I have been going to Yours Truly restaurants for probably 25 years. My first experience was at the Yours Truly on Rockside Road in the Cuyahoga Valley. I have visited several Yours Truly locations over the years, but I have been frequenting the one on Chagrin Boulevard since I moved to Cleveland Heights. This restaurant with a smaller footprint offers the same burgers, sandwiches & omelets as other YT locations, but tables are at a premium here. The few tables and counter stools are usually full during peak hours; carryout is a reasonable alternative. There are locations in Beachwood, Chagrin Falls, Hudson, Medina, Mentor and Solon. Your Truly in the Halle Building in the PlayhouseSquare district is also a popular choice.

They serve breakfast all day. I met a Meetup brunch group there years ago, but it is simply not on my radar for breakfast. However, I do stop in during non-peak hours for either a late lunch or early dinner (off-hours ensure I can usually get a seat quickly). The Killet Skillet (two eggs, bacon, sausage, hash browns with onion, green pepper, and mixed cheese) and the Notso Omelet (three eggs, hash browns, cheese, chopped bacon and sour cream) are all very popular, but the #1 selling item is their Eggs Benedict. The Notso Fries™ are also extremely popular. Yours Truly’s menu explains: “They’re notso common. Golden brown cottage fries with melted cheese, chopped bacon and a dollop of sour cream.” They come in three different sizes. The one shown here is the small.

If you have dietary issues they are pretty accommodating. You can order a gluten-free bun or no bun at all (they bill it as a carb-conscious choice), and their salads can be customized. The cottage fries aren’t gluten-free, but I hear the hash browns are. They are known for their Fish Fryday, serving filet of cod as a dinner or sandwich. Clam chowder is the soup of the day on Fridays, and it was extremely tasty and full of clams, potatoes, etc.

They are also known for their chicken and tuna salad, and you can get them by the scoop on a salad, as a ‘Temptation’ with a hard-boiled egg, as a sandwich, as a platter with fruit, or as a Melt. As regular readers know, I am a sucker for a good tuna melt, and they do a great tuna melt here. It features two scoops of tuna with a tomato slice and topped with melted cheddar on a toasted English muffin. A tuna melt on an English muffin is in fact my preferred form of tuna melt. The tuna salad was warmed up just enough and the cheese was nicely melted.

On my most recent visits I tried to focus on a little bit of everything. I absolutely fell in love with the chicken noodle soup. The noodles are hearty, the broth is extremely well-seasoned, and it is chock full of chicken, veggies and noodles. It has become my go-to chicken soup since The Red Chimney closed after a fire.

Their burgers are made with fresh certified Angus beef, and there are nine different burgers to choose from. If you order the Deluxe it comes with coleslaw and cottage fries. The Sweet Deluxe comes with coleslaw and sweet potato fries. I love a good mushroom and Swiss burger, and the Special Delivery burger here did not disappoint. It features an 8 oz burger patty topped with Swiss cheese, sautéed mushrooms, grilled onions and a dollop of sour cream on a seared brioche bun. I ordered the cup of soup picture above, so I didn’t get it with any sides.

There are seven different chicken sandwiches to choose from. The chicken is marinated and then fire-grilled. I ordered the Buckeye Bacon Broil, which features American cheese, bacon strips, lettuce and tomato on a seared brioche bun. I was particularly struck by how huge the chicken breast patty is. It hangs far over the sides of the bun.

The Monte Cristo is also a really nice choice. It is made with their lovely cinnamony French toast and is filled with Swiss, natural fresh turkey breast and ham. It is served with a side of our homemade tango sauce, which was kind of like a honey mustard. I will probably order it again, because I loved the cinnamon French toast paired with the savory sandwich fixings and the dipping sauce. I also really enjoyed the slice of cantaloupe, which was perfectly ripe.

They also have a well-stocked bar and a vast array of beverage choices. They serve coffee (regular and flavor of the day), several espresso drinks, fresh squeezed juices like tangy and diet limeade, orange juice and grapefuit juice as well as hot chocolate and bottomless lemonade, iced tea, Arnold Palmers or fountain drinks. I enjoyed a Dirty Snowman on a particularly cold, snowy day near Christmas – gotta love a boozy hot chocolate topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The photo is blurry, but I didn’t feel blurry when I left because I stuck to just one.

Yours Truly restaurants are open Mon-Thurs from 6:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., Fri-Sat, 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sun from 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. They have longer hours in the summer. The downtown Yours Truly in the Playhouse district is a nice choice after a show at PlayhouseSquare.

Contact info:

Yours Truly
Go to the website and use the location feature to find one closest to you

The Fairview Tavern

The Fairview Tavern in Fairview Park is a hole in the wall bar that serves great food. It is located in a strip mall on Lorain Road and is open every day of the year from 11 a.m. to 2:30 a.m. (and opens at 7 a.m. on Sundays). There is a basic menu, but the Blue Plate Specials and Chef’s Specials change weekly and a happy hour that runs from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. They also serve breakfast on Sundays from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. If you live nearby that might be a fun option, but since I live 40 minutes away it isn’t one for me.

There is plenty of seating in the bar area, but I have always sat at the dining area at the back of the venue. There are plenty of tables that can accommodate any number of diners.

The Friday special is their perch dinners. I met a chef friend here when we heard about their perch. They use real perch because it curled up perfectly. The perch filets are perfectly fried. They are $14 for 3 filets and $17 for 4. They come served with fries and slaw, but we were able to upgrade to pierogi, which were really well prepared. One of my friends ordered a perch sandwich on another visit. The sandwich only has 2 perch filets. It would have been perfect with 3. He ended up cutting the sub roll in half and only eating half a roll with both filets. So if you want a good perch sub ask to add another filet even if there is an additional charge.

The appetizers are also tasty. I have had the kielbasa coins, which were stellar, and another friend recently ordered the pepperoni rolls, which featured phyllo dough. He also raved about their fresh made pork rinds. So if an appetizer appeals to you by all means order it.

My friends who live on the west side and appreciate a good bargain turned me on to the place. The Blue Plate Specials are $10 and include a generous side salad. They also haven’t charged us for non-alcoholic beverages. We initially met there for the Tuesday burger and pint special (for $10 – $8 for the burger and 2 for a domestic beer). The burger patties are generous and you can get whatever burger fixings you want.

The burgers and sandwiches are served with housemade kettle chips, which are quite tasty, but the star of the show is the chip dip. I ordered a Patty Melt most recently and was quite pleased with it. I ended up taking half of it home to eat later.

The clam chowder is great – with lots of big chunks of potato, clams, celery, etc. If it’s on the menu definitely get it. I ordered a bowl along with my Patty Melt. The serving was huge. The chowder was creamy and not at all lumpy. I enjoyed every bite.

The pizzas are also quite large. I haven’t tried one yet, but my friends who did enjoyed it. One ordered the Mediterranean and the one below is mushroom and pepperoni. The mushrooms are fresh and not canned, which is always appreciated. Both had several slices but had to get boxes for later. I will probably order one the next time I go and none of the Blue Plate Specials appeal to me.

The schnitzel and spätzle were quite nice on another visit. They were supposed to come with a lemon basil sauce, but the waitress happily substituted brown gravy instead when my friends asked for the sauce on the side because it was extremely lemony on a previous visit. It was a lot of ofod for only $10 0 with two pork cutlets and lots of fresh made spätzle.

The servers have all been friendly and accommodating every time I have been there. We tip generously when we order the Blue Plate Specials because they run around a lot for a $10 tab, bring out salads and then the entrees, refilling our beverages (which they don’t charge for), etc.

It isn’t fine dining, but it is quite tasty for a hole in the wall bar. I’d go so far as to call it a diamond in the rough. And the food changes often enough that you won’t get bored. I’ve only been there for lunch, but the live music apparently can bring in the crowds. I can’t wait to try their clambake.

Contact info:

The Fairview Tavern
21867 Lorain Road
Cleveland, OH 44126
(440) 799-4200

Baraona’s Bakery

Baraona’s Bakery is a family-owned bakery in Garfield Heights on Libby Road just off Lee Road that has been serving the Cleveland area since 1949. They are known for their cakes. It is being run by the third generation. The bakery was originally named Giaimo’s and was located at 119th and Kinsman. Baraona’s bakery moved to its current location in 1970.

It is THE place to buy cassata cake or strawberry whipped cream cake. Their cassata cake is known as the best in town among those in the know. Baraona’s finished with more than 49 percent of more than 5,000 votes cast making it Cleveland.com’s People’s Choice cassata cake award winner in 2023. Baraona’s sells an average of 200 to 250 Cleveland cassata cakes a week. Cleveland cassata cake is not like Italian cassata cake. The Italian cassata cake (only available by special order) features layers of sponge cake filled with ricotta cheese, chocolate chips and maraschino cherries, and iced in whipped cream, while the Cleveland cassata cake features layers of sponge cake filled with custard, strawberries in a glaze and iced in whipped cream. The strawberry whipped cream cake does not contain custard – just strawberries and whipped cream. I prefer the cassata cake, because I love a good custard. The whipped cream frosting is light and airy, the custard filling is creamy and delicious, and the strawberries are always fresh! Baraona’s signature cassata cake was my birthday cake this year and was just as good as I remembered. You can get flowers or sprinkles on their cakes, but I just went with a plain “Happy Birthday” since I was sharing the birthday party with another friend. Everyone loved it.

They don’t usually sell the cakes by the slice, but you can always get them as a cupcake. The cassata cupcake is always a nice alternative.

They also make a variety of other mouth-watering, made-from-scratch bakery products like doughnuts, cookies, nut rolls, poppyseed rolls, cannolis, pastries, pies, cupcakes and turnovers. While I was in line to pick up my cassata cake, I chatted with several customers and ended up buying a chocolate chunk cookie and a slice of banana cake. Both were good, but that chocolate chunk cookie was one of the best I’ve had. The guy who recommended the cookies got a red velvet cookie. If you like coconut you’ll love the Almond Joy cookie. There is basically a cookie for everyone’s taste, and they are all great.

I need to try their datenut cake to see if it is as good as Dick’s Bakery in Berea, which is my ride-or-die cake. I had a Dick’s datenut cake for my high school graduation years ago and have been known to buy the datenut cupcakes. If you like Italian baked goods like 7-layer bars, pignoli (a cookie made with almond paste, granulated sugar, and egg whites), Italian spritz cookies, cannolis, etc. you will find it here. I also bought a bunch of kolachky recently. They aren’t as light and fluffy as kolachky from a Eastern European bakery like Rudy’s or Michael’s. I got lemon, cheese, apricot and raspberry and passed on the nut filling. The cheesecake, however, was absolutely heavenly. No topping needed. It was creamy and delicious just plain.

Baraona’s is open every day of the week but Sunday. Monday they are open from 7:45 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., Tuesday – Friday from 7:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., and Saturday from 7:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Try to pay in cash if you can.

Contact info:

Baraona’s Bakery
15842 Libby Road
Maple Heights, OH 44137
(216) 662-8383

Mary Yoder’s Amish Kitchen in Middlefield

Mary Yoder’s Amish Kitchen opened in 1987 and is owned by the Miller family. Located in Middlefield, which is apparently in the center of the fourth largest Amish community in the world, Mary Yoder’s features a full-service restaurant serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner; a bakery; a private banquet room; and a gift shop. It’s not necessarily Cleveland, but Cleveland-adjacent and close enough to be a fun road trip. In fact, I took a spontaneous road trip out there for the dinner buffet in July. I drove out there a lot when I lived in Solon. It’s about an hour’s drive from Cleveland Heights either down South Woodland or on 422 to 700 (scenic drive over LaDue Reservoir and down some side roads past Amish homes and farms). I also love driving there in the fall to enjoy the changing leaves (I recommend the hot apple cider in the fall – see photo below). It’s definitely a tourist location and a tourist restaurant. That being said, you will see locals dining here as well as the occasional Amish or Mennonites dining here (but to be fair I saw a table of them at Cowboy Food and Drink in Bainbridge last month).

Mary Yoder’s isn’t necessarily “amazing” food (like Der Dutchman or other restaurants near Millersburg and Berlin – and not to be confused with Mrs. Yoder’s), but it is extremely comforting fare. It has its good days and bad days – for example, the dressing that I usually adore was too salty last week. But the food is hearty and hits the spot. It’s made by Amish women in their kitchen, and the buffet ($17.99 for the dinner buffet and $12.99 for the salad bar) is constantly stocked from 11:30 am to close (8 pm) Monday through Saturday (the restaurant is closed on Sundays). There is also a breakfast buffet (for $12.99), but I have only had the breakfast buffet once and there are no photos from that visit. It opens at 6 am and is available until 11 am. If you have a hankerin’ for something not on the buffet, they have an extensive menu to choose from. Some favorites include the ham, pork chops, roast turkey or roast beef or a hot roast beef or turkey sandwich. They even have a trail bologna sandwich, which is just Troyer’s Trail Bologna and Middlefield Swiss on a fresh roll. Easy enough to buy and make at home by buying the Trail Bologna from the cooler in the gift shop and grabbing some Middlefield Swiss from Rothenbuhler Cheese Chalet (formerly Middlefield Cheese), but definitely a unique offering to order there (just be sure to pull off the plastic casing before biting in – true story). There is ample seating available, and it has a banquet room for large groups. When you walk in head to the front of the building to your left.

I adore a good old-fashioned salad bar, and the salad bar contains all my favorites – a nice selection of greens, hardboiled egg, peas, beets, red onion, tomato, cucumber, etc. There is always a decent wet salad or two to choose from. I love cottage cheese, broccoli salad or macaroni salad to pair on my salad, which allows me to use less salad dressing. It is always the highlight of the meal for me, which I then follow with a couple of selections on the lunch/dinner buffet for a couple of bucks more. I got a side of cottage cheese with a to go meal the other day and was amazed by how creamy and delicious their cottage cheese is. So much so that I called to find out who they get it from.

I usually only fill up one dinner plate with my choices, but others take several trips. The buffet offerings do vary by the day, but there is usually always baked or broasted chicken, mashed potatoes, dressing and a nice vegetable on offer. Not to mention a dessert or two like a pudding. Last week one patron was sad that only the “blue jell-o” was left. But you can always order a piece of their excellent pies if you have room (or get a piece to go to enjoy later at home). I always enjoy the broasted chicken and chicken or beef noodles. The mashed potatoes are hearty and tasty. Be sure to not take too much, because there are no to go containers for the buffet (well, technically there are, but they charge $7.99 per pound).

I went home with a butterscotch pie last week and special ordered a peach pie yesterday, which I picked up at the drive through window to the right of the building. I was in Burton for a tea, and it was only a ten-minute drive to Middlefield. I worked at Baker’s Square and am not a fan of pie crust (one summer I ate a piece of French Silk a day but would scoop out the filling and throw out the crust…), but I eat the crust on Mary Yoder’s Pies. That is a huge testament to them and makes me believe the crusts are homemade using lard or butter. The pies are pricy, but worth it. The whole butterscotch pie below was $16.99 and the whole peach pie (slice on the right) was $19.99. They last a while and are worth the quality of the ingredients.

They also serve family style dinners, which are a nice option if you have a group. You can choose one, two or three of their meats, and the dinners include beverages, the salad bar, mashed potatoes, gravy, dressing, a vegetable and homemade rolls (which are fluffy and yeasty). Everything is served in bowls to pass around. The price is per person depending on the meat selection (kids are a much lower per person price), and there is a minimum of 15 guests. Everyone at the table has to order it.

The gift shop is full of various tchotchkes that make a nice souvenir if you are a kid or a tourist. I always enjoy buying some fresh Amish baked goods like their breads or dinner rolls, cookies or pies. One of my friends swears by their raisin puffs (a kind of cookie). Order ahead if you want to ensure your favorites are available. The only doughnuts left at 4:30 on a Tuesday were their cream sticks.

Mary Yoder’s also caters to the local Amish community and has a hitching pad for the horse and buggies to the back of the parking lot. Watch out for horse and buggies on the roads too and give them a wide berth. The Whoa stop sign as you leave always cracks me up.

Contact info:

Mary Yoder’s Amish Kitchen
14743 N State Avenue
Middlefield, OH 44062
(440) 632-1939

Crostata’s Pizzeria

Crostata’s is a Quagliata family restaurant. The Quagliatas have 50 years of history in the restaurant business here in Cleveland. Crostata’s is a wonderful spot to enjoy Neopolitan-style pizza. I was most recently here on a Tuesday night, and it was full, which is very telling. The staff always makes you feel welcome. It is tucked in the middle of a semi-residential area and is located at the corner of Bishop Road and Wilson Mills Road.

The wine is served in juice glasses. I have become a fan of Sangiovese wine, so started off by ordering a glass of Sangiovese. The waitress also brought me a glass of water. As Wikipedia explains, “Sangiovese’s high acidity and moderate alcohol makes it a very food-friendly wine when it comes to food and wine pairings. One of the classic pairings in Italian cuisine is tomato-based pasta and pizza sauces with a Sangiovese-based Chianti. Varietal Sangiovese or those with a smaller proportion of the powerful, full-bodied Cabernet blended in, can accentuate the flavours of relatively bland dishes like meatloaf and roast chicken. Herb seasoning such as basil, thyme and sage play off the herbal notes of the grapes.” If you haven’t tried it you might want to give it a try.

I can recommend the soups. First of all, the Italian wedding soup is a great wedding soup, and the New England clam chowder was a special that I enjoyed during my most recent visit. The clam chowder was refreshing and had a lot of clams and potato chunks. The wood-fired bread stick that comes with the soup was a nice touch.

First off, if you like arancini then you have to order the arancini here. They are the best I have had. Arancini are Italian rice balls that are stuffed, coated with breadcrumbs and deep-fried. Crostata’s arancini are delicious. They have meat, mozzarella, and peas in them. Truly delicious with a great tomato/basil sauce. I ate one and saved the other for lunch the next day.

The first time I was here I ordered a pasta dish. They apparently make their pasta in house. It was okay, but if you want a truly outstanding meal order one of their pizzas. It is prepared in an authentic Italian style wood burning oven, which is a feature in the open kitchen behind the counter. The prices for the pizzas are also quite reasonable.

I’ve been here a couple times now and have tried a few of the pizzas. I love a good wood-fired Napolitano pizza. I love the char and appreciate being able to enjoy it with a knife and fork. The Quattro Stagioni has the four toppings, but they are mixed together on the pizza. The artichoke hearts were a little unwieldy to eat, but they were tender enough. I really enjoy the Margherita con Bufalo D.O.P., and the arugula-topped pizzas were really delicious as well.