I fell in love with Leavened Bakery’s sourdough after ordering and delighting in Old Brooklyn Cheese Company’s tuna melt, which featured their sourdough. A good tuna melt is my obsession, and this one blew me away. I considered it the top tuna melt in town until they closed, which made me sad. The bread toasted up nicely and had a nice crunch. But I was determined to make my own tuna melt, even if it won’t measure up, so I sought out Leavened Bakery. Leavened is located on Auburn Avenue in the Tappan Building at the intersection with Scranton Road in Tremont. My father grew up right around the corner off Starkweather (they tore down his childhood home to put in the I-71 overpass). He wouldn’t recognize the neighborhood, which he grew up in the 1940s-50s. Leavened is located in one of the newer buildings there.
It is a locally owned and operated artisan bakery and cafe that features high quality rustic loaves and pastries as well as coffee(they use beans from Duck Rabbit Coffee), sandwiches and soup. I’ve been there several times to carry out their baked goods. I do plan to find the time to sit and chill soon and order a sandwich and soup. The sandwiches vary and are available daily starting at 10 a.m. They serve a vegan charred tomato soup every day as well as specialty soups occasionally, depending on ingredient availability.
The Classic Sourdough is made using a blend of white flour and local whole wheat and features a thick, dark crust with a creamy and chewy interior. It is phenomenal and stands up well to a variety of toppings and/or fillings. They can slice it for you in the bakery if you prefer that. I prefer to cut my own at home because it doesn’t dry out as quickly.
In addition to their various baguettes, sourdoughs, and foccacias (only available Friday through Sunday), which caught my eye, they serve delicious and huge hand pies as well as various croissants, cruffins, pepperoni rolls, and cardomom and cinnamon buns. I’m a sucker for their spinach and feta hand pie (photo below top left is on a dinner plate). The pastry is flaky and delicious, and the filling is plentiful and fresh. The hand pie in the middle row is a tofu paprikash, which was also really tasty. The coffee cake croissant (middle row left) was a unique choice and had a delicious filling. And they are known for their cruffins (bottom row), which are a combination of croissant dough and muffin. Made with croissant dough, this buttery pastry (which is shaped like a pointy muffin) is filled with seasonal jams made by local producer The Home Pantry and topped with confectioner’s sugar. As the website says, it’s “like a jelly donut but better.” The cruffin below was an apple butter cruffin and it was delicious. The jam was quite creamy consistency and had a great spiced apple butter flavor. If you try nothing else be sure to get a cruffin or two. They are phenomenal.
And pizza on Fridays from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., which I managed to try recently. They serve whole pies and slices to-go every Friday: cheese, pepperoni, and spicy pickled veggie available weekly, with weekly specials available while ingredients last. I called that morning and ordered the weekly special, which was a pepperoni, sausage and banana pepper pizza. I’m not a huge fan of banana pepper so I picked most of them off but wanted the hint of banana pepper that would remain so that I could try the overall vibe of the special. Honestly, I actually didn’t mind the flavor from the cooked juice or the small pieces I overlooked. The crust was actually really tasty, and I enjoyed the leavened dough (see what I did there? LOL). If you are in the mood for a good pizza on a Friday give them a try. I will definitely be ordering one again.
Leavened is closed on Mondays and only open from 6:30 a.m. until 3 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday as well as from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. They are open from 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Fridays.
Clambakes became quite the rage this year. Our clambake tradition was featured in Food & Wine, reporting that “Cleveland’s appetite for clams outpaces anywhere else when the weather cools” (duh) and was a hugely popular topic online with newbies asking food forums where to find a clambake. The hearty Cleveland clambake menu reflects the Midwest appetite and the cooler climate, making it less of a seaside delicacy and more of a harvest celebration. Hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions, of clams are consumed in Northeast Ohio during the early fall, when the harvest is at its peak. Cleveland fish purveyors claim that they sell more clams to Cleveland from August through September than to any other city in the country, thanks to all the clambakes that are held here. Kate’s Fish at the West Side Market claims, “We go from selling about a thousand clams a week to 10,000 in September and October.” As the owner of Salty Mary’s Oyster Bar (which is on my list for next year) reported in the Food & Wine article, “It’s like fish fries during Lent or Browns games on Sunday — it’s one of those Cleveland traditions. It’s comforting to come back to something every year.”
I jumpstarted the clambake season back in mid-September at Chelo’s Kitchen as a Friday special. I was there on the Wednesday before with a friend who wanted their Prime Rib special and ordered mine for that Friday as soon as Sarah told us the specials. Their specials sell out quickly, so I reserved one immediately. I have become a regular at Chelo’s. It’s a great restaurant operated by a really nice young couple. Chelo (pronounced ‘cello’) consistently puts out some tasty food. The clambake included one dozen clams, a 1/4 chicken (bbq or plain – I ordered bbq), sweet potato or baked potato (sweet potato for me with their cinnamon butter!), a cup of clam chowder, a mini corn cob and a dinner roll. It cost me $46 including a generous tip.
My friends ordered tickets for two of the clambakes at Gunselman’s Tavern. I’ll be out of town for the second one, but was able to join them for the first one. Gunselman’s Tavern in Fairview Park is always a favorite, and I have attended their clambake for five years in a row. The clambakes sell out quickly and early. The clambakes are dine-in only and we had a table reserved inside (if you order patio seating you may get rained out, but the weather was perfect this year). The Browns were playing in London that day, but the volume wasn’t on. I got my usual steak bake. They start serving clam broth and clam chowder at 1 PM and serve the clambakes at 2 PM. The clam broth was sufficiently spicy. I added a couple dashes of pepper to mine, but some of my friends added pepper and hot sauce. Irish Kevin’s New England clam chowder was a treat. The chowder had chunks of redskin potatoes and was nicely seasoned with a lot of thyme, which gave it a unique and delicious flavor. The clams were great – tender and not gritty. I had a couple bites of my redskin and sweet potatoes and ended up taking them home along with half of my steak. We were sad that the woman who made the cheesecake is no longer working there. I wasn’t the only one who had been looking forward to the cheesecake. The price of the clambake ($45 with steak) does not include the gratuity or any beverages or add-ons.
I also enjoyed a phenomenal clambake at Square Bistro in Chardon, which are served every Friday & Saturday for dine-in and take-out in the month of October. It was worth the 45 minute drive from Cleveland Heights. It was a nice drive through the countryside with the changing leaves. I had a reservation for 7:30 because they were booked solid when I went to reserve my table that morning. The clambake is available every Friday and Saturday in October (for dine in or carryout). I was tempted to get the sushi bake ($42 for 1 futo maki and 1 maki roll and the clambake) because it’s so unique, but ordered the lobster tail ($45) instead. The chicken option is $39, the steak is $55 and the crab crusted red grouper bake with lobster cream sauce (!!!) is $50. I was extremely pleased with my choice, but it was a hard decision to make. The lobster tail was my favorite part because it was delicious, but there wasn’t a bad component in the bunch: fresh baked bread with brown sugar cinnamon butter, smoky clam chowder with some corn kernels in it, a dozen perfectly steamed Cape Cod middleneck clams, butter poached lobster tail, rosemary and garlic roasted mashed redskin potatoes and applewood smoked bacon braised brussel sprouts. I was taken aback by the small portion of mashed potatoes and brussel sprouts, but it was honestly perfect and super flavorful. I paid a total of $59.80 for the clambake with lobster and a glass of wine plus $12 for the tip in cash. Honestly, it was one of the best clambakes I’ve ever had.
I decided to stay closer to home for the next clambake, deciding to try Poppy on Larchmere. I had been there when it was Felice, but hadn’t been to Poppy yet. Since it is run by the women behind Salt+ (RIP) I knew I would be in good hands. Poppy serves its clambake special every Friday through November 14. I arrived shortly after they opened at 5 without a reservation, but they were able to accommodate me on the large converted front porch (and the early arrival ensured street parking close to the restaurant). The hostess and my server were both lovely. I was given a carafe of water, which I appreciated. I tend to drink several glasses of water when I’m out to dinner. I ordered the PCP, which is made with Bacardi dark rum, pumpkin spice syrup, coconut cream and tropical juice. It was a nice start. The clambake came with the choice of clam chowder or a wedge salad. Since I love both and couldn’t decide, I ordered both and had her add it to the bill. The clam chowder was phenomenal. It was a small portion, but I enjoyed every spoonful. The wedge was not the typical wedge salad. It features romaine instead of iceberg. The salad came as two baby romaine wedges topped with crispy pancetta, polenta crisps, shallot fennel relish, buttermilk and french vinaigrettes & gorgonzola. It was quite tasty. I’m not quite sure what to say about the clambake. It came served in a big bowl holding a dozen clams, a quarter roasted chicken, a small grilled corn on the cob, and crispy fingerling potatoes. The broth was red in color, and I suspect it had harissa in it due to the color and kick of spice. When my server asked, the kitchen said they used Old Bay. I’m not a huge fan of chicken quarters (as you can see from the other choices on this page), and I missed the drawn butter of it all. The fingerling potatoes, on the other hand, were great – crispy and nicely salted. I’m glad I tried it, but I don’t know if I will put it on my clambake rotation. I’ll probably be back to try some other things at Poppy since it is so close. Because I ordered a cocktail, a glass of wine and an extra starter, my bill was around $74.50, making it the priciest clambake this season.
I ended the season at Fat Cats with Rosie’s Clambake, a fundraiser for St. Joseph Academy. It’s an annual one-day event, and there are three seatings – at 4 p.m., 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. As seems to be the case this year, by the time I called to reserve a spot only 6 and 8 p.m. seatings were available. Since I didn’t want to have to sit at a high bar stool, I decided to choose the 8 p.m. seating even if it was a little later. I have/had been working overnights for the past 2 weeks, so my sleep schedule was/is already whacked out, and 8 p.m. didn’t seem that much of an issue. There were three clambake options to choose from — the basic clambake for $40, one featuring St. Louis ribs for $45 and a 10-ounce steak dinner for $50. The steak came with potato salad, and the ribs came with baked beans. The potato salad was tempting, but I was in the mood for ribs when I called to reserve a spot. The clambake features a dozen clams with lemon butter, corn on the cob with sage burnt butter and parmesan (yum!), New England clam chowder, and a roll. It was as phenomenal as I expected. The clams were the tenderest of all the clambakes, and the chowder was delicious with lots of tender clams. Considering I was at the last seating, the tender and perfectly cooked food was a nice surprise. I also really enjoyed my Arnold Palmer and buttery chardonnay. The only negative was that the corn was cool, but I still enjoyed it with the sage burnt butter and parmesan – and it was grilled. Fat Cats always knocks it out of the park.
In summary, it was a very delicious clambake season.
Best chowder: Fat Cats, second place to Poppy Best clams: Fat Cats, second place to Square Bistro Best entree: Square Bistro, second place to Gunselman’s Best side: Square Bistro, second place to Fat Cats (corn) Best beverage: Gunselman’s, second place to Chelo’s because they keep my unsweetened iced tea topped up Most affordable: Chelo’s
Contact info:
Chelo’s Kitchen There’s no website but follow them on Facebook to see the Wednesday and Friday specials 4446 Mayfield Road Cleveland, OH 44121 (216) 382-4490
Doink’s has been on my radar for a while. I got to know Bonn when he worked at Citizen Pie, so I was thrilled to be able to support his new business venture. My friend Kris and I attended a pop-up at The Wine Spot in Cleveland Heights back in August 2022 and were blown away by the burger. We thought it tasted like an adult Big Mac, with the sauce and the patties. Now known as the OG, it features shredded lettuce, pickles, caramelized onions and Doink’s sauce.
It took me a little longer to make it to the brick and mortar location, although I can’t really say why. It’s only a 14-minute drive from my house, which is not much in Cleveland. The brick and mortar location is located on Waterloo Road, smack dab in the middle of the Waterloo Arts District. The space itself is really cute, with a fun vibe and great music. I’ve come at off-hours, so I don’t know how crowded it gets during dinner hours. The cashier and service staff are polite and quick. The burgers are exquisite, with crispy edges, juicy in the middle, and well-balanced toppings. The fries and onion rings have always been perfectly fried and tasty.
My first visit to the burger joint I ordered the Po Boy, which is topped with shredded lettuce, pickles, the house slaw, BBQ sauce and Doink’s sauce as well as French fries. It’s a riff off a Cleveland Po Boy using burger patties instead of kielbasa or sausage. It was a phenomenal burger. I ordered the onion rings and was thrilled to see a wedge salad as a side choice. Other sides include fries, kimchi mac n cheese and spicy cucumber salad.
I love a good wedge salad, and this is definitely a great wedge salad. The pickled onions are a great addition. The lettuce has always been fresh and crisp. The blue cheese dressing is divine and pairs well with the pickled onions, and there is just enough bacon to make it sing.
I have also been pleased with the OG. It continues to delight. I also hear wonderful things about the Bonn Mi, which features an herb mix, cucumbers, kimchi, pickles, jalapenos and a spicy Doink’s sauce. It may be a bit too firey for my palate though. But if you enjoy a bit of heat you should try the Sweet Heat (features bacon, onion rings, house BBQ sauce, jelly (get it? sweet?), jalapenos and spicy kraut) or Bonn Mi. They also offer several hot dogs, and people rave about the ube cheesecake, but I haven’t had room for it after the filling burgers and sides.
So if you are looking for an excellent burger or a great wedge salad, look no further than Doink’s on Waterloo Road just off I-90. There is street parking around the corner as well as a parking lot just to the left of the building. It’s open Tuesday-Saturday from 4-10 p.m.
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
Fredibertos is a family-owned Mexican restaurant located in Slavic Village with 3 franchises in other Ohio cities. A lot of people who appreciate authentic California-style Mexican food from little hole-in-the-wall taquerias rave about it, so I wanted to give it a try. As soon as I saw a TikTok about it I immediately knew where it was. It is just down the street from the Red Chimney at the intersection of Fleet Avenue and Broadway Avenue and used to be a hot dog place. It features a drive-thru and a walk up window with a few outdoor tables. Since it is close to home I will use the drive-thru.
The first time I went I rolled through the drive-thru. It took a little while to get my food, but the food is made to order and super fresh. I ordered a Pollo Asado street taco (served with onions and cilantro), an Arizona burrito and a horchata. The street taco was really flavorful, but I would probably add a dollop of sour cream to it. The Arizona burrito was loaded with steak, pico de gallo, potatoes & cheese. I love a good burrito, and this definitely hit the spot. I would definitely order it again. It was extremely flavorful – espcially when I squeezed the lime slice (served in a bag with two sauces and several lime slices) on it. The horchata was delicious. It had a nice cinnamon flavor and quenched my thirst. I’ve made horchata in the past, so I can appreciate a good horchata.
I’ve heard good things about the breakfast burritos. They are available all day, even though the menus say until 2 PM. I met a friend here to enjoy the last of the good weather at 1 PM on a Wednesday. I ordered the ham, egg and cheese burrito and a watermelon agua fresca (sandria) and was full for the entire day. The burrito was stuffed full of goodness. The watermelon drink was not sweet at all, and I really enjoyed it. Very refreshing. My friend, who was a Spanish interpreter, ordered the Machaca and Eggs, which is on the breakfast menu. His breakfast came with a medium drink, and he ordered the Horchata. Machaca is a shredded beef. The refried beans looked delicious. He enjoyed it a lot – and so did the honeybees. They swarmed him and left me alone.
Prices are very affordable, and the quality of food is well worth the trip. It is open every day from 6 AM to midnight.
Tous les Jours in Lyndhurst is a French-Asian bakery in a former flower shop building on Mayfield Road. It is a franchise of a national chain, but it is owned by a local South Korean family. It’s charming, has lots of seating options in the front, back and side, and the baked goods are excellent. They offer a wide variety of breads, cakes and pastries. One online detractor complained they use frozen dough, but honestly most grocery stores and bakeries (even in Europe) do the same. As long as it tastes good and is fresh, I don’t care. I used to work at Bakers Square back in the 1980s, and the fruit pies came frozen and were baked in the restaurant. No one complained.
You grab a tray and tongs, choose your poison and then get it rung up. On my first visit I chose a spinach danish, croque monsieur, mushroom and onion tart, strawberry and cream croissant, ube cream donut, and blueberry and sweet cream danish. I got mine to go and enjoyed them over several days.
The spinach danish was great. I enjoyed how flaky and flavorful it was. Out of all the pastries I tried, the ube cream donut and strawberry and cream croissant were the standouts. Especially the ube cream donut. I like a nice yeast-raised donut, and it was crammed full of ube cream that shot out of the side when I bit into it (thank goodness for the cardboard sleeve).
I also ordered a large iced Tiramisu Latte and was surprised by how smooth it was.
There’s plenty of parking and an entrance in the back. They must be doing well, because my first visit was on a Wednesday at almost noon and I was order #596. In French, Tous les Jours translates to “all the days,” and it seems to be doing booming business on all the days. On my second visit I was order #63 shortly before noon on a Tuesday. The parking lot was full, and I was lucky enough to get a spot from someone pulling out. There was also a line for the cash registers (there were two in operation). This time I tried a vanilla cream donut (which was divine) and a bunch of pastries I hadn’t tried yet (including a garlic cream cheese bun, milk pillow bread, a slice of cloud cream cake, and a crookie [a flaky croissant topped and filled with soft, chewy baked chocolate chip cookie dough]). The savory sausage and onion pastry was a nice warm lunch option to nibble on during the drive home. I preferred it over the Croque Monsieur [(ham and cheese), which I also enjoyed. The milk pillow bread reminded me of yeasty dinner rolls, but it was a bit softer and fluffier. The garlic cream cheese bun was just okay. It didn’t wow me, but it was decent. They packaged everything up nicely for me to take with me. For example, they have little plastic covers for the filled croissants that they just pop on top of the cardboard container.
This time I ordered a large iced matcha latte. I usually make them at home because I have flavored matcha, but this was a nice, not-too-sweet option to start my day. Matcha is made from crushed green tea leaves. As a result, you actually consume the entire tea leaf when you drink it. The antioxidants it contains are said to lower blood pressure, reduce your risk of heart disease, and even boost your metabolism. And although matcha contains more caffeine than regular green tea, but it doesn’t give you a buzzy rush and precipitous energy drop like coffee. In fact, I add matcha to my morning coffee because it provides a sustained boost in energy and concentration for four hours. If you want it a little sweeter, ask for a shot or two of flavored syrup.
The cloud cake was light and delicious. I ordered a slice of the fresh cream cake and found it very reminiscent of a Cleveland-style cassata cake (the lightness of the cake base and whipped topping). I will definitely be ordering one again soon. It was carefully packed, as you can see below.
Be sure to give it a try! I’ll be back. I could easily get addicted to the cream donuts, because that was my focus this morning. According to the Tous les Jours website, the strawberry and cream croissant is apparently the top seller, with the vanilla cream donut being the second. I also need to try the Japanese cheesecake…
Contact info:
Tous les Jours 5268 Mayfield Road Lyndhurst, OH 44124 (440) 566-0166
The HoneyBirch Bakehouse has been on my radar for a while, but I hadn’t gotten around to trying it. I’ve been following their Facebook page for a while, and when they posted a tuna melt as a lunch special I knew the day had come to finally check them out.
HoneyBirch is a locally owned bakery on Larchmere Avenue in Cleveland, offering pastries, sandwiches, bread, a grocer’s pantry, and catering. It is in the former Gray House pies storefront. Bakeries have come and gone on this street, but I really hope they can be successful. Their sandwiches and baked goods are incredible. The yellow facade and tables outside make it an inviting and welcoming space.
The storefront is small, and the sandwich list is well curated. The website claims “Sandwiches are available until we sell out. We recommend calling ahead to order after 2:00pm to make sure we still have what you want!” That tuna melt wasn’t a true tuna melt in the classic sense, but it was an absolutely delicious tuna and chees sandwich. I was particularly impressed by the roll it came on. In essence, it was a damn fine tuna sandwich. The roll is light and crusty, yet soft and delicious. The tuna was flavorful. I enjoyed it very much. The sandwiches are served with a little veggie salad, a mixture of chopped cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, onions and peppers. And my tuna melt came with pickles whose juices unfortunately bled through the box. My second sandwich choice was also a delicious one. I ordered the Jakob (picture below on the right), which features turkey, bacon, avocado (a spread not slices), mixed greens, tomato, and mayo. I think I might have a new favorite sandwich, but I am curious to try some of the other sandwiches they feature. In any event, I highly recommend trying a sandwich from here. Many of them feature tapenade, so I’m sure those are also delicious.
Being a bakehouse, they are also known for their baked goods. They offer a wide array of sweet and savory treats, and the choices vary daily. It seems their cardamom knots and cinnamon knots and rolls are fixtures though. They also had a peach, feta and mint focaccia that they advertised as a special. It was good, but I think I was expecting more topping flavor. But the bread itself was crusty and good. Their breads are also available, and I will definitely be buying the rolls to make sandwiches at home. The chocolate bun with vanilla custard was phenomenal. Lots of chocolate on flaky pastry rings with a little island of vanilla custard in the middle. I also really enjoyed the orange creamsicle cheesecake bar. The quiche was one of the most flavorful quiche I’ve ever had. The filling was super tasty and well-seasoned, and the crust was flaky and delicious.
I am going to go on record to say I adore their bourekas. Apparently they serve both savory and sweet bourekas. I’ve only had the savory bourekas so far, but have been very pleased with them. The first time I got the roasted mushroom boureka. The filling was extremely flavorful, and the puff pastry crust shatters when you bite into it. Overall it is a tasty pastry. The spinach, artichoke and smoked gouda boureka was also good (and it was a puffy boy – see below left), but I definitely prefer the roasted mushroom.
In any event, I will most likely be a frequent customer here. The bakery has a lot of unique offerings. I can’t wait to try a muffin and the apple, brie and fig baguette.
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.
Crepes n’ Crisps is a tiny little hole in the wall located across the street from the Cleveland Clinic on Chester (it’s right next to the Domino’s Pizza in the small strip on the north side). It is owned by a lovely Arabic family, and the owner proudly told me about his children, who are very educated health care professionals who were working there to help him out in the beginning. In the meantime they have introduced computer kiosks to order your food. I’m less impressed by the AI-generated images on their online menu, because there is no way the Crepito looks that good in person. If you’re looking for crepes or a quick sweet treat this is the place to go. They have so much, from shakes, to coffee, sweet and savory waffles and (my favorite) crepes. The restaurant is clean and sanitary, and the employees are very friendly.
There is not a lot of seating, so it isn’t ideal for large groups. That said, I have eaten there several times now, in addition to getting a crepe or two to go.
The first time I was there I ordered the salmon crepe (Salmon De Lux). I love a good savory crepe, and the salmon crepe did not disappoint. It was chock-full of Norwegian smoked salmon, fresh spinach, red onion, capers, and sour cream and topped with garlic aioli drizzle.. It definitely hit the spot and was exactly what I was hoping it to be.
The Nutella and banana crepe (called the Monkey Business) was also absolutely perfect. It was full of Nutella and fresh banana slices and accompanied by real whipped cream.
I was less impressed by the Croffle (a cross between a croissant and a waffle). Maybe the sweeter versions would be tasty, but the spinach and cheese croffle I got was nowhere near filled with spinach and cheese as I would have liked (and the AI image made it looked full to bursting). It also would have benefited from some kind of drizzle, because it was quite dry.
Several of my friends ordered the crepes on my suggestion and enjoyed them. One had a chicken crepe (served with several cubes of breaded chicken in the picture below) and a chocolate crepe drizzled with white and milk chocolate. The photos below are the Black and Red crepe, featuring strawberries and Nutella, and fries with cheese curds. I don’t know what my vegetarian friend was thinking when she ordered it, because even the vegetarian fries sound (and probably look) better than these. The fries themselves were crisp and tasty, but I’d definitely try one of the loaded ones next time. For example, the Belgian Chocolate & Fries sounds amazing.
The coffee offerings are also great. They use locally roasted coffee beans for their espresso drinks. And this would also be a great place to try one of their Dubai Chocolate offerings. They offer a crepe, a waffle, in a cup, a shake, a sundae, an iced latte (and probably a regular latte), and a chocolate bar – all featuring some variation of phyllo dough, pistachios and/or pistachio sauce, Belgium milk chocolate sauce (and sometimes strawberries). I haven’t tried Dubai Chocolate yet, but it’s only a matter of time. Everyone is raving about Dubai Chocolate.
It’s open Monday to Friday from 9 AM to 10 PM, Saturday from 11 AM to 10 PM and Sunday from 11 AM to 6 PM.
The Blue Heron Brewery and Event Center is an artisanal brewery that makes flavorful beers and serves good food. It is tucked away in a housing development in Medina off River Styx. It is a beautiful setting on what was once a country club. Full disclosure: I have eaten here twice now, because my niece works here. The first time she was a hostess, and my friends and I wanted to go there in the winter and rent an igloo. Alas, the strong winds shut down our dreams. LOL. We did enjoy watching her work, seating people and busing tables. She is now at college and working here as a waitress over the summer. She loves it. My family met here to celebrate birthdays and Father’s Day and spent a lovely Saturday afternoon on the back patio enjoying the sunshine and live music. She worked a shift after our lunch. Several of my family members have a lot of specific dietary needs and were able to confidently order and enjoy their meals.
The Brewpub
If you squint you can see an igloo in the center of the window.
On our first visit I ordered a Giant Bavarian Pretzel for us to all share, and we enjoyed it very much. You know the German translator had to order the giant pretzel, and it did not disappoint. It was fluffy inside with a nice crust. It is served with a green chili white queso and whipped cinnamon butter. Not exactly typical German pretzel dips, but I really enjoyed the cinnamon butter.
My friend was very excited about the lamb burger, which must be a winter item. She loved it. The housemade chips are also quite tasty. Folks on Yelp suggest saving the splurge of the Wagyu burger, which sounds tasty but I would probably order the Blue Heron or California burger and save a couple of bucks.
Another friend ordered the Caesar salad and added salmon, and it looked delicious. In fact, I was leaning towards ordering it with my family, but ended up ordering something else (more on that later). My mother enjoyed her strawberry and spinach salad with a balsamic dressing and without the goat cheese because she is dairy-free as well as gluten-free.
My brother-in-law recommended the seafood stuffed mushrooms and jumbo chicken wings as appetizers. Both were quite tasty, but I absolutely loved the seafood stuffed mushrooms. They were fantastic!!! The white mushrooms are hand stuffed with diced shrimp, crabmeat, cream cheese and scallions and topped with Parmesan cheese and light Dijon aioli. I could see myself ordering these for a meal! We ordered two orders of mushrooms to share, but it would have been cheaper to buy the special 3 for a dollar less than 2 orders were (a happy hour special). But my family only wanted two, so we stuck with two.
I ordered the Coconut Curry Salmon Fillet, and it did not disappoint. The pan-roasted salmon was served with a delectable Caribbean curry sauce and cilantro lime rice and fresh seasonal vegetables (in this case Brussels sprouts, which were tender and tasty). Everything was flavorful and perfectly cooked. I would probably order this again.
My dad and sister ordered the Reuben and loved it. Seeing how lean the corned beef was I would have probably enjoyed it. Anyone who has been following this blog knows I’m not the biggest fan of corned beef because I’m not a fan of fatty meats.
If you have room at the end, I highly recommend ordering the Peanut Butter Pie if you have the room. It is made with an Oreo crust with peanut butter mousse and fresh whipped cream. It’s delicious. I ordered it during our first visit, and we got 5 spoons to share.
And if your waitress is Carley tell her you read about the Brewpub on her Aunt Jill’s blog.
Cleveland Rocks, Cleveland Eats 