An elegant, walkable district of historic streets and Maryland Plaza, home to Vicia and the city's most ambitious upscale dining.
Kaldi's Central West End cafe sits on the busy West Pine and Euclid corner, a roomy spot for coffee and a pastry between gallery and boutique stops.
Signature drink: House-roasted espresso drinks
Tip: It gets busy mid-morning; the back room is quieter for laptop work. Euclid is best walked before or after.
Northwest roasts on site at its Central West End cafe and keeps a bustling counter with strong outdoor seating, a roaster-cafe for the laptop crowd.
Signature drink: Single-origin pour-overs
Tip: The patio is the prize on warm mornings. Ask which single origin is freshest off the roaster.
Northwest roasts on site at its Central West End cafe, a long-running operation that supplies local accounts and pours its own coffee at a busy patio counter.
Tip: The patio is the prize on warm mornings; ask which single origin came off the roaster most recently.
Sources from: Ethiopia, Colombia, Sumatra
How they serve: Espresso, Filter, Whole bean retail
Kevin Brennan's Central West End bar pours a deep wine list with small plates across a townhouse of rooms, from a fireside lounge to a basement bar and patio.
Signature pour: A by-the-glass pour from the deep list
Wine focus: Deep global list with by-the-glass range
Food: Small plates, cheese and cigars
Tip: The multi-room layout suits any mood; ask the bar for a by-the-glass recommendation. Cigars are sold for the patio.
A Central West End rum bar, Yellowbelly pours island-inspired tiki cocktails and coastal small plates in a bright beachy room. The city's tropical-drink hub.
Signature drink: Rum tiki cocktails
Food: Island-inspired small plates
Tip: The signature Yellowbelly and the rum-heavy tiki list are the orders. Brunch and patio seating round it out.
A Central West End gastropub, Retreat pairs a serious cocktail list with elevated pub plates, a polished neighbourhood bar from the team behind Yellowbelly.
Signature drink: Craft cocktails
Food: Elevated pub plates
Tip: It works as both a cocktail stop and a full dinner; the burger and the drinks share top billing. Reserve at weekends.
Kevin Brennan's Central West End townhouse bar spreads across a fireside lounge, basement bar and patio, pouring deep wine and cocktail lists with cigars.
Signature drink: Wine, cocktails and cigars
Food: Small plates and cheese
Tip: The multi-room layout suits any mood, from fireside to basement. Cigars are sold for the back patio.
Maritza Rios runs a Peruvian-leaning Latin kitchen on Euclid, plating aji de gallina, ropa vieja and rotisserie chicken at quick-counter prices.
Try: Peruvian and Latin small plates
Tip: Order the aji de gallina or a chicken plate; mains stay in the low double digits and travel well for a walk along Euclid.
Adam and Jason Tilford's CWE taco room turns out wood-fired tacos and coastal-Mexican plates in the old Session Taco space, a quick festive corner of Euclid.
Try: Wood-fired tacos and modern Mexican plates
Tip: Order the duck taquitos or a couple of wood-fired tacos at the bar; lunch is brisk, dinner livelier with cocktails.
Maritza Rios's CWE kitchen plates Peruvian, Cuban and Colombian home cooking, with aji de gallina, ropa vieja and rotisserie chicken in the low double digits.
Try: Aji de gallina and pollo a la brasa
Tip: Aji de gallina or the ropa vieja are the value orders. Mains land in the ten-to-sixteen-dollar range, with sides extra.