Stone Oven Bakery Cafe is a bakery cafe restaurant in Cleveland Heights, Cleveland.
Stone Oven Bakery Cafe on Lee Road in Cleveland Heights, an artisan bread, soup and sandwich shop for over 25 years, runs the Cedar-Lee block from morning through evening.
Signature dishes: Artisan bread, House-baked sandwiches
Must order: A house-baked sandwich on artisan bread plus the soup of the day.
Tip: Counter service; weekday lunch runs fastest. Additional outlets at Eton and the Galleria.
Address: 2267 Lee Rd, Cleveland Heights, OH 44118
Vero Pizza Napoletana on Cedar Road in Cleveland Heights, a 900-degree wood-fired Neapolitan room with imported Italian flour and Vesuvius tomatoes.
Signature: Margherita pizza, House gelato
Order: A Margherita from the wood-fired oven plus two scoops of locally made gelato.
Tip: Walk-ins only; arrive by 17:30 Friday and Saturday. Closed Sunday and Monday.
Poppy on Larchmere Boulevard, chef Jill Vedaa and Jessica Parkison's small-plates room since March 2023, runs a tight rotating menu in a converted turn-of-century house.
Signature: Rotating small plates, Seasonal mains
Order: Order four to five small plates per pair from the rotating menu, plus an entree to share.
Tip: Reserve on Tock; the dining room sits small. Closed Sunday and Monday.
Mabel's BBQ on East 4th Street in downtown Cleveland, Michael Symon's smokehouse since April 2016, builds Cleveland-style BBQ on fruitwood smoke and Bertman Ball Park mustard.
Signature: Smoked brisket, Cleveland-style ribs
Order: The four-meat tray with smoked kielbasa, plus an order of the spicy pickled vegetables.
Tip: Walk-ins seated at the bar; reserve the dining room on OpenTable two weeks ahead.
Larder Delicatessen and Bakery on West 29th Street in Hingetown, Jeremy Umansky's koji-and-curing project a 2025 James Beard semifinalist for Best Chef Great Lakes and Outstanding Pastry Chef.
Signature: Pastrami on rye, Matzoh ball soup
Order: Pastrami on rye with a side of matzoh ball soup, plus a knish to go.
Tip: Hot food service stops 17:45; walk-ins welcome. Closed Sunday and Monday.
Mama Santa's on Mayfield Road in Little Italy, the family-owned Sicilian pizzeria since 1961, anchors the Italian-American block with hand-tossed pies and homemade pasta dishes.
Signature: Sicilian pizza, Homemade manicotti
Order: Sicilian sausage pizza and a plate of the manicotti to share.
Tip: Takes reservations and walk-ins; the patio opens in warm months. Closed Sunday.
Trattoria on the Hill on Mayfield Road in Little Italy, an Italian-American dining room since 1988, runs hearty traditional pasta plates and veal mains with a parking lot.
Signature: Eggplant parmesan, Chicken piccata
Order: Eggplant parmesan and chicken piccata, plus a slice of cassata cake to finish.
Tip: First-come, first-served seating most nights. Little Italy parking is tight outside the lot.
Vero Pizza Napoletana on Cedar Road in Cleveland Heights, a 900-degree wood-fired Neapolitan room with imported Italian flour and Vesuvius tomatoes.
Signature: Margherita pizza, House gelato
Order: A Margherita from the wood-fired oven plus two scoops of locally made gelato.
Tip: Walk-ins only; arrive by 17:30 Friday and Saturday. Closed Sunday and Monday.
