Bright Side is an italian-american restaurant in Ohio City, Cleveland.
Bright Side on West 25th Street in Ohio City, Sam McNulty and Mark Priemer's reimagining of the old Bar Cento space since June 2022, runs house pasta and the signature Sunnyside egg pizza.
Signature dishes: Sunnyside pizza, Rosemary garlic frites
Must order: The Sunnyside pizza with runny-yolk egg and pancetta, plus a basket of rosemary garlic frites.
Tip: Reserve on OpenTable. The basement Bird of Paradise tropical-themed bar opens after dinner service.
Address: 1948 W 25th St, Cleveland, OH 44113
Mason's Creamery on Bridge Avenue in Ohio City, the Jesse Mason and Helen Qin ice cream shop since 2013, runs small-batch flavours all year plus a winter ramen pop-up.
Signature: Small-batch ice cream, Winter ramen pop-up
Order: Two scoops of small-batch ice cream in summer, a pork tonkotsu ramen in winter.
Tip: Ramen runs winter into spring; ice cream year-round. Cash and card accepted.
Poppy on Larchmere Boulevard, chef Jill Vedaa and Jessica Parkison's small-plates room since March 2023 in a turn-of-century house, carries the legacy of their now-closed Salt in Lakewood.
Signature: Rotating small plates, Seasonal mains
Order: Order four to five small plates per pair from the rotating menu, plus one entree to share.
Tip: Reserve on Tock; the dining room sits small. Closed Sunday and Monday.
Superior Pho on Superior Avenue inside the Superior Square plaza in AsiaTown, an award-winning Vietnamese family restaurant, anchors Cleveland's pho and banh mi scene.
Signature: Pho tai, Banh mi
Order: Pho tai with raw beef plus a banh mi with house pate and roast pork.
Tip: Cash and card; the small dining room turns fast at lunch.
Mason's Creamery on Bridge Avenue in Ohio City, the Jesse Mason and Helen Qin ice cream shop since 2013, runs small-batch flavours all year plus a winter ramen pop-up.
Signature: Small-batch ice cream, Winter ramen pop-up
Order: Two scoops of small-batch ice cream in summer, a pork tonkotsu ramen in winter.
Tip: Ramen runs winter into spring; ice cream year-round. Cash and card accepted.
Marble Room on Euclid Avenue in Cleveland sits inside a restored 19th-century National City Bank, the city's most-photographed downtown steakhouse since 2017.
Signature: Prime steaks, Raw bar plateau
Order: A bone-in ribeye plus a half plateau from the raw bar to start.
Tip: Reserve on OpenTable two weeks ahead; the cathedral-vault tables turn slower than the lounge.
Fahrenheit at 55 Public Square in downtown Cleveland, chef Rocco Whalen's two-story wood-fired dining room since the 2023 move from Tremont, anchors the city's fine-dining tier with seasonal pastas and grilled mains.
Signature: Wood-fired plates, Seasonal pastas
Order: Whatever the kitchen is firing on the wood grill that night, plus a hand-rolled pasta to share.
Tip: Reserve on OpenTable for Friday or Saturday; Tuesday and Wednesday dinners stay quieter.
Pier W on Lake Avenue in Lakewood, a 1965 cliff-edge seafood room cantilevered above Lake Erie, runs Cleveland's longest-standing white-tablecloth water view.
Signature: Lake Erie perch, Sunday brunch buffet
Order: Whatever fresh-fish preparation the kitchen is leading the dinner menu with, plus the Sunday brunch buffet for a one-shot visit.
Tip: Reserve a window-side table on OpenTable for sunset; valet only, the cliff lot fills fast.
