Mama Santa's is an italian restaurant in Little Italy, Cleveland.
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.
Signature dishes: Sicilian pizza, Handmade manicotti
Must 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.
Address: 12301 Mayfield Rd, Cleveland, OH 44106
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.
Signature: Homemade pasta, Veal piccata
Order: Eggplant parmesan and the chicken piccata, plus a slice of cassata cake to finish.
Tip: Reserves through Tock; the patio opens in warm months and Little Italy parking is tight outside the lot.
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.
Signature: Homemade pasta, Veal piccata
Order: Eggplant parmesan and the chicken piccata, plus a slice of cassata cake to finish.
Tip: Reserves through Tock; the patio opens in warm months and Little Italy parking is tight outside the lot.
Vero Pizza Napoletana on Cedar Road in Cleveland Heights, a 900-degree wood-fired Neapolitan pizzeria with imported Italian flour and Vesuvius tomatoes.
Signature: Margherita pizza, Locally made 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 to avoid the wait. Closed Sunday and Monday.
Li Wah inside Asia Plaza on Payne Avenue in AsiaTown, Cleveland's longest-running Cantonese dim sum room, runs weekend cart service and full-menu ordering throughout the day.
Signature: Cart-service dim sum, Peking duck
Order: Cart-service har gow, siu mai and BBQ pork buns; order Peking duck a day ahead.
Tip: Saturday and Sunday 10:00 cart service is the move; weekday lunch runs menu only.
Astoria Cafe and Market on Detroit Avenue in the Gordon Square Arts District, a Mediterranean restaurant and import shop since December 2016, runs mezze.
Signature: Mediterranean small plates, Cured meat board
Order: A cured meat and cheese board plus three to four mezze plates for the table.
Tip: Walk-ins seated at the bar; reserve the dining room two weeks out for Friday and Saturday.
Le Petit Triangle Cafe on Fulton Road in Ohio City, a small Parisian-style cafe in a triangular corner building, runs French brunch and dinner plates with a heated outdoor patio.
Signature: Croque monsieur, Escargot
Order: Croque monsieur with bechamel and the classic escargot to start.
Tip: Closed Monday and Tuesday; brunch on weekends runs busy from 10:00 onward.
Lucky's Cafe on Starkweather Avenue in Tremont, the Diners Drive-Ins and Dives brunch room often voted Cleveland's best, runs farm-driven breakfast and lunch daily 09:00 to 15:00.
Signature: Shrimp and grits, House biscuits
Order: Shrimp and grits and an order of the house biscuits with house jam.
Tip: Reservations only for parties of six or more; smaller groups walk in. Arrive by 09:15 on weekends.
