Where to drink well in Cleveland by the glass and the bottle: natural, classical, and worth the cab fare.
Wine bars in Cleveland. natural, classical, and the grower-focused rooms worth the cab fare.
La Cave Du Vin on Jefferson Avenue in Tremont, the reopened wine bar from former Coventry manager Erich Lasher and Will Hollingsworth since December 2023.
Signature pour: A French natural by the glass, plus a champagne split
Wine focus: Constantly rotating glass and bottle list, French and natural-leaning
Food: Crudites, charcuterie boards, mini sandwiches, chicken liver mousse
Vero Pizza Napoletana on Cedar Road in Cleveland Heights, an expanded 2024 room with a 10-seat marble-topped bar and Italian wines by the glass.
Signature pour: An Italian glass with a Margherita Vera
Wine focus: Italian wines by the glass and Neapolitan-pairing bottles
Food: Wood-fired Neapolitan pizza, antipasti, gelato
UnBar Cafe on Larchmere Boulevard, a woman-owned coffee-and-wine bar that doubles as a Larchmere gathering room, runs evening wine alongside daytime coffee.
Signature pour: A natural-leaning wine club selection plus a slice of pie
Wine focus: Curated bottles for evening service, coffee bar by day
Food: Small plates, homemade pies, evening snack menu
EDWINS in the former Nighttown space on Cedar Road in Cleveland Heights, Brandon Chrostowski's culinary training restaurant, runs a French-leaning.
Signature pour: A Burgundy by the glass to start a tasting menu
Wine focus: French-leaning by-the-glass and a Burgundy-led bottle list
Food: French menu paired with the dining room
Sainato's at Rivergate on Columbus Road on the Cuyahoga, a family-run Italian room since 1972, runs Italian by-the-glass and Thursday half-price bottles.
Signature pour: Thursday half-price bottle special, choose an Italian pairing
Wine focus: Family-owned Italian by-the-glass and thoughtfully sourced Italian bottles
Food: Pasta, pizza and old-world Italian plates