17 New Cleveland Area Restaurants to Look Forward to This Summer

Fiamma, Woodmere

Early last year, Mendel Segal opened Mendel’s Kansas City BBQ in Shaker Heights, one of only a handful of kosher barbecue restaurants in the country. The gregarious “rabbi pitmaster” will attempt to duplicate the success of that operation at Eton Chagrin Boulevard, where he will open Fiamma, a kosher Italian restaurant. When it opens in the coming months, the “modern Tuscan” restaurant will offer a full menu of salads, wood-fired pizzas, housemade pastas and fish. But keeping the place kosher means making the choice between dairy or meat – and dairy it will be, says Segal. The centerpiece of the restaurant will be a unique wood-burning pizza oven with a rotating hearth with an opening on the kitchen side, where the pies will be loaded, and a second opening on the dining room side, where the pies will be removed and plated. The former Mabel’s BBQ space will be reworked into what Segal promises will be “the nicest kosher place between New York and Chicago.”

STEAK, Tremont

Fresh on the heels of their recent success with Geraci’s Slice Shop in downtown Cleveland, the trio of Terry Francona, Jason Beudert and Chelsea Williams staked a claim on the former Parallax space in Tremont. The owners hope to “disrupt the steakhouse category” by delivering an affordable steakhouse experience in a cool, hip environment. The owners also plan to diverge from convention by offering diners a single choice of beef: the underappreciated coulotte. That cut will be sold as part of an all-inclusive meal that includes a fresh salad, house-made rolls and bottomless hand-cut fries, all for the low, low price of approximately $30. Also on the menu will be six to eight shareable sides. A dessert cart will make the rounds of the dining room. And there will be plenty of craft cocktails, wine and beer.

Untitled (former Bell & Flower), Chagrin Falls

For those keeping count, Rick Doody currently operates Bar Italia, Cedar Creek Grille, Lindey’s Lake House, JoJo’s Bar and 17 River Grille, the last two of which are situated in Chagrin Falls. Late last year, Doody quietly added a third Chagrin Falls property to his portfolio: Bell & Flower. For now, it’s business as usual by the falls. But soon, Doody will launch a major restoration and renovation project on the 150-year-old building to “bring the building back to its historic roots,” he says. Plans call for swapping the current industrial vibe for a more classic bistro décor with tin ceilings, wood floors, exposed brick walls and a long bar along one side. Doody also wants to swap the front windows for ones that slide open while creating more of a connection with the alley patio. For design inspiration, Doody is looking to one of Columbus’ most enduring gems: Lindey’s in German Village, which his mother opened 40-plus years ago. For culinary inspiration, he’s eyeing great New York bistros like Pastis and Balthazar. Look for the dust to settle by late summer.

The Kraken Room, Willoughby

Earlier this year, the Vergara family streamlined the offerings at its Willoughby property, jettisoning Hola Tacos and Barroco Arepa Bar to focus solely on Pulpo Beer Co. The rearrangement freed up the second floor for something new: a cocktail lounge called The Kraken Room. Juan Vergara says that the success of Amazonia in Lakewood, the restaurant group’s first foray into craft cocktails, inspired them to double down by adding an east-side lounge. As with Amazonia, the bar will be under the guidance of beverage director Gabrielle Swafford. With names like A Watery Grave, Siren's Song, Harbinger of Doom and, natch, Release the Kraken, the beverages adhere to a maritime theme. Those creations are joined by some tiki classics, Prohibition-era blends, mocktails, beer and wine. To eat, there are small plates like cotija fries, shrimp cocktail, soups and salads, and larger plates such as smash burgers and a flame-grilled steak.

Scorpaciatta Italian Restaurant, Shaker Heights

Peter Reuter had a five-year plan to take Scorpacciata from a food stall concept to a brick-and-mortar restaurant – and he’ll come close to hitting that goal when Scorpaciatta Italian Restaurant opens this month. Reuter, who launched his pasta stand at Van Aken District in 2018, quickly followed that up with a pizza shop. For the past year, the Johnson and Wales graduate has been hard at work converting the former Larchmere Tavern into the new full-service home of Scorpaciatta. The bar and restaurant will offer pizza and pasta, naturally, but also a wide variety of appetizers, charcuterie, and entrees. There will be seating for about 75 in the dining room, with room for another dozen at the bar.

Tricky Tortoise, Willoughby

Willoughby Brewing Company had a remarkable run stretching back to 1998. After closing for good in 2020, the massive property sat idle for about four years. That’s when Bobby Ehasz grabbed the keys. Ehasz, a career military guy, is a partner in Pompatus Brewing, a nano brewery in Bainbridge. Ehasz’ first major hire was Caleb Brown, a brewer who worked at Platform/AB and Thirsty Dog. Craft beer fans can look forward to a lineup of clean, drinkable and broadly appealing styles. The new owner has done considerable work to brighten up the cavernous space and make it more comfortable. A second bar was built in the dining room to take some pressure off the main bar by the brewhouse. In preparation for the return of live music, the stage is getting a facelift and the sound and lighting systems are being updated. To eat, there will be straightforward pub menu with wings, pizza, pierogies and pie. And that model train that circles above? It’s still there.

BBQ Joint from Quagliata and Ladner, Mayfield

Carl Quagliata and Zack Ladner opened The Village Butcher in Mayfield nearly two years ago. When the adjacent storefront came on the market, the owners decided to grab it, not knowing what they would ultimately do with it. Those plans came into focus after Quagliata and Ladner decided to close Smokin’ Q’s BBQ in Mayfield (replacing it with Cuoco Bello). Given the high cost of food and labor, a full-service barbecue restaurant no longer made financial sense, Ladner explained. But a fast-casual version just might. When it opens this summer, the new BBQ joint will sell Texas-style barbecue by the pound and serve it with sliced white bread, pickles and onions. Guests can expect a roster of wood-smoked meats like brisket, pulled pork, ribs, burnt ends, turkey, sausage and chicken.