Italian in Cleveland

16 results

page 1 of 1

Bar Cento

1948 W. 25th St. Downtown/Flats/Warehouse District

216-274-1010

Italian

Channeling the spirit of a European wine bar, this funky little spot in Ohio City makes a tasty backdrop for a small but tempting menu of thin-crusted pizzas, house-cured meats, handmade pastas, and some of the best twice-fried, Belgian-style fries you'll ever find on a Cleveland tabletop. To go with, the annotated wine list offers 100 selections, while next door's Bier Markt provides dozens of imported brews.
Beach Club Bistro

21939 Lake Shore Blvd., Euclid Eastern Suburbs

216-731-7499

Italian

Casually upscale and unselfconsciously cool, this neighborhood bistro is home to delicious gourmet pizzas, an intriguing collection of fish and seafood dishes, and a dashing wine list containing one of the region’s largest assortment of half-bottles.
Brio Tuscan Grille

24325 Cedar Rd., Lyndhurst Eastern Suburbs

216-297-9232

Italian

The vast open dining room and mechanical service can make a meal here seem sort of hectic. On the upside, however, well-prepared entrées, such as rack of lamb and lasagna Bolognese, are both tasty and sensibly priced. Part of a Columbus-based chain.
Bruno's Ristorante

2644 W. 41st St. West Side/Ohio City/Tremont/Detroit Shoreway

216-961-7087

Italian

Stepping into this cozy neighborhood ristorante — with its wooden bar, linoleum floors, and menu of pizza, pasta, and assorted parmigianas, cacciatores, and marsalas — is like traveling back in time to the days when Italian restaurateurs baked their own breads, made their own pastas, and served it all in charming, intimate spaces. Almost everything on the “full-meal deal” menu is delish. But when it comes to fried calamari and baked lasagna, Bruno’s scores among the very best.
D'Agnese's Tomato Grill

106 First St., Hudson Akron/Summit County

330-342-3771

Italian, Menu

Casually upscale yet family-friendly, this good-looking reincarnation of Hudson's old Red Tomato offers everything from pizza and pasta to filet mignon.
Dewey's Pizza

2194 Lee Rd., Cleveland Hts. Eastern Suburbs

216-321-7355

Italian, Menu

A fine choice for families, this bright, contemporary pizza parlor offers freshly made pies, wholesome salads and a concise selection of beer and wine, including eight microbrews on draft. Friendly staffers take small fry in stride, and while Mom and Dad unwind, the kiddies can safely watch the chefs at work from behind a glass partition.

1 article
Giuseppe's

32 W. Aurora Rd., Northfield Akron/Summit County

330-467-1108

Italian, Menu

Blink your eyes as you zip through town, and you're likely to miss this little Italian restaurant — and that would be a shame, because the selection is broad, the preparations are sophisticated, and the prices are reasonable. For dessert, don't miss the mascarpone-dense, barely sweetened, homemade tiramisu.
Il Bacio

2181 Murray Hill Rd. East Side/University Circle/Little Italy

216-231-5977

Italian, Menu

If you doubt that polished service is the foundation of a fine meal, you haven’t been to Il Bacio, the cozy ristorante in Little Italy, where mellifluously accented host and owner Antonino Calandra heads up one of the most gracious teams in town. That, plus Calandra’s voluptuous take on tiramisu, go far toward making Il Bacio as sweet as its name’s translation: The Kiss.
Johnny's Bar

3164 Fulton Rd. Downtown/Flats/Warehouse District

216-281-0055

Italian

Dark, intimate, and timelessly elegant, this manly little jewel box of a restaurant is the sort of place you suggest when you want to impress the boss, wow a date, or just remind yourself why you work so damn hard. The menu is crammed with upscale Italian specialties, including some stunning risottos and one of the city's finest long-boned veal chops; at lunch, though — pssst — the char-grilled burger is out of this world.

3 articles
Mama Santa's

12305 Mayfield Rd. East Side/University Circle/Little Italy

216-421-2159

Italian, Menu

Every college campus needs a nearby spot like Mama Santa's, with its retro vibe, cheap wine, and stunningly inexpensive Italian eats. Thin, greaseless, crisp-crusted pizza is the specialty of the casa; when you and the gang can score a 15-incher for less than 10 bucks, who cares if there's a wait for a table?
Michaelangelo's

2198 Murray Hill Rd. East Side/University Circle/Little Italy

216-721-0300

Italian, Staff Pick

Trained in Italy’s Piedmont region, talented chef-owner Michael Annandono tackles an ambitious repertoire of mostly northern Italian fare with consistently delicious results. We can rarely resist the delicate homemade pastas, served in a room that is as elegantly understated as the food itself. Italian and Californian wine list.
Osteria Cedro Rustico

13998 Cedar Rd., University Hts. Eastern Suburbs

216-371-5320

Italian

Our pick for one of the best "casual eats" values in town, this nicely appointed osteria inside Whole Foods Market offers sit-down dining, friendly service, and a small but appealing menu of freshly prepped Italian fare at prices you'd be hard-pressed to match at home. Drinkers can choose from an inexpensive beer and wine list or buy a bottle at retail, which staffers will uncork and pour for free.
Piatto Novo

1989 Front St., Cuyahoga Falls Akron/Summit County

330-920-7530

Italian, Menu

Cantilevered over the mighty Cuyahoga River, this upscale Italian restaurant offers a spectacular view and an impressive dinner menu of imaginative seasonal cuisine, created under the direction of acclaimed Akron chef Roger Thomas.
Primo Vino

12511 Mayfield Rd. East Side/University Circle/Little Italy

216-229-3334

Italian

Don’t let the subterranean location fool you: This Little Italy mainstay, settled at the bottom of a long flight of stairs, is as warm and welcoming as nonna’s kitchen, with a neighborly vibe and the wallet-friendly prices to match. Offerings are mostly traditional Italian — pastas, polenta, eggplant parmesan — with a few stylish twists. And to drink, check out the short but interesting list of wines-by-the-glass.
Trattoria on the Hill (Roman Gardens)

12207 Mayfield Rd. East Side/University Circle/Little Italy

216-421-2700

Italian, Menu

Comfortable and casual, the Trattoria dishes up big helpings of tasty Italian food at reasonable prices. Savory nine-inch specialty pizzas include one topped with sautéed spinach, prosciutto, black olives, feta cheese, and mozzarella. Dense homemade potato gnocchi are served with butter, Romano cheese, and a rich tomato-basil sauce.
Vaccaro's Trattoria

1000 Ghent Rd. Akron/Summit County

330-666-6158

Italian

Cozy and urbane, this contemporary Italian American restaurant and wine bar offers everything from pizza and pasta to fresh seafood and steak. Good bets include pan-roasted mussels, zesty grilled salmon, and the savoriest version of Italian wedding soup this side of Nonna's kitchen.

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