18 Cleveland Restaurants to Take A Newbie Foodie

Chef Zack Bruell refines and redefines classic Italian dishes by concentrating the flavors, enhancing the textures, and eliminating anything that gets in the way. Chinato is a stunning restaurant, designed from the ground up to make diners feel special. From the high-ceilinged dining room and open kitchen to the polished service and extravagant wine list, this is the type of restaurant it's easy to lose track of time in, and aren't those the very best kind? (Description by Doug Trattner, photo via Facebook)

Momocho Mod Mex bends Mexican cuisine into something new, exciting and delicious. This hip Ohio City tavern is a warm, convivial neighborhood tavern with moderate prices. Perfect for a casual night of drinking and dining. (Description by Doug Trattner, photo via Facebook)

Enjoy French-inspired fare starring heirloom pork in all its pink, piggy glory at this brick-walled bistro. While lofty in pedigree and provenance, the fare is easy-going, approachable and otherworldly when it comes to taste. (Description by Doug Trattner, photo via Facebook)

Spice is a neighborhood fixture—a restaurant that so seamlessly fits with the residents' eco-friendly sensibilities that you wonder how they got along without it all these years. More so than almost any restaurant in town, Spice takes local, sustainable, and seasonal to heart — and makes abiding by the land a pain-free proposition. (Description by Doug Trattner, photo via Facebook)

Ready to reminisce with some old college friends? Check out Hofbrauhaus, a virtual mess hall equipped with waiters in Lederhosen and live music. The potato pancakes and wienerschnitzel are pan-fried to order, the weisswurst is poached not grilled, and the schweinshaxe bears its signature crackling pigskin exterior. When it does come to the suds we say ignore the shotskis and stick to the house-brewed lagers, served properly in hefty liter-size steins, but hey, what happens in Hofbrauhaus… (Photo by Emanuel Wallace)

Town Hall is a premiere brunch destination. Build your own crepes, sweet potato pancakes, and eggs Benedict at this Ohio City hang out. They have a wide selection of on-tap brews and a.m. appropriate cocktails, because obviously, it’s about more than just good food. (Photo via Facebook)

At Ginko you’ll find a world-class sushi chef and coolers stocked with the freshest fish flown in daily from the Tskiji Fish Market in Tokyo. Ginko has raised the bar for sushi in Cleveland, presenting locals with the kind of sushi bar typically found in big coastal cities. Take a seat at the counter and let chef Noma-San school you with his offerings of deftly cut fish. The funky setting adds to the entire experience, offering a setting where the focus lands squarely on the plate. (Description by Doug Trattner, photo via Facebook)

Boasting one of the very few wood-burning ovens in town, Vero turns out some of the most authentic Neapolitan-style pizza around. Take a bite of an airy, chewy edge blistered with char that gives way to a thin, crisp inner crust supporting a few choice ingredients. Then slurp up some authentic gelato for dessert. (Photo via Facebook)

The reasonably priced and superbly delicious build-your-own tacos at Barrio mean the place is always packed, but this fact heightens the atmosphere rather than diminishing it. When diners arrive they have some big decisions to make: corn or flour? Beef or pork? Cheddar or Chihuahua? Tequila or sangria? Hedge your bet with multiple tacos. It's obviously better that way. (Photo via Facebook)

Cleveland finally landed a "Great American Beer Hall" in Butcher and the Brewer. While loud as a freight train some nights, the energy is through the roof, with communal tables packed to the gills and diners loading up on meat-filled platters of rib-sticking, butcher-crafted bistro fare. At the far end of the cavernous old downtown space is the brewhouse, from which flows a steady stream of first-rate brews in flavors and styles beer snobs can support. (Photo via Facebook)