The 20 Essential Ohio City Restaurants You Should Have Tried By Now

SOHO Chicken + Whiskey

1889 W. 25th St., Cleveland

“This place has consistently been great. Out of my four or five experiences here, I have never been disappointed. To start, the biscuits with rosemary butter and apple jam are delicious, and I could eat several servings as a main dish if I really wanted to. Outside of this, all of their chicken dishes center on juicy fried chicken, that I have had cooked perfectly every time. Along with this, they provide their own house made hot sauce that is one of my favorites. Really give this place a try ASAP, I'm sure you won't regret it!” Andrew M. on Yelp

Photo via @doobie720/Instagram

Johnny’s Bar

3164 Fulton Ave., Cleveland

For over 80 years, Johnny’s Bar on Fulton has been serving homemade Northern Italian cuisine and doing it very well. 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.

Photo via Scene Archives

Bakersfield Tacos

2058 W. 25th St., Cleveland

You know taco joints are serious when their menu consists of just tacos and nachos and very little else and Bakersfield is a serious taco joint. They hand-make their tortillas in-house and the fresh shells combined with the delicious, succulent meat makes this one of the best taco joints around.

Photo by Emmanuel Wallace

The Plum Cafe and Kitchen

4133 Lorain Ave., Cleveland

The Plum Cafe and Kitchen opened in 2016 and is known for its “new Cleveland” aesthetic consisting of subway tile backsplash and brick walls. Sharing a bunch of small plates is the way to go here, and with this eclectic menu, you’ll be able to taste different cuisines from all over.

Photo by Emmanuel Wallace

Citizen Pie

2144 West 25th St., Cleveland

After opening a shop in Colinwood in 2015 to rave reviews, chef and owner Vytauras Sasnauskas decided Ohio City was the perfect spot for expansion and opened on West 25th in 2017. The pizza shop can truly claim authenticity on their Neapolitan-style pizzas; the wood-fired oven is straight from Naples, Italy.

Photo via Scene Archives

Touch Supper Club

2710 Lorain Ave., Cleveland

Big flavors and small prices distinguish the menu at this Ohio City restaurant, bar, and dance club, where the menu glides easily between contemporary comfort fare (think short ribs or macaroni and cheese) and upscale bar noshes (don't miss the egg-topped burger). Afterward, burn off the calories in the downstairs dance club.

Photo via Scene Archives

Heck’s Cafe

2927 Bridge Ave., Cleveland

If you’re on a search for the best burgers in town, Heck’s is surely not to be overlooked. If you can handle the spice, the Hot Fire Burger is the way to go. Don’t forget an order of Heck’s Fries, topped with salt and pepper and a side of malt vinegar aioli.

Photo via Scene Archives

The Black Pig

2801 Bridge Ave., Cleveland

This locally-sourced, always changing menu from Chef Michael Nowak is “European inspired New-American” food. As their name indicates, they’re known for their succulent pork offerings but there’s also something for everyone on this menu.

Photo via Scene Archives

Flying Fig

2523 Market Ave., Cleveland

Chef-owner Karen Small stocks her larder with simple, homegrown ingredients, then coaxes them into precise assemblages of soaring flavor at this hip, youthful, and energetic bistro in the heart of Ohio City. And as any trendsetter will tell you, the Fig's happy hours are among the best in the city for unwinding on a budget.

Photo via @TheFlyingFig/Instagram

Phnom Penh

1929 W. 25th St., Cleveland

An eye-opening experience for anyone who thinks Asian food is limited to lo mein in paper containers. This cuisine rambles between Cambodian home cooking and Vietnamese classics. The menu – heavy with descriptions and suggestions – reads like a textbook.

Photo via Phnom Penh