20 Hidden Gem Restaurants Found in Cleveland Strip Malls

Superior Pho

3030 Superior Ave., Cleveland

Because pho is an essential part of a balanced diet, not to mention one's sanity, noodle shops like this one hold a very important place in our lives. Winter or summer, a bowl of pho is more than food; it's a restorative elixir that sets us on a brighter path. Crispy spring rolls, citrusy cabbage salad, and meaty banh mi sammies also make us happy, so it's a good thing that the versions served at this perfectly acceptable dining room are as delicious as the noodle soup.

Photo via Scene Archives

Bangkok Thai

5359 Mayfield Rd., Lyndhurst

This unassuming Thai restaurant, located in a strip mall in Lyndhurst next to an aquarium store and a bar, serves up some of the best Thai food in town. The pad thai and the crazy noodles are must-try dishes here.

Photo via Bangkok Thai Cuisine/Facebook

Taki’s Greek Kitchen

377 Lear Rd., Avon Lake

You'll have to drive out to Avon Lake to chase down the best contemporary Greek food in the region. That's where chef Peter "Taki" Diamantis works his magic, at a sharp little bistro called Taki's Greek Kitchen. From dips to dessert, Diamantis treats his ingredients with the care and attention they deserve, resulting in dishes that are bright, clean, fresh and bursting with life.

Photo by Doug Trattner

56 Kitchen

Multiple Locations

Both the Solon and Mayfield Heights locations of this restaurant, that grew from the roots of the now defunct Cafe 56, are located in unassuming strip malls where you might not expect to find a hip restaurant serving scratch-made, locally sourced food. The pizzas are on point, the salads are reminscient of the original Cafe 56 ones and they always have some delicious desserts to finish the meal with.

Photo via Scene Archives

Shuhei

23360 Chagrin Blvd., Beachwood

An excellent variety of maki and nigiri sushi is the star of the show here — ordered à la carte or in combinations as either appetizers or entrées. Shuhei has been serving up sushi in a basement of a Beachwood office building since 1994, well before the sushi craze hit the country as a whole. Beyond sushi, diners can also select items from a large menu of delicious dishes like beef teriyaki, tori karage, seafood dishes and many more. Charming servers in traditional kimonos add a decorative touch.

Photo via Shuhei/Facebook

Wild Mango

362 Great Northern Mall, Olmsted Falls

Usually, restaurants in malls are ones we’d probably skip over but that isn’t the case with Wild Mango, located in Great Northern Mall. Jia Wei, chef and owner of the restaurant, was born in Beijing and blends his flavors that he grew up with with cuisine from his current home to create the perfect blend of Chinese and American cuisine.

Photo via @Lau_17/IInstagram

El Rinconcito Chapin

3330 Broadview Rd., Cleveland

The Guatemalan eatery, located basically in an Old Brooklyn parking lot, had briefly wowed diners at its original spot a couple of miles away on Pearl Road before rolling down the shutters in advance of the big move. Attracted by the promise of soul-satisfying pupusas, adventurous customers who expanded their comfort zones left as newly minted fans of a much broader, compelling cuisine. And if they happened to land on the garnachas, they likely became Rinconcito groupies for life.

Photo by Doug Trattner

Red, the Steakhouse

3355 Richmond Rd., Beachwood

Luscious slabs of beef and creative, indulgent salads, sides and desserts make this modern American steakhouse, located in an unassuming business development center in Beachwood (although there is one downtown too), a prime location for well-heeled meat-eaters. A well-organized wine list, gracious service and contemporary rustic decor with a Napa-like sophistication complete one of the best steakhouses in the midwest.

Photo via Scene Archives

Olesia’s Place

11204 Royalton Rd., North Royalton

This North Royalton American-Ukranian restaurant is one of the region’s hidden gems. Featuring one of the best happy hours in town, it features a dozen bargain-basement, stomach-stuffing options including a salmon salad, pierogis, kraut and kielbasa, and more.

Photo via Olesia’s Place/Facebook

La Campagna

27337 Detroit Rd., Westlake

This Westlake Italian joint is in a shopping center that is also home to a laundromat and a Sherwin Williams location. It’s hard to recommend just one dish on this ever-changing menu of Italian cuisine because the menu changes so often on the whim of chef/owner Carmella Fragassi and what she finds fresh at the market. Seasonal and local is the theme here at this Westlake restaurant that is so authentic, you might think you’re in Italy if you didn’t know any better.

Photo via La Campagna/Facebook