Restaurants & Coffeehouses
Check out what some of our professors and administrators claim to be “the best” (you will notice it can be quite subjective) dining establishments in Cleveland. Explore and see for yourself.
Family-owned and ethnic restaurants do not always have their own websites, so a good resource for a telephone number, hours, and reviews is at http://www.pluggedincleveland.com/ or http://cleveland.citysearch.com/
Check out "Lunch Spots Within Walking Distance." This list was prepared by Tom Hurray, Supervisor at the Law Library.
More Than One Recommendation
- Siam Café (E 40th & St. Clair)
Prof. Alan Weinstein & Prof. Karin Mika - Tommy’s on Coventry http://www.tommyscoventry.com/dinein/
Prof. Kenneth Kowalski & Prof. Heidi Gorovitz Robertson - West Side Market Café http://www.westsidemarketcafe.com/
Prof. Kenneth Kowalski & Prof. Alan Weinstein
Other Recommendations
Prof. Alan Weinstein
- Geraci’s (Warrensville Rd. south of Cedar Rd. in University Hts.)
- #1 Pho (32nd & Superior)
- 49’er Restaurant (E 49 & Broadway)
“Funky place to have a good breakfast with locals you won’t ever see at CSU.”
Prof. Kathleen Engel
- OPA (W 25th)
“upscale Greek restaurant”
Christopher Lucak, Asst. Dean of Admissions
- Machu Picchu http://www.machupicchucleveland.com/
Prof. Kenneth Kowalski
- Pepper’s (12401 Detroit Ave., Lakewood)
“small, friendly, good Italian food at very reasonable prices” - Taste Buds http://www.tastebudsrestaurant.com/
- Grumpy’s (W 14th in Tremont)
“excellent, eclectic, reasonable” - Aldo’s (8459 Memphis Ave, Cleveland)
“Declared best Italian food in Cleveland by my wife’s Sicilian uncle and his pals from Lorain after an exhaustive search.”
Prof. Heidi Gorovitz Robertson
- Sun Luck Garden (1901 S Taylor Rd, Cleveland Hts.)
- Dewey’s Pizza http://www.deweyspizza.com/
Louise Mooney, Communications Coordinator
- Mama Santo (Little Italy)
- La Dolce Vita (Little Italy)
- Fat Cats http://coolplacestoeat.com/fatcats.html
- Lago http://lagotremont.com/
- Halite (W 29th & Clinton)
Prof. Karin Mika
- Winking Lizard http://www.winkinglizard.com/data/content/
“The Winking Lizard is one of the places I like because of the variety.” - Accapella (Euclid at E 17th)
Sagers’ Selections (these are too funny not to pass on!)
By Prof. Christopher Sagers
Absolutely the BEST comfort food:
- Sokolowski’s University Inn http://www.sokolowskis.com/
“Polish food served buffet style in a family atmosphere; take a bottle of Lipitor with you.” - Slyman’s http://www.slymans.com/
“Ginormous corned beef sandwiches and reubens; overweight Cleveland cops eat lunch there, so you know it has to be good.” - Corky & Lenny’s http://www.corkyandlennys.com/main.htm
“Classic Jewish deli; the ‘beef and latkas’ are worth the experience even though they immediately give you cardiopulmonary disease.”
Other Hands-Down Bests
- Best Chinese: Hunan East (724 Richmond
Rd., Richmond Hts.)
“Don’t order from the regular menu, ask to see the picture menu and be adventurous.” - Best Indian: Saffron Patch (20600 Chagrin Blvd., Shaker Hts.)
- Best Italian: Osteria di Valerio (408 W. St. Clair Ave., Cleveland)
Off the Beaten Path
- Superior Pho (3030 Superior Ave. Cleveland)
“‘Pho’ is a classic Vietnamese soup, and I think the best place to get it in town is this place, which is a total hole in the wall that’s inside this sort of Chinese strip mall.” - Empress Taytu (6125 St. Clair Ave, Cleveland)
“Ethiopian food, of all things; it’s awesome, though be forewarned you’ll have to sit on the floor and eat with your fingers.”
Coffeehouses
The debate on the best coffeehouse in Cleveland-and around campus-rages, so you just have to try them all for yourself!
- Café Ah-Roma (22nd & Euclid) http://www.cafeah-roma.com/
“Appurtenant to the downtown Episcopal Church just off campus and devoted to socially conscious causes.” - Prof. Christopher Sagers
“Down the street, great healthy sandwiches and good coffee.” - Prof. Kathleen Engel - Phoenix Coffee (downtown, Lakewood, Cleveland Hts.) http://www.phoenixcoffee.com/shop/
- Arabica (downtown, Lakewood, University
Circle) http://www.arabica.com/
“Arabica and Phoenix, both local establishments.” - Prof. Kenneth Kowalski - Caribou Coffee (all over, on-campus) http://www.cariboucoffee.com/
“Try the Arabicas and Caribou Coffee for a change from Starbucks.” - Prof. Alan Weinstein - Starbucks (14th & Euclid) http://www.starbucks.com/
“Only Starbucks on 14th.” - Prof. Karin Mika - Gypsy Beans (Detroit Shoreway-W 65th & Detroit) http://www.gypsybeans.com/
- Talkies Film and Coffee Bar (off W. 25th) http://www.talkiescoffee.com/
- Civilization (Tremont-W. 11th) http://www.cityroastcoffee.com/
- Andrea’s Boardwalk Café (in Quay 55) http://www.andreasboardwalkcafe.com/