Restaurants in Alliance

Elham Restaurant treats diners to the staples of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine. Lamb gyros stuff thinly sliced lamb and fresh veggies into pita bread, and falafel sandwiches drip with tahini sauce. The eatery's BYOB policy allows guests to enjoy a beer or treat scrapes with rubbing alcohol without having to wait for service.

Yama’s owner, Mr. Yeung, opened the restaurant in October 2009 intending to fill a void in the local cuisine scene by offering fresh and authentic Japanese recipes. A glance at the sushi menu confirms the presence of stalwart favorites such as salmon sashimi ($4.50 for two pieces) and California rolls (crabmeat, cucumber, and avocado, $4.50), as well as a wide selection of specialty rolls, including the Greenwich roll (white tuna, avocado, yellowtail and jalapeño, $12) and the snow roll (shrimp tempura and cucumber capped by blue crab and served with lemon sauce, $14). The staff at Yama can help first-time sushi-goers by counseling them on dish choices, the proper way to hold chopsticks, and the pros and cons of providing room and board to circus performers. Along with fresh ingredients and expert preparation, the sushi is enhanced by elaborate, artistic platings.

El Tapatio's chefs invest in their kitchen's culinary culture, prepping authentic Mexican platters that range from chimichangas to the impressive super burrito. Though they specialize in a repertoire of steak, chicken, and seafood dishes, they extend the culinary invitation to veggies with meat-free meals. The cantina side of the restaurant mixes citrusy libations—including margaritas, daiquiris, and piña coladas—that counterbalance the spicy salsas and the wounded pride of losing a salsa-guzzling competition.

As Steelers fans cheer and jeer the Hofbrau's flickering TVs, frothy mugs of Miller Lite gush from foam-flecked taps and glide across a burnished wood bar. These sudsy drafts chase chews on a trim menu of traditional bar fare, from half-pound burgers to slices of square pizza, and cool palates scorched from signature hot wings drenched in lemon pepper, Cajun, or teriyaki sauces. Clacking pool balls and clinking glasses add makeshift percussion to the occasional live band, who can underscore meals with original tunes and recollections of that one time they smashed their guitars.

The scent of freshly ground coffee coaxes customers through the wooden doors of Carpe Diem Coffee Shop, whose painted ivory and red trim evokes of the aesthetic of an old Victorian. Since Cathy and Patrick Wyatt opened the shop in 2003, baristas have been pulling shots of espresso to concoct lattes and cappuccinos and pairing them with pastries, sandwiches, and salads crafted from local ingredients. Customers can lounge in padded wrought-iron chairs and overstuffed couches as they jump onto the free wireless Internet, or direct eyes to a pair of televisions regularly airing the news or the Chipmunks’ remake of Dead Poets Society. Coffee-related and handcrafted items—such as cards, candles, and mugs—line wooden shelves and make especially sweet gifts when packaged with chocolate-covered beans.