Restaurants in Lakewood

Hailed by Cleveland Magazine as possessing “a culinary sixth sense when it comes to flavor,” Americano chef Vytauras Sasnauskas honed his culinary skills under the tutelage of Loretta Paganini, the celebrated founder of Chesterland’s Loretta Paganini School of Cooking. With roots in Cleveland’s culinary scene that extend back to 1996, it makes sense that Sasnauskas prizes locally harvested ingredients for his menu of daring bistro cuisine. Succulent cuts of beef are drizzled with creative sauces such as brûléed fig and gorgonzola, and traditional comfort foods are reimagined, such as mac 'n' cheese with gourmet flourishes of truffle oil and melted brie. Servers are happy to recommend pairings from a vast drink list that features old-fashioned cocktails and dozens of wines.

Americano is tucked away inside One Bratenahl Place, which creates a secluded vibe. With its smoked mirrors and heavy wooden chairs, the classically elegant dining room serves to tether the whimsical cuisine.

Servers constantly scan Brasa Grill’s dining room for empty plates, approaching tables with skewers of chicken, lamb, or beef and carving tender pieces tableside. The selection includes 16 different types of savory, grilled meats and a salad bar with more than 40 side dishes, garnering Brasa Grill Cleveland Scene magazine’s award for Best All You Can Eat for Gourmets. The constant parade of hearty fare only relents when diners flip their color-coded token to red, allowing them to sit for a while and stretch their fourth stomachs. Alternatively, the menu also features a small selection of sushi for a lighter version of a high-protein meal.

A painted mural dominates one wall of Brasa Grill’s dining room and depicts a group of Brazilian gauchos as they sear rotisserie meats over open flames, a practice which would later inspire Brazilian-style, churrascaria eateries. The rest of the room embraces a more urban ambiance with its soft lighting, crisp white tablecloths, and stoplight chandeliers.

At Palookaville Chili, healthy, piping-hot gourmet chili warms bellies with whole, dried chilies plunked into recipes culled from southwestern traditions and the creative mind of head chef, Ian P.E. Local ingredients including succulent cuts of Ohio-raised beef and Amish pork from the Westside Market fill up bowls or mingle with chili dogs, burritos, or plates of macaroni. The chili contains no ground beef, only cubed meats, or vegetarian morsels that create spicy veggie chili and creamy paneer concoctions inspired by Indian flavors and Bollywood musicals about chili cook-offs. Displays of artwork add vital views to café walls, and classic rock tunes fill the air with a catchy chili-chomping soundtrack.

More than four decades ago, Corey D. Konicki's grandparents signed the deed for their first restaurant, Angie's Pizza. Over the years, their descendants carried on their culinary tradition of kneading and embellishing pies with only the freshest ingredients — and today, at New Era Grill & Pizzeria, the philosophy and recipes live on. The eatery's menu encompasses the full gamut of Italian eats, but according to a reviewer for the Sun News the mac 'n' cheese reigns supreme. The reviewer applauds the dense, scrumptious pasta for its flavorful trio of cheeses and creamy noodles, which chefs even stuff into the house-made crust of mac 'n' cheese pizzas and into their own mouths. Diners reap the fruits of the chefs' ingenuity in the softly lit dining room, surrounded by exposed brick, cozy booths and a TV.:m]]

Behind a glass partition, cooks at El Guero decorate tortillas, bowls of rice, and salads with barbacoa, carnitas, and other meats according to each customer's instructions. Scoops of black beans, shredded cheese, corn, and red chili sauce transform mild-mannered tortillas into hearty burritos right before the eyes of their future owners. Crispy corn or sweet potato chips deliver sides of fresh guacamole and pico de gallo to round out meals. Inside the dining area, bright orange and green walls complement the abstract paintings and glass artwork, warming up the industrial style exposed ductwork, cement floors, stainless steel fixtures, and conveyer belts made entirely of soft taco shells.