Restaurants in Lakewood

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.

Seafood typically makes the trek from ocean to Seared in fewer than 24 hours, mingling with organic, locally sourced veggies and house-made dressings and marinades before adorning tabletops in a century-old building that started life as a schoolhouse. Hidden in the restaurant's name is its trinary mission: to champion the arts of grilling and pan searing, to create a sizzling-fun dining environment, and to supply a delicious variety of seafood and red meat. In Seared's sights and smells, these three themes are evident. Pineapple-mango emulsion tinges the pan-seared mahi-mahi with fruity flavors, and an overlay of gorgonzola cheese tops a tender Prime cut steak offered in an open, two-tiered dining room with exposed wooden beams and vaulted ceilings. Intricate wrought-iron gates swing into a separate wine room for six that harbors more than 30 wines. Thursday–Saturday, specialty martinis flow more freely than rogue water, complementing a raw-bar showcase stocked with fresh seafood strewn artfully across ice. Adding to the cheerfully old-fashioned ambiance is a wood-burning fireplace, which crackles beneath a stone mantel and archway near the lounge's leather couches and wooden coffee table.

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.

Whether you lack teeth, time, or a taste for chewing your fruit, Smoothie Creations can whip you up a drinkable feast that'll help keep scurvy at bay while working out the cheek muscles necessary for blowing powerful raspberries. To concoct a sturdy smoothie, start with a foundation of either ice cubes, low-fat yogurt, or soy milk. From there, the creative control rests in your hands, mind, and panting tongue. Elect a preconceived potion such as a Pineorange Pleaser, combining pineapples and bananas with a collision of orange and pineapple nectars, or opt for a Mo Chafee fusion of house coffee and decadent chocolate to attack the day with the fury of a gentle, focused tornado. In the event that your desires require an undiscovered pairing, the friendly smoothie sorcerers at Smoothie Creations will gladly mix a custom creation from available materials.