Restaurants in Strongsville

Eddie's Pizzeria Cerino serves fresh Italian dishes crafted with the fusion of family recipes and modern culinary experience. Owner Eddie Cerino's passion for food began in his grandmother's kitchen, where he would watch her prepare meals for friends and family. He took in the aromas and witnessed how, like receiving a paycheck delivered by puppies, her dishes would brighten guests' spirits. When forging his pizzeria's menu, Eddie combined his family's cherished recipes with techniques and flavors he discovered over the course of his career. Today, guests indulge their cravings with entrees prepared under the direction of a Cerino family member, such as gourmet pizzas topped with wild mushrooms and sausage and butternut-squash ravioli in a butter-sage sauce.

At Austin's Smokin' Steak House, hand-carved hunks of filet mignon and swordfish sizzle over wood-fueled flames, soaking up a smoky aroma. The restaurant’s refusal to use gas or the pages of paperback romance novels reflects a commitment to traditional, down-home cooking. This commitment also surfaces in their made-from-scratch breads, pan gravy sauce, and cognac cream sauce.

The Olive and The Grape's three locations celebrate the cuisine of the Mediterranean by packing shelves with vinegars and more than 30 olive and grape-seed oils from Spain, Greece, Italy, Lebanon, and many other countries. Other products include seasonings to flavor grill rubs, marinades, and salad dressings and more than 50 types of pasta. Staffers also load up carriers with an assortment of their highest-selling products, including aged pomegranate vinegar, grape-seed oil, and garlic-herb seasoning, along with suggested recipes and pet names for select items.

At Mallorca, crews of attentive, tuxedoed servers refill glasses of wine or house-made sangria as guests enjoy a long, leisurely meal of Spanish and Portuguese fare. Rotating menu specials incorporate fresh seafood as well as ostrich, venison, and other exotic meats, helping Mallorca to earn Best Spanish/Portuguese Restaurant accolades from Cleveland Magazine in 2011. At the end of the meal, servers return to romantically lamp-lit tables with trays of dessert pastries, cakes, and custards or a cappella renditions of "Kiss the Girl."

In 1981, Luchita Galindo and her son Jorge began Luchita's Mexican Restaurant, a humble family endeavor that focuses on fresh, authentic dishes. Over the course of 30 years, the Galindo family has continued to grow along with their restaurant, which began as a 24-seat eatery and currently occupies three locations throughout the Cleveland area.

Luchita's chefs work to maintain the family's vision while constantly seeking out new flavors to add to the menu. Their specialties include authentically prepared meats and seafood, such as shredded chicken simmered in a smoky sauce (tinga de pollo), tender strips of marinated steak (carne asada), and shrimp sautéed with potatoes, cactus, and poblano peppers (camarones borrachos). Chef Galindo also concocts vegetarian-friendly entrees, such as cheesy chiles rellenos, and tinkers with new recipes until—like a klutz unleashed on the stage of an awards show—he stumbles on a winner.

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.