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CLEVELAND
CULINARY EXPLORATION IN OHIO
CLEVELAND = DOG POUND
A city built on an honest days work, so it no surprise that Cleveland's cuisine has a strong blue collar vibe. Home to a fantastic corner deli, and a hidden bar with the best burger in town, Cleveland just seems to understand Midwestern value. You'll find strong ties all over the city to it's Polish heritage, with nods to pierogies, sausages, and the art of specialty deli meats. And while Cleveland has a growing restaurant scene, my favorite joints are still the ones that cater to the unsung hero that built this city. Get ready for some top quality comfort food.
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The Pig
PIG'S PICKS
Butter drenched pierogies, Polish Boys, and dives in Cleveland.
QUINTANA'S SPEAKEASY
PIG SCORE: 4.0 / 4.0
WHAT: A SPEAKEASY EXPERIENCE
WHEN: You're looking for the coolest secret bar in America
PRICE: $$
PAYMENT: Credit/Cash
MAP IT:
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WHAT TO ORDER:
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Sage smoked whiskey
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Old Fashioned
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Whatever the bartender wants to make
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WHY: It is one of the coolest bars in the country. Sure it's another speakeasy, sure it's in Cleveland, but the drinks the bartenders make are nothing short of a show.
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HOW TO GET IN: Walk to the back door of the barber shop. Walk in and through the chairs, up the staircase, and start looking through the books at the top of the stairs.
SLYMAN'S
PIG SCORE: 3.9 / 4.0
WHAT: MASSIVE DELI SANDWICHES
WHEN: You have some cholesterol karma to burn, and a huge appitite.
PRICE: $ - $$
PAYMENT: Credit/Cash
MAP IT:
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WHAT TO ORDER:
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The Pastrami
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The Rueben
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WHY: My favorite pastrami, in the country, bar none. Just look at that picture, meat piled a mile high, with succulent fat dripping down. These are the biggest deli sandwiches I have ever seen, so big that it is two meals for me, or one hungry college student.
SOKOLOWSKI'S UNIVERSITY INN
PIG SCORE: 3.8 / 4.0
WHAT: POLISH COMFORT FOOD
WHEN: You miss your Polish grandmothers cooking.
PRICE: $$
PAYMENT: Credit/Cash
MAP IT:
WHAT TO ORDER:
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Pierogies
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Polish sausage
WHY: A Cleveland institution, serving up Polish home cooking cafeteria style for over 90 years. Expect to find customers from the working man all the way to politicians, rubbing elbows at the family style seating.
JOHNNY'S LITTLE BAR
PIG SCORE: 3.8 / 4.0
WHAT: A SECRET BACK ALLEY BAR
WHEN: You're out with friends, want a low key place to hang out, and the best burger in town.
PRICE: $$
PAYMENT: Credit/Cash
MAP IT:
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WHAT TO ORDER:
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The Bacon Cheeseburger
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WHY: It's a hidden bar down a back alley, and home to Cleveland's best kept secret burger. The meat is a juicy, high fat ratio block that they grind themselves, and is served with quality toppings. This would be a weekly stop if I were a local. Did I mention that they grind the meat themselves?
XINJI NOODLE BAR
PIG SCORE: 3.8 / 4.0
WHAT: JAPANESE NOODLES
WHEN: You want a warm bowl of Japanese soup.
PRICE: $ - $$
PAYMENT: Credit/Cash
MAP IT:
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WHAT TO ORDER:
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Korean Fried Chicken
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Tonkatsu Rice Bowl
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Spicy Miso Ramen
WHY: Noodles were amazing, firm, tender and flavorful. This is possibly one of the most under rated Ramen places I have been to. Truly delicious broth with big pieces of pork belly. But don't just get the ramen and miss out of some seoul satisfying Korean fried Chicken. This is a Cleveland gem.
IL RIONE PIZZA
PIG SCORE: 3.8 / 4.0
WHAT: NEW JERSEY PIZZA
WHEN: A night out with friends or family.
PRICE: $$
PAYMENT: Credit/Cash
MAP IT:
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WHAT TO ORDER:
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Clam white pizza
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Pepperoni
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The Green Pizza
WHY: These guys are making great New Jersey / New York style pizza in Cleveland. Great crust structure the perfect ratio of sauce and toppings to crust. This will be a hard place to get into as time goes on.
SETI'S POLISH BOY
PIG SCORE: 3.8 / 4.0
WHAT: POLISH FOOD TRUCK
WHEN: You see the truck. These guys are great!
PRICE: $ - $$
PAYMENT: Credit/Cash
MAP IT:
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WHAT TO ORDER:
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Polish Boy
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Chili Cheese Dog
WHY: The official sandwich of Cleveland is the Polish Boy, and the best place in town serving them is a food truck run for the past 17 years by a husband and wife team. Find Seti's and find out why this is the meal that the hard working people in Cleveland love.
VERO BISTRO NAPOLETALA
PIG SCORE: 3.75 / 4.0
WHAT: WOOD FIRED PIZZA
WHEN: A nice dinner out with friends.
PRICE: $$
PAYMENT: Credit/Cash
MAP IT:
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WHAT TO ORDER:
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Margherita
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Specialty pizza
WHY: They take their pizza making seriously. They use "00" flour, San Marzano tomatoes, and fresh Mozzarella cheese. They are so serious that they won't allow you to order their pizza to-go, because they want to preserve the quality of it.
SUPERIOR PHO
PIG SCORE: 3.7 / 4.0
WHAT: SUPERIOR PHO
WHEN: You need a soul warming bowl of Vietnamese soup.
PRICE: $$
PAYMENT: Credit/Cash
MAP IT:
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WHAT TO ORDER:
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PHO
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Banh mi
WHY: A low key setting to get exceptional Vietnamese food in a blue collar town. The broth is amazing and a welcome lunch on the cold Cleveland days.
BREWNUTS
PIG SCORE: 3.6 / 4.0
WHAT: DOUGHNUTS AND BEER
WHEN: You want a great doughnut and a cup of joe, or a place to relax or plan your day.
PRICE: $ - $$
PAYMENT: Credit/Cash
MAP IT:
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WHAT TO ORDER:
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Maple Bacon
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Cannoli filled
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Cup of Joe
WHY: The setting is cool and hip, but the doughnuts are the real star. They are made with beer. This is a great place to relax with a cup of coffee and a brewnut.
SOUPER MARKET
PIG SCORE: 3.6 / 4.0
WHAT: HOMEMADE SOUP
WHEN: You're in the mood for homemade soup and bread.
PRICE: $ - $$
PAYMENT: Credit/Cash
MAP IT:
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WHAT TO ORDER:
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The Bacon Cheeseburger
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WHY: Homemade soup, served with freshly baked bread. They have high quality and a bunch of vegetarian and vegan offereings.
FATHEAD'S TASTING ROOM
PIG SCORE: 3.6 / 4.0
WHAT: CLEVELAND BEER HALL
WHEN: You're by the airport, have an hour or more to kill, and want to try something uniquely Cleveland.
PRICE: $ - $$
PAYMENT: Credit/Cash
MAP IT:
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WHAT TO ORDER:
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Bumble Berry
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Head Hunter
WHY: I love finding Tap-rooms for local micro breweries. They take pride in brewing quality beer and want to share it with their fans in a casual environment. Fat Heads tasting room is a Cleveland hidden gem.
HOT SAUCE WILLIAMS
PIG SCORE: 3.4 / 4.0
WHAT: OLD CLASSIC FOOD SHACK
WHEN: You want a quick lunch and a classic Cleveland specialty.
PRICE: $ - $$
PAYMENT: Credit/Cash
MAP IT:
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WHAT TO ORDER:
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Polish Boy
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Polish Girl
WHY: An old and brightly decorated Cleveland institution that serves up some of the best Polish Boy's in town as well as the ever elusive Polish Girl, a boy with pulled pork.
LUCKY'S CAFE
PIG SCORE: 3.4 / 4.0
WHAT: GREAT BREAKFAST
WHEN: You're looking for a solid breakfast and lunch location.
PRICE: $$
PAYMENT: Credit/Cash
MAP IT:
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WHAT TO ORDER:
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Shipwreck
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Biscuit & Gravy
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The Lucky Rueben
WHY: They are a café with a conscious, they work with local farmers to bring you the freshest food. Showcasing homemade pastries and showing a passion for great tasting from scratch meals.
LI WAH RESTAURANT
PIG SCORE: 3.4 / 4.0
WHAT: DIM SUM CART SERVICE
WHEN: You are feeling adventerous for lunch my friend.
PRICE: $ - $$
PAYMENT: Credit/Cash
MAP IT:
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WHAT TO ORDER:
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Pot stickers
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Shanghai Pork Dumplings
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Whatever looks good from the cart.
WHY: Good Dim Sum is hard to find, great Dim Sum with cart service is even harder. I love the experience of rolling the dice and trying something new, and Dim Sum allows you to do that in little portions. I mean when will you ever get a chance to eat chicken feet again?
CHOOLAAH INDIAN BBQ
PIG SCORE: 3.3 / 4.0
WHAT: INDIA FAST FOOD
WHEN: You want a quick lunch, but don't want another burger.
PRICE: $ - $$
PAYMENT: Credit/Cash
MAP IT:
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WHAT TO ORDER:
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Lamb BBQ
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Chicken Tiki Masala
WHY: This is a Indian fast food concept. they serve classic Indian dishes in a fast and energenic atmousphere. They have five huge tandoori ovens lined up behind huge plate glass windows. A very cool place to watch them pull the long skeweres of chicken and lamb out as well as watch them cooking the naan bread.
MAYBEL'S BBQ
PIG SCORE: 3.3 / 4.0
WHAT: CLEVELAND STYLE BBQ?
WHEN: You're in the mood for good BBQ.
PRICE: $$
PAYMENT: Credit/Cash
MAP IT:
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WHAT TO ORDER:
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The Polish girl
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Crispy ears with hot sauce
WHY: This is southern BBQ with a Cleveland twist. The polish girl is a tribute to just that, a polish sausage with coleslaw and chopped pork. Located in a modernized industrial building in downtown Cleveland. Maybel's is a great place to grab a bite.
HAPPY DOG
PIG SCORE: 3.3 / 4.0
WHAT: CRAZY HOT DOGS
WHEN: You want a local bar to hang out and grab bar hot dogs.
PRICE: $
PAYMENT: Credit/Cash
MAP IT:
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WHAT TO ORDER:
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1/4 Pound hot dog
WHY: A local watering hole that serves up hot dogs with crazy options. Toppings range from frank and beans all the way to fruit loops. . Don't ask me why.
PORCO LOUNGE & TIKI LOUNGE
PIG SCORE: 3.3 / 4.0
WHAT: BIG ASS TIKI DRINKS
WHEN: You're out for the night, and want a quiet place to share a large drink.
PRICE: $$
PAYMENT: Credit/Cash
MAP IT:
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WHAT TO ORDER:
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Porco's Tiki bowl
WHY: An exotic little hideaway for fun drinks. Be careful what you order here though, these drinks are not only ginormous, they are potent. This may be an Uber night.
WEST SIDE MARKET
PIG SCORE: 3.3 / 4.0
WHAT: A PUBLIC MARKET
WHEN: Have a little time to kill and want to graze for lunch.
PRICE: $ - $$
PAYMENT: Credit/Cash
MAP IT:
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WHAT TO ORDER:
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Amazing desserts
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Fresh fruit
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Fresh crepes
WHY: This public market is a one stop shop, grab a lunch, and shop for dinner at the same time. A really fun way for a foodie to spend a few hours. Don't miss the amazing ceiling and architecture of the building.
SAUCEY BREW WORKS
PIG SCORE: 3.2 / 4.0
WHAT: STONE PIZZA AND BEER
WHEN: Hanging with friends and want some micro brews and a pie.
PRICE: $ - $$
PAYMENT: Credit/Cash
MAP IT:
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WHAT TO ORDER:
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Clam white pizza
WHY: A casual enviorment to get fresh thin crust pizza and micro brew.
GREAT LAKES BREWING CO.
PIG SCORE: 3.2 / 4.0
WHAT: LOCAL MICROBREWERY
WHEN: A night out with friends.
PRICE: $ - $$
PAYMENT: Credit/Cash
MAP IT:
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WHAT TO ORDER:
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Holy Moses - White Ale
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Eliot Ness - Amber
WHY: A cool and casual location to enjoy some house suds. They also provide tours if you ask.
