Craving Mediterranean food?
Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the top Mediterranean restaurants around Cleveland, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of where to go for sautéed calamari, shawarma, gyros and more.
1. Mia Bella Restaurant
Topping the list is Mia Bella Restaurant. Located at 12200 Mayfield Road in Little Italy, the Italian spot is the highest rated Mediterranean restaurant in Cleveland, boasting 4.5 stars out of 446 reviews on Yelp.
The menu includes openers like sautéed calamari, spicy mussels and smoked pork belly appetizers, and entrees like the linguini Bolognese with veal and beef, lobster ravioli or a pizza with chorizo, onions, peppers and smoked mozzarella on pesto. Yelp reviewers compliment the restaurant's service and ambience and they stick around for desserts like tiramisu and cannoli.
2. Taza A Lebanese Grill
Next up is Taza A Lebanese Grill, situated at 1400 W. Sixth St. downtown. (There's another location on Chagrin Boulevard.) Vegetarians probably already know that Lebanese is a good bet, and it's all here: lentils, tabouleh, hummus, falafel and bright salads.
Meat and seafood dishes like spicy kafta, seasoned beef shawarma, five spice-crusted ahi tuna and seasoned chicken are also on the menu. The pita bread is baked in the on-site oven imported from Lebanon. With 4.5 stars out of 220 reviews on Yelp, the Mediterranean spot has proven to be a local favorite.
3. Ohio Kabob Grill
On the city's west side, Ohio Kabob Grill is another top choice. Here, the options expand to include Afghan specialties like mantu (beef dumplings), Indian kormas and Greek gyros with tzatziki.
Finish with desserts like kunafe (cheese pastry soaked in sweet, sugar-based syrup), baklava and Afghan rice pudding. Located at 3359 W. 117th St., Yelpers give the restaurant five stars out of 63 reviews.
4. Boaz Cafe
Boaz Cafe, a fast-casual Mediterranean eatery that offers juice, smoothies, sandwiches and more in Ohio City, is another much-loved go-to, with 4.5 stars out of 142 Yelp reviews.
The highlight of many a Mediterranean dish can be found in simple ingredients, like extra virgin olive oil, garlic, lemon, sesame, sumac. They're all on display here, seasoning everything from rice and cauliflower to grilled chicken and lamb. Design your own bowl or order from the menu, and top it off with a fresh-pressed juice. Head over to 2549 Lorain Ave. to see for yourself.
5. Simply Greek
Finally, over in the University District, check out Simply Greek, at 11454 Uptown Ave. Gyros, spanakopita, Greek salad and stuffed grape leaves are all here. So are burgers, french fries and beer-battered fish, made Greek only if you choose to add some feta cheese or tzatziki sauce.
Cocktails, wine and beer on tap round out your experience. Simply Greek has earned 4.5 stars out of 132 reviews on Yelp.
