Every Clevelander knows just how expansive our great city’s food scene is. Cuisine from every corner of the globe is in no short supply here on the Erie shores, and there is no exception for fabulous Italian eats. If you love pasta, you simply must try these eight local restaurants to get your fix:
1. Peppers Italian Restaurant (Lakewood)
Situated on Cleveland's near west side, Pepper's Italian Restaurant is quaint and popular-- and for good reason. Their pasta is as authentic as it gets! Try the baked manicotti or signature lasagna, but make sure to leave room for a slice of Pepper's own grape pie. (12401 Detroit Ave., Lakewood, OH 44107)
2. Trattoria Roman Garden (Cleveland, Little Italy)
Located in iconic Little Italy, Trattoria Roman Garden is a relaxed Italian staple in the CLE. Their pasta dishes are hearty and they're well-known for their insanely delicious homemade meat sauce. Their gnocchi al burro is decadently creamy, so you should probably eat some right now.
(12207 Mayfield Road, Cleveland, OH 44106)
3. Mia Bella (Cleveland, Little Italy)
It's hard to have a pasta hot list without naming at least a few Little Italy heavyweights, and we simply couldn't leave Mia Bella. Upscale and authentic, Mia Bella offers delectable pasta dishes with house-made sauces (try the bolongese or the pecorino cream-- preferably both). (12200 Mayfield Road, Cleveland, OH 44106)
4. Mama Catena Ristoranti (Euclid)
Mama Catena Ristorante is just like coming home to grandma's (if you have an Italian grandma who makes impossibly delicious pasta). The restaurant offers eleven (yes, we said eleven) different sauces, so your mouth and your belly will always be satisfied. Try the putanesca: it's spicy and sassy. (711 Babbitt Rd., Euclid, OH 44123)
5. Guarino's Restaurant (Cleveland, Little Italy)
Another Little Italy staple, Guarino's is pretty much a household name in Cleveland. Like most Little Italy restaurants, it offers both indoor and outdoor dining. You simply haven't lived until you've tried their veal marsala or house-made lasagna, which is made according to a 50+ year old recipe. It's the real deal! (12309 Mayfield Road, Cleveland, OH 44106)
6. Bucci's Brick Oven (Middleburg Heights)
Another hidden gem, Bucci's Brick Oven calls a less-than-flashy shopping strip home, but inside, glorious Italian delights await. The chicken piccata, spaghetti with homemade meat sauce, and cheesy baked ziti is some of the best the CLE has to offer. (13373 Smith Rd., Cleveland, OH 44130)
7. Santos Italian Restaurant
Homemade pasta, anyone? That's right: Santos Pizza and Pasta makes theirs from scratch, giving it a fresh, tender texture that's different from previously dried pastas. Their house lasagna has seemingly endless layers of tangy tomato sauce, gooey cheese, and perfectly-cooked meat that wouldn't even disappoint your nonna. (7565 Pearl Rd., Cleveland, OH 44130)
8. Luca Italian Cuisine (Downtown)
If you want great views of the Cleveland skyline along with perfect pasta, Luca Italian Cuisine is your kind of spot. It's upscale and perfect for date night, and the vitello tortellini (stuffed with veal and served with proscuitto and crisp asparagus) makes for a romantic encounter: with your taste buds. (2100 Superior Viaduct, Cleveland, OH 44113)
Have a favorite pasta spot in Cleveland that we missed? Tell us below.
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