The People’s Choice for The Best Pizza in Lakewood

Adam Carroll, a professionally trained chef and owner of the newest pizzeria in Lakewood states:

If you’re looking for high quality, low prices, generous portions, fantastic food and fun and casual setting, you’ve come to the right place.

I totally agree!

5 Stars for Zappitelli's on Madison: The Best Pizza in Lakewood

The website goes on to state that:

At Zappitelli’s on Madison, we try to give you the attention and personal service you’ll come to expect and enjoy….

Zappitelli’s on Madison, like many new businesses, is going through an adjustment period as they try to meet the needs of their customers, providing their diners with the very best food and service possible.

The welcome concludes by stating:

We keep getting better – now we have to work on getting it to you quicker!

Once again, I agree…wholeheartedly!

I am certain that given Adam Carroll’s enthusiasm and dedication, combined with one of the best pizza’s I have had in a long, long time, that Zappitelli’s on Madison will continue to offer it’s customers The Best Pizza, Pasta, and Parm in Lakewood, on the westside, and  across all of Cleveland and Northeast Ohio for that matter!

It is nice to see another pizzeria move into Lakewood, particularly one striving to be different, to serve a quality product every time, and to do so in a friendly and enthusiastic way.

I have talked to several people who have also tried Zappitelli’s pizza, pasta, and parmigiana…not to mention their antipasto, subs, and rigatoni.Interestingly, and without exception, everyone I’ve talked to has been very happy with the food, the service, and the atmosphere!

Zappitelli’s on Madison gets a 5 out of 5

We at the Lakewood Restaurant Guide wish them all the best. Great pizza, the best in Lakewood, is a welcome addition to the Lakewood restaurant scene and one worth visiting again and again!

I think this statement from their website says it all:

We have no competition, there is plenty of room for everyone to prosper, we just happen to be the best at what we do!

Clearly, Zappitelli’s on Madison is indeed the best at what they do…offering The Best Pizza, Pasta, and Parm in Lakewood!

Betsy Wilson
Lakewood Restaurant Guide
Lakewood, Ohio

Over the past few months we have fanned out across Lakewood, Ricky River,  Westlake, North Olmsted, and Cleveland in our search for the best local restaurants.

The Lakewood Restaurant Guide has not only examined Lakewood restaurants, we have examined several restaurants that Lakewood residents, as well as other westside residents, might consider visiting.

As we made our way across Cleveland and a number of westside suburbs, we experienced the thrill of a fantastic meal and the agony of…well…you’ll see. Some very special locations are worthy of a first, fourth, and fourteenth visit. Other restaurants took us very close to an urgent care visit! Too many were simply overpriced and mediocre.

We pledge to be fair and honest along the way. Ultimately, we hope you will enjoy many of the local restaurants as much as we did!

Some of the Lakewood and Surrounding Restaurants Visited:

Pending Final Review and/or Edit

The Greek Village Grille ~ 14019 Madison Ave, Lakewood, Ohio

Panini’s Bar and Grill ~ 23800 Detroit Rd at Clague Rd, Westlake, Ohio

Pearl of the Orient ~ West Side: Beachcliff Market Square, Rocky River, Ohio

Angelo’s Pizza ~ 13715 Madison Ave, Lakewood, Ohio

Pier W Restaurant ~ The Winton Place on Lakewood’s Gold Coast, Lakewood, Ohio

Three Birds Restaurant ~ 18515 Detroit Ave, Lakewood, Ohio

Several more restaurants in an around Lakewood, Ohio.

Restaurants…the best and all the rest…located on Cleveland’s westside!

Soon!

What can I say? I was thoroughly impressed with Luxe Kitchen & Lounge!

Luxe was recommended to me by a client some time back but I have been so busy I just haven’t had the time. I used to do reviews for various magazines, both online and offline, but not so much any more.

Now?

I am glad I made the time!

Frankly, I am on the road quite a bit and it seems someone is always recommending this place or that to me. Some of the restaurants range from OK  to pretty good; and, many more, in fact the majority, are simply average. It is not often that a restaurant matches the recommendation.

Luxe Kitchen & Lounge is one of the true exceptions!

Luxe Kitchen & Lounge is located in a neighborhood referred to as The Detroit Shoreway. Luxe opened for business in 2008 on Cleveland’s Westside at W. 65^th St. and Detroit Ave. The address is 6605 Detroit Ave. The restaurant is on the south side of the street in a picturesque old stone bank building refurbished to house Luxe.

The area, and the restaurant, are among the bright spots in Cleveland’s Westside Renaissance.

I must admit, it has been a while since I have been that far down Detroit Ave but the revitalization of the W. 65^th and Detroit area is impressive.

Not only is the Luxe décor interesting and visually appealing, the sound system is first rate and the music selection creates a complete dining experience.

We sat in the lounge, recommended by the hostess, and we were not disappointed.

Seating - One negative, of two very insignificant negatives, was being seated on the crease of a cowhide bench mid-row. It was not the greatest spot and the bench offered a somewhat uncomfortable feeling, especially at first. However, the uncomfortable seating was soon forgotten, overshadowed by the shear excellence of Luxe dining and service.

Overall, the lounge seating appears comfortable and the atmosphere is very relaxed. I just drew the short straw and got the joint between two benches. Next time, and there will be a next time, I will know better.

I am like most when it comes to negatives, reviewing or not, I never complain, I simply observe, report, and then decide whether or not to return based on the total experience.

I must reiterate, the seating issue was soon forgotten and we felt at home!

Luxe’s service was stellar.

A restaurant owes most of its success to the wait staff! I have had incredible meals served in the most horrendous fashion and I have had average meals served in virtuoso-style. The latter always gets a second look while the former is written off immediately. The Luxe Kitchen & Lounge wait staff is absolutely committed to a completely positive dining experience. This one is a no-brainer. I shall return!

Oh my, did I just should like Douglas MacArther?

OK, back to the staff.

Not only was our waitress pleasant, and the term waitress really doesn’t do her justice, she was attentive throughout our entire stay. She was professional, friendly, and accommodating throughout, and not just when the check was offered.

There is no greater turn off than an inattentive waiter or waitress, one with an artificial smile evident once in the entire dining experience…when the check is presented. This is the case at far too many restaurants I have eaten in and reviewed over the years; and a real turn off.

The support staff was attentive and eager to please!

The water glass was never empty and our drinks were constantly refreshed without asking. When I first walked in I wondered how Luxe could support such a large staff but it is apparent that each and every person has a role to play and they all work well as a team to enhance the overall dining experience.

We were asked for our choice of beverage when seated. I was pleased to discover lime in my Diet Coke. I developed a taste for lime in most of my drinks after several seasons in the Caribbean. My dining partner was thrilled to discover they had her favorite adult beverage on tap. It is interesting how many restaurants in Cleveland go overboard with the whole micro-brewery thing in an attempt to appear with it. It is nice to discover a restaurant and lounge that offers both the old standbys, as well as an array of micro-brewery offerings.

We were given enough time to settle in, neither feeling rushed nor neglected.

Nice!

We started our meal with 2 shared plates:

Crispy Calamari – sallions, spicy tomatoes & lemon aioli

Drunken Mussels – white wine, parsley butter, crusty garlic read

Both were exquisite…and that is an understatement!

The Crispy Calamari - The Luxe Crispy Calamari was prepared just right, not over or under cooked, and the accompanying dipping sauces made the dish. Incredible! The Luxe Crispy Calamari is without a doubt the best I have had in the Cleveland area, and some of the best I have had anywhere. If calamari is on the menu, I order it, wherever I am, and this is by far the best I have had. Sadly, most of the time it is overdone and dry.

The Luxe’ Drunken Mussels - The Luxe Drunken Mussels are, without a doubt, the best I have had in a long time, anywhere. The mussels were warm and wonderful, neither fishy nor sandy. Most of the mussels presented in this area are both, fishy and gritty, these were excellent. The white wine and butter sauce with lightly steamed onion created a wonderful taste experience.

Frankly, we could have made a meal out of the two share plates, they were that good!

After the shared plates, the appetizers mentioned above, we had a light, yet wonderfully tasty and well-presented mixed green salad with pine nuts, feta cheese, and raspberry vinaigrette. It was quite good and a nice break before the main course.
I enjoy a good salad and Luxe did not disappoint!

The Luxe Kitchen & Lounge Main Course - Luxe offered, as one of the specials, a Hanger Steak Platter with Horseradish Potatoes. The hanger steak is a cut that is prized for flavor and, once again, Luxe did not disappoint. In fact, not only was it prepared properly, medium rare for both myself and my dining partner, it was warm and so tender I cut it easily with my butter knife.

The Luxe Hanger Steak was superb!

Mashed potatoes are mashed potatoes. Profound enough?

It is hard to mess up mashed potatoes. Incredibly, I have seen it done, and tasted the resulting disaster, more times than I care to count. However, the Luxe’ horseradish potatoes were full bodied, warm, and with just enough horseradish for them to be interesting without being overpowered by the horseradish. The hanger steak was served in layered cuts across the bed of potatoes and garnished with perfect strings of cold, green beans.

The Luxe Kitchen & Lounge Hanger Steak with Horseradish Potatoes was a delight!

The Luxe Kitchen & Lounge Sides - Luxe offers several sides, all appear interesting. I tried the Blue Cheese Gnocchi and my dining partner had Penne & Red Sauce. Both sides were delicious, plentiful, and hot. We ended up taking a good amount of the sides home, along with one of the desserts, simply because we ran out of room.

The sides were just as good re-heated later. Like cold pizza, the true test of a good side is whether of not it can be eaten the next morning…for breakfast! Back to my old college days, I suppose.

All kidding aside, the Blue Cheese Gnocchi was really quite good and the Penne & Red Sauce, while appearing quite plain on presentation, was really quite good.

The Luxe Kitchen & Lounge Dessert - I am not a dessert person, as a rule. Frankly, by the time I get through with the meal, particularly when sampling various dishes for a review, I am just too full to eat dessert. Interestingly, my dining partner is a dessert fanatic and loves sweets. However, this evening our roles were reversed. My partner was full, it may have been the horseradish potatoes or perhaps the side of penne & red sauce that did her in. Whatever the reason, I was craving sweets and she was too full to try…so I ordered one for the dining room and another to take with us.

Dessert for now and later!

The Luxe Lemon Curd Cheesecake on the menu had been displaced by the Luxe Chocolate Cheesecake with raspberry sauce, whipped cream, and a large quartered strawberry. The cheesecake was smooth and chocolaty, neither too rich or too cheesy, just right. The raspberry sauce was drizzled on the plate and the cheesecake set on top with the whipped cream placed to the side and a mint leaf on top. Visually pleasing and, even for one who rarely eats chocolate, and almost never takes time or has room for desserts, I was thrilled with the dessert.

In the words of my dining partner, who had her Luxe Chocolate Cheesecake later:

The Luxe Chocolate Cheesecake was to die for!

All-in-all, Luxe Kitchen & Lounge was a hit.

Luxe Kitchen & Lounge – The Downside: Two negatives, both having nothing to do with the food or the service, must be mentioned in order to be fair.

One: The first, mentioned above, is the bench seating. And to be fair, if you didn’t sit in that exact spot, and how many employees from the wait staff to the Executive Chef and general manager would, you wouldn’t know about that one spot.

Like I said, I drew the short straw!

Two: The second is the lack of adequate restrooms for diners, at least adjoining the lounge. It was unclear from the sign posted next to the restroom whether or not there are other restroom facilities in the restaurant. My dining partner was a bit bashful about asking and there appears to be just one restroom for the lounge and dining room. If Luxe Kitchen & Lounge continues to grow, and their is not reason to believe they won’t, more rest facilities, or better marked facilities may be in order.

OVERALL – I give Luxe Kitchen & Lounge 4.5 out of 5 Stars!

I will no doubt add Luxe to my regular stops for dining out. Not only was the food first-rate but the service was the best I have experienced in the Cleveland area in quite some time.

Every once in a while I get pointed to an incredible dining experience. Luxe Kitchen & Lounge is one! If my praise seems effusive or over-the-top? It is because this sort of excellence is rare…anywhere! Luxe Kitchen & Lounge was a pleasant surprise and an experience I am happy to write out…and that too is rare!

I want to thank my staff at Lakewood Restaurant Guide for asking me to contribute this review. It is not often the boss gets to put his two cents in around here…but I am sincerely thrilled to be able to contribute and to recommend Luxe to our readers. More to follow!

It has been a pleasure!

John Zajaros
The Ultimate Internet Image
Lakewood, Ohio 44107

Please to review:

Luxe Kitchen & Lounge
6605 Detroit Ave
Cleveland, Ohio 44102
216-920-0600

PS, Watch for our review of The Greek Village Grille. I hope you are as impressed as I was with this review.

Marketing Phenomenon and Restaurant Sensation

Reviewer’s Note: I had intended to review Panini’s Restaurant in Westlake, Ohio for my first formal restaurant review for this guide. After all, Panini’s gets a lot of Lakewood business and is a Cleveland institution. Additionally, there was a Panini’s in Lakewood early in their history. In fact, I believe it was located in the recently closed Riviera. The Riviera is (was) on the south side of Detroit Ave, right across the street from the Dairy Queen and next to the auto parts store. The Riviera, like its predecessor, offered Panini sandwiches all the way up until the day they closed. That stretch has always been incredibly competitive; and, several restaurants and bars have come and gone over the years.

So, after thinking about it, and after consulting with other restaurant reviewers I have respect for and whose work I follow, I thought it would be better if the initial review covered a Lakewood restaurant.

While this is by no means my first restaurant review, since this is the Lakewood Restaurant Guide, I thought we would begin with a Lakewood institution:

Melt Bar and Grilled of Lakewood, Ohio

The Melt Bar and Grilled Pick Up Window in Lakewood, Ohio

I have lived in Lakewood for several years but I have never been inside the Melt Bar and Grilled restaurant. I have considered it several times but, for one reason or another, I just never got around to it. Consequently, when the opportunity to do this review came up, it seemed like an opportune moment and the obvious choice.

However, before going to Melt Bar and Grilled I did a little homework.

Matt Fish opened Melt Bar and Grilled in Lakewood, Ohio in September of 2006. In May of 2010, the restaurant expanded to the eastside, opening a new Melt Bar and Grilled in Cleveland Heights. Matt Fish has been a fixture in the Cleveland restaurant scene for almost 2 decades and certainly seems to have created a very comfortable niche with his dressed up comfort food, paraphrasing his quote:

“Comfort food dressed up.”

The real strength of the Melt Bar and Grilled phenomenon may be in their marketing. In every sense of the word, Melt has cornered brand awarness and using what is now called relationship marketing to create a loyal following. I got that from my inbound marketing consultant, by the way!

The Melt following does in fact seem more like Seth Godin’s Tribe. The Melt Tribe seems to identify with the message in a way that is immediately apparent. Melt offers everything from The Melt Challenge to Melt T-shirts and on to Melt Art. Restaurant patrons, and patrons seems like an understatement, even tattoo themselves with grilled cheese sandwiches!

How’s that for the power of brand awareness?

The Melt Bar and Grilled Facebook Fan Page has had over 20,000 people click the “Like” icon, expressing their approval.

Significantly, entire marketing campaigns for good sized companies, including some major restaurants in and around Cleveland have failed to deliver those kinds of numbers.

Melt, a relatively small restaurant business in a very restrictive niche, grilled cheese sandwiches, with a bit of flare, has garnered the kind of loyal following much larger companies pay hundreds of thousands of dollars for…and fail to achieve.

So, what is the secret?

Well, I had to know!

The review, thus far, has been about Melt’s marketing because understanding the marketing, dominated by what is referred to as inbound marketing, may help readers understand the rest of the review.

I hope?

A group of us arrived at 4:45pm on a Saturday afternoon. Most restaurants are just beginning to gear up for dinner between 4pm amd 5pm and I thought we would be safe.

Boy…was I wrong!

People were everywhere and more were coming in the back and front entrances. Significantly, there was no real traffic pattern, just a desk to sign in at and pick up take out orders. I waited, signed in, told the host my name and how many were in my party, and was told it would be 2 hours.

2 hours at 4:45pm on a Saturday?

Keep in mind, this is not Morton’s or Mitchell’s. It isn’t Buca di Beppo’s or Friday’s or some other cookie-cutter franchise operation with a multi-million dollar ad budget.

This is a little Lakewood, Ohio specialty sandwich shop, Melt Bar and Grilled!

Amazing!

But I was there first and foremost for a review, so I decided to wait. A couple of people in our party opted out but the rest of us stayed. I have been in very slow restaurants in the US and abroad and the best strategy is simply to get out of the hurried American mindset, relax, and take it all in.

Let me make a note here: I never wait two hours for a meal, anywhere. I’ve had incredible meals at restaurants all over the world and outside of a few spots in the developing world where they literally go out the back door and buy the food after you order it, I have never waited 2 hours for a table. Yes, there are still places in the world where refrigeration or simple economics are such that the restaurant owner does not make a purchase until you do.

Talk about fresh!

But this was Lakewood, Ohio and people were waiting, a lot of people, and for a very long time!

I was intrigued.

One thing that immediately struck me was how Melt Bar and Grilled seems to be struggling with its popularity. The waiting area is actually bigger than the serving area, particularly if you remove the patio from the equation. Interestingly, when you enter the establishment they do not ask if it is your first time so once you provide your name you are cut loose and have to determine on your own where you can sit and wait.

Consequently, an area that appeared to be for seated customers was actually an area full of customers waiting for tables in the dining area. Customers who didn’t understand the rules or the seating arrangement, your reviewer among them, either made do…or stood around and got sore feet.

Some just got sore!

The bar was suggested but there is little hope of getting near the bar during their peak period. Between the people waiting to get drinks while they waited for tables and the people seated at the bar, drinking, eating, or both, the bar was a long shot…at best.

Many people just left, some after providing their names, some after waiting for upwards of an hour, a total waste of time, and others as soon as the got the news about the wait, probably first timers or people who value their time.

In the 80+ minutes we sat there, no one suggested that the seating area to the right of the check in was open for people to sit, have a drink, and get comfortable. Some people sat out in the heat, some left and came back, some milled about wherever they could find a spot until they finally figured out the system, others simply walked out, and still others walked in, gave their name, left, came back, and left again…for good.

As I’ve said, it was intesreting to watch!

In fact, this was as interesting as anything on the Animal Planet.

The “waiting habits” of Lakewood restaurant patrons!

Cue the announcer with the British accent:

“Watch as the patrons stealthily stalk the hostess, glaring, hoping to be spotted and seated. Notice the host and hostess, scurrying here and there, attemtping to avoid the glare of the wounded patron…”

The staff seemed to struggle to keep up, not only in the kitchen but the wait staff, as well.

Melt Bar and Grilled truly seems to be outgrowing itself and, after finally being seated, the additional wait seemed to verify that fact.

Melt Bar and Grilled, Lakewood, Ohio Timetable:

• Entered at 4:45pm
• Seated at 6:15pm give or take a few minutes (better than the 2 hours – probably told 2 hours in order to be safe and make customers happy when seated in less than 2 hours – smart)
• Drink Order 6:18pm
• Drinks: 6:25pm
• Waitress Disappears at 6:25pm
• Waitress Reappears at 6:45pm for second drink and order (approaching 2 hours)
• Sit for 20 minutes with empty drink glass
• Waitress refills drink at 7:15pm
• Appetizer at 7:20pm (2 hours and 20 minutes after signing in)
• Meal at 7:35pm
• Paid Check at 8pm and left Melt Bar and Grilled (3 hours)

Meal Review Follows (bet you never thought I would get to it):

I decided to have a bowl of the Spicy Corn and Crab Chowder for an appetizer and it was very good. It was spicy, too spicy for one person who wanted to try some of mine. But I like things spicy and it didn’t disappoint.

The soup was also hot!

This is almost never the case. I would say in 80% of the restaurants I have reviewed the soup has been an Achilles Heel!

In this case the soup was a bonus.

A couple of people started with the Melt House salad with a Berry Balsamic dressing and it was really very good. I tired a bit of the salad but stuck with the soup…it was just enough. The cup may have been too small of a portion.

I then had the Blackened Chicken sandwich with grilled peppers, onions, and provolone. The sandwich was big, hot, and tasty but a bit bland. Good but not great. I couldn’t finish all of the sandwich.

The sandwiches all come with hand cut fries, they were good but they seemed to have been redipped in the fryer? Perhaps out of design but they were a bit off and not quite fresh. Disappointing because I have heard from others that they can be quite good. Perhaps an off batch?

The cole slaw, also included, was very good. The cole slaw was not saturated in salad dressing or mayo, it was fresh and clean tasting with a bit of a vinegar taste and sweet but not too sweet.

It was the best cole slaw I have had in a restaurant in a long time!

I could not finish everything and several of my companions could not finish their meals either. We were asked if we wanted boxes and we all did. Had the food been sub par, I don’t think any of us would have asked for a box for the leftovers.

I am not sure how the sandwich will be the next morning, surely not as appealing as cold pizza, but we’ll see. The fries are a loss, I can’t imagine them being reheated and being palatable. The cole slaw, because it is not full of salad dressing, it will probably be fine for a day or so.

Overall, the meal was a good one and the food is no doubt why people keep coming, that and the marketing magic Melt seems to be able to spin.

Additionally, the food was very reasonable, the check for 6 people was under $70. That is a bargain considering the food was hot, tasty, and the company was good.

Ultimately, the time is a huge drawback.

3 hours for dinner at a specialty sandwich restaurant is not what I expected. Were there extenuating circumstances? Did someone call in sick? Was it a particularly busy day? It is hard to say.

Obviously, there is a reason why Melt Bar and Grilled is so popular and a big part of it is the food. But the service is a red flag, very slow and not very personable.

I always go back whenever I have an experience that seems incongruous. This one certainly seems to fit into that category. So, I will visit again soon and will update this review accordingly. That is, if The Lakewood Restaurant Guide asks me to…and perhaps I will anyway, as I am curious.

For whatever reason, and perhaps for a combination of reasons, Melt Bar and Grilled has a wildly loyal following and there must be a reason. The food is good.

The service? We’ll see. Maybe the waitress had a bad day? I’ll keep you informed.

Overall, I would give Melt Bar and Grilled 3 stars out of 5. Obviously, they lost a star because of the seating issue…and I am not sure how they will resolve that one. They lost half a star for the service (at least) and the other half star is just because the food, while good, was not great.

Like I said, perhaps next time. Because, Melt Bar and Grilled has a certain mystic or it has at least prodded my curiosity…so we will go again.

All-in-all, I would say the the Melt Bar and Grilled is a solid value, the prices are extremely reasonable, and the food was hot, tasty, and worth another try…perhaps at another time and on another day!

Becky S. Wilson, Reviewer
The Lakewood Restaurant Guide

PS, I did get this from a friend after writing this: “I was kinda dissappointed. Way too much hype over thick crusty bread with cheese. Oh well, the company was great and so were the fries … lol.”

That describes Dewey’s Pizza in Lakewood, Ohio….the best!

Dewey’s Pizza is on the north side of Detroit Road, on the west end of Lakewood, just before the curve going into Rocky River as you travel west from the east! The pizzeria is tucked away in a store front that is both well kept and stylish brick. The pizzeria itself is spotless and the pizza is delivered on a pedestal piping hot and covered with your favorite pizza toppings.

Absolutely delightful pizza!

If you want a real treat, go to Dewey’s Pizza…pizza in Lakewood and Cleveland will never be the same again, as you will compare everything to this masterpiece on a pedestal!

Enjoy!

Marketing courtesy of: The Ultimate Internet Image

There will be only one restaurant represented from each genre and we are going to do everything possible to carry only the best. We will feature the best, and ignore the rest! In a world where mediocrity has become accepted, we are bound and determined to feature only the best.

That is our commitment to you:

Feature the Best…Leave the Rest!

Over the next 30 Days we will fill the site with the best places in town, places you simply do not want to miss. We will provide reviews and video so you can get to know the restaurant and the staff. We are committed to your satisfaction, we will feature only the best! So, watch for us as we build the pages of your favorite spots in Lakewood. Should you have any suggestions, please forward them to us and we will do our best to follow them up.

To your dining pleasure!

Marketing courtesy of: The Ultimate Internet Image