CLEVELAND, Ohio – Our brunch and breakfast series continues as we check out Washington Place Bistro & Inn. Here’s a look at what to expect:
Location + hours: 2203 Cornell Road, Cleveland, 216-791-6500. Hours: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Dedicated parking lot in the back, patio offered in good weather.
Menu or buffet? Menu.
About the place: Tucked in Little Italy, the beautifully designed restaurant is the former Baricelli Inn, the well-regarded Italian restaurant that helped anchor the neighborhood for years. The structure was the first doctor's home in the neighborhood. The small inn offers seven rooms. We heard standards, including Etta James, Frank Sinatra and Louis Armstrong, the American Songbook fitting perfectly with our Saturday-morning visit. It's owned by the Driftwood Restaurant Group.
About the menu: More than a dozen entrees cover a lot of culinary ground, from Bananas Foster French Toast, shrimp and grits, and eggs in a nest. For a decadent option, the Maine lobster and manchego omelet tempted. The lemon mascarpone pancakes were tasty, and while the 'cakes were OK, the accompanying sausage was incredible. Not overly fennel-tasting, it had a nice sweetness. (It also comes with blueberry gastrique and honey butter.) Speaking of sweet, the maple syrup is Ohio-made. Generous and thick asparagus spears accompanied the Oscar Benedict and, despite being listed as having Old Bay seasoning for the Hollandaise, it was not too spicy.
About the drinks: Full bar, very good coffee, and tea from Cleveland Tea Revival. The signature drink is mango mimosa.
Don’t miss: Monkey bread amuse bouche! This incredibly light cinnamon roll with drizzled, rich-tasting (but not overly sugary) caramel was an amazing nosh. Not healthy but hey, a very tasty treat.
Nice touch: The 19th century architecture is worth checking out, from the finials on the stair-railing posts to the individual rooms. Much of what is in the restaurant is original.
Have a brunch spot you’ve wondered about and want us to visit? We'll go anywhere in Northeast Ohio. Email me.
Previous eats: Northeast Ohio breakfast-brunch spots we’ve tried:
1815 Tavern - Aurora
111 Bistro - Medina
100th Bomb Group Restaurant - Cleveland
35 Brix - Green
Adega - Cleveland (downtown)
Akron Family Restaurant - Akron
Alexandris - Medina
Alley Cat - Cleveland (Flats East Bank)
Astoria Café & Market - Cleveland (Gordon Square)
Aurelia - Chagrin Falls
Austin’s Wood Fire Grille - Brecksville
Barrio - Cuyahoga County (multiple locations)
Bay Diner - Bay Village
Beachland Ballroom - Cleveland
Beau's on the River - Cuyahoga Falls
Big Al’s Diner - Cleveland (East Side)
Big Boy - Valley View
Blue Canyon Kitchen & Tavern - Twinsburg
Blue Door Cafe - Cuyahoga Falls
Bomba Tacos & Rum - Akron
Bonefish Grill – Independence
Borderline Café - Lakewood
Brewnuts - Cleveland (Gordon Square)
Brim Kitchen + Brewery - Willoughby
Buckeye Beer Engine - Lakewood
The Burnham - Cleveland (downtown)
Burntwood Tavern - Brecksville
Café Arnone - Fairlawn
Check Please Cafe - Grafton
Claudette’s Café & Deli - Westlake
The Cheesecake Factory - Lyndhurst
The City Diner - Cleveland (closed)
City Works - Orange Village (closed)
Creekside Restaurant & Bar – Brecksville
Crop Bistro - Cleveland (Ohio City)
Deagan’s Kitchen & Bar - Lakewood
Eat at Joe’s - South Euclid
Eddy’s Deli & Restaurant - Stow
Element 41 - Chardon
The Eye Opener – Akron
Fahrenheit - Cleveland (Tremont)
Fat Cats - Cleveland (Tremont)
Felice Urban Café - Cleveland (East Side)
The Feve - Oberlin
Fire Food and Drink – Cleveland (Shaker Square)
First Watch - Fairlawn
Flour - Moreland Hills
Flury’s Cafe - Cuyahoga Falls
Flying Fig - Cleveland (Ohio City)
Fred’s Diner - Akron
Fresh Start Diner - Twinsburg
Gabe’s Family Restaurant – Cleveland
Galaxy - Wadsworth
Gandalf’s Pub & Restaurant - Valley City
The Girves Brown Derby - Medina
Granite City Food & Brewery - Lyndhurst (closed)
Grumpy’s Café - Cleveland (Tremont)
Gunselman’s Tavern - Fairview Park
Herb's Tavern - Rocky River
Hofbräuhaus - Cleveland (downtown)
Hudson’s Restaurant - Hudson
Inn on Coventry – Cleveland Heights
Jack Flaps - Cleveland (Ohio City)
Jake’s on the Lake - Avon Lake
Jennifer’s - Strongsville (closed)
Kelly's cafe - Brunswick
Kosta & Vic’s - Parma
Lakeshore Eatery - Mentor
Lamp Post – Akron
Leo's Italian Social - Cuyahoga Falls
Lowell Street Café - Elyria
Lucky’s Cafe - Cleveland (Tremont)
Luna Bakery & Café – Cleveland Heights
Luxe Kitchen & Lounge - Cleveland (Gordon Square)
Magic City's Remarkable Diner - Barberton
Mama D’s - Lyndhurst
Market Garden Brewery - Cleveland (Ohio City)
Michael’s A.M. - Akron
Michael's Genuine Food & Drink - Shaker Heights
Mike’s Place - Kent
Mom’s Deli & Grille - North Royalton
Mustard Seed Market & Cafe - Fairlawn
Noble Beast Brewing Co. - Cleveland (downtown)
Paladar Latin Kitchen & Rum Bar - Woodmere
Perk Cup Cafe & Grill – Berea
Pier W - Lakewood
Pinstripes – Orange Village
Prosperity Social Club - Cleveland
Punch Bowl Social - Cleveland (Flats East Bank)
Red Lantern Kitchen & Bar - Cleveland (Kamm’s Corners)
Rocky River Wine Bar - Rocky River
Rose Italian Kitchen – Solon
Rosewood Grill – Hudson
Rowley Inn - Cleveland (Tremont)
The Rustic Grill - Highland Heights
Rusty Bucket Restaurant & Tavern - Solon
Scratch - Independence
Seven Chefs Buffet - Cleveland (downtown)
Soho Chicken + Whiskey - Cleveland (Ohio City)
South East Harley Diner - Bedford Heights
Southside Diner - Parma
Steve's Doghouse - Cleveland
Sunny Street Café - Concord
Tartine Bistro - Rocky River
Terrestrial Brewing Co. - Cleveland (Battery Park)
The Depot - Rittman
Toast - Cleveland (Gordon Square)
Tony’s Family Restaurant - Parma
Townhall - Cleveland (Ohio City)
Town Tavern - Green
Touch Supper Club - Cleveland (Ohio City)
Twiisted Burgers & Sushi - Medina
Twisted Citrus - Canton
Urban Farmer - Cleveland (downtown)
Valley Cafe - Akron
Village Diner - Orange
Wally Waffle - Akron
XYZ the Tavern - Cleveland (Detroit-Shoreway)
Yours Truly - Mentor
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