Inside: Metropolitan Café

(Credit: Michelle Venorsky)

Situated in the heart of the Warehouse District is one restaurant that has seen many changes over the years—from name, to décor to ownership. In late summer, The Metropolitan Café underwent another change with the addition of well-known Cleveland chef Michael Herschman taking over the kitchen and completely overhauling the menu. Foodies know Herschman from his many stints at local restaurants, including Vivo, Lockkeeper’s, Cabin Club and his former popular tapas restaurant in Tremont, Mojo’s.

Food: The Metropolitan Café, which is part of the Hyde Park Restaurant Group, serves up a nice selection of steaks, chops, pastas, fresh seafood and pizzas, each showcasing Herschman’s years of experience and creativity.

For something a little different, start your meal off with the grilled sweet potato quesadilla with gouda, salsa verde and large chunks of avocado. This earthy yet savory appetizer is incredibly tasty and satisfying. Next, go for the roasted beet salad made with crispy pancetta, generous amounts of goat cheese, watercress and lemon dressing. For the main course, try the ever-changing seasonal ravioli, which is good representation of the chef’s creativity and use of seasonal products. On a recent visit, the oversized ravioli was stuffed with chicken, spinach and ricotta, nestled in a bed of fennel and sun-dried tomatoes.

Other menu items to consider include oven-fried pizzas (try the artichoke hearts, parmesan, olives and pine nut pizza), rare charred tuna or Australian lamb chops.

But perhaps the one dish that true Herschman fans will quickly recognize and automatically order, is the sweet and spicy calamari with peppers, scallions and carrot threads. This Thai-inspired dish was one of the most sought after items at Mojo’s and has accompanied the chef around Cleveland. It’s not your traditional calamari and just might be one of the best appetizers in the city.

Libations: The restaurant offers a pretty good selection of wines, both by the glass and bottle—as well as beer—but what this Warehouse destination is known for is its inventive martinis, like the deconstructed dirty martini, and over-the-top cocktails.

Décor: While the chef may be new, the overall atmosphere is relatively unchanged—not that one was needed. The large and airy space features subtle art deco elements in an overall contemporary atmosphere with large windows separating diners from great views of the city. Weather permitting, the patio is ideal for people-watching throughout the Warehouse District.

Service: Servers and staff are friendly, accommodating and prompt without being pushy.   

Crowd: Businessmen to young professionals often take over the restaurant for lunch during the day, and then gather around the large bar after work for a drink or two. For dinner, expect to find a mix of young and old, either grabbing a bite before an event or enjoying date night.

Insider Tip: Happy hour is offered from 4-6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday in the bar area and patio only. All martinis and cocktails are $4 and appetizers are half-off. If you’re looking for a cheap, late night snack, the appetizers are half off again from 9 p.m. to close.  

Bottom Line: If you haven’t been to The Metropolitan Café in awhile, be sure to put it back on your must-dine list. As long as Michael Herschman is in the kitchen, you will be pleasantly surprised and leave rather satisfied.

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