If you are looking for delicious food, and ethnic experience, one of the best restaurants in town is Anatolia Cafe, on Lee Road in Cleveland Heights. Anatolia Cafe features Turkish cuisine, which is made freshly at the restaurant.
The Lee Road location is a large upsize to a separate building from their old digs at Cedar Center a few years ago. The new space has a very lovely wine bar as you walk into the left, and the main restaurant to the right. There is plenty of space for both large and small groups. You can also order food for taking out.
Anatolia Cafe’s menu has many choices that will appeal to just about everyone, including several vegetarian entrees. Their main room has a beautiful working fireplace, and the entire restaurant is decorated with golds, reds, and browns, Turkish rugs, and instruments, as well as very interesting art pieces on the walls.
I have to admit that I am most partial to the appetizer menu which includes several freshly made dips including baba ganoush, hummus, several eggplant dips, lebni, and freshly baked warm pita. They have salads, including the Shepherd salad, featuring fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, green peppers, onions, parsley with a vinaigrette dressing which you can order with feta cheese added.
Many of their entrees are kabob style grilled meats, with a lot of lamb on the menu. These come with a side of fresh cooked vegetables and rice. One of the most unique features of their menu is that you can combine two entrees which allow you to taste more than one item.
The desserts at Anatolia Cafe are heavenly. It is definitely worth stopping by for coffee and a dessert after a movie. While baklava type desserts are one of their specialties and are quite good, the chocolate mousse is amazing. It comes on a plate covered by a chocolate ganache, and just simply melts in your mouth.
Anatolia Cafe is definitely worth a try if you have never eaten Turkish cuisine, and even if you have, you should try it at Anatolia. For more information or reservations, call 216-321-4400.