Zhug
Ohio
Zhug gives Mediterranean mezze a lively home in Cleveland Heights. Created by chef Douglas Katz and Todd Thompson, the restaurant sits in Cedar Fairmount, with a menu designed around smaller dishes and the pleasure of sharing a table. Hummus is treated as a starting point for invention. Recent versions have paired nigella seed with burnt onion, lamb with apricot, and harissa with peanuts, showing how the kitchen builds layers of spice, sweetness and texture around a familiar base. Vegetables have a substantial role alongside meat dishes. Leeks with feta and a scallion-pistachio pistou are another example of the menu’s approach, which gives contrasting ingredients space to work together without requiring a formal sequence of courses. Cocktails and wine round out the offering. The restaurant does not take reservations, so a visit is best approached with flexibility, leaving time to settle into the neighbourhood and choose a spread of dishes that suits the table.