Great food, romantic dining experiences: Who doesn’t like that? Fine restaurants and even well-done do-it-yourself meals at home are crowd-pleasers. Here are some mouth-watering ideas. And keep in mind most restaurants and businesses these days have online ordering, opportunities to buy gift cards, and precautions for social distancing with take-out options.
■ Georgio’s Cafe International
Zagat Survey calls Georgio’s “a delight in every way.” With Old School ambiance and consistently good food and wine, it’s a favorite for lunch or dinner. Located in the heart of downtown next to Toledo’s historic Valentine Theatre, we expect that combination of restaurant-theater to come back in 2021. For now, you’ll have to be content with Georgio’s, either in-person or takeout. Georgio’s Cafe International, 426 N. Superior St., Toledo. Dinners starting at $27.
■ Mancy’s Steakhouse
By now, you’ve no doubt heard about the killer flu pandemic of 1918. Consider that the original Mancy’s Steakhouse took root only three years later, in 1921, and became one of Toledo’s most iconic restaurants. Today, it’s a special treat in itself. But so are other properties in the Mancy’s franchise, including Mancy’s Italian Grill, Bluewater Grille, Shorty’s True American Roadhouse. New York Strip Steak and Petite Filet Mignon, $36.
■ The Beirut
You can’t Do Toledo unless you Do Lebanese. And The Beirut is legendary for its Lebanese food. Established in 1977, this incredible ethnic restaurant in West Toledo was actually inspired by a bakery that had opened three years earlier. Over the years, the family which owns The Beirut also opened Byblos and Poco Piatti. The Beirut, 4082 Monroe St., Toledo. Shish Tawook, $16.
■ Real Seafood Co. Toledo
This beautifully constructed, contemporary designed restaurant is big but has a small, cozy feel to it. It also has fresh, awesome seafood from the Atlantic Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Great Lakes region. For years, it has hosted hundreds of people from the Cherry Street Mission Ministries for an annual Thanksgiving Day banquet. That compassion is worth considering the next time you’re peeling shrimp at this establishment, which helps anchor The Docks inside International Park in East Toledo. Real Seafood Co., 22 Main St. (The Docks), Toledo. Lake Superior whitefish, $22.95.
■ The Baker’s Kitchen & Thrush’s Pastry Shoppe
Sure, everyone loves fine restaurants. But during the pandemic, many of us have learned to slice and dice our way to better meals inside our homes, too. This combination business offers almost everything you can imagine for the kitchen. And, of course, don’t skip the fresh baked donuts and other pastries that started it all for this family-run business in 1987. The Baker’s Kitchen & Thrush’s Pastry Shoppe, 6433 Monclova Rd., Maumee. Prices vary.
First Published December 21, 2020, 1:07 p.m.
