NYT Names Cleveland's ROSY Ohio's Only Best Restaurant

The New York Times put Cleveland's ROSY on its 2026 list of 50 favorite U.S. restaurants, making it Ohio's only entry this year.

The New York Times this week named its 50 favorite U.S. restaurants for 2026, and ROSY — an open-fire restaurant in Cleveland's Ohio City neighborhood — is Ohio's only entry. According to Signal Cleveland, the restaurant opened in February and is led by chef Vinnie Cimino, an Akron native, and his business partner Andrew Watts. It is the second restaurant for the duo, who opened Cordelia in downtown Cleveland in July 2022. For Cimino, the nod carried personal weight: Signal Cleveland quotes him saying he never thought he would see a Cleveland restaurant in The New York Times, "let alone one of ours," calling the recognition a "huge sense of gratitude and validation."

A Cleveland spot on a national list is rare enough that Signal Cleveland counted the history: ROSY marks the third time an Ohio restaurant has made the list, after Columbus' now-shuttered Chapman's Eat Market in 2021 and Cincinnati's Wildweed in 2025. It is also Cimino's first mention in The New York Times, though Signal Cleveland notes he is hardly a newcomer to acclaim — he is a two-time James Beard Award finalist and a 2025 Food & Wine best new chef. The list itself leans toward what is new and exciting, the New York Post reports, and its editors' picks spanned coast to coast, with five California restaurants among the honorees this year.

The recognition came after an exhaustive scouting effort: Signal Cleveland and NBC Chicago both report that 16 reporters and editors dined at 538 restaurants in 38 states, and NBC Chicago adds this was the sixth annual list. According to the New York Post, the tasters dined unannounced and accepted no free meals, with editor Brian Gallagher writing that the ultimate decision came down to vibes — "You know it when you feel it." As for ROSY specifically, Times reviewer Brett Anderson wrote, per Signal Cleveland, that diners don't need to know the kitchen is inspired by the Istrian Peninsula in the Adriatic to love what comes out of it, praising the "luscious ajvar red pepper sauce" and "juicy, housemade cotechino sausage."

Signal Cleveland reports that approximately 80% of ROSY's ingredients come from regional farmers, and the daily arrivals shape a constantly changing menu. Cimino told the outlet that Kentucky Gardens, a farm in the same neighborhood, drops off whatever is left after its Saturday market at ROSY's back door — one day 17 pounds of tomatoes and Swiss chard, another day eight peppers, tomatoes and herbs. He said the restaurant's scale lets it support small producers it couldn't before. The atmosphere, per Signal Cleveland, is deliberately casual and "not-too-precious," with most diners walking in rather than reserving, all part of Cimino's stated goal of celebrating today.

The list was released midweek, and since ROSY is open Thursday through Sunday, Signal Cleveland notes today is its first day open since the news broke. Cimino expects the restaurant to be busier than usual but told the outlet he doesn't want that to discourage anyone: "Walk in. That's the whole point... Come and see what the fuss is about. The New York Post highlights fellow 2026 honorees including Glendale's Yerord Mas Bakery & Deli with its Armenian diaspora cooking, and NBC Chicago reports Illinois landed two spots — Creepies in Chicago and Kouklas Greek Eatery in suburban Niles, which opened in December 2025.