Ponte Vecchio

I attended a wedding reception here on 8÷6÷11 and they seemed to be awfully open then. Maybe a new incarnation?
Either way, the food was amazing – prime rib red and bloody like should be, incredibly tender pork, and excellent salads and bread. I’m not sure if the cake was in-​house or not, but that was delicious too, moist and tender.
The restaurant itself is located on what remains of the Superior Avenue Viaduct, which was the site of a tragic streetcar crash in 1892, (I recommend John Stark Bellamy’s books on Cleveland tragedies for further information.) which makes the location all the more interesting.

Don’t understand why people are raving so much about the views. I mean, I guess you can see some of the skyline, but it’s no better than the view you get from the RTA as it crosses the bridge after the Tower City stop. Also, there’s a large building in front of the restaurant that blocks… basically all of the water.
Went on Valentine’s Day. Apparently on Valentine’s Day they force you to choose one each of appetizer, salad, main course, and dessert, for $ 50 per person (actually, with tax and mandatory 20% gratuity, it came out to $ 127 for two people — yikes).
The food was awesome, but the portions were small. For instance, the wedding soup tasted fabulous, but came in a bowl the size of one of those little dessert cups you get at chinese restaurants after your meal. The filet+scampi entrée came with all of two shrimp that were absolutely delicious. The sugar coat on the crème brûlée was probably the best I’ve ever tasted. but again, the bowl was tiny.
The service was on the spot.
Bottom line: Food tastes great, but the portions are very small for the price. And the view isn’t worth it.

Don’t waste your time or money in this place! If you are looking for a beautiful view of the city, walk directly past the restaurant and look out over the bridge. I have been here twice and both times the food was awful and overpriced. On our first visit we ordered a pretty safe option; happy hour pizza. The bottom of the pizza was CHARRED. I mean black! The second time we went, we went for dinner and both ordered the same pasta. One dish came out in a SIGNIFICANTLY smaller portion. When we pointed out the difference, the «server» made ridiculous excuses about having the same portion of scallop and different amounts of pasta instead of just immediately correcting the error. Compounding my disgust were the ingredients. The sun dried tomatoes used in the dish tasted like the ones from Costco that I use in my salad. NOT what I expected from a $ 24 dish AT ALL. :(The service was questionable as well. We went on ½ price wine bottle night; Wednesday. I arrived with a gift certificate and I was told that I could not use the gift certificate and get the wine special. We were ordering $ 50 worth of food; twice the amount of the gift certificate. I stated that the restrictions printed on the gift certificate did not state an alcohol exclusion. The server stated that he would check (on the stipulations) but then quickly stated that I could either have one or the other; ½ price wine or gift certificate. I thought he was wrong but was in no mood to argue. After being denied the bottle, I settled on a single glass of wine. The wine suggested by the server was the opposite of how it was described and was pretty bad. I have a remaining gift certificate and will NOT use it. I am going to give it away. I will never return to Ponte Vecchio and advise others to follow suit.

Ponte Vechhio offers a very beautiful breathtaking scenic view with comfortable seating and a courteous staff. We started the night with some drinks and a bottle of Red Wine. The Pumpkin Ravioli was amazingly delicsious. I got the filet with mashed potatoes touched with a hint of garlic and gouda cheese. The filet was made perfectly to order and went well with the Eliot Ness Brew. Can’t wait to go back !!!

Great experience and perfect menu selection… something for everyone.

Whoever says Cleveland isn’t beautiful, I dare you to go to Ponte Vecchio and open your friggin’ eyes.
Gorgeous, breathtaking, phenomenal view of of our unique city. A perfect blend of industrial, metropolitan and natural. Bam. Right there in front of your grill.
This is by far one of the most romantic places to eat in C-​town. Not only is the view great, but the interior is so cozy, yet modern and it’s tucked away at the end of the Superior Viaduct. Talk about an adventure just finding this place! Oh, and during the summer months, the patio is king.
Now, I know some people have mentioned that the prices can get a little bit high here. Yes, I agree. But that just means you haven’t discovered their insanely awesome happy hour deals yet. So yeah, you should get on that. Seriously though, Ponte Vecchio doesn’t mess around with the HH deals. We’re talking about discounted top shelf martinis, wine and GOOD beers. Oh yeah, that’s what I’m talkin’ bout. I’ve left there one too many times a wee-​bit too tipsy. And the high-​end booze isn’t the only thing on special. You can peruse the appetizer menu and get some pretty bad-​ass stuff to nibble on. Not some crummy bar food either. Gourmet goodies. Yum.
The service has always been spot on for each and every one of my visits, and trust me, I’ve been there A LOT. (That’s what happens when your significant other lives in Stonebridge for about a year.) Plus, they’re all really friendly. So much so that it almost felt like Cheers when we’d walk in there.
Oh, and just in case I didn’t make this clear before, the food is delicious. I’ve had some many different things on the menu that it’s a little hard to remember, but I know the stuffed peppers are one of my favorites. We would even try to order take out, but get sucked in to the amazing vibe of the restaurant when we’d go to pick it up.
But yes, they do offer take-​out if you can resist the urge to stay. Why would you want to though?

This place officially has the best views of anywhere I’ve eaten in Cleveland (that’s counting a view of the dishrags at Goodman’s Sandwich Inn). Much of my dinner here was spent trying not to look like a rube — «Look, momma, they got tall buildings here! Damn! Is that a boat? Whoo-​whee!» Seriously, if you have people coming in from out of town and want to show off Cleveland, take them here — but take your American Express card, because if you’re cheap like me and think Outback Steakhouse can get a little pricey, this place may give you a heart attack. Besides the view, the atmosphere, food and service here left little to be desired. I got a vegetarian entrée for some reason, while the rest of my party got seafood. We all noshed a bit on each other’s food and were all pretty happy with what we got, but I can’t remember anything else because I drank four double gin-​and-​tonics.

Literally discovered this place while on a bike ride with my boyfriend. We were riding through the Flats and heard a live band playing. We looked up and saw strings of lights. We decided we needed to check it out. This is not an easy place to find! We sat outside and had a cocktail and listened to the house band. The restaurant offered free appetizers (bruschetta and mini skewers that weren’t that great). I can see where this place has a great view of downtown at nighttime. I would like to go back and give the full menu a try. But in the meantime, it’s a cool little, tucked-​away find!

Great location, beautiful view of the lake, river, and bridges. Good food, homemade pasta, fun wait staff, awesome chairs.

«Ponte Vecchio is the 5^th most romantic restaurant in Cleveland.» My fiancé states. It was dead of winter, and I was so happy the restaurant has its’ own parking lot. Yes, ambiance was warm. Yes, there was a view of murky waters and bridge. Although the staff was nice, the serves was rather slowwww and off at times. Our server kept forgetting random stuff, dropped off our check before we received our dessert, gave us someones else’s check, etc. Usually I wouldn’t mind, but a restaurant of this caliber needs to be personable.
On a lighter note, the food was delicious. But don’t order the margherita pizza. It is probably the worst margherita we ever had in a shmancy restaurant. Save yourself!
Highly recommended: beef agnolotti and octopus insalata
Recommended: spag and meatball arrabiata

The service was great! The appetizers are lacking in flavor. The main dishes are full of flavor and creative. Desserts– let’s just say they should leave it off the menu. I’m probably not going back; I don’t like to pay for OK, not at those prices.

Great food! They had a very unique menu and great selection of good wine and Scotch. It has a great view of downtown and good service. I went there for a business diner and we all had a great time. I had a pesto garlic pasta dish and a salmon wrapped scallop appetizer. They had Macallan 12 and 18 and a great wine, Conundrum! I would go again, as long as someone else is paying! No but really great place!

Since the original review for Ponte Vecchio was written, it appears that there have been some major changes to the menu. Namely with the pricing. Entrees range from $ 9 — $ 28 dollars, which is in line with a lot of other moderately priced restaurants. Salads and apps range from $ 4-​$ 14.
But enough about money.
The atmosphere at Ponte Vecchio is incredible. There is a great view of downtown Cleveland which is easily visible from the restaurant and the spacious patio. The service is great and everyone in the restaurant seems determined to make sure you’re having a great meal. The bar area is nice and there is a great selection of wine and alcohol.
I went to a vegetarian food and wine pairing and had a phenomenal meal. The food was great and the wine selections were perfect for each course. I hope to go back in the near future and try something off the «regular» menu (which has vegetarian options — the general manager of the restaurant is a vegetarian and makes sure that there are options for her people). This restaurant really is a hidden gem. Forget all of the other restaurants around town that get all the hype — support this nice little restaurant!

It’s tucked away off the Superior Viaduct and has amazing views of the downtown and the bridge. It’s a pretty small restaurant which makes it feel very cozy and intimate. The service was excellent and I actually thought that it was very reasonably priced.
My friends each had a half-​order of the gnocchi for around $ 12 which I was expecting would be a little teaser of a portion but was big enough to have been an entrée. The gnocchi itself was fantastic — not overcooked and both light and filling at the same time. I had the scallops (I have a hard time not ordering scallops if I see them on the menu). Normally I have to ration each bite because there never seem to be enough scallops on my plate but I was served 4 LARGE, juicy scallops and was barely able to finish my meal.
Anyway, I was impressed with the food and the ambiance is unmatched in Cleveland. I’m definitely going back.

Ponte Vecchio is the best place to show off the Cleveland skyline. A beautiful view paired with a superb dinner.

Expensive… but good.
GOOD STUFF: Very nice place with great view of downtown cleveland and the lake. Food was good when I went, serviice as well. They have outdoor seating in the summer on the stone bridge that they own.
BAD STUFF: The price… whew doggy, expensive.
PRICE: About 125 $ for two people with liquor/​wine
OVERALL: Very nice place that would be good for a special dinner… also has great views so if you’re trying to show off Cleveland even better to go here. Really like the half of a bridge that they purchased that overlooks the west bank of the flats. Only down side is the price… but if you’ve got the green go for it.

Have been here three times — each time better than the last!
A stunning view of the city at night from some of the tables and a wait staff that is always there to serve. A fully stocked bar with an extensive wine list and very capable bartenders. Reservations absolutely necessary.
The menu is extremely diverse and the portions large. The meals are exquisite!