City Cafe is a lunchtime favorite among the downtown office crowd. Its creative (and reliably good) lunches and dinners are based on cuisines from around the world. Few restaurants do more for the cause of soup.
This cafe serves American cuisine with a French flair and also offers an extensive vegetarian and vegan menu. Try the vegetable and caramelized onion lasagna roll.
Vibrantly decorated, this enclave offers authentic Ethiopian cuisine for lunch and dinner. Dishes are served traditionally on a large plate for sharing. Food can be eaten in Ethiopian style, picked up with flatbread, or with silverware. Also serves Ethiopian coffee and tea.
Ditto’s is a colorful, family-friendly Highlands alternative to chains like Applebee’s. Popular dishes include Thai wings, barbecue chicken pizza, and the Chinese burrito.
Flavorful food from northern India served in an intimate setting. Try the tikka masala or tandoori chicken from the regular menu, or sample several dishes from the lunch buffet. Traditional drinks like mango lassi or the sweet and spicy masala tea go fabulously with the food.
Staffed by Sullivan University culinary students, Winston’s has an elegant dining room and ambitious plates infused with the energy of the students. It also serves the city’s best and only “Not Brown” — a dish of fried green tomatoes layered with shrimp, crab, spinach and Mornay sauce.
Highlights of this pizza joint include an old car converted into a table, the Philly cheese steak, large slices of thin crust pizza, and deep-fried Oreos. A favorite among bar hoppers, Spinelli’s is open till at 5 a.m. all week in one of the city’s busiest bar corridors, and offers delivery until 4:30 a.m.
Molly Malone’s serves traditional Irish pub fare like corned beef hash with soda bread, as well American bar food standbys like hot wings. Traditional Irish libations are always flowing too. The large patio facilitates warm-weather dining, and inside there are many nooks to settle into while listening to live music or simply enjoying a drink.
The food truck featured on the Cooking Channel now has a restaurant in the Highlands. They serve gooey grilled cheese, with menu items ranging from the Plain Jane to the Highlands Philly. Soups, beer, desserts and other “munchies” are also available.
