I was sorry to learn recently of the impending closure of Salt+ in Lakewood — a small-plate restaurant I enjoyed reviewing in 2018 that will operate for its final day on Aug. 31 — and used it as the impetus to make Poppy my next stop. Also sometimes listed as Poppy a Salt+ Restaurant, it was opened in March 2023 by Salt+ owners Jessica Parkison and Jill Vedaa in a one-time turn-of-the-century house on Larchmere Boulevard in Cleveland that most recently was home to the restaurant Felice, which closed in 2022 after a nearly 15-year run .
My friend Cassandra and I visited on a recent rain-soaked Saturday, with a reservation for 6;30 p.m., and were taken by the historic charm of the place as we were led up the stairs to a table in the far corner of the house’s second story.
There’s a very small-but-inviting bar area and, to its left, an enclosed front porch space where some folks were gathered and an interesting nook here and there. Poppy isn’t super-fancy; while tables are adorned with white tablecloths, casual attire was commonplace among diners. My only significant complaint of the otherwise lovely dining experience was that, on this increasingly humid evening, the ventilation was not to my liking.
I’m highly sensitive to humidity, and it was much too “close” for my comfort. As with Salt+, small, shareable plates are common, although the entrees — also on the smaller side, seemed designed for one. Our friendly and knowledgeable server, Amber, took great care .