Word of Mouth: Cleveland
Independent eateries feed the city with Midwestern hospitality and creative bites
While the waterfront city is home to big attractions like the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, the Cleveland Museum of Art and multiple sports stadiums, its creative culinary community also showcases its modern independent spirit. Fermentation plays a starring role in the city with author and chef Jeremy Umansky of Larder at the forefront. Pick up a copy of Umansky’s Koji Alchemy to bring home some of the magic. With clever cocktails, artisanal comfort food and specialty coffee roasters, here’s our favorite places to sip and savor in Cleveland.
Larder Delicatessen & Bakery
No trip to Cleveland is complete without eating at least one meal at Larder. This award-winning delicatessen’s Willy Wonka-esque wonderland features virtuoso fermentation by Chef Jeremy Umansky. Be sure to taste several of their large variety of pickled veggies. The seasonal menu changes daily, but the crave-worthy pastrami remains a constant—we recommend the Reuben. We also loved the whitefish salad and caviar from West Side Market’s Kate’s Fish. The shelves are stacked high with fermentation projects, while a fire fighter’s jacket hangs nearby as an homage to the former fire station space.
Patron Saint
In Hingetown, all-day café Patron Saint boasts espressos and creative signature coffee drinks with a vibrant vegetable-forward menu of savory dishes, bar snacks and extensive aperitivo offerings. In the morning, try the NA Espresso Old Fashioned made with rye barrel-aged maple syrup and orange bitters. We also love the Sea Salt and Olive granola parfait with fruit, housemade jam and Greek yogurt.
Cents Pizza
Ask the locals where to go and it’s likely you’ll get some recommendations for restaurants in Lakewood just west of Cleveland. Local favorite, Cent’s Pizza, feels like a winner as soon as you step inside the door. It’s an industrial space with vibrant pops of color. The menu’s Deli section features cheeses, duck prosciutto and tinned fish. The quirky one-word pizza names range from Pepp to Papa and Speck to Shroom. Natural wines and creative cocktails round out the menu with a Carmella, made with fennel infused vodka, Duck-Rabbit espresso, Don Ciccio and honey.
Cordelia
The motto “Midwest Nice” at chef Vinnie Cimino’s award-winning Cordelia restaurant illustrates the throughline that connects many of the culinary offerings in the city. Cordelia serves up the clever with his version of the “Koolickles,” a popular snack from the Mississippi Delta where cucumbers are pickled with Kool-Aid powder and housemade sugar crystals.
Rood Food & Pie
Nearby, also in Lakewood, the Rood Food & Pie’s cozy brick dining room invites diners in with its neon marquee signs and trailer façade kitchen. The elevated comfort food menu reads like a fever dream. Even the Bread and Butter sounds too good to pass up (it is): fresh housemade koji rolls are served with fermented honey, garlic mascarpone, seasonal jam, sorghum butter and pickles. Local ingredients take center stage in dishes like Rood’s Lake Eerie Wings, Chicken and Dumpling, Meatloaf, and Mushroom Stroganoff. And of course, save room for pie—the Salt & Honey Pie is so popular the regulars won’t let them take it off the menu.
Mason’s Creamery
One might be surprised that Mason’s Creamery, with its unique ice cream flavors like matcha, ube or mulled wine sorbet, is also known for an eclectic food menu. Korean Corn dogs battered with panko, Cheetos or potato chunks comes with meat or cheese. Creative bowls of ramen are served classic tonkotsu-style or topped with birria and raclette. Crispy rice is topped with chili crisp or Thai Coconut Shrimp Curry.
Duck-Rabbit Coffee
With a name inspired by the 20th-century philosopher, Ludwig Wittgenstein, Duck-Rabbit refers to a conceptual idea about visual perception leading to meaningful experiences. They serve a diverse menu of in-house roasted coffee varieties, brew methods and classic espresso drinks. The plant-filled café is the perfect place to start the morning in Cleveland. Take home a bag of their coffee beans, currently including options from Yemen, Central and South America, Kenya and Ethiopia. They share detailed information about the coffee menu and a brew guide to optimize the home experience.
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