Retro, Rooted & Reimagined

Cleveland’s public market still has a charming Old-World feel, though it sits amidst a resurgence of rapid growth. Built in 1912, the market is a collection of authentic Cleveland food experiences beloved by locals and enjoyed by visitors. 

Among the stalls are third- and fourth-generation vendors and an increasingly diverse crop of newer food entrepreneurs.

It’s fun to wind through the aisles of vendor stalls to gather “what looks good.” At one time, Eastern European-owned stands dominated the market. Many of them like Czuchraj Meats, a market vendor for nearly 65 years, remain.

Nowadays, people flock to the market for ravioli and sauces from Ohio City Pasta; the catch of the day from Kate’s Fish; hummus and falafel from Jacob’s Oasis; and a selection of internationally sourced spices and seasonings from Narrin’s Spices & Sauces. 

Snacking your way through the market is encouraged (and hard to resist). From pizza bagels and Parisian crêpes, to Mexican salsas and brat sandwiches, there’s a delicious bite around each and every corner.

Before Michael Symon was America’s Iron Chef, he was a hometown kid with mad kitchen skills. When Symon says “meats,” we jump into a seat at Mabel’s. 

Symon perfected “Cleveland-style BBQ,” which is smoked over local fruit woods and served with his own irresistible brown mustard sauce made from Bertman’s Ballpark Mustard, another hometown favorite.

Savory smoked meats and sides are served on a silver platter. Ok, it’s really a cafeteria tray, but it still feels like something special. I’m usually going for brisket, pork belly and kielbasa. One thing I never miss, though, are the cracklins, served with French onion dip.

Hummus and falafel are awesome, but the true depth of Mediterranean food is illuminated at Zhug.  The beauty of small plate dining is that you can sample to your heart’s content, land on a favorite and order seconds without anyone batting an eye. 

The menu changes seasonally, but cross your fingers for the Yemenite curry chicken honey; roasted cauliflower with raisins and spiced coconut sauce; and a lentil and forbidden rice mejadra. Rest assured, you’ll see hummus and falafel in a whole new light, too.

Let’s not forget that Cleveland is a beer town. Noble Beast may not be the flashiest place with the fanciest merch, but it is a fan favorite, recently snagging top honors in dueling “Best of Cleveland” lists. 

Communal tables are a hop cone’s throw from the fermentors and short walk to the open kitchen where a small team churns out some of the best brewery food in the city.

I love the discreet patio—a magical urban hideaway, day or night to enjoy a flight and a spent grain Bavarian pretzel with honey beer mustard and cheese sauce.

They say that everything old is new again. Mahall’s is having a moment —more like its second or third, actually. Even with a major restoration, the 100-year-old bar, bowling and concert venue is still a comfortable working-class hangout. 

 It’s known for better bar eats, including tacos, nachos and burgers. And the bar (and bartenders) come with no shortage of personality. For a place that looks like it was carefully staged for an artsy film,  it’s intentionally lowbrow.  

If a space could be “dressed to impress,” this is it. After an extensive restoration of the Garfield Building, the city’s first steel-frame skyscraper, Marble Room quickly became Cleveland’s crown jewel of fine dining.

The Beaux-arts interior of marble columns and crystal chandeliers create magic. It'll make an average Tuesday feel extraordinary and a Saturday night delightfully decadent. Sitting at the glam bar for cocktails and caviar, you’re likely in the midst of VIPs.

Can you say that your grocery store is an architectural marvel? Heinen’s opened this store in 2015 after an extensive renovation of the Cleveland Trust Building, built back in 1907. As you shop for snacks, be sure to look up at the 85-foot-high stained-glass rotunda. 

Head to the second-floor balcony to grab something from the retail wine shop (or a wine on tap) and admire the massive marble columns, bronze fixtures and a series of historic paintings depicting Ohio’s founding.

Jeremy Umansky bridges the traditions of an old-school Jewish deli with a modern culinary approach, using a revival of ancient fermenting and curing techniques. 

I’m ordering Larder’s signature pastrami on house-made rye and his herbaceous matzo ball soup. Umansky’s pastrami is koji-cured, for an umami-bomb of taste that is familiar, yet more complex. The soup is heavy on fresh dill and tinged purple from the addition of red cabbage.

The Cleveland Hot Chicken Sandwich is a beautiful mess (literally and figuratively). Add to that, Vic Searcy says that his coveted smoky sauce contains a myriad of flavors reflecting Cleveland’s diverse cultures. 

The ultimate slow food, a steaming bowl of pho demands your presence. Tucked away inside a little shopping center in the AsiaTown neighborhood you’ll find some of the best around.