For the past three years I’ve been dodging tips from friends and readers, who’ve suggested that I travel across town to dine at Antica Italian Kitchen in Avon. When it comes to driving long distances to review Italian restaurants, I’m definitely a “once bitten, twice shy” kind of guy. But earlier this year, I ran out of excuses. That’s when owner F...

After being in business for over twenty years, Scotti’s Italian Eatery has gone through a lot of rough times recently and has come out on the other side. In July of 2019, the owner was ready to call it quits due to the road work that closed the I-90 exit at East 185th Street. His loyal customers rallied around him, and he changed his mind and decid...

People discuss pizza differently than they talk about pasta, smash burgers or matzo ball soup. From message boards to social media, the dish comes with a healthy dose of zealous online debate. The latest circular obsession percolating through social media hails from a spartan storefront in Old Brooklyn. Cleveland’s newest “best pizza” is open just...

Lola Jacaj, formerly Sema, is days away from opening her third restaurant, Oliva. The new Warehouse District eatery joins its immediate neighbor Acqua di Dea (formerly Acqua di Luca) and Casa La Luna (formerly Luca Italian Cuisine). Following a split with chef-partner Luca Sema, the names of the restaurants were changed.Oliva (408 W. St. Clair Ave....

Last summer, Mount Granita Italian Ice upped its game when it traded in its seasonal sidewalk cart for a tidy storefront in Little Italy. Located near the intersection of Mayfield and Murray Hill, the shop (2024 Murray Hill Rd.) will open for the season on Wednesday, May 1st.As always, owner Christopher Giancola will kick off summer with the popula...

 Apollo’s Fire, Cleveland’s Baroque Orchestra, is bringing Vivaldi’s “The Four Seasons” to three outdoor locations in July and August. Tickets are on sale now for five concerts at Holden Arboretum in Kirtland as well as concerts at the United Church of Christ in Avon Lake and The Bath Church (UCC) in Bath. “If you thought you knew ‘The Four Seasons...

Ferraris are elite vehicles that most of us can only marvel at. We know well that the closest we’ll get to one of these sporty foreign jobs is by visiting a showroom. Even then, we won’t qualify for a test drive. Thankfully, the Crawford Auto-Aviation Museum in Cleveland is offering an up-close view of this fantasy automobile during its “Ferrari: T...

Cent’ Anni opened somewhat quietly in Little Italy just before Thanksgiving. But the buzz around this hard-to-find Italian Amaro bar is growing louder and louder. It’s easy to see why the intimate 40-seat space is getting attention. The name has Cent Anni, which means “may you live 100 years,” and suggests a story. Cent’ Anni is pronounced ‘chent a...

"Sono molto orgoglioso delle mie origini italiane," David Manica said in Italian before switching to English for the rest of the presentation. It was 2019 and Manica, the most important and successful architect in the world when it comes to designing stadiums, was in Milan to present his proposal for Milan's new stadium. After that, Manica began wo...

When Fadi Daoud took over the former Blu (and Moxie) space in Beachwood to open Hecks, he also got the keys to the adjoining property that previously housed Cut 151 (and Red). The plan all along was to import his Italian concept, Antica, which has been cruising along in Avon since the summer of 2021. Come late-February/early-March, that plan will h...