Established in the late 19th century, Cleveland’s Little Italy neighborhood—one of five major Italian settlements in the city—still retains its cultural charm. Located just east of downtown and a few minutes from vibrant arts and cultural must-sees like the Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland’s Little Italy draws with its walkability, eclectic art g...

D’Italia Foods deli opened last week at 6310 Engle Road, Brook Park in building formerly occupied by Pasta Lears Pizzeria and Deli. This marks the second D’Italia restaurant in Northeast Ohio. The first is in Westlake. Both are owned by The Cleveland Restaurant Group, which operates several other restaurants in the region. The new deli will offer s...

This summer, downtown Cleveland lost a 40-year-old legend when Vincenza's Pizza & Pasta abruptly closed its shop. But come spring, another local legend will take up the mantle to provide hot slices for all.Geraci’s Slice Shop (603 Prospect Ave.), an extension of the 60-year-old brand, launched this summer in Willoughby as part of The Yard on 3rd. T...

There's been a lot of construction on East 185th Street, and while major investments are being made to position it as Cleveland's next popular neighborhood, a restaurant at the heart of it all stands as a testament to the street's past, and anchor for its future. Scotti’s Italian Eatery is where food, reasonable prices and warmth have kept customer...

In 1994, Charlie Manno was assigned to entertain two Italian priests on a trip to Chicago. When the Rocky River man took the priests to the airport after their visit, they wanted to reward his kindness. So, Father Franco Todisco pulled out a notepad and wrote down an old family recipe for infusing lemon and coffee liqueurs. Manno thought nothing of...

Italian American Chris Antonetti, Guardians President of Baseball Operations, was named Major League Baseball Executive of the Year. He was recognized at the General Manager meetings in November. “There were so many teams, so many organizations, so many executives that were incredibly deserving,” said Antonetti. Fellow Italian American Jerry Dipoto...

Sometimes, a guy can’t seem to catch a break. In July of 2019, Scott Nathanson was ready to call it quits. His 20-year-old Italian restaurant Scotti’s was hemorrhaging money thanks to year-long road work that closed the I-90 exit at East 185th Street. After going public with his announcement on Facebook, the restaurant was inundated with enough sup...

When cooking school founder Loretta Paganini’s three daughters grew up, married and started families, they negotiated holiday sharing. Thanksgiving would be with their husband’s families and Christmas with their parents. That left the uber-social chef and native Italian facing a lonely November holiday. So, she and her husband Emil took Thanksgivin...

Cleveland’s Little Italy is rich in culture, cuisine, and good times. There are so many great things to do in Cleveland’s Little Italy, and this neighborhood crawl is the best way to see its top attractions. Grab a group of your friends, take a selfie (be sure to follow Only In Cleveland on Instagram, where you can tag us in your pics), and start p...

The Cleveland Italian American Heritage Committee along with Honorary Co-Chairs Mayor Justin M. Bibb, Council President Blaine A. Griffin, and Councilman Michael D. Polensek are pleased to present the 2022 Honorees for Cleveland Italian American Heritage Month.  The City of Cleveland has been honoring outstanding individuals, businesses, and organi...