Certain entities give a neighborhood that, well, neighborhood feel. A corner bar with well worn floor. A small, family-owned store. A small park, a library, an old church. And an Italian restaurant. Palazzo has been serving this West Side Cleveland neighborhood just a few blocks south of Edgewater Park for several months under the tutelage of owner-chef Rafael Zaloshnja.

Zaloshnja, originally from Albania but a veteran of the Cleveland restaurant scene, took a longtime vacant building and converted it into a thriving restaurant with flavorful dishes. After opening, he said he believed quality, affordable dishes would bring in customers, despite some folks telling him his Detroit Avenue location was not ideal for a restaurant.