Cordelia

"Open for: Dinner, Sunday brunchPrice range: $$Since opening in 2022, Cordelia has enjoyed enthusiastic approval, including back-to-back semifinalist nods from the James Beard Foundation. Bright, lively, and approachable, the restaurant welcomes all comers with a hospitality philosophy dubbed “Midwest Nice.” From the city’s most dramatic open kitchen, chef-owner Vinnie Cimino reminds diners that eating out can still be daring, delicious, and playful. The ever-evolving menu is stacked with shareable relish and dip trays, daily fish and steak selections, and a four-slider pull-apart smash burger complete with melted cheese skirt.Know before you go: If you can snag seats at the kitchen counter, you’ll enjoy a ringside view of the action, plus plenty of attention from the chefs." - Douglas Trattner

"Tucked in Cleveland’s East 4th Street entertainment district, Cordelia pays homage to proprietor Andrew Watts’ great-grandmother, Sarah Cordelia, who lived in Cleveland in the 1890s. Chef-partner Vinnie Cimino, a 2024 James Beard Award semifinalist, celebrates Northeast Ohio's agricultural roots through dishes that echo family traditions. For instance, the “Bellie Up” tasting menu invites guests to dine as if they were sitting at grandma’s table, with surprise courses that keep coming until they’re satisfied. For a shareable favorite, try the Burger Box — Cimino’s playful take on fast-food classics. “It’s how we like to eat — just sit back, enjoy, and let us do the heavy lifting.” Cordelia makes for a heightened pre-game stop, especially before Cavs and Guardians games." - Wendy Pramik

"Cordelia is upscale enough for a family dinner, but still has the comfort of heading to your grandmother’s tchotchke-filled house for an after-school snack. The owners call their food “Midwest nice,” which basically means fancied up ‘90s-era favorites. To see this in action, order the White Castle-inspired burger box—you‘ll get a gigantic smashburger that can be torn apart into four smaller sliders topped with smoked cheddar, pickles, and onion. If the adults at the table want something they can eat with a fork, go for the mushroom and squash cream gnocchi. Enjoy some live theater at the high tops in front of the kitchen as the chefs cheer “BIG BIRD!” every time a group orders an entire fried chicken." - kate bigam kaput

"Cordelia is upscale enough for a family dinner, but still has the comfort of heading to your grandmother’s tchotchke-filled house for an after-school snack. The owners call their food “Midwest nice,” which basically means fancied up ‘90s-era favorites. To see this in action, order the White Castle-inspired burger box—you‘ll get a gigantic smashburger that can be torn apart into four smaller sliders topped with smoked cheddar, pickles, and onion. If the adults at the table want something they can eat with a fork, go for the mushroom and squash cream gnocchi. Enjoy some live theater at the high tops in front of the kitchen as the chefs cheer “BIG BIRD!” every time a group orders an entire fried chicken." - Kate Bigam Kaput

"Replacing Michael Symon’s Lola Bistro, Cordelia has earned near-unanimous approval on East Fourth Street. Bright, bouncy, and approachable, the restaurant welcomes all comers with a hospitality philosophy dubbed “Midwest nice.” From the city’s most dramatic open kitchen, chef Vinnie Cimino reminds diners that eating out can still be daring, delicious, and playful, with overloaded relish and spread trays, fried watermelon, open-face tongue on toast sammies, whole fried spatchcocked chickens, and a four-slider pull-apart smash burger with an epic melted cheese skirt." - Douglas Trattner