Cordelia
American restaurant · Tower City District ·
Midwest nice comfort food: smash burgers, fried chicken, gnocchi
Midwest nice comfort food: smash burgers, fried chicken, gnocchi
"Early in my meal I hit a moment when I reached across the table for a dollop of fried chicken rillettes to smear on a buttery fried saltine or dragged my fork through a plate of Lamburger Helper, and as I leaned over the table I felt the focus on food and friends that defines the place — if chef and co‑owner Vinnie Cimino is nearby, he might hug you right back. Opened in 2022 by Cimino and Andrew Watts, Cordelia is an unabashed homage to Cleveland and the Midwest: the space reuses and upcycles pieces like a bowling lane refashioned into a kitchen counter, more than 100 vintage‑framed photos of the city on the walls, and an old‑school neon sign that reinforces the retro appeal. Hospitality here is what Cimino calls “Midwest Nice,” with cooks dropping dad jokes, staff greeting guests like old friends, and a real emphasis on community and celebrating local farmers and purveyors. The food riffs on Midwestern and Eastern European traditions while nodding to Southeast, Central, and Middle Eastern influences: jammy eggs topped with ajvar, locally sourced smoked trout, and a communal dozen snacks program that includes standout items such as the burger box — a smash burger on pull‑apart rolls with a crispy cheese skirt made from local smoked cheddar and luminous Kool‑Aid pickles made from Kirby cucumbers — an overdressed salad with Akron‑style white French dressing, and an elevated Cincinnati chili dip with Wagyu beef, smoked cheddar, and house‑pickled onions and peppers. More inventive plates include the Galley Boy tartare lashed with olive mayo and topped with romesco and a smoked cheddar frico, squash‑sticker sausage‑stuffed squash blossom pot stickers in spicy chaoshou sauce, a relish tray with jammy eggs with spicy ajvar and furikake, mortadella and olives, and housemade farmer cheese with za’atar and honey‑fermented garlic, English pea toast with whipped ricotta and chicken‑egg bottarga, corned lamb shanks braised and pan‑seared then blanketed in fermented mustard sauce, and tender bone‑in pork belly braised in smoked chicken stock and finished with sarsaparilla beurre blanc. Cimino says they initially called everything “modern grandma,” and that sense of honoring heritage, people, and the food — a moral imperative to celebrate the work behind the ingredients — is what makes Cordelia feel both homey and thoughtful." - Chandra Ram
"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
"I’d visit Cordelia in Cleveland for comfort food with a Midwestern, nostalgia-inducing twist, highlighted as a recent standout." - Lauren Dana Ellman Lauren Dana Ellman Lauren Dana Ellman is a New York-based writer and editor who specializes in travel, lifestyle, food, and shopping content. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines
