Larder Delicatessen and Bakery
Deli · Ohio City ·
Koji-cured pastrami, pastries, matzo ball soup, charcuterie
![Larder Delicatessen and Bakery by Larder [Facebook]](https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69454359/Larder.0.jpg "Larder Delicatessen and Bakery by Larder [Facebook]")
Koji-cured pastrami, pastries, matzo ball soup, charcuterie
"A Cleveland creative deli led by a chef who experiments with fermentation and koji to push seafood charcuterie boundaries—examples include crustacean-egg bottarga, carp mortadella, smoked carp breast, whitefish bottarga, koji fish salad, gefilte fish bologna, and koji walleye caviar—positioning microbial techniques at the center of inventive, deli-style seafood preservation." - Adam H. Callaghan
"Set inside an 1850s-era firehouse, Larder is a modern-day version of the classic Jewish delicatessen as seen through the eyes of chef Jeremy Umansky. The old-world setting provides the ideal backdrop to display heavenly breads and pastries like black-and-white cookies, fruit-filled rugelach, chocolate babka, buttery challah, and meaty knishes. Hungry Ohio City neighbors literally line up for the now-famous koji-cured pastrami sandwiches, but you should also try the epic fried chicken sandwiches, matzo ball soup, housemade charcuterie, and daily specials like local beet salad. The Hingetown eatery shares patio seating with Rising Star Coffee. Vibe check: Larder doesn’t have much indoor seating, but you can grab a table on the roomy sidewalk patio, which the restaurant shares with Rising Star Coffee." - Douglas Trattner
"This Cleveland deli and bakery combined festive costumes with upscale and whimsical menu touches, offering items like caviar alongside themed treats cheekily named 'Challah-weenies.'" - Bettina Makalintal
"This deli-bakery boosts their great sandwiches and pastries by using koji. The Japanese fungus can speed up the fermentation and curing process, fast-forwarding cuts into charcuterie fixings. The koji-fication of pastrami often adds another layer of umami flavor and salty sweetness, and each batch tastes a little different. Their menu is a daily surprise revealed on Instagram, which keeps fans on their toes. It’s a busy neighborhood spot that looks like an old general store, thanks to lots of wood paneling and jars of fermenting vegetables. The line often stretches down the block, so grab some caffeine next door at Rising Star Coffee Roasters while you wait." - kate bigam kaput
"I view Larder Delicatessen in Cleveland as my attempt to steward Jewish food culture in North America. As chef and co-owner Jeremy Umansky, I've made a name for myself as an expert on culinary preservation — I'm particularly known for dusting koji-infused rice flour on everything from pork chops to venison and leaving them to ferment, creating wild new flavors and textures. We approach charcuterie with a global mindset, turning almost any animal into cured meat and adapting techniques from many traditions. At the delicatessen we build pastrami with a spice set that includes coriander and black pepper plus wild mushroom powder, dark cocoa, and coffee to reinforce earthiness and smoke; for bologna-style meats we use pastured two-week-aged turkey instead of low-quality industrial beef; and our gefilte fish is made by griddling the raw mix in a cast-iron skillet like a burger patty — people tell us it's definitely not their grandma's and they'd eat it all the time. I try to balance tradition with modern sensibilities, using contemporary equipment and methods so these foods remain delicious and appealing today." - Claudia Geib
