Local Food Economy

Dirty Bird ghost kitchen takes flight during opening weekend in Van Aken District
Hunter Harlor thought he would ease into opening Dirty Bird ghost kitchen in Michael's Genuine last week, but the smoked and Nashville hot chicken offerings proved to be a popular option for diners, and opening week was a hit. 
Pour Cleveland’s Charlie Eisenstat: International coffee purveyor
When the coronavirus hit,  Pour Cleveland owner Charlie Eisenstat decided to close his downtown coffee shop and shift to a new business model—an online roast-to-order coffee program featuring some of the world's best coffee roasters.
Sweet victory: CLE-based bakers win $10,000 on Netflix baking competition “Sugar Rush Christmas"
Katie Gayner and Anthony Radencic experienced the sweet taste of victory during Netflix’s recent airing of “Sugar Rush Christmas."
Ohio City Farm has fresh produce and herbs in mind for holiday gift giving
Ohio City Farm is already selling its 2021 CSAs, as well as bundles of dried herbs, after repeated requests from those who want to give the produce packages as holiday gifts.
A world of flavors: Chef Doug Katz launches second ghost restaurant in Cleveland Heights
Inspired by the spices and flavors of different ethnicities, Doug Katz uses the ghost kitchen takeout and delivery concept as a testing ground for new restaurant ideas.
Culinary twist: Local event planner, Cleveland's top chefs host online cooking classes for charity
Event planner Amy Pappas has found a way to keep both local foodies and chefs engaged at home during the pandemic with Zoom cooking classes—and the proceeds go to good causes.
Stir it up: Take ice cream, mix it with breakfast cereal and other goodies, and you have Remixx
Vicki and Steve Kotris were all set to open their unique ice cream bar, a spinoff of their Cleveland Cookie Dough, when COVID-19 delayed their opening last spring. Now, they have finally opened the doors to Remixx Ice Cream + Cereal Bar at Clifton Corners.
Triple cream heaven: Marchant Manor Cheese plans to open shop doors by the holidays
A year after securing a storefront on Lee Road in Cleveland Heights, Kandice Marchant is nearing completion of Marchant Manor Cheese Shop—with high hopes to be open for the winter holidays.
Early Arrival: Downtown CLE Fall Restaurant Week starts Monday to give city eateries a boost
Downtown Cleveland Restaurant Week comes early this year—next week, in fact—as the Downtown Cleveland Alliance moves the annual winter event into fall to spark safe dining out (or curbside pickup or delivery) at city restaurants.
Appetite for change: Cleveland Dinners strives to give everyone a seat at the table

Cleveland transplant Ricardo Reinoso believes that giving everyone a seat at the proverbial table starts with doing just that.

Now that's fresh: Cleveland Fresh to set up shop in the Tremont West incubator
In just over two years, Tanisha Velez grew her fascination with microgreens into a budding business in Tremont's storefront incubator program.
Learn to cook a tasty Sunday dinner with University Circle’s top chefs
With the cancellation of its usual summer events, like Wade Oval Wednesdays, University Circle, Inc. had to pivot to some socially distant and virtual  activities. At the Circle Food Tour each Sunday, for instance, University Circle chefs help folks cook a full gourmet summer dinner from the comfort of their kitchens and patios.
Crunching for a cause: A mother launches granola business to keep her family healthy
In an effort to find a healthy snack for her three children, Amy Witzigreuter mastered the art of making a tasty, easy-to-digest granola. Two years after launching Witzi's Raw Granola, customers throughout Ohio can't stop eating the five varieties she cranks out of her St. Clair Superior neighborhood kitchen.
Betts Restaurant to open at Kimpton Schofield, offering options for all diets and cravings
When Parker's Downtown closed in March during the COVID-19 shutdown, owner James Mowbray fast tracked his rebranding plans for the restaurant space. Next week, Betts Restaurant, named after 19th Century Cleveland activist Elizabeth Schofield, will offer something for every taste.
Let the good vibes roll: Saucy Brew Works woos investors and opens two new locations

Exponential growth in the middle of a pandemic? Taking a new Ohio City beer garden from concept to completion in the span of three weeks? These may seem like Herculean feats, but Saucy Brew Works seems to have found the secret sauce for success.

Buckeye becomes a neighborhood of second chances as EDWINS expands its life skills campus
EDWINS Leadership and Restaurant Institute founder Brandon Chrostowski continues to revitalize the Buckeye neighborhood while giving formerly incarcerated people a second chance—this time with the purchase of two muti-family houses on East 130th Street
#EatForCLE: New t-shirts allow diners to show their support for local restaurants
Jackie Bebenroth's #EatForCLE campaign takes the support for local restaurants to the next level with the creation of graphic t-shirts—soon to be on sale so the public can back their favorite eateries.
Going mobile: Vegan comfort food caterer Squash the Beef raises funds to buy a food trailer
After a year of delighting a growing customer base with its vegan comfort food, Squash the Beef is raising funds to buy a food trailer and take their catering business to the streets of Cleveland.
Culinary Crisis: Chef Rocco Whalen reflects on dark times, is hopeful for a brighter future
Fahrenheit chef/owner Rocco Whalen feels the pain Cleveland has felt during the coronavirus, the murder of George Floyd, and the riots. But now, he looks to the future and hopes for better days in Cleveland and in the local restaurant industry.
A new world: Doug Katz launches ghost kitchen concept to test takeout- and delivery-only market
Chef Doug Katz has launched Chim,a ghost kitchen that serves South American fare for takeout and delivery.