As a red-blooded American weaned on classic rock, metal, and punk, I have had the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on my bucket list for as long as I’ve known what good music sounds like. This past summer, I finally made the pilgrimage to Cleveland to pay my respects at the glass-encased shrines of my musical heroes—Van Halen, Keith Richards, Muddy Waters, and the pantheon of guitar-wielding gods.
As expected, the Rock Hall was spectacular—alone well worth the trip to Ohio. But the real surprise was how much I enjoyed discovering the rest of Cleveland: the magnificent Cleveland Museum of Art; delightfully gritty live music venues; and superb restaurants a fraction of the price of those in my hometown of New York City. After a weekend in The Land, I was sold: Cleveland, indeed, rocks.
Although proudly Midwestern, Cleveland feels like an East Coast metropolis in many regards: a compact and elegant downtown; a skyline of stately Art Deco and Neo-Gothic towers; and strong influences from Italian, Jewish, and Irish immigrants. A town that has weathered many a tough winter, both literal and economic, Cleveland has character in spades. That’s perhaps why so many celebrated artists, from cartoonist Harvey Pekar to the Nine Inch Nails and Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, hail from this industrial powerhouse on Lake Erie.
Gourmet Plates and Eastern European Soul Food
Memorable meals in Cleveland run the gamut from diner staples like Polish Boys and pierogies to soulful, chefly plates at acclaimed restaurants like Cordelia or Thyme Table. Home to a deeply rooted Ashkenazi diaspora, Cleveland boasts its own take on delicatessen classics like smoked pastrami, bagels, and kosher comfort fare. Equal parts elite chef and mad scientist, Chef Jeremy Umansky of Larder Delicatessen and Bakery uses koji, the microorganism used to make sake and soy sauce, to craft corned beef, pickles, and such briny flavor bombs. Larder’s plates—vivid colorwheels of pickled beets, carrots, ramps, and meats—are as pleasing to the eye as to the palate. For a memorable dinner, Cordelia, helmed by Chef Vinnie Cimino, celebrates Cleveland’s cosmopolitan culinary roots in dishes like chicharrones dusted with za’atar and old-school smash burgers jazzed up with caramelized cheddar and neon green pickles cured in Kool-Aid.
Equally compelling are delectable cheap eats like Polish Boys, kielbasas topped with fries and coleslaws, or diner-style pierogies smothered in fried onions—welcome fortitude before big nights in districts like The Flats or Tremont. Foodies and chefs spend hours meandering through West Side Market, a 19th-century indoor market under a soaring red-brick vault, housing scores of butchers, cheese-mongers, greengrocers, and artisans from around the Midwest.
The many waterfront bars and restaurants of The Flats, a neighborhood on the banks of the Cuyahoga River, thump well into the night with young revelers. Grab a table on the patio of Collision Bend Brewery to watch the ships pass by while tippling punchy IPAs and crisp pilsners. For an admirable selection of Ohio suds paired with live jazz and local color, head to HappyDog, a neighborhood favorite in the Detroit-Shoreway neighborhood. An Eastern European exclave, Cleveland is rife with every description of hotdog, kielbasa, wurst, or sausage; however, Happy Dog might be the only place serving franks topped with mac ‘n’ cheese, potato chips, or fruit loops—a sweet-n-salty treat that, after a certain point in the evening, really hits the spot.
Fine Art & Rock ‘n’ Roll History
In the early 1950s, Cleveland DJ Alan Freed popularized the term “rock ‘n’ roll” to describe a controversial new rhythm, seething with libidinous verve and rebellious angst, taking American youth culture by storm. Thanks to Freed’s pioneering efforts in breaking the airwaves’ color line and contributions to the genre by Cleveland rockers like The Raspberries and The James Gang, Cleveland narrowly beat out Memphis in a bid to house The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. The seven-floor museum, a majestic glass pyramid designed by architectural giant I.M. Pei, houses rock memorabilia ranging from Buddy Holly and Van Halen’s guitars to John Lennon’s glasses and Michael Jackson’s iconic fedora. On each floor, recordings and exhibits chronicle rock’s trajectory from Southern “race records” to a global phenomenon, as deeply ingrained in humanity’s musical heritage as opera, jazz, or chamber music. Set aside at least two hours to explore these hallowed halls, leaving at least a few minutes to peruse the gift shop’s vintage band t-shirts and framed rock ‘n’ roll photography.
Shifting from Dionysian ecstasy to Apollonian restraint, the Cleveland Museum of Art, a sprawling Beaux-Arts palace of white marble, ranks on any respectable list of the world’s great collections. Spanning 6,000 years of artistic achievement, from Egyptian sarcophagi to the chefs-d’oeuvre of Van Gogh, Caravaggio, and Dali, the Cleveland Museum of Art is a nigh-inexhaustible reservoir of intellectual stimulation and aesthetic wonder. If you plan to spend several hours in the museum, the Provenance Cafe serves light fare, good espresso, and wine and beer.
For an outdoor educational odyssey, sign up for a walking tour with Tours of Cleveland. Beginning at the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument in Downtown Cleveland, tour guide Scott takes visitors to architectural treasures like the neo-Gothic Terminal Tower and the regal basilica of St. John the Evangelist while explaining the city’s history at every step.
Nightlife of All Stripes
From refined speakeasies slinging artistic cocktails to riotous theaters fueled on cheap beer and shredding electric guitars, nocturnal entertainment in Cleveland suits revelers of all speeds. The Waterloo Arts District is famous for street art, colorful dives, and a bevy of time-honored music venues. For a full dose of Cleveland’s alternative scene, chased with a shot or two of Jack, catch a show at the Beachland Ballroom. Cover charges are usually around $20, and the small, intimate venue roars nightly with talented rock, hip-hop, or blues acts.
Thrifting enthusiasts can’t leave the venue without a gander through This Way Out, a shop in Beachland’s basement selling vintage T’s, vinyl, and tchotchkes like bolo ties and old Zippos. Rub shoulders with Waterloo’s hometeam of musicians, artists, and Bohemians at the Treelawn Social Club, a bar inside a one-time Slovenian community center. To soak up the cold draughts of Cleveland craft, Treelawn’s kitchen serves scrumptious sliders small enough to scarf in a few bites.
Within the former walk-in safe of the Cleveland Trust Rotunda, Vault, an ornate speakeasy softly illuminated by hurricane lamps, pours pre-Prohibition classic cocktails like Sazeracs, Side Cars, and Last Words. With plush leather couches and a gorgeous marble bar, Vault is a Cleveland stalwart for date nights or after-supper nightcaps.
Where to Stay in Cleveland
The Metropolitan at The 9, a soaring Brutalist spire in Downtown Cleveland, lies within walking distance of the Rock Hall, Terminal Tower, and several RTA stations, Cleveland’s public transit system. Rooms, comfortable and thoughtfully furnished, offer high-speed WiFi and window-side workstations. For those who like to stay in shape on the road, the hotel has a well-stocked gym and a luxury spa. Grab a bite or wet your whistle at The Centro, an Italian steakhouse, or Ledger Bar, a swank public house reminiscent of Ron Burgundy’s library of rich monogamy and old books. Rates hover around $180 per night.
Johnny Motley has written for The Daily Beast, Matador Network, Cool Material, and more. He’s on Twitter @johnnymotley and Instagram @motjohnny.