Larder - Cleveland Ohio - Midwest Culinary Destinations

I had the pleasure of visiting Larder for lunch yesterday! Located in Ohio City, it was all the best parts of the Midwest...welcoming, seasonal, hearty, casual (you order at the counter) and delicious. Even though it was in the city the atmosphere was like that of a small-town; it was obvious that the staff knew many of the people who came in, with the chefs pausing from kitchen tasks to say hello to regulars. While I was there I heard Chef Jeremy yell from the front counter to further back into the open kitchen, "Allie, so-and-so is here!" As a first time visitor, the staff was warm and hospitable - offering recommendations of their favorites and making conversation about photography. I felt at home there and only wish Larder was in my area!

Behold this wall of fermentations! It is so inspiring to see a restaurant not shying away from seasonality and fermenting vegetables. Those are challenging in the restaurant industry because fermented products tend to vary from batch to batch, and consistency is an easier sell. Looking at those jars you can't help but see the love for the craft, and respect for Midwest culinary history. Chef Jeremy co-authored a book on fermentation called Koji Alchemy, which itself is a masterpiece.

Having born witness to the fermenting skill and prestige I couldn't help but order the "dill pickle" off the menu. It was such a thrill when out came CARROT pickles! This type of eating and cooking makes so much sense to me. While of course everyone loves cucumber pickles, in Ohio at this time of year, you just can't get cucumbers locally. Or close to locally. Most cucumbers are sourced from Mexico or further at this time of year, and I was overjoyed to see seasonality represented in such an appropriate way at a restaurant serving real people hearty food, and not just hipsters looking for culinary kicks. Carrot pickles are crunchy and delicious and have that dill taste you expect in a cucumber pickle. Definitely worth trying, even just for culinary kicks. :)

Echo came in while I was there! This super friendly dog stopped to greet every person in his path.

Larder is located in the former Ohio City Firehouse that was built in 1854 - before the Civil War! Reuse of the building in this way represents Midwestern culture so well. A respect for the history of a place (it still has the fireman's pole and the beautiful spiral staircase you see in the back right of the above photo), that celebrates its past while using thrift to turn that place into something that continues to be useful. They had old photos and signs from the fire department as well.

Speaking of signs, the Larder chef's, Allie La-Valle Umansky, Jeremy Umansky, and Kenny Scott were nominated in 2020 for Best Chef in the Great Lakes region (as well as Best New Restaurant in 2019). Back in 1974 Geraldine La-Valle, Chef Allie's grandma (as I understood), won first prize for her German Cheese Cake. That these awards rest side by side speaks so much of the heritage the chefs embrace. And this is exactly the sort of food that makes you feel the comfort and love of home.

The first baked good I tried at Larder was the chocolate Babka Bun. How this is not a widespread bakery item all over the nation, I do not know. It is soft and doughy challah rolled with brownie batter, and that alone is worth making the trip. My first thought when I bit into it was, "this girl bakes like a buckeye!" Pastry chef Allie does her grandma proud with oatmeal cream pies, seven-inch chocolate chip cookies and beautiful layer cakes!

Lots of vintage decor highlight mushrooms! Save your old Pyrex and kitchen gadgets for restaurant decor.

The menu changes daily to reflect what's in season and available locally. 

The babka bun!

The pastrami sandwich with perfect french fries. The top picture was what they called the eggplant sandwich, it was reminiscent of a veggie burger and had the kind of flavor that is just rare to find in vegan food...the slaw on it was killer.

More of the fermentation wall...and check out that sliding ladder!

Don't miss Larder in Ohio City for a welcoming atmosphere, top-notch sandwiches (including the vegan option!), baked goods buckeyes should be proud of, and great Midwestern feel.