Dispatch From Cleveland

A quick trip from Chicago to Cleveland

I’ve been making the drive from Chicago to Cleveland for a long, long time. These days we usually have the dogs with us but they stayed back with our amazing dog sitter, so we had the rare treat of stopping for an actual lunch off the turnpike! After a little research, which consisted of looking at the route on Google Maps and which towns along the way weren’t too far off, we found The Flippin’ Cow in Elkhart, IN.

The Stella Moo at Flippin’ Cow. Elkhart, IN. “Our own Squarsh Patty topped with smoked brisket, applewood bacon, onion straws, pepper jack cheese, and a sweet BBQ sauce on a toasted brioche bun. Voted Best Burger in Elkhart County.”

I typically don’t go for burgers like this one (almost always opting for whatever’s the most simple), but our lovely server convinced me to give it a go. It was really, really tasty. They do a custom blend from a local butcher of Ribeye, Brisket, and Chuck, prepared daily which is pretty darn cool. Good stuff!

What a cool spot though. For sure a place where locals hang out. A super friendly staff, good vibes, and good bites!

Horse Pickles. “Gramma wa wa’s sliced pickled with a hint of sweet onions and jalapenos for some kick! Each ingredient is hand breaded and fried for that twist of heat. Served with our zipin’ dippin sauce.”

Dive Guys Burger at Never Say Dive. Cleveland, OH. “Shallot, Mayo, USA Cheese, Shredduce, Pickle, Poppy Bun”

I have a pretty lengthy “Cleveland Food/Beverages” Apple Note on my phone but knew I wanted to hit Never Say Dive, and boy am I glad we did. I don’t know what it is about these smaller town spots that are chef-y in the best way…creative, thoughtful, and just…cool! There are a handful in Cleveland, Cincinnati, and Milwaukee that I can think of off the top of my head, but feel like we’re lacking ‘em here in Chicago.

Anyway, it’s just an incredible spot with a super cool menu, great cocktails, and good cheap beer (shout out Narragansett!) The Rhode Island Clams particularly stood out, too (Pinot, Cultured Ohio Butter, Fingerling, Smoked Corn, Fine Herbs).

Burger Box at Cordelia. Cleveland, OH. “1921 style, smoked cheddar, pickle, onion, our sauce.”

Oh, how I love Cordelia! It wouldn’t be a trip to Cleveland without stopping at one of my favorite restaurants. We had Browns tickets and decided to do a little fancy-ish brunch as a pregame. Not much better!

That’s a wrap on a fun little trip to Cleveland. See ya next time! 👋

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