ETalian Chef Eddie Tancredi’s Essential Eats Across Cleveland: Word of Mouth

The Solon native started as a teen at the original Dave’s Cosmic Subs in University Heights. Culinary school and an apprenticeship at West Virginia’s The Greenbrier Resort led to international cooking competitions and resort work. After the pandemic and the closure of Distill Table, which our readers voted Best New Restaurant in 2019, he opened ETalian in Chagrin Falls, a pizza concept shaped by his diverse experience. 

Recent Fave: I had the duck confit ($34) with a celery root hash and pistachio pesto from Heritage Steak and Whiskey in Woodmere. I really liked that because I love the process of duck confit. They executed it perfectly, and the dish was incredibly flavorful.

Special Location: I would say my favorite spot in Chagrin Falls is Dave’s Cosmic Subs, just because there’s a lot of history there for me. A lot of stuff happened in that little building. I like to get the Italian (The Original, $9.99) and the meatball ($10.99) sub; one of each. Being in Chagrin Falls, (my favorite part about working here) is the community. From the people to the city council, everyone is very supportive. It’s just nice to be in that type of area.

Takeout: If I’m craving Chinese food, I go to Imperial Wok in Solon. It’s been a favorite since childhood, and they do a great job. I usually order the teriyaki beef skewers ($9.75). I’ve always loved Asian cuisine, even though it’s the style I have the least experience cooking. For sushi, I often visit Sora (Downtown), Ginko (Tremont) or Pacific East (Coventry). 

Spare Time: I usually meal prep and try to get outside as much as I can, especially for hikes in the Metroparks. I just got a one-year-old Italian water dog, and she’s awesome. She’s still very much a puppy, but the goal is to have her hang at the shop with me someday.

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