Skrtic's Pics: Rosy, Superior Pho, Alexandra Martinez

John Skrtic has been with the Cleveland Public Library for over 30 years. He now serves as the chief of special projects and collections, which makes him responsible for overseeing the 11 million items in the Library Collection. He holds a master's of library and information science from Kent State University and a master's of public administration from Cleveland State University. Skrtic grew up on East 41st Street in Downtown Cleveland and has lived in the city his entire life. He is father of two children and spends his free time archiving the people and places of Cleveland.

Superior Pho

Superior Pho sits on Superior Avenue the way it always has, steady and strong, but the legend inside keeps growing. It began with Manh Nguyen, who came to America from Saigon carrying a way of cooking built on patience and memory. He opened the shop so people could eat the kind of pho he knew, broth simmered long and careful, food meant to slow you down for a moment. Over the years it became one of those places Clevelanders talked about quietly, the kind you recommend only when you want someone to really trust you. His son Chris grew up around all of it, though food was not his first path. He was a kid from Brecksville, a wrestler, a skateboarder, deep into punk music, later heading to Bowling Green. With a father who loved traveling to find great meals, Chris absorbed more than he realized, eventually becoming someone local chefs sought out to talk about Vietnamese food, fusion and where things could go next.

Then there is the brilliant Claudine, who would later graduate as valedictorian from Cleveland State University. She walked into the restaurant in 2016 as a CSU grad student because she had heard the food was special, and funnily enough Chris always seemed to be the one available to help this new regular customer. He ran out to assist her, just doing his job, not knowing it would change his life. Their relationship stretched across cities and years as Claudine worked for Exxon Mobil in Chicago and Houston, long distance and determined. When the opportunity came in 2022 to take over the family business, Chris went all in with Claudine by his side. They kept Manh’s recipes, respected what built the place, but refused to let it sit still. Chris once challenged me to try their boba after I mentioned having it elsewhere, saying flat out theirs was better, and he was right. Best boba in the city, not even close. He told me the staff never stop working on improvement, and you can taste that mindset in everything they do. His banh mi was already the best sandwich in the city, and they still found a way to make it better by toasting it. They do not just talk about improvement. They live it, every single day.

Rosy

Some people make food. Others make a city remember itself through food. Chef Vinnie Cimino and Andrew Watts belong to the second group. The other day, I took a photo of these two remarkable locals standing in front of their new restaurant, Rosy, in Ohio City. In that moment, you could sense how much this place matters to them and to everyone who works in the food industry in this region.

Cimino’s hands know fire and flavor. He is a two‑time James Beard Award nominee whose cooking is grounded in respect for ingredients and the people who produce them. Watts is a fiercely proud Clevelander, showing up everywhere for the city, from professional basketball games to church basements, always championing the region and its people. Together, they are not content with ordinary. They are working tirelessly to create something extraordinary.

Rosy is opened on Feb. 26. The roughly 50‑seat, open‑fire restaurant focuses on hyper‑seasonal cuisine with ingredients sourced from within about 200 miles. The menu will evolve with the seasons, and the communal layout invites strangers to become friends over wood‑fired dishes and shared discovery.

Cimino describes cooking with fire as a return to the roots of technique and community. Watts sees it as a neighborhood celebration where food and company are equally thrilling. Their shared vision centers on connection, giving back to a city they love, and strengthening the bonds between producers, diners and storytellers.

What stays with you is their deep love for this region. Through late nights in the kitchen and early mornings sourcing ingredients, they show why Cleveland deserves ambitious food, thoughtful care, and spaces that bring people together. Rosy embodies the city’s art, culture, food, work ethic and heart all in one room. These two have carved a new path for Cleveland dining by never resting, never settling and by keeping alive the best parts of the city: grit, heart and endless possibility.

RELATED: Rosy, the New Restaurant From Cordelia, Reminds Chef Vinnie Cimino Why He Loves to Cook

Porco Lounge

Sitting down with Stefan Was at Porco Lounge & Tiki Room was one of the most memorable interviews I have ever had. Located at 2527 West 25th St., in Cleveland, Porco feels inseparable from the neighborhood it calls home. From the moment we sat down, it felt less like an interview and more like time spent listening to someone who genuinely loves where he is from. Was loves Cleveland, he loves its people and he loves telling the stories that make this city come alive. You feel it in the way he talks, in the pauses where memory lingers, and in the small details he notices about streets, bars and neighborhoods. He grew up in Chesterland, the youngest of three, went to Walsh Jesuit, and later attended Cleveland State University. His father ran a tool and dye shop in the Fleet neighborhood, teaching him the value of hustle, persistence, and building something that lasts. I have known his remarkable sister Laura since I was young, and everyone loves her. She carries the family’s sense of community forward through her own venture, Addie’s Cup in Gates Mills. Was met his wife in high school, and hearing him talk about her made it clear they have been partners in every sense ever since. She is well known locally as an exceptional hairdresser, and their long shared history gives his story added depth and steadiness. He spent years in customer service and manufacturing, and from 1995 to 2015 ran AC Shutters before selling it, sharpening his entrepreneurial skills while keeping Cleveland at the center of his life.

Was has lived behind Porco since 1997. He imagined what it could be, missed his chance a time or two, and watched the neighborhood change around him. When the property came up for sale in March 2011, he knew this was his moment. The world of bars was new to him when he decided to dive all in. He had always been the guy on the other side of the bar, watching, listening, and learning. After careful planning, he opened Porco on his birthday, Oct. 5, 2013. The building had a long, colorful history. It had been Cranky’s, a biker bar and small concert club, as well as other cafes and neighborhood bars that he told me about while walking through the history of the property. Was transformed it into something entirely new, Cleveland’s first full tiki lounge since the Kon Tiki closed in the 1970s. Memorabilia, bamboo, mugs and swizzle sticks fill the space, each with a story. The drinks are precise and vibrant, made with fresh squeezed juices and house made syrups. The room feels alive with warmth, curiosity and joy.

What made my time with Was unforgettable was hearing how deeply he knows Cleveland, Tremont, Duck Island and Ohio City. Every street, every block, every building has a story and he knows them all. He shared quirky anecdotes, hidden histories and heartfelt tales that make the city feel alive. We talked for hours, barely scratching the surface and it was a joy to learn these inside stories. Porco is more than a bar. It is a living story, a gathering place, and a testament to what one passionate person can create when love for a city meets dedication, craft and imagination. Sitting there with Was, hearing him recall Cleveland’s past and watching him build its future, reminded me how rare it is to meet someone who carries a city in their heart and invites everyone in to share it.

B & G Tavern

Some places hold the weight of a city without trying. B & G Tavern is one of them. The room listens. The walls remember. Sitting down with Benny Carmago, his son Venancio Carmago Jr., and Cynthia Camargo, you quickly realize you are not just interviewing people, you are listening to a neighborhood. Every story, every pause, every detail carries the rhythm of Ohio City itself. Benny told me how he learned from talking to everyone, how he made friends with the Irish and Hungarian families in the area, learned from them and earned their respect for his work and grind. Back in the day the city was segregated, but if you meet Benny, you can see why he is special, a survivor through it all. Lifelong Clevelanders, Ohio City through and through, they carry the neighborhood in their voices. Not nostalgia. Memory. The kind that comes from showing up every day and unlocking the door no matter what the city is doing outside.

Before B & G ever existed, there was La Sorpresa, a speakeasy social club Benny opened on Starkweather from 1972 to 1973 for his softball team. A place made by hand for people who needed a place. Then came the Riverside Lounge, opened at the site now known as Hooples. He sold that, kept moving, kept building. On Jan. 2, 1980, Benny and his brother Gilbert opened B & G. By 1984, Benny was running it alone. No grand plan. Just work, consistency, and the belief that a bar should belong to the people of Cleveland who walk through the door.

People often say they grew up in a bar, but in Venancio’s case it is literal. His playpen sat inside B & G. This is where he learned to ride his bike. Today he oversees daily operations alongside his wife Cynthia, whose cooking has become a quiet cornerstone of Ohio City. Her Puerto Rican food is beloved not because it is announced loudly but because it delivers every time. Burgers, wings, quesadillas and traditional empanadas come out the same way the bar itself does. Honest, generous, and without ego. Cynthia never brags. She just puts the food on the table and lets it speak.

Benny is a historian whether he claims the title or not. Through him you can trace Puerto Rican life in Cleveland, starting with his father Nemesio, who came from Yauco in 1957 to work at Aero Aluminum and stayed, helping at the bar until 1994. Benny was a West Tech High School wrestler, a Plain Dealer paperboy sharp enough to organize his family into delivering 350 papers at a time. He has watched the neighborhood rise, fall and rename itself more than once.  Through it all, B & G Tavern stayed open. Open late. Open to everyone. No dress code. No judgment. A Cleveland survivor that plays by its own rules and invites you in like it always has. A place that reminds you why being from Cleveland is the best.

Pace Cafe

It was great meeting Ameen Khadair and Sabrina Quinones, the owners of Pace Café in Tremont at 2670 West 14th St., Cleveland.  Pace Cafe is a wellness-focused spot known for its fresh, healthy menu built around ethically sourced and minimally processed ingredients. The cafe avoids synthetic additives, artificial preservatives and seed oils, Many dishes can also be made vegan or gluten-free. They make bagels and cold-pressed juices in-house and offer a menu that appeals to a range of dietary preferences. Customers can enjoy grab-and-go options or a relaxed sit-down meal in a space that encourages community and connection.

Pace Cafe offers free street parking, complimentary Wi‑Fi and services that include catering and the ability to host private events. Its focus on sustainability is reflected in both ingredient sourcing and operational choices that support community engagement and environmentally conscious practices. The cafe provides a welcoming neighborhood hub for work, casual meals, or meeting friends.

Ameen and Sabrina told me that they began the business by roasting their own coffee beans, and since opening, the café has grown steadily. They describe Pace Cafe as a spot that blends quality, health and community, making it a favorite for locals and visitors alike. Their personal passion for coffee, wholesome ingredients and neighborhood connection is evident in every part of the café experience.

Luca's Pet Nutrition

You walk into Luca’s Pet Nutrition at 2929 Detroit Ave., in Ohio City and you can feel the story before anyone lays it out for you. This place did not begin as a tidy business plan. It began with work. For years, Tony Rini and Jennifer Bowling, the couple who now own the shop, ran a dog waste removal service called Poo People. Yard to yard, block to block, they learned what people really wanted. Not just a clean space, but someone who showed up, listened and knew their dogs. Over time, Rini and Bowling realized the heart of the job was the one on one connection. That understanding brought them here, opening Luca’s Pet Nutrition in July 2022 and turning everyday dog care into a shared neighborhood experience.

I love going in and seeing the amazing staff, because it is obvious this team truly loves what they do. There is nothing rehearsed about it. You see it in how they talk to customers and how every dog is welcomed like family. And then there is Luca, the soul of the place. A full mix of Rottweiler, shepherd, lab, chow and pit, always happy, always present. I was so happy to get a photo of Rini and Bowling with Luca, a dog who feels less like a symbol and more like a living part of the story. It is built on real work, real people and the kind of care that keeps people constantly returning for and with their pets.

Landmark Restaurant

I always enjoy stopping into Landmark Restaurant at 5380 St. Clair Ave., on Cleveland’s East Side. The diner has a warmth and familiarity that keeps people coming back, and it is always a pleasure to see my friend Mary Mesic, who has dedicated over 30 years of service here. On my visit, I spoke with owner Lena Petros, who shared the story of her Greek family and her mother, Kalli Vagras. At 38 years old, Kalli became an entrepreneur, taking over the local business, keeping its name, and creating a new model for customer service. Under the family’s guidance, Landmark has thrived for 36 years, becoming a true neighborhood institution.

Hearing from the staff and customers, it is clear how much this place means to the community. I was able to capture a photo of the team working that day, including Lena Petros, Mary Mesic, Adam D., Lexk K., CC, Paula Bates, Steven P., and Aaron Dunn. Their energy, dedication and sense of family are what make Landmark more than just a restaurant. It is a space where tradition, hard work and connection come together every day, and where the legacy of one determined entrepreneur continues to shape the neighborhood.

Alexandra Martinez

Ms. Wheelchair Ohio has a long and meaningful history rooted in advocacy, visibility and leadership. Established as part of the broader Ms. Wheelchair America movement, the Ohio program was created to elevate the voices of women with disabilities and to promote accessibility, inclusion and civic engagement across the state. The title focuses on service, public speaking and advocacy rather than pageantry. Over the years, Ms. Wheelchair Ohio titleholders have worked to raise awareness around disability rights, access,and representation, helping communities better understand both the challenges and the strengths of people with disabilities.

It was a privilege to photograph the current reigning Ms. Wheelchair Ohio, Alexandra Martinez, whose confidence and warmth are immediately felt. Martinez was born with spina bifida and received her first wheelchair at just three years old. She first joined Dancing Wheels at five, an experience that helped shape her creativity and sense of belonging. She grew up in South Euclid and recently moved to Avon Lake. Martinez earned her crown after a three-day competition, and she told me how nervous she was preparing her speech and getting ready for interviews. Yet she wowed everyone, and it was easy to see why; after just a few minutes of talking, we were both laughing. She has a sharp sense of humor and a warmth that makes the room feel alive. I met her in Parma at the excellent record store The Current Year, which welcomed us all as a space to meet up, after hours, surrounded by good music and great people, including her proud mom who was there that night.

Martinez will serve in this role until September 2026 before handing the crown to the next advocate. She makes a few appearances each month to highlight the program and to show how others can get involved or learn more. Photographing Martinez felt less like a formal session and more like spending time with someone who clearly loves what she does and enjoys sharing it with others.

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