Sorella Brings Bold Italian Flavors to Bratenahl

If you’ve never had an explicit reason to visit Bratenahl, you’ve likely never been — and you may not even have realized it’s there. Set behind wrought-iron gates and home to around 1,400 residents, the lakefront suburb has long felt sealed off from outsiders. And until recently, there wasn’t much reason to venture beyond those gates anyway.

Now there is.

Sorella, the new Italian restaurant from David and Alexa Dragich, opened in October inside one of the two condominium towers just steps past the entrance. Because it’s a public restaurant tucked inside a distinctly private setting, it occupies a rare middle ground, trying to serve both Bratenahl regulars and the wider community.

It’s a fine line to walk: How do you bring broad appeal to a posh condo’s in-house eatery? So far, Sorella seems up to the task.

“A lot of folks who live in the building come down every day, religiously, to have a glass of wine and a bite to eat,” David Dragich says. “But outside of Bratenahl, no one really knows (Sorella) is there, which is a double-edged sword. It’s almost a secret.” 

For now, the Dragiches are relying mostly on Bratenahl regulars and word of mouth to help build a reputation as a reliable upscale spot — just the right balance of fancy and casual. 

“The people who live there need to be able to come down and relax,” Dragich acknowledges. “But we also want it to be a place where people are proud to bring their family in for a meal at the holidays or on special occasions.”

Italian food, he says, seemed like the perfect fit. The couple was especially inspired by the food they ate on their month-long honeymoon in Italy — fresh shrimp aqua pazza in Sicily, the simple sophistication of a perfectly made cacio e pepe in Rome. Plus, Alexa’s father, Ray, and older sister, Lauren, have long run Severino’s in Eastlake, which inspired the Dragiches to choose the name Sorella. Italian for “sister,” it represents a family connection between the two restaurants. (Ray is also a partner in Sorella.)

RELATED: Cleveland's 25 Best Restaurants

They felt lucky, Dragich says, not to have to turn far to find the right chef for their new venture. Though they interviewed a few candidates, they ultimately landed on Kipper Kendzierski, a veteran chef who knew the space well: He’d worked at both The Bistro and Americano, the two restaurants that preceded Sorella in the first floor of One Bratenahl Place. 

“We really hit it off with him, and we were very much aligned on big, bold flavors,” Dragich says. “Alexa and Ray and I collaborate with him on a lot of the ideas of what we want to do on the menu.” 

Naturally, that menu skews heavily in favor of pasta and other classic Italian entrees: fresh bucatini in a silky carbonara ($20) with salty pops of crispy pancetta and the gentle heat of black pepper; fork-tender Angus short rib ($30) lightened up with a side of buttery, light-as-air whipped potatoes; crisply pan-seared chicken piccata ($26) in a light white wine butter sauce over delicate capellini. 

For now, none of Sorella’s offerings are wildly avant-garde or unexpected. What it offers instead is precision — careful execution, beautiful plating and portions that are generous enough for some leftovers to take home (or upstairs, if the building is home). 

The menu won’t necessarily be all Italian all the time, either. While Sorella’s debut menu followed a tight culinary brief, other types of cuisine have since begun to make special appearances — pierogi to honor Dragich’s Polish heritage, gumbo that pays homage to chef Kipper’s Southern roots, the occasional walleye dish thanks to the bounty of Lake Erie. 

“It’s still early for us,” Dragich notes. “We’re always evolving and coming up with new ideas.” 

While the food may still be finding its footing, the Dragiches took pains to make sure the space itself was fully prepped for prime time before opening Sorella’s doors. Once stuffy and undeniably outdated, the decor is now as striking as the architecture. Lofty ceilings, off-white walls and regal columns are offset by lush maroon carpet and jewel-toned floral motifs. On sunny days, natural sunlight streams in through floor-to-ceiling picture windows. 

The original bar, once tucked into a cramped side room, has been relocated to the restaurant’s entry hallway. It’s now the first thing guests see when they set foot inside. Mossy green walls, a sleek granite countertop and rows of top-shelf liquor signal that this area is anything but an afterthought. 

There’s a small patio outside, too, which may get upgraded to a large patio sometime in the near future.

“It’s a little hidden gem with a secret lakefront view,” Dragich says. “In the summer, it’s just gorgeous. I can see sitting out there and going through a bottle of rose while you’re looking at Lake Erie on a beautiful day.”

Ultimately, there’s a quiet thrill in dining at Sorella, a place you’d never pass on the street but instead must seek out with intention. After you’ve checked in at the gate, crossed through the condo lobby and padded down a long hallway to Sorella’s front door, it feels like you’ve earned the right to unwind, indulge and get away from it all. 

Because even if you don’t live in the building, it’s nice to imagine that you could. It’s that same pleasant daydream that pops up on vacation, when you start to wonder: What if this were everyday life? At Sorella, for at least just one meal, it can be. 

“We wanted to create a space that felt special for the people who live here,” Dragich says. “But it’s for everybody else, too.” 

When you Go:

1 Bratenahl Place, Bratenahl, 216-541-3900, sorellacle.com

For more updates about Cleveland, sign up for our Cleveland Magazine Daily newsletter, delivered to your inbox six times a week.

Cleveland Magazine is also available in print, featuring immersive stories, helpful guides and beautiful photography and design.