The Judith Chef and Co-Owner Jennie Doran’s Tried-and-True Cleveland Eats: Word of Mouth

Jennie Doran moved to Cleveland nearly two decades ago, sight unseen, for a job in event production and design, and quickly fell in love with the city. A longtime small-business creative with a retail background, Doran made her culinary debut in 2023 with The Judith, a French-inspired cafe named in honor of her mother-in-law and rooted in food, hospitality and everyday beauty.

Local Loves: My favorite spot in Cleveland is Momocho, by Eric Williams. When I first moved here, one of my very first apartments was half a block away, and I just fell in love with it then. The food is so consistent; it’s so delicious, and he’s been doing that excellent work for a really long time there. It’s absolutely a go-to. It never disappoints. I get the pepita trout. I’m a pumpkin seed girl, I can’t lie. It’s all phenomenal.

Unbeatable Breakfast: Frank’s Falafel House on West 65th is my breakfast nonnegotiable. It has everything you’d want in a diner. It’s close by, and the foule medames offers a pretty traditional Middle Eastern breakfast situation with fava beans topped with tomato, parsley and homemade dressing. I could eat it every day. It even inspired a really popular dish on our evening menu last season.

Standout Stops: If I had visitors from out of town, I’d take them to Leavened in Tremont for pastry treats and La Plaza Supermarket in Lakewood for tacos. We’d go to Algebra Tea House on Murray Hill for vibes. It’s transporting in its own way, and there’s a casual beauty to its simplicity. I have an appreciation for humans who can make remarkable things happen in tiny spaces. That’s the art, and that’s what happens there.

Bangin’ Bites: I love a good wing. I recently had the everything bagel dry-seasoned wings at Noble Beast Brewing Co. Downtown and was perfectly satiated. It’s just what you need in your body, and they do them really well.

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