25 Best Restaurants: Sokolowski's University Inn

While our taste buds may veer off course for the bright, shiny foods of the moment, we eventually return to our North Star. There’s no other place in Cleveland that pulls at our Eastern European heartstrings like Sokolowski’s University Inn. Everything is made with recipes from their mother, Marion — fresh kielbasa ($4.50) and buttery sauteed pierogies ($1.95 for two). Folks wait in a line nearly out the door of the iconic Tremont restaurant. The cafeteria-style spot greets us with stacks of trays before giving way to a warmly lit, wood-paneled dining room that’s lined with enough family photos to rival your own babcia. But we’re all here for those time-tested recipes that transport us back to our own family dinners and feeds more than our appetite — it nourishes our soul. “Our place is a reflection of the people in Cleveland,” says co-owner Bernie Sokolowski. “We take pride in the fact that we’re Polish-Americans.” That passion can be tasted in the beloved cabbage rolls ($7). Hand-rolled daily, 500 at a time, the little love letters are filled with juicy pork, veal and ground beef. “Every day people tell me, ‘It’s just like grandma’s,’ ” he says. “It’s a badge of honor.” 1201 University Road, Cleveland, 216-771-9236, sokolowskis.com 

Try This:
The hearty pork schnitzel ($14.99) flecked with black pepper will stick to your ribs, but be sure to wrap each morsel with a few ribbons of tangy red cabbage for the perfect balanced bite.