When people visit Cleveland, they always ask me which restaurants they must try.
Of course there are plenty of awesome places to suggest, but there鈥檚 actually one correct answer to this question.
It鈥檚 just not an answer I can give anymore: Sokolowski鈥檚 University Inn.
Sokolowski鈥檚 served up Eastern European classics in line with much of Cleveland鈥檚 immigrant history 鈥� such as stuffed cabbage, kielbasa, chicken paprikash 鈥� to customers in cafeteria-style lines that regularly stretched outside the restaurant and onto the sidewalk of the Westside (or perhaps I should say South Side) Tremont neighborhood.
鈥淎 lot of people would wait in that long line on Saturday nights, on Friday nights, and they would be disappointed when they saw the line so big. But so many people told me, 鈥業'm so glad I was staying in that line because I met this person here,鈥欌�� Bernie Sokolowski said.
But the dish you had to have is the pierogi. Clevelanders always tout pierogi as a food the city is known for. And nobody did it better than Sokolowski's, with their overstuffed potato and cheese pierogi swimming in a bath of golden butter and glistening onions.
It was pierogi perfection run by the Sokolowski siblings 鈥� Bernie, Mary and Michael 鈥� who took over the restaurant in the 1980s after their parents owned the place for decades.
鈥淲e used good ingredients. We did things the right way. Not to sound braggadocious or anything, but this is what the secret to a lot of the success is,鈥� Bernie said.
He's still local. So is his sister. The "baby brother" of the family, Michael, died in February, which is how I came to be talking to Bernie as I worked on an obituary for 精东影业.
Beyond the food, the care for the customers and the family atmosphere made Sokolowski鈥檚 a true community gathering place.
I moved to the city a decade ago and chose Tremont, in part because of Sokolowski鈥檚, not because of the pierogi (although it didn鈥檛 hurt), because the welcoming feeling that extended into the rest of the neighborhood.
I didn鈥檛 know the Sokolowski鈥檚 siblings, but as I waited in line 鈥攔ed trey in hand 鈥� I appreciated how many customers they鈥檇 be on a first-name basis with, jokes flying. It felt like everyone was a regular.
I couldn鈥檛 wait to take my parents to the restaurant when they鈥檇 visit me from Medina. And when I finally did, they couldn鈥檛 wait to go back.
Sokolowski鈥檚 University Inn closed in 2020 because the family decided to retire. In fact, Bernie made it clear that it had nothing to do with the COVID-19 pandemic, which was the downfall of so many other restaurants.
鈥淭his was the hand of God speaking, saying, 鈥楬ey, Sokolowski, it's your time now.' And it was a good move,鈥� Bernie said.
I was bummed to see the restaurant go. I had to find new 鈥済o-to鈥� restaurants for Cleveland visitors.
I suppose this is where we can lean on the brilliance of Dr. Seuss: 鈥淒on't cry because it's over, smile because it happened.鈥�
Sokolowski鈥檚 legend remains in the neighborhood and in the city. And the stories and memories will be shared forever.
Bernie shared his memories of Mike after his death.
鈥淢ike had a certain touch with cooking. He was a natural for it and he had a very good palate,鈥� Bernie said. 鈥淗e didn't put anything out on that line or sell anything that wasn't to his expectations.鈥�
I never knew Mike, but it was an honor to get to know him through Bernie.
And it was an honor to write his obituary.
Before Mike's funeral Mass, the siblings and Mike's immediate family stood at the front of St. John Cantius church as a line of mourners stretched all the way down the aisle and out the door.
It seemed fitting for a Sokolowski's funeral.
