Looking to uncover all Old Brooklyn has to offer? Get to know this Cleveland neighborhood by browsing its most popular local businesses, from an ice cream parlor to a cheese shop.
Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the top places to visit in Old Brooklyn, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of neighborhood businesses. Read on for the results.
1. Jack Frost Donuts
Topping the list is Jack Frost Donuts, a family-owned Cleveland staple that's been serving up made-from-scratch doughnuts since 1937. Located at 4960 Pearl Road, it's one of the highest rated businesses in the neighborhood, boasting 4.5 stars out of 259 reviews on Yelp.
Offering over 200 varieties of doughnuts, along with coffee and tea, the shop says on its website that it "continually strives for innovation and is constantly in search of the next best thing."
Look for traditional cake doughnuts and crullers, apple fritters, cinnamon rolls and specialty selections like the The Nutty Banana and the cereal-topped Fruit Loops doughnut. (Check out all of the varieties here.)
2. Honey Hut Ice Cream
Next up is Honey Hut Ice Cream, a cool spot to score homemade ice cream, milkshakes, smoothies and more at 4674 State Road. With five stars out of 83 reviews on Yelp, the shop remains a local favorite.
Run by the children and grandchildren of the ice cream shop's founder, the Honey Hut has been dishing out honey-infused scoops of ice cream since 1974. The shop got its start in Old Brooklyn and has gone on to add four other Northeast Ohio locations.
Sample one of the five new flavors that debut each month or try favorites like the signature honey pecan, sea salt caramel or orange blossom ice cream.
3. Sabor Miami Cafe & Gallery
Owned by Honduran native Mariela Paz and opened in 2015, Sabor Miami Cafe & Gallery is another top choice, offering a multicultural menu that features Cuban, Honduran, Peruvian and Mexican cuisine for breakfast and lunch. Yelpers give the business, located at 4848 Broadview Road, five stars out of 57 reviews.
The colorful cafe has a tropical vibe and Paz's vibrant artwork lines the walls. Her family runs a coffee plantation in Honduras and Cleveland.com says that "making great coffee is in her blood." Try options like the Mayan mocha, horchata, Cuban espresso or the coconut iced latte.
On the menu, look for Key West lime and cinnamon roll pancakes, or the pan con pollo sandwich, complete with mojito-marinated chicken, sautéed onions, tomatoes, lettuce and potato sticks on Cuban bread.
4. Old Brooklyn Cheese Company
Check out Old Brooklyn Cheese Company at 4138 Pearl Road, which has earned five stars out of 24 reviews on Yelp. The business opened in December 2016 and has over 100 local, domestic and imported cheeses available, as well as a variety of cured meats, jams, honeys, crackers, pickles, olives, mustards and vinegars.
One of two licensed cheese makers in Cuyahoga County, the shop has a kitchen and cheese aging facility below ground.
A variety of cheese and charcuterie platters are available with 48 hours' notice and can be taken home or sampled on-site at one of two communal tables. Have a group of six to 10 people? Try the Italian Job platter, which includes Casatica di Bufala, Gorgonzola Dolce, fontina, pecorino Romano, prosciutto, soppressata, Castelvetrano olives, Puglia Taralli crackers, dried fruits and nuts, baguettes and fresh fruit.
5. Drink. Bar & Grill
Finally, there's Drink. Bar & Grill, a local favorite with 4.5 stars out of 56 reviews. The bar and grill offers a variety of classic cocktails and wants to help its clientele "take a step back in time and live the post-Prohibition-era nightlife experience," per its website. Stop by 4250 Pearl Road to hit up the popular spot the next time you're in the neighborhood.
Try custom cocktails like the Corpse Reviver (gin, Cointreau, lime, Lillet Blanc and absinthe) or the Blood and Sand with scotch, cherry Heering, sweet vermouth and orange juice. Both red and white wines made domestically and internationally grace the drink menu as well.
Pair your beverage with light bites and pub fare like burgers, hummus, calamari or the West Coast wrap with pan-seared chicken, blue cheese crumbles, basil and lemon juice served with tomato and onion on a tortilla.
