When you think about a Cleveland restaurant district or dining destination, the St. Clair-Superior neighborhood on the city’s East Side doesn’t necessarily come to mind.

The St. Clair-Superior Development Corp. is trying to change that. The nonprofit created the St. Clair-Superior Restaurant guide, which is available online and in a free print version. From Dec. 8-14, the organization is holding Savor St. Clair, a week of deals designed to economically boost restaurants by drawing more  people to dine at neighborhood establishments. Some AsiaTown restaurants are also included since the nonprofit’s district or service area includes part of this neighborhood. 

“Historically, I think people often think of the St. Clair-Superior neighborhood as industrial or residential, but we have over 60 restaurants in our district,” said Cordelia Heaney, the nonprofit’s assistant director. “We want to share with folks outside of our neighborhood the different options we have for them to explore new food in one the most diverse neighborhoods in Cleveland.”

If you want to explore cultural cuisine, there are many options: Jamaican, Puerto Rician and a host of Asian restaurants, including Chinese, Korean, Thai and Vietnamese. 

If you are craving a specific food item, no problem. In St. Clair-Superior, you can find everything from burgers to pizza to smoothies. You can also choose from options ranging from takeout-only restaurants to casual dining ones, such as a diner, to establishments with a more formal atmosphere.

Savor St. Clair and restaurant guide hope to boost business

The restaurant guide has been online since the summer, but it’s being publicized beyond the neighborhood as part of Savor St. Clair. Restaurants are offering various deals with a purchase, including free coffee or a beverage, buy one item and get  50% off the second one or a given percentage off the bill. People can pick up a copy of the guide at the St. Clair-Superior Development Corp., 6403 St. Clair Ave. Many businesses in the community are also carrying the guide.

Savor St. Clair is being held in December because restaurants, like many retail businesses, generally do well during the Christmas shopping season. The aim of the restaurant week is to redirect some of the traffic from national chain eateries to those in the neighborhood, Heaney said. 

“I know people get tired after shopping and they just want to do a drive-through or a chain restaurant,” she said. “I want them to know that having lunch at a place like Map of Thailand can be a unique and delightful experience and they’ll get a free spring roll with purchase of a dinner meal [during Savor St. Clair].”

Kayla Dial, owner of KafeLA at 6710 St. Clair Ave., welcomes the effort to boost sales at St. Clair-Superior restaurants. She said that, while restaurants, especially those in or near major retail areas, may see an uptick during the holiday shopping season this often is not the case with restaurants in working-class areas.

“People are trying to save to get ready for Christmas,” she said. “Things that aren’t considered essentials – I feel this includes eating out – get put on the back burner.” 

A neighborhood restaurant such as hers is more than just a place to eat, Dial said. She describes KafeLA as a “community hub cafe.”

Elected officials hold meetings there. It is “a cool safe haven” for people to hang out, she said. Dial does back-to-school giveaways, uses her restaurant for voter registration drives and provides free hot meals for those in need. For example, she said she gave away more than 80 Thanksgiving dinners, with all the fixings, to residents who probably would have gone without a holiday meal.

KafeLA, which is carrying the restaurant guide, is offering free coffee or lemonade with a food purchase. The LA in the name of the business refers to Los Angeles, which is the theme of the restaurant. Menu items include the L.A. Vegetable Stir Fry, Cali Wings and the Santa Monica Burger.  

Her restaurant offers things most chains don’t, Dial said. The food is made from scratch, the atmosphere is always “fun and bright” and the staff is “very nice and loving.”

“It’s supposed to always be summertime at CafeLA,” she said. “It’s very bright, with lots of artwork. We serve ice cream all year. It’s just supposed to be like a place of good vibes when you walk in.”