West Side Market

Among the many beautiful places to see in Cleveland is the West Side Market, a destination for anyone who enjoys food. Like many big city vendor markets, it has a wide variety of vendors. It holds a special place in my heart as the first of it’s kind that I ever visited. I have loved it since my first taste of a cannoli, my first wide eyed stroll down the rows of vendors.

I first tasted a cannoli at the famous Theresa’s stand, a small bakery that gets my business every single time I visit Cleveland. They are, of course, best known for those cannolis, but I have fallen in love with their macaroons. They have a wide variety of flavors to choose from as you make a package. My husband and I always have a short wait til we order, and we need every second to decide on what kind of macaroons we could agree on.

This year, they had a fruity pebbles flavored macaroon that truly did taste like that bowl of cereal from my childhood. The creamy middle mimicked the taste of the cereal milk perfectly to compliment the berry flavored cookies that surrounded it. They also had the flavors you might expect this time of year, such as pumpkin and cheesecake. My husband laid claim to those right away.

Beyond these confections, West Side Market is packed with produce, meats, cheeses, and spices. I dream of one day being able to shop in a place like that for all of my food needs. Not only is the selection beautiful, but many of the vendors are locals. Supporting locals is the best part of places like this. Did I mention that Great Lakes Brewing, only two blocks away, sources much of their food for service from the vendors at the Market?