Gourmet & Healthy in Garfield Heights

La Strada’s expansive space has “the ambiance of dining on an Italian piazza after sunset” according to Cleveland Magazine. Distressed paint covers the walls in muted colors, and unfinished wood trim balances the ornate framework around the bar. Eclectic sculptures stand in nooks or sneak out to watch wall projections of black-and-white movies like the Fellini film for which the La Strada was named.

Like the vagabonds followed by Fellini's camera, the restaurant's menu roams from place to place. The kitchen staff employs premium ingredients such as extra virgin olive oil, whole grains, and artisan cheese in dishes inspired by the traditions of Italy and the Mediterranean. Flatbread pizzas get crowned with kalamata olives, feta, and hummus, and pastas are tossed with a variety of vegetables. Varied seating lets patrons huddle in pairs, dine out of doors, or pass the time playing telephone at family-sized tables that seat up to 12.

When Frank Cangemi first opened Miles Famers Market in 1971, it was a seasonal, open-air market that only sold fresh fruits and vegetables. Frank would arrive at the Northern Ohio Food Terminal at 3 a.m. every day and proceed to hand select his stock of fresh produce, carefully choosing veggies without bruises and punting overly ripe cantaloupes. This hand selection and attention to detail is something he still does to this day, even though Miles Farmers Market has expanded to a 21,000-square-foot shopping space that also houses a deli, a butcher, and a bakery.

Its cheese department hosts more than 400 varieties of cheese, which complement varietals from a wine section that Wine Spectator hailed as “outstanding.” Its bistro not only makes up quick bites but also full dinners to go. Its staffers help foodies navigate the aisles and are on hand to offer tips that range from how to ripen an unfamiliar fruit to how to successfully wash food in the dishwasher.

Yet, even with all of this, it’s the dedication to having the best produce that really draws in shoppers. For more than 40 years, Miles has fostered partnerships with local produce growers such as Burnham, Spiegelberg, and Rittman Orchards, as well as Ohio Fruit Growers. These alliances allow for a vast selection of organic and local produce that may have been ripening on the vine or stalk seven hours before hitting store shelves.