One of the most beautiful restaurants in Cleveland will close its doors after dinner service Saturday night. Rockefeller’s, located on the expansive second floor of the Heights Rockefeller Building, is pulling the plug.
“For four and half years we were doing fine,” says owner Michael Adams. “We were established as a good restaurant. We established a solid core of regulars and people from the neighborhood who loved to come here. But it was time to rededicate myself to my three kids and my wife.
“Obviously, it was a difficult decision,” he adds. “As a resident of Cleveland Heights, I enjoyed opening up a business here and contributing to the economy.”
Nobody is more upset with the decision than executive chef Jill Vedaa, who has been crushing it in the kitchen since opening day.
As for what’s next – both for Vedaa and the gorgeous restaurant space – only time will tell.
“I don’t know what’s next,” says Vedaa. “I might be kinda off the grid for a little bit, but not for too long.”
Adams says the space is ripe for the picking.
“I would love for another restaurateur to come in and open up whatever he would like to do conceptually,” he says. “The owner of the building is more than amenable to that happening.”
This article appears in May 27 – Jun 2, 2015.
it’s a shame such a gorgeous building and the surrounding area are so isolated by the canyon that is Mayfield Road–the ugliest friggin’ road on the east side. if it were a more appealing, I bet a bunch of folks would wander up from the rest of the Heights, Little Italy, or Univ Circle.