(Cleveland Scene – not a Jewish publication)
Only a small percentage of diners will appreciate the significance of the circle-wrapped K in the restaurant name Kantina, but to those in the know the symbol is meaningful. It indicates that the restaurant is kosher, and as such it complies with the strict set of Jewish dietary laws that the designation requires.
Kantina isn’t Cleveland’s first kosher restaurant, but it is Cleveland’s newest one. It also is the most contemporary of the genre, one typically filled with — in this market anyway — modest catering kitchens and unassuming delis set within walking distance to Orthodox synagogues. Kantina is different for a number of reasons, but most notably for its location on the campus of Case Western Reserve University.
“The Jewish student population at the university has been growing, and one of the objectives with this restaurant is to have a kosher option that was quality-based,” explains Harvey Siegel, past president of the Cleveland Hillel Foundation, which helps Jewish students at local schools celebrate their Judaism. “One of the prime objectives was making this a home away from home where the students feel comfortable.”
Sarah Taub says
Does anyone know if Kantina is handicapped accessible?
Shawn Fink says
There is an elevator behind a locked-door at street-level, due to security precautions. If you call before you arrive, they’ll greet you and escort you down in the elevator. The same is true for people with baby-strollers.