Cleveland!

We've been in Cleveland for almost a full year which feels both like it happened yesterday and a lifetime ago. To celebrate, I decided to check America off of my Cultural Gardens list by way of the Cleveland-famous Polish Boy. Tracking down a Polish Boy was harder than it really should have been considering they are touted all over town. I was working off of a list of the best Polish Boys in the city and started with the number one choice, Seti's , but after some research, I saw that the truck closed in May 2022 due to the owner's cancer diagnosis. Next up was Rowley Inn, but once I sat down at the bar, I was told that they no longer have Polish Boys.  I was hungry and determined, so I headed to Parma to try Little Polish Diner's version and was greeted with a taped sign on the door saying they were closed for a few days. At that point, my hunger had turned into hanger, so I took myself to the nearby Das Schnitzel Haus and checked Germany off the list instead. 

But a girl and her Polish Boy were bound to meet eventually so I took a couple of days, regrouped, and chose someplace not on the Best Of list, but on the Amy Wants To Try list instead. That place was Whitmore's Bar-B-Q in Warrensville Heights. I had seen a news clip of the twin brothers running the place and knew I needed to try it eventually, so when I saw that they had a Polish Boy on their menu, I knew that the time was now. What I didn't know at the time was that Whitmore's is thought to be the originator of the Polish Boy! 

Whitmore's has been serving up BBQ in Cleveland for 81 years! From News 5's story: “We take it as it's a badge of honor if you want to call it that, but it's something that we know we just got to maintain,” said co-owner of Whitmore's Bar-B-Q, Virgil Whitmore.

Today, Whitmore's Bar-B-Q is run by Virgil and Vance Whitmore, who were born to cook together. Whitmore’s Bar-B-Q was started by the twins' grandfather in 1942.

I loved the vibe right from the start. The paper menus tacked to the wall, the cooler full of desserts, the little order window, all of it. It reminded me of my favorite bbq spot in Columbus, B&K Smokehouse, that provided the fuel for many, many long nights at political campaign offices.

Whitmore's is a carry out spot, so I placed my order with the friendly woman working the window and she thoughtfully provided me with a spoon for my banana pudding so I could eat it while I waited. Eat Dessert First should be my life's motto. I always hate eating it at the end of the meal when you're already full. What's the point! Especially when it's something as good as that pudding! 

I took the Polish Boy to a nearby park and ate in the glorious and rare early April sunshine in Cleveland. Now let's talk about Polish Boys...

1. They are a mess. Don't even think you'll be able to eat this without also turning into a mess yourself.

2. The Polish Boy is a sausage sandwich native to Cleveland, Ohio. It's a link of kielbasa sausage placed in a bun, covered with a layer of french fries, a layer of barbecue sauce, and a layer of coleslaw.

3. Virgil Whitmore of Whitmore's Bar-B-Que is thought to be the originator of the Polish Boy who combined the sausage with other available ingredients he had on hand in the restaurant.

4. There's not much history about when and how the Polish Boy became one of Cleveland's defining foods. This article tries to find more, but comes up short as well.

5. You will never eat more sausage (or corned beef!) than you will if you move to Cleveland and try to eat all of the Cleveland-famous foods. This is one of the better sausage options out there! 

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The American Cultural Garden was dedicated in 1935 and is located north of Superior Ave on East Blvd near its intersection with E 98th St. It features busts of Abraham Lincoln with the Gettysburg Address, Mark Twain, and Booker T. Washington. 

Whitmore's Bar-B-Que

20209 Harvard Ave.

Warrensville Heights, OH 

216.752.3960

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Hours:

MON - THURS | 11am-10:00pm

FRI - SAT  | 11am-12:00am

SUN| 1pm-8pm