Drive down State Road from the Ukrainian Orthodox church, past the Ukrainian bakery and follow the scent of the smoke house to the State Meats parking lot. Inside the small butcher shop are the unique and persisting meats and prepared foods brought to Cleveland by our Eastern European predecessors. Before you have a chance to look at much someone behind the counter is handing you free samples. The samples are more than generosity. They introduce you to something that may be unfamiliar or remind you what sausage or ham ought to taste like.
The store carries home made sausages and delicatessen meats as well as hard to find products such as dry cottage cheese. Refrigerated prepared foods run the gamut from the typical Cleveland stuffed cabbage to things Ukrainian. A favorite is the chunky smoked sausage where large chunks of pork are encased rather than the more common ground.
State Street sold sausage sandwiches that were so popular that they were gloriously described as dashboard food by Michael Stern of Roadfood. Their popularity expanded to the building next door where carry out dinners and the sausage sandwiches are sold. The sandwich at $3.99 is far more representative of our hometown than the mish mash called the Polish Boy. No real Polish boy or real Clevelander would put cole slaw and barbecue sauce on smoked kelbasa when there is sauerkraut, mustard, and horse radish. Save the french fries for Primanti sandwiches.