Cent’s is the kind of pizza spot that feels half neighborhood hang, half design-y wine bar, where the crust is blistered just right, the toppings get a little weird in the best way, and the soundtrack leans more “cool friend’s living room” than chain restaurant playlist.
This Ohio City pizzeria leans into natural wine, creative small plates, and chewy, wood-fired pies that have Cleveland food folks arguing about whether it’s the city’s trendiest slice or just their new go-to date night. 🍕🍷
How A Brooklyn-Trained Chef Walked Into Ohio City And Started The Best Pizza Argument In Cleveland
Cent’s sits on Lorain Avenue in Ohio City, but it feels like it could just as easily be tucked into a cool corner of Brooklyn or Chicago.
Founder Vincent Morelli built the concept after time at New York’s cult-favorite Roberta’s Pizza, and that inspiration shows up in the pies: long-fermented dough, leopard-spotted crust, and toppings that go way beyond pepperoni.
The pies are built on a naturally leavened, chewy dough baked in a roaring oven, and the toppings lean cheffy without going full science project — slow-cooked sauce, fresh mozz, anchovies, spicy oil, and bright greens showing up across different combinations on the rotating menu.
Regulars know to look for things like the “Sunday Gravy” pizza with red sauce and slow-cooked meat, a garlicky “Mr. White” pie, and seasonal combos that play with cured meats, funky cheeses, and bright herbs.
On top of that, Cent’s leans into snacks and “goods,” little plates, thoughtful salads, maybe some tinned fish or charcuterie, plus a tight list of natural wines and cocktails that make it feel as much like a bar as a pizzeria, something local food coverage calls out as the kitchen putting as much attention into the snacks and salads as the pizzas themselves.
Depending who you ask, it’s either “Cleveland’s hippest pizza joint” or “trying a little too hard,” but even the skeptics usually admit the crust is legit, as captured in the back-and-forth you’ll find in pizza nerd reviews and community debates about where to eat in Ohio City.
Between the food, the wine, and the soft-lit dining room, Cent’s ends up being the kind of spot where people linger long after the last slice is gone.
Food Highlights
- Sunday Gravy Pizza: A red-sauce pie layering slow-cooked “gravy” with rich cheeses and meaty toppings that eat like a pasta dinner on chewy crust, flagged in local food write-ups as the must-order for first-timers who like their pizza hearty and sauce-forward.
- Mr. White: A white pie built on mozzarella and creamy cheeses, usually punched up with garlic, herbs, or seasonal vegetables instead of tomato sauce, making it the go-to for anyone who finds all the flavor in the cheese and crust rather than the red.
- Spicy & Funky Specials: Rotating pies that bring in anchovies, spicy oils, pickled elements, or sharp cheeses, giving you a slightly wild, “let’s split this and see what happens” pizza option that pizza nerds love to pick apart and argue about.
- Snacks, Salads & “Goods”: Bright greens, marinated veggies, and salty little bites built to pair with wine, showing up consistently in local dish roundups as the reason people recommend coming with a group so you can turn dinner into a full table spread.
- Cocktails & Natural Wine: A tight list of cocktails and wines that skew fresh, funky, or lightly bubbly, matching the pizzeria’s offbeat vibe more than a standard “red or white” list, with locals noting on community boards that you can just as easily drink at the bar and pick at a pie as sit down for a full meal.
Atmosphere
“Cent’s Pizza & Goods Sets a Vibe in Ohio City” pretty much says it all — pink-hued walls, a glowing oven, and the kind of room that makes your phone camera come out before the first plate hits the table.
The space is compact but lively, with a steady hum of conversation, servers hustling hot pies past the bar, and a playlist that leans more indie-cool than background noise.
Some reviewers roll their eyes at how hip it all feels, but even they tend to admit that once you’ve got a blistered crust and glass of wine in front of you, it’s hard to stay grumpy, as captured in the mixed but mostly enthusiastic feedback the restaurant consistently pulls.
It’s the kind of place you slide into for a 7 PM pizza and suddenly realize it’s close to closing time and you’re still arguing over which pie was the best.
Bottom Line
Cent’s Pizza + Goods is where you go in Cleveland when you want chewy, wood-fired pies, a legit wine and cocktail list, and a room that feels like a stylish friend’s house party with better food.
Whether you end up on Team “too hip” or Team “absolutely worth it,” the crust, the toppings, and the whole Ohio City vibe make Cent’s an essential stop for pizza-obsessed travelers.
Address:
5010 Lorain Ave, Cleveland, OH 44102
📞 +1 216-862-6427
🕔 Open Mon 5–9 PM; Thu–Fri 5–10 PM; Sat 5–10 PM; Sun 5–9 PM (Closed Tue–Wed)