Happy Friday, Westsiders! Welcome to The Westside Buzz, the best 5 minutes of your day…or at least that’s what my Mother says.

Today we are buzzing on:

• 🍕 A Cavoli’s Pizza review

• 👜 Exciting news coming out of Crocker Park

• 🤞 Fingers crossed for clear skies tonight

Let’s get to it!

—The Briggses

NEW RESTAURANT

🍕 Your Next Pizza Obsession: Cavoli's in Westlake

If you’re a new reader, you will come to find out that Jodie and I love to explore new restaurants across the west side.

Experienced west side restaurateurs Rodney Johnson, Greg Dabran, and Mitchell Johnson have teamed up to open Cavoli’s, an elevated pizza place honoring Cleveland restaurant legend Ida Cavoli.

Let's dive into why this new pizza joint should rocket to the top of your must-visit list:

1. The vibe transports you straight to NYC. Walking into Cavoli's feels like you've stepped through a portal to a classic New York pizzeria. The exposed brick walls, that gorgeous fireplace, and the bustling U-shaped bar are filled with the kind of interesting characters you want to write novels about.

2. The buffalo wings will ruin all other wings for you. These aren't your typical sad, sauce-drenched wings. They're the kind of wings that make you question your top-ranked wing joints. They are salty, sweet, and utterly addicting – I normally hit wing fatigue after four or five, but I could've demolished a hundred of these beauties.

3. The pizza menu is creative yet classic. The spicy alla vodka pizza? A revelation. Imagine spicy vodka sauce mingling with chorizo, peppers, and hot honey on top of a light, crispy crust. Ida's Garden was filled with garlic, mushrooms, caramelized onions, and spinach in perfect harmony. It's like someone took everything good about vegetables and put it into pizza form.

4. This is not your neighborhood slice joint. Cavoli's has elevated pizza to an art form by using fresh ingredients to make the dough from scratch. This is destination-worthy pizza, folks. The kind worth driving across town for.

Cleveland, especially the west side, is seriously stepping up its food game. Cavoli's is that rare spot that lives up to the hype and then some. Get more information and see reservation times 👉 HERE

COMMUNITY BLEND

📝 Browns Flunk the Exam

The NFLPA's annual team report cards have just come out and Jimmy Haslam is going to try and hide the mail from his parents. The report cards are anonymously voted on by NFL players who grade the teams and ownership on things like training facilities, coaches, and treatment of players’ families.

Landing at a concerning 30th place out of 32 teams, here are some of the lowlights for the Browns:

• Locker Room: F-

• Training Staff: C-

• Training Room: D+

• Coach: C

• Treatment of Families: D+

Players noted that while coaches' families get to meet inside the stadium after games, their loved ones are relegated to a tent in the parking lot.

Team owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam scored a respectable C+ with players complimenting their willingness to invest in facilities. On a brighter note, the recently renovated weight room earned the team's only A grade, showing that investments in facilities can make a real difference. Maybe this is a sign of where the organization should focus their improvement efforts if they want to create a culture that attracts and retains talent.

We will take the results of The Westside Buzz Browns Report Card straight to Berea!

Old Lorain Connector Project

Construction on a new trail that will connect the Emerald Necklace Trail to the community near Fairview Hospital will begin soon. This will give roughly 1,400 residents who live within a mile of the park a much easier access. The project is set to be completed by Spring 2026. Full Details 👉 HERE

This is one of my favorite stretches of Metroparks in all of Cleveland. I am counting down the days until we get that first taste of spring.

🧠 TRIVIA

@TheWestsideBuzz

Crocker Park is adding 11 new restaurants and businesses including Garage, Vera Bradley, State & Liberty, and more. 👇 Check out our Instagram Reel for a fun breakdown! 👇

thewestsidebuzz

View more on Instagram

📰 WESTSIDE NEWS

What’s Brewing

🏁 Lorain: The long-abandoned 37-acre landfill in Lorain, Ohio is transforming into a $12.5 million racing complex called Lorain Ohio KartPlex. It will feature professional kart racing competitions, recreational go-karting, and youth programs while boosting the local economy with 165 new jobs, potentially turning Lorain into a destination that attracts visitors from around the world. Full Article 👉 HERE

🦺 Westlake: Diversified Fall Protection commits to adding 50 jobs, expanding production capabilities and naming Westlake as HQ. It’s great to see a west side company investing in the Westlake with the likes of Moen abruptly leaving. Full Article 👉 HERE

🍎 Lakewood: Lakewood City Schools are set to see their state funding slashed by $1.5 million in the new proposed budget. Full Article 👉 HERE

🌌 CELESTIAL EVENT

Tonight is the last night to witness a rare night sky event called the Planet Parade. Tonight, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune will be visible in the night sky at the same time. You will need a telescope to view Uranus and Neptune.

Let’s keep our fingers crossed for clear skies around 7:30 PM tonight so we can view this cool celestial event that’s rarer than a Browns winning season.

🥳 WHAT’S HAPPENING?

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

🎷 Live Entertainment

Friday

DT & The Shakes | Time Warp, Westlake 9 PM

Journey Tribute | Music Box, Flats 7:30 PM

Pulse Album Release Party | The Bop Stop, Cleveland 8 PM

Ballinloch | Gormley’s, Rocky River 8 PM

Sky's the Limit | Backstage Bar, Westpark 8:30

Cleveland Heavy Hitters Festival | Mercury Music Lounge, Lakewood 5:30 PM

ian TOUR PT. 2 | House of Blues, Cleveland 7 PM

Cleveland Monsters vs. Charlotte Checkers | Rocket Arena 7 PM

The Warped Band | The Winchester, Lakewood 9 PM

Colin Dussault, Jim Tigue, and Eroc | Fairview Tavern 8 PM

Saturday

The Spazmatics | Time Warp, Westlake 9 PM

Dark Side of the Moon | Music Box CH, Flats 7:30 PM

C.J. Chenier & The Red Hot Louisiana Band | Music Box SC, Flats 7:30 PM

Stacy Dillard - Keigo Hirakawa Group | The Bop Stop, Cleveland 8 PM

Cleveland Heavy Hitters Festival | Mercury Music Lounge, Lakewood 5:30 PM

CSU Men’s Basketball vs. Purdue Fort Wayne | Wolstein Center 3 PM

Cleveland Monsters vs. Charlotte Checkers | Rocket Arena 7 PM

Solitude | The Fairview Tavern, Fairview Park 9 PM

BLOCKHEAD | The Winchester, Lakewood 9 PM

Weather

Friday

46 🌡️ 29 | 🌥 | 30% | 💨 S 9-11 mph

Saturday

32 🌡️ 17 | 🌨 | 30% | 💨 NW 10-17 mph

Sunday

26 🌡️ 18 | 🌤 | 10% | 💨 NW 7-10 mph

💧^{🌡️ Water temperature = 33ºF Waves omitted due to the lake being mostly ice-covered.}

^{Weather courtesy of the National Weather Service}

What’s your favorite wing joint on the Westside?

Have a great weekend,

—The Briggses