Sudova, a highly anticipated Eastern European restaurant from Sarah Dworak, who also owns Babushka Piergois at Findlay Market and founded Wodka Bar in Over-the-Rhine, has set a grand opening date.
The restaurant, located at 22 W. Court St. in downtown Cincinnati, is scheduled to open from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Thursday, August 29, as well as Friday and Saturday, August 30 and 31. Reservations can be made on Sudova’s website or OpenTable, but walk-ins are also welcome.
Dworak says Sudova will be a place where traditional dishes, timeless European style and modern tastes blend in a welcoming and convivial setting. The name means “court-like” in Ukrainian – a nod to the location as well as Dworak’s heritage. She says the restaurant is the next chapter in her exploration of her family’s Ukrainian roots and her passion for Eastern European food and culture.
On the menu, guests will find modern takes on classic Eastern European dishes, including rye pelmeni (a type of dumpling) with salt cod and potato brandade, topped with caviar beurre blanc; hand-formed vareniki – another type of dumpling – filled with homemade tvorog (similar to cottage cheese) and crispy pork belly; the Ukrainian specialty green borscht, made with chicken, sorrel and a soft-boiled egg; and ice cream made from sea buckthorn berries. Dworak says the ingredients are sourced both locally and internationally.
Sudova will have a fenced-in courtyard for outdoor dining, as well as large skylights inside and a fully retractable garage door. The dining room will have a warm, old-world style with its custom woodwork and bar, framed Ukrainian tapestries, stained glass windows from Wooden Nickel Antiques, and locally salvaged Eastern European sconces. But the highlight of the dining room will be a family heirloom—a well-worn and much-loved dining table that once stood in Dworak’s grandmother’s house.
For the interior, Dworak collaborated with Daffin Properties and Sediment Design, as well as Orange Chair, who created custom benches.
From Tuesday 3 September, Sudova’s normal opening hours will apply from Tuesday to Saturday from 17:00 to 22:00.
Sudova, 22 W. Court St., Downtown. More information: sudovaoncourt.com.