CINCINNATI — Sarah Dworak never planned on working in the restaurant industry.
She told me her evolution in Cincinnati's bustling food scene happened "organically."
Now, Dworak is gearing up to open her latest venture, Sudova.
"It wasn't something that I planned to do with my life, but I mean, it's been great. It's been fun," Dworak said.
Dworak, a Northeast Ohio-native, first popped onto the scene in 2012 when she began Babushka Pierogi at Findlay Market. The pierogi stand was born out of the fact that she simply couldn't get the food item at the market she frequented, and in two years time, Dworak said pierogies became her full-time job. After moving into an inside location within the market, Dworak said she had the idea to bring Eastern European drinks to the Queen City with Wodka Bar, which is located on Main Street in Over-the-Rhine.
After both Babushka Pierogi and Wodka Bar made it through the long-lasting struggles of the COVID-19 pandemic, Dworak said she had the idea to blend both the food element of Babushka with the drinks of Wodka — something she dabbled in with the food offerings at Wodka.
Dworak said she had some reservations about taking on the hefty task before a fellow female restaurant owner reassured her she already had the chops to build a successful restaurant.
"It gave me the confidence to be like, you know what, I can do this and I can cook the food that I want and, and kind of expand the like, a more modern interpretation of Eastern European food," she said.
Sudova, which will open its doors on Court Street on Thursday, Aug. 29, continues her streak of celebrating her Eastern European heritage — and it brings something new to Cincinnati.
"There is no full-service restaurant in Cincinnati that does this type of food," Dworak said.
Sudova's menu will see a variety of classic Eastern European dishes, such as hand-formed verenyky, which is a Ukrainian dumpling stuffed with house-made tvorog, a type of dairy product, and pork belly, as well as green borsch, which is a Ukrainian soup with chicken, sorrel and soft-boiled egg.
Outside of food, the restaurant will have a full cocktail menu featuring nine drinks, a beer list as well as an extensive wine list, which Dworak said was crafted with the help of local wine shop Hart and Cru.
"If (guests) know the cuisine, I would like them to have an experience that reminds them of their childhood," Dworak said. "And for people who have not had this before, I would like them to have a fun experience and try new things. Trying new things is fun, and it's unique."
The restaurant itself is fitted with lush green velvet benches, dark wood tables and other green accents throughout, such as the bar lighting and stained glass on the back of the bar. To enter the restaurant, guests walk through the restaurant's courtyard, which features newly planted ivy that Dworak hopes will spread over the patio's brick walls.
A setting that's apt for date night or dinner with friends, the restaurant's seating is anchored by a large dining table that belonged to Dworak's grandmother. Her grandmother's armoire also sits near the front of the restaurant.
Dworak is Ukrainian on her father's side and Croatian and Polish on her mother's side. Proud of her upbringing and culture, she said she's felt a responsibility to keep her family's heritage going through food.
"A lot of it is made in the home, and it's not celebrated in restaurants, and I guess that it's a way to keep all of these memories alive," Dworak said.
Dworak cited Portland chef Bonnie Frumkin Morales, a first-generation American of Belarusian immigrants, as someone she's tried to emulate through her own businesses.
As one of the few prominent female restaurant owners in Cincinnati, Dworak also said she feels she has a responsibility to run her businesses well and to do it right.
Dworak said she was able to work with mostly local businesses to help make Sudova come to life, such as BS LLC, Queen City Restaurant Supply, Orange Chair and more, including many woman-owned businesses like Sloan Boutique's owner Ivy Costa and Grainwell in Covington.
"Basically this was all done locally, which is so cool that there's all of this talent right here in like downtown or like right across the river," Dworak said.
Sudova's doors open Aug. 29. The restaurant will have hours Thursday, Friday and Saturday, eventually working up to being open five days per week, Tuesday through Saturday. Those interested in trying the restaurant can click here to make reservations.
