Designing your dream day
Modern couples want weddings with intention that reflect who they are. Via Roma Event Center & Ristorante pairs elegant design, thoughtful details and exceptional cuisine to create a celebration that feels uniquely theirs.
At Via Roma Event Center & Ristorante, every wedding is designed with intention—down to the very last detail.
Wedding trends in Cleveland for 2026 are swinging toward signature customization, soft and romantic natural décor elements that bring the outdoors in, and unique, intentional guest experiences to make your big day one in a million.
With the holidays over, and newly engaged couples beginning their journey of planning, the first and most important decision is finding a venue that reflects their personality, one that has the bandwidth to handle the orchestration of intimate nuptials to lavish weddings.
Housed in the building that was once Carrie Cerino’s, which hosted countless weddings and events, Via Roma Event Center & Ristorante has earned a reputation as the area’s premier wedding venue.
What’s Your Wedding Personality?
President and Co-Owner Khadar Soussou explains they host events for up to 350 guests in the grand ballroom, which has a private entrance and stunning chandelier, gold chain backdrop wall and elegant décor.
“Our Florence Room suits smaller weddings, for up to 130 guests,” he says. “If couples want something really unique, they can throw their wedding within The Grotto on our lower level. And for more intimate micro-weddings, we’ve also had couples rent our Cantina Wine Cellar for up to 20 guests.”
The Grotto is also the perfect spot to host the cocktail hour or an afterparty with a speakeasy vibe.
All You Have to Do: Show Up
Khadar notes that today’s engaged couples are busier than ever and like having someone else do the nitty-gritty planning work.
“Our wedding planning team can do it all, from tables and chairs to linens and centerpieces, the cake, lighting, music, photography and more,” he says. “We’re like wedding planners without the wedding planner expense. Every detail is taken care of, and the bridal party can hang out in the Bridal Suite before and during the wedding. It comes complete with a vanity for primping and a fridge, all with a laid-back lounge vibe.”
Devoted to Authentic Fare
Khadar says the food at Via Roma is as thoughtfully curated as the atmosphere, and that his team takes pride in delighting couples through the process with inspired ideas for how to make it their own.
“In addition to weddings, we’re pleased to have earned kudos for our everyday menus,” he says. The hearty, fresh-from-scratch weekly specials have become family tradition for people, especially custom pasta nights on Mondays, where you pick your pasta, succulent sauces and scrumptious toppings. On Tuesdays, enjoy two for $39 Parmesans—choose from classic chicken, veal or eggplant.
“We kick off the weekend early with our Wednesday half-off bottles of wine under $50 special,” Khadar says. “We’ve also earned a following at our Happy Hours, which run Sundays through Fridays from 3-6 p.m. and include specials on cocktails, beer and wine, along with a host of sharable small plates at the lounge or at the bar.”
Coming soon to The Grotto is a Valentine’s Day–themed pop-up bar, transformed with romantic décor, festive cocktails, and cozy details designed to set the mood for love.
Via Roma Event Center & Ristorante
8922 Ridge Road, North Royalton
A Nod to Comfort Fare
Now that the tinsel has settled from a bustling season of holiday wine tastings and events, capped off with a New Year’s Eve gala, the culinary team at Via Roma Event Center & Ristorante is back to what it does best: Serving comfort food that warms the soul.
Via Roma was recently featured on Fox 8’s New Day Cleveland whipping up a few favorite wintertime comfort dishes from a menu that’s contemporarily inspired by Italian traditions.
“Sachetti Porcini (which in Italian means ‘beggar’s purses’) with caramelized onion, mushroom, fig balsamic and pecorino cheese is a pasta go-to,” President and co-owner Khadar Soussou says. “And lamb shank with carrots, parsnip puree and fingerling potatoes is classic, elevated comfort fare.”
From the Primi portion of the menu with rustic first courses, the team prepared the Fritto Misto, a delicate plate of fried calamari and shrimp served with chili aioli and arugula.
Rounding out the harvest-inspired flavors are the flatbreads, which like everything else here are prepared in the most authentic fashion, like they’ve been cooked for hundreds of years, in a wood-fired oven with hand-tossed dough that’s lighter than air. Diners love sharing a traditional Roma style with roasted Roma tomatoes, garlic, chili flakes, burrata and basil, as well as the prosciutto flatbread, with generous toppings of cured ham, asparagus, garlic oil, ricotta, shaved parmesan and fig balsamic.
Italian inspirations and crafted cocktails round out the inventive menu at Via Roma Ristorante.
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